Cruise Strains Worldwide Affiliation (CLIA) at this time (April 22, 2026) revealed that holidaymakers from Britain and Eire took 2.54 million ocean cruises final yr, surpassing the earlier highest complete of two.4 million in 2024.
34.5% of passengers sailed within the Mediterranean, 27.2% in Northern Europe and 13.7% within the Caribbean. The Caribbean skilled passenger progress of 12% year-on-year.
The three locations had been additionally the preferred amongst British and Irish cruisers in 2024. The Caribbean stays the preferred cruise vacation spot on the planet.
CLIA additional acknowledged:
*The common age of cruisers was 54.6 years, constant year-over-year, with a 7% enhance in kids underneath 12
* The common cruise length was 9.6 days, in keeping with 9.7 days in 2024
* Seven-night sailings stay the preferred, accounting for 44% of sailings
* The CLIA cruise line fleet will see eight new ships enter service this yr, bringing the overall to 320 oceangoing vessels
Andy Harmer, managing director of CLIA UK & Eire, mentioned: “Cruise continues to enchantment to a variety of holidaymakers, with the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Caribbean all providing an amazing vary of experiences and itineraries. They symbolize a shift in direction of deeper cultural engagement and extra time spent in locations, with native economies supported by land-based actions and longer stays.
“This variety of locations, mixed with the pliability and worth that cruising provides, means it stays a extremely engaging selection for households, {couples} and multi-generational teams alike. It’s encouraging to see extra kids than ever touring, reflecting the enchantment of cruises as a straightforward and handy vacation choice.”