Survey from Cruiseline.com and Shipmate Uncovers Shifting Cruise Trends for 2026

Cruiseline.com and Shipmate released the results of their annual 2026 Member Survey, gathering cruise preference insights from more than 5,500 travelers.

Demand for Cruises
- 92.8% of respondents already have at least one voyage booked for 2026 or beyond.
- 70.3% plan to make additional bookings, showing strong sustained interest.

Future Bookings
- 2026: 78.2% have a cruise booked.
- 2027: 60.5% booked.
- 2028: 13.6% booked.
- 2029: 0.4% booked (yes, people are planning that far ahead!).

Top Cruise Lines Booked
1. Royal Caribbean International – 29%
2. Carnival Cruise Line – 24.2%
3. Princess Cruises – 19.1%
4. Celebrity Cruises – 18.8%
5. Norwegian Cruise Line – 17.7%
Other popular choices: MSC Cruises, Holland America, Viking, Virgin Voyages, Oceania.

Top Destinations
- Caribbean/Bahamas – 61.1%
- Mediterranean – 17.6%
- Alaska – 14%
- Mexico (Pacific Coast) – 11.8%
- Northern Europe/Baltic – 11.6%

Voyage Lengths
- 7 nights – 45.9%
- 8–13 days – 41.5%
- 14+ days – 29.2%
- Short 2–6 days – 19.2%

Intent to Book More Cruises
- 2026: 13.3% plan at least one more.
- 2027: 34.6% plan bookings.
- 2028: 32% plan bookings.
- 2029: 24.5% plan bookings.

Top cruise lines being considered for future bookings:
- Royal Caribbean (46.8%), Celebrity (36.9%), Norwegian (29.9%), Princess (29.9%), Carnival (28.5%).

Top destinations being considered:
- Caribbean/Bahamas (53.4%), Mediterranean (31.2%), Alaska (30.7%), Transatlantic (23.6%), Hawaii (21.7%), Northern Europe (21.7%).

Notable Shifts vs. 2025
- Royal Caribbean overtook Carnival as the top booked brand.
- Margaritaville at Sea entered the top 10 consideration list.
- Mediterranean demand surpassed Alaska.
- Rising interest in shorter cruises (2–6 days) thanks to new ships like Utopia of the Seas.
- Growing curiosity about river cruises, with Viking, Celebrity River Cruises, and American Cruise Lines leading consideration.

Industry Insight
Jamie Cash (COO, Cruiseline.com & Shipmate) noted that cruisers are becoming more intentional and adventurous, mixing short getaways with long voyages, and planning years ahead.

This survey paints a picture of a booming cruise industry with travelers diversifying their choices and thinking long-term.