Sailing toward the future: CLIA report reinforces strength and resiliency of cruising

According to CLIA’s 2026 State of the Cruise Industry Report, global cruise passenger volume reached a historic high of 37.2 million in 2025.

The newly released report reinforces the continued strength and resilience of the industry, with nearly 90% of cruisers indicating they intend to sail again, as well as highlighting the significant investments by cruise lines in new ships, innovative technologies, and destination partnerships. In 2026, there will be 325 CLIA-member ocean-going ships, representing around 690,000 lower berths globally.

Bud Darr, president and CEO of CLIA, observed that: “Cruising is sailing toward the future with exceptional momentum and strength. Record demand, growing interest from new cruisers and sustained confidence in the cruise experience are being matched by innovation, technological advancements, and destination partnerships. At the same time, we’re seeing a meaningful shift in recognition that cruise is a leader in sustainable operations.”

Close to 90% of cruisers say they intend to sail again, the highest level recorded by CLIA. This strong intent reflects high satisfaction among experienced cruisers and growing interest from new-to cruise travellers.

And that global demand is supported by a broadening source market and a wide range of cruise experiences across regions and ship types.

Cruise tourism generated $198 billion in global economic impact in 2024, supporting 1.8 million jobs worldwide and contributing $60 billion in wages, according to CLIA’s recently released 2024 Global Economic Impact study.

In the U.S. alone, cruise contributed $75 billion in economic impact, supporting 333,000 jobs and over $25 billion in wages, with $41.4 billion in gross domestic product (GDP).

Most of this impact comes from shoreside spending, reflecting cruise lines’ investment in ports, destinations, and communities. Cruise tourism supports a wide network of businesses, including transportation providers, hotels, restaurants, and suppliers.

Cruising continues to attract a younger and varied audience, according to the report. About one third are under age 40, and approximately one-third of cruise trips are multigenerational, underscoring the appeal of cruise vacations for families and groups.

The global cruise fleet remains balanced across small, medium, and large vessels, with approximately one-third small ships, one-third medium ships, and one-third large ships.

Trends show growth in luxury cruising, expedition, and exploration travel. The report also reflects increased demand for more immersive experiences, including curated shore excursions, cultural engagement, and more time in destinations. Cruise lines’ private islands destinations continue to be a driver of demand.

New ships entering service are increasingly more energy efficient than previous generations and nearly all new ships are designed with fuel-flexible engines as cruise lines continue to increase the uptake of lower-emissions fuels, onshore power connectivity, energy efficiency technologies, and other environmental technologies.

The cruise industry remains committed to pursuing net zero emissions by 2050, recognizing that achieving this goal will require ongoing collaboration across sectors, infrastructure development, and the availability of competitively priced alternative fuels at scale.

The industry continues to work with governments and local stakeholders with planned itineraries and predictable volumes, creating opportunities for planning and structured tourism management.

Looking ahead, the 2026 State of the Cruise Industry report points to steady growth, an expanding traveler profile and ongoing investment across the industry.

Darr said that: “Ongoing progress and sustained economic impact from the cruise industry requires collaboration across sectors, continued infrastructure investment, advancement of alternative fuels and pragmatic regulation.”

And he concluded: “The cruise industry is charting a course toward a future defined by opportunity, impact, and responsible growth.”

For the full 2026 State of the Cruise Industry report, click here.