New Study Reveals Where People Would Like to Cruise the Most

It’s no secret that cruising has become increasingly popular, with recent research from AllClear finding that 66% of people are considering a cruise as their next vacation. But where do potential cruisers want to go?

By analyzing online search data for over 100 popular cruising destinations, the study found that Alaska tops the list of the most sought-after cruises in the US. In fact, Alaska is the top trending cruise destination for 39 out of 50 states. 

Indeed, this year’s Alaska season is proving to be particularly busy, so it’s not surprising to see the high interest, with cruise lines experiencing a significant surge in bookings. 

In January of 2024, Princess Cruises announced a record breaking 20% increase in its Alaska bookings – the highest in the cruise line’s history for this time period. Similarly, Holland America Line had its best single-day booking record and best booking week in January, with Alaska cruises making up a substantial one-third of the new bookings. 

In fact, Alaska has become so popular that ports like Juneau, Alaska, are working to limit the amount of cruise passengers that can visit per day in order to best accommodate cruisers and maintain quality of life for the locals.

Juneau has a population of approximately 31,685 residents, but on a busy weekend, cruise passengers can increase this number to upwards of 21,000, which is more than half of the local population. 

After Alaska, the study revealed that the rankings for America’s favorite cruise destinations are as follows: The Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Mississippi River, expedition cruises to Antarctica, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, Transatlantic sailings, the Seine River, and the Rhine River. 

The World’s Most Popular Cruises 

While the US specific findings are certainly fascinating, AllClear didn’t just focus its research on America. Instead, the study authors analyzed search volumes between April 2023 and March 2024 from 44 countries around the world. 

When the data is aggregated at a global level, Caribbean cruises are the most sought after sailings world wide, garnering over 2.8 million searches in the past year.

Mediterranean cruises are next with over 2.1 million searches, followed by Alaska cruises in third with approximately 1.8 million searches.

But just like Americans prioritize Alaska sailings, there is some interesting variation by country. For example, Mexico, South Africa, and the UK are most drawn to Caribbean sailings, while travelers in Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic put the Nile River at the top of their most-wanted list. 

Read Also: Research Study Reveals New Insights About First-Time Cruisers

Over in Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, potential cruises are most interested in sailing to the crystal clear waters and coral reefs of Morocco. And in Japan, passengers don’t want to pick a single destination, instead showing more interest in “around the world cruises” that let them see it all. 

“It’s fascinating to see the number of travelers eager to set sail on unforgettable journeys around the world’s oceans, seas, and rivers. From the beautiful islands of Greece to chilly Antarctica, it’s been fantastic to see such a rise in interest in cruising holidays taking place all over the world in recent years,” said Letitia Smith, Head of Communications at AllClear.

Cruising is progressively seen as more of an obtainable way to travel among first-time cruisers, and depending on the cruise line, a more budget-friendly option to see the world.

Not only are many modern cruise ships all-inclusive, but future guests can often space out the cost of the cruise over time with payment plans.