Younger audiences are finally coming around to holidays afloat, thanks to active itineraries, experiential entertainment and TikTok
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Once upon a time, going on a cruise was for retired folk who wanted to sit on a deckchair and have the world brought to their door. This is no longer the case: cruising has become cool thanks to the introduction of adventure and expedition itineraries, social media, on-board Wi-Fi and the total redesign of ships and voyages in an attempt to woo under-40s – a campaign that has clearly worked.
A number of new surveys reflect an ever-younger demographic of cruise passengers: 65 per cent of cruisers in 2024 were Gen X or younger, and 36 per cent were under 40. That is according to the Cruise Lines International Association (Clia)’s State of the Cruise Industry Report 2025, which also reveals the average age of a cruise traveller is now just 46.5 years.
The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) shows a similar rise in its 2026 Travel Trends report: almost one-fifth of the 25 to 34-year-olds surveyed had been on a cruise in the past 12 months, up from less than one in 20 in 2019.
Amelia Waters, 27, from Hampshire, is one of those lapping up life on board. In January 2023, she embarked on the first of three month-long cruises with her mother, Sarah Waters. They sailed on Cunard’s Queen Victoria and Queen Anne to destinations including San Francisco, Sydney, Hawaii, Fiji, Chile, Peru, the Bahamas and Florida.
“We saw the world,” Waters, who left her job to travel, told the Telegraph. “I was the only young person on board – so there wasn’t a lot to do – but I absolutely loved it. There’s no unpacking and you don’t really realise you’re travelling. You spend the day on board, and the next day you’re in a new country.”
Amelia spent her time at sea swimming in the ship’s pools, sunbathing, eating “amazing food” and participating in exercise classes.
“Now I really want to go on a cruise to the Norwegian fjords with my boyfriend Tom,” she said, adding: “You have a hot holiday, you have a ski holiday, but cruising is something completely different.”
More than a decade ago, cruise lines began investing in active shore excursions and themed cruises – as well as Instagram-friendly interior design – in order to appeal to younger generations. Andy Harmer, managing director of Clia, told The Telegraph in 2018 that Wi-Fi had been a big driver in spreading the word, allowing the under-40s (and influencers) to “talk about their cruise experiences…on social media…in a way they weren’t able to before.”
Virgin Voyages, with its mirrored tunnels leading into trendy nightclubs, has featured heavily on Instagram and TikTok, as has MSC Cruises, whose Cliffhanger swing on MSC World America dangles guests 50m above the ocean.
The average guest age on an MSC sailing is now just 42, according to the line, and other onboard attractions include bumper cars, bowling alleys, rollerblading, immersive gaming zones, a 4D cinema and F1 simulators – and even the first humanoid robotic bartender at sea.
The company’s focus on driving interest among the younger generations – who seem more committed than any to spending money on holidays – has led to a remarkable 200 per cent increase in guests aged 18 to 39 over the past six years.
MSC Cruises vice president of international sales, Antonio Paradiso, believes this surge is “a clear sign that today’s travellers see cruising with us as a modern, exciting and memorable way to holiday.”
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Despite the cost of living, young people are more invested in taking holidays than any other generation. Abta’s 2026 Travel Trends Report found that 83 per cent of those aged 25 to 34 cite holidays as the most important time of the year. Of this group, most are likely to have taken a beach, adventure or cruise holiday in the past year, and they are also most intent on travelling in the next 12 months – 84 per cent versus an average 70 per cent.
This commitment to travel – and experiential, transformative holidays – is evident in the explosion in polar cruising in recent years. Over the 2023-24 winter season, 120,000 tourists (of all age groups) visited Antarctica, compared with 6,500 in 1991-92.
Slightly easier to reach than Antarctica, but every bit as beautiful, is Norway, which cruise line HX Expeditions says is captivating the under-40s. Its small ships, such as MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen, carry up to 500 passengers and are more “active basecamps” than retirement homes.
Of course, not everyone has the money to spend on huge, life-changing trips, and the rise of mini cruises – five days or fewer – is proving to be one way that the under-40s can try life on board without heavy investment.
Londoner Lucy Abbott, 25, began cruising in her early 20s and quickly caught the bug. “Often I’m in the minority, and the only other young people I’ve seen have been part of a multi-generational group, but I’ve now been to Norway, Miami, Spain and done quite a few river cruises, including the Rhine and the Douro,” she explained.
Lucy insists that choosing the right cruise line is key: one that appeals to personal tastes – whether it’s active expedition travel or the detox/retox mantra of Virgin Voyages, with its nightclubs and yoga sessions – is a big draw. So is safety.
“You don’t have to really worry about safety, which is a big plus for young women – you go out to a bar on holiday, then have to find your way back to your Airbnb or hotel. On a cruise, you feel safe and looked after,” Abbott said. “Affordability is a big barrier to many friends, but if you share an inside cabin room with two bunk beds on a mini cruise between friends, it is a great way to do it on the cheap.”
Cruising, it would seem, has never been more popular. And it’s here to stay. In 2024, some 34.6 million people went on a cruise, according to Clia, an increase of 9.3 per cent from the year before. And with a predicted 42 million passengers likely to set sail in 2028, there is no doubt that many more of them will be under 40.
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Abigail is an award-winning freelance journalist and editor with 25 years’ experience, specialising in adventure travel, ski, and wellness.
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