CLIA Survey Finds 34 Million Americans Planning to Cruise in Next Three Years

The latest Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) 2008 Cruise Market Profile Study finds that the number of Americans ready to cruise is growing-almost 34 million plan on cruising in the next three years-and that these cruisers are getting younger and see the value that a cruise vacation offers.

They understand the value and convenience of home porting-they can drive to their port of embarkation instead of flying and put what they might have spent on airfare into an even nicer cruise. And, cruisers recognize the value that travel agents provide. In fact, the more cruisers spend, the more they rely on travel agents.

About 75 percent of all cruises are booked by travel agents, but that increases to nearly 100 percent as you move into premium cruises. Increasingly, cruisers are taking the kids. In 2002, 13 percent of cruisers indicated they traveled with children under the age of 18; in 2007 that was up to 25 percent.

The biannual survey of American consumers, first conducted in 1986, identifies American consumer demographics, attitudes and intentions as they relate to leisure travel and specifically to cruising.

Research was conducted online in March and April 2008 by TNS, a leading market research firm. A total of 2,426 U.S. residents were interviewed. This year’s findings reinforce previous studies in painting a picture of a healthy, in-demand cruise industry fueled by vacationers with broader travel interests than non-cruisers and whose satisfaction with cruising is based on perceived and realized value.

In 2007, 9.57 million Americans took a cruise vacation representing 76 percent of the total 12.56 million guests carried on CLIA member cruise lines. Based on this year’s study, 33.7 million Americans stated intent to cruise within the next three years.

The study also shows that travel agents, who sell the great majority of cruises, remain a vital part of the industry and are perceived by travelers as providing the best service in vacation and cruise planning.