Luxury cruising has been regarded as the hot travel trend of the year. Despite the travel sector only beginning to recover financially, Cruise Industry News reports that the luxury cruise market is projected to carry one million guests this year and is headed towards an increase of 1.5 million by 2030. With this, it’s interesting to investigate what makes luxury cruising so appealing to travelers and how the sector achieves strong loyalty from travelers.
Shift in travel trends
Travelers have been eagerly seeking out holiday opportunities that can provide them with rich experiences, longer itineraries, and bespoke destinations across the globe. National Geographic cites this growing preference to be part of the shift towards “slow travel,” where there is renewed interest in curating authentic experiences while spending a longer time on holiday.
According to GlobeNewswire, vacation-goers also prioritize having wellness incorporated into their travels and pursue activities like yoga, spa treatments, meditation, and trips to hot spring resorts. The demand for this travel trend is expected to boost the wellness tourism market to $1.9 billion in value by 2031. Beyond comfort, though, travelers are also looking for exclusive trips to help them disconnect from their normal routines through interactions with new people, places, and the environment. There is also a shift to more sustainable travel.
In line with this, luxury cruising has garnered significant popularity among travelers, as it is able to satisfy the preferences for immersive trips fused with wellness initiatives that most high-end vacation seekers are looking to gain from their travels.
The appeal of luxury travel at sea
Intuitive and luxe amenities
Generally, luxury cruises offer discerning travelers a comfortable experience aboard state-of-the-art vessels that prioritize exclusivity and curated experiences. Take Explora Cruises, which upholds an “Ocean State of Mind” philosophy by aiming to help guests linger a little longer and immerse a little deeper through their choice of accommodations and amenities. They emphasize the opulent comfort provided for guests, who can enjoy nine distinct culinary experiences, intuitive service from hospitality experts, fitness programs, and more inclusions onboard.
Additionally, ships from Explora Cruises have state-of-the-art architecture that maximizes comfort for all guests, who can enjoy sophisticated lounging and picturesque views of the ocean from their suite. The growing preference for luxe amenities is also a growing trend among other sectors of travel, with Breaking Travel News highlighting that vacationers are looking for that “wow factor” from hospitality venues, and luxury cruise lines are aiming to deliver.
Curated experiences
While on a luxury cruise, guests can also enjoy shore excursions where they can be engrossed in destination experiences at the heart of foreign cities and towns. Some of these include hiking at Notre Dame de la Serra, wine tasting at Domaine d’Alzipratu, and kayaking at the Manicouagan Reservoir. Everything is also pre-arranged for the journey, which is one less thing to worry about before going on a cruise. Luxury cruises provide convenience through their all-inclusive nature, and they even offer onboard experiences that allow you to stock up on everything, including the travel essentials we’ve highlighted in our “What to Prepare for When Heading Off on a Cruise” post.
Sustainability
In line with the other emerging travel trends, some luxury cruises are also prioritizing their sustainability initiatives that incorporate dynamic efficiency with luxury. For example, Silversea Cruises has contributed to maritime sustainability efforts by having ships with high environmental compatibility and energy efficiency. Their Silver Nova ship uses liquified natural gas (LNG) as a primary fuel source, which significantly reduces carbon emissions from the ship. This is a significant development since around 3% of worldwide greenhouse gases can be attributed to ocean-going ships.
The current uptick in demand and promising opportunities from luxury cruising have driven cruise lines to provide the best of the best for their guests. The sector’s current status as a hot travel trend has even prompted further additions to the market, with Dubai-based airline Emirates planning to venture into a luxury cruise line division by 2024.
With this, the future of luxury cruises remains promising as more people are shifting their focus to travel options that will give them access to some of the best travel experiences one can find. For more on the latest travel news, guides, and more, please look through the rest of our content on Earth’s Attractions.
