Those who think cruising is only for travelers in their golden years haven’t seen this survey statistic from CLIA, the Cruise Lines International Association: the average age of cruise passengers is 46, and more than a third are under age 40.
This means that millennials
– loosely defined as people born between 1981 and 1996, who are now aged 28 to
43 – are likely to find quite a few of their peers on a cruise ship.
Millennials now make up about 22% of cruise passengers and 88% of those who
have cruised plan to do so again.
Millennial
interest in cruising may originate in cruise trends like more relaxed onboard dress
codes, more adventurous cuisine, more modern ship décor, and more accommodations
that suit solo cruisers (a growing number of passengers, currently almost 10%,
sail on their own). Like passengers of all ages, millennials are drawn to things
that cruises excel at, like visiting multiple destinations and providing vacation
value.
If you’re a millennial
new to cruising – or you know a millennial you’d like to treat to a cruise –
here are some cruise destinations to consider.
The warm and balmy
Caribbean is a top choice. Itineraries range from two days to 14 or more, and you
can sail from a variety of home ports, including Houston, New Orleans, Tampa,
Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and others farther north along the East Coast. You can visit
the beautiful small islands of the Eastern Caribbean; the Yucatan Peninsula in
the Western Caribbean; or the islands of the Southern Caribbean. Some cruise
lines maintain private islands in the Caribbean, which are wonderful places to
spend a day.
If you live in the
western U.S., you can head to Los Angeles or San Diego for a cruise of Mexico’s
Pacific Coast. Itineraries often include classic cruise destinations like Cabo
San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco. These cruises offer terrific scenery,
with lovely beaches, rugged mountains, and dramatic sea cliffs.
If you have a
little more time, you can fly across the Atlantic for a cruise that calls on
the historic port cities of the Mediterranean. Itineraries can include stops in
Barcelona, Marseille, Rome, Naples, Venice, or Dubrovnik, as well as islands
like Mallorca, Malta, or Sardinia.
There are so many more
regions of the world to explore via cruise ship; no matter what age you are, talk
with Anita, your professional travel advisor, about destinations and ships that
will thrill you.
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