2023 Cruiseline.com and Shipmate Member Survey Results

By Cruiseline.com

The 2023 Member Survey is now complete, and with more than 5,000 respondents, we want first to say THANK YOU to our community members that took the time to give us feedback. We truly appreciate your involvement and insights!

It’s no surprise that the Cruiseline.com and Shipmate community loves to cruise, and year after year, we are always astounded at just how much that rings true. Equally impressive are the consistencies year after year, brand loyalty, and the desire to help other cruisers.

Cruise History

Saying that the 2023 Member Survey respondents have cruised a lot may be the understatement of the year. Stunningly more than 64% have been on 8, yes, that’s right, eight or more cruises. Only 2.5% said they had not cruised but were interested in cruising, which is why they came to Cruiseline.com and Shipmate to learn more and ask questions of the community. 16.3% have been on five to seven cruises, and 13.4% have been on two to four cruises. Just 3.4% of our respondents have only cruised once previously, but from the response about future plans to cruise, the first definitely won’t be the last.

Top Cruise Lines

To better understand which cruise lines our community sails most frequently, we surveyed the mainstream, premium, and luxury cruise lines our respondents have previously sailed. Survey takers were allowed to select multiple lines in this query, essentially, which cruise lines our members sailed with on previous vacations.

Two lines stood out as the top picks from our participants - Carnival Cruise Line with 65.2% and Royal Caribbean with 61.9% previously sailed. Following are the top 10 cruise lines that our members noted they have cruised in the past:

Top Destinations

The Caribbean has ranked at the top several years in a row as the top previously sailed cruise region. 88.8% of participants reported sailing to this area on a past cruise. In addition to the Caribbean, the top ten destinations that our survey takers said they have cruised to include Alaska, Europe, Bermuda, and more. See the infographic below for the top 10 destinations sailed:

See All Destination Guides

Cruise Intent - Future Plans

Over the past year, cruising has returned to normal, with passengers of all ages welcomed back onboard. Additionally, we’ve seen the return of cruising to destinations worldwide and ships once again at full capacity. Travelers continue choosing a cruise for their vacation, given the convenience of visiting multiple destinations and only having to unpack once! Cruising offers tremendous value with all the inclusions in the cruise fare, from accommodations and meals to entertainment and activities.

When asked, Cruiseline.com and Shipmate members overwhelmingly said YES, with a whopping 98.8% plan to cruise next year. There was a small percentage of only 1.1% that were undecided and only .1% that were not currently planning a cruise.

Regarding the number of future cruises booked or planning to book, 33.1% have at least one cruise booked, and the majority of respondents, 48.2%, have two to four scheduled future cruises. A further 10% had five or more booked! It’s no surprise that our Community members love to cruise. Leaning how many future cruises members are planning indeed reconfirms that cruising is back, more vital than ever, and the future is bright.

The largest cruise lines in the world, Carnival and Royal Caribbean, hold top honors again this year as the lines cruisers intend to sail with in the future. Not only do these lines have the most ships in their fleet, but they also have the world’s largest ships sailing the high seas. Cruise line newcomer Virgin Voyages is making an impact with their sexy ships, adults-only sailings, and private beach club. When asked about the cruise lines our community members are sailing with in the future, they responded as follows:

Regarding vacations, cruisers love to spend their time enjoying the fresh ocean breeze and all the activities and amenities modern ships offer. While some would argue that one week is just never long enough to spend onboard, 43.1% of respondents said the seven-night cruise was the perfect length of time. Interestingly but not altogether surprising, the longer cruise market is also very popular, with 31.6% booking 10-14 cruises and 11.8% preferring 15+ nights, a total of 43.4% of respondents. Only 13.5% of respondents booked a cruise for six nights or less, and the vast majority, at 12.6%, booked a sailing for 4-6 nights. While the 3-night and shorter intro cruise market is small, it’s becoming an even smaller part of the cruise line's deployment. Most lines are focused on the 7-night and longer market, given it's the highest demand, and our members agree.

When asked what destinations the future cruises are booked to explore, the Caribbean tops the list again. Currently, 3,167 of the more than 5,000 respondents indicated they are booked on a cruise exploring the various ports of call in the Caribbean. Historically, Alaska and Europe are destinations that tend to swap top honors. For the coming year or two, currently, Europe is the second most sought-after destination, with 1,438 future cruises booked. This is likely due to so many travel plans being disrupted for several years due to Covid closures and restrictions. Certainly, 2024 and 2025 are shaping up to be record years for travel to Europe and even some exotic destinations. Not to be outdone, Alaska remains a great choice, with 926 respondents looking forward to exploring the natural beauty of The Great Land. Other destinations for future cruises include the Mexican Riviera, Canada/New England, Bermuda, Hawaii, and more.

River Cruising

Becoming more and more popular each year, river cruising is the perfect way to experience multiple countries and interior parts of countries not accessible by traditional cruise ships. The waterways of Europe offer the most extensive options for river cruising, with the Rhine and Danube being the most popular. Traditionally, river cruise companies include shore excursions, all meals, local entertainment and enrichment programs, and an onboard guide who provides additional attention to detail and service. If dragging luggage from hotel to hotel across various countries is not your idea of a good time, it’s time to consider a river cruise vacation.

Survey respondents, when asked about having been on a river cruise, 88.6% reported they had never taken one, BUT 60% advised they were considering one. As for how soon they would plan a river cruise, 42.5% said they were unsure, 20% within the next year, and 28.9% in the next 2-3 years.

Cruise Booking Preferences

With so many survey participants intending on cruising in the coming year, we asked a range of questions to learn more about their cruise booking habits. Cruise vacation consumers have many options for how to book these days and a variety of factors influencing their booking preferences.

Most survey responders book their cruises using a travel agent or direct with the cruise line.

For those booking via a travel agent, 32.3% book in person or via phone, and another 11% book via a travel agency website. For those that prefer direct with the cruise line, 28.9% prefer to book online, while 24.1% prefer booking via phone or PVP. The remaining “other” category (3.7%) encompasses those that book onboard their next cruise or via other channels such as interline or through a friend or family member that works in travel or for a cruise line.

We also examined how far in advance travelers are booking their cruises. With an increased demand overall for cruising and a built-up demand for cruises post-COVID, industry-wide, we’ve seen travelers booking cruises much earlier than they used to do. Bookings for sailings are filling up much quicker than in the past, with bookings done several months to even years out. We asked our survey takers how far in advance they typically book cruises. A large bulk of our participants, 45%, said they booked a cruise six to twelve months before sailing.

16.1% reported that they booked cruises 19+ months in advance, 31.5% booked twelve to 18 months out, 45% said they booked their cruise six to twelve months ahead of sailing, 15% at three to six months prior, and only 2.1% report they book less than three months out from the voyage sail date.

To further understand our member’s booking habits, we examined what factors they considered most important when booking a cruise. We first asked what was the absolute most crucial factor considered when booking. Approximately 40% of participants reported itinerary/destination as the most important factor in deciding which cruise to book.

Additionally, 22.7% said that price was their most important determining factor, and 21.2% said that the cruise line was their top priority for what sailing to book. The value-added promotion offered by the cruise line or travel agency was a top factor for 9.2% of cruisers at the time of their booking. The cruise ship was essential to 5.7% of cruisers, and 1.2% reported other miscellaneous factors, such as family/friend referrals, onboard future cruise promotions, or travel agent recommendations, as their most important factor when selecting a cruise.

After establishing the most critical factor for choosing a future cruise, travelers reported the second most crucial factor in determining which cruise to book. Once again, price was the number one factor in this question at 35.3%. Close behind, 33.3% reported itinerary as a secondary deciding factor, 24.9% said the cruise line and 17.7% said the value add promotion from the cruise line or travel agency. Finally, 15.5% reported the cruise ship, and the remaining 1% said ‘other.’

Shore Excursions

After booking a cruise, planning port time is typically the next important decision-making step for most cruisers. When asked how far in advance travelers like to secure these port excursions, 44% noted they make plans 90+ days before sailing. Another 19.1% plan 89 - 60 days out, and 18.6% plan 59 - 30 days in advance. For those booking closer to sailing, 9.7% book 29 - 10 days prior, and 2% book less than ten days before their sail date. Finally, 3.6% book once onboard, and the remaining 3% book at the port upon arrival.

Where to book excursions is another primary consideration. Overwhelmingly, the majority of respondents, 71.2%, said they book directly with the cruise line before sailing. Another 15.1% prefer to book independently via a third-party tour provider. The remaining respondents reported a variety of booking preferences, depending on the destination and how far in advance they booked their cruise.

Closing Thoughts

Clearly cruising is back, more popular than ever, and our members have multiple future cruises planned to worldwide destinations. The overall value of cruising is second to none, especially when compared to land-based vacations. The convenience of multiple destinations and only unpacking once while surrounded by dining options, entertainment, and activities send new and experienced cruisers alike flocking to their favorite cruise lines as well as trying new lines.

The feedback from our Community Members is much appreciated! Your insights on cruise and travel experience, future plans, preferences, and influencing factors are invaluable. Thank you for taking the time to share!

Additionally, we also want to thank all of our community members who have taken the time to write a detailed review of their cruise experience. These reviews help new and experienced cruisers plan their upcoming cruises and learn more about what to expect onboard. If you’ve cruised recently, we would love to invite you to join our community and share your experiences: Write a Review.

For those not currently Cruiseline.com or Shipmate community members, please consider joining now! With over 2 million community members, there is a wealth of experience and expertise to answer questions and discuss everything cruising.

For those with future cruises planned, don’t forget to join the Roll Call for your cruise. Not sure what a roll call is? In a nutshell, Roll Calls provide an opportunity to meet other cruisers on the same ship and sailing date before you set sail. Learn more here.

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Once again, thank you to our community members for participating in this survey and for your continued support of Cruiseline.com and Shipmate!

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