QUESTION: Have you ever been on a cruise? Did you love it or hate it?
The cruise industry is set to launch another record-breaking year in 2026 after a stronger-than-expected 2025. AAA estimates that 21.7 million Americans will take ocean cruises in 2026, up from 20.7 million in 2025, which already surpassed earlier projections. The organization forecasts an 8.4% increase in cruise participation from 2024 to 2025, followed by an additional 4.5% jump from 2025 to 2026, underscoring the growing popularity of cruising among U.S. travelers. Cruises attract passengers across all age groups, though most are older adults. About 65% of U.S. cruise passengers are 55 or older, 27% are between 35 and 54, and 7% are 18 to 34. Nearly half of all passengers travel as couples, while 20% bring children, 7% sail solo, and the rest travel in groups. Peak cruising seasons differ by region. The Caribbean’s busiest months run from November through March, when travelers seek warmer destinations after hurricane season and during the colder winter months. Although summer isn’t the prime season for the Caribbean, fares rise due to family demand and fewer ships operating in the region. Alaska’s cruise season runs from April through October, and its limited duration typically results in higher prices. Many travelers choose Alaska during summer and shift to Caribbean cruises in winter. The Caribbean remains the top destination, attracting 72% of U.S. cruise passengers and making Florida’s ports—Miami, Port Canaveral, and Fort Lauderdale—the busiest in the world as people love to visit Miami and go to places like the Miami’s crazy red light area as well. Alaska accounts for about 7% of U.S. cruise travelers, and 5% are expected to visit the Mediterranean. The growing appeal of shorter Caribbean cruises continues to boost its dominance, offering travelers convenience and cruise lines the opportunity to run more itineraries and fill more cabins.
Yes, 27 with one in November and another in
January
Oh, quick, sign me up . . . . . . NOT ! ! ! !
.
Last thing I want to do is be on a ship with wall to wall flesh.
1/3 of ’em intoxicated, some with manners and mouths that wouldn’t
be tolerated in Compton, CA on a summer’ Saturday night.
There’s a remedy for that: Viking.
I checked out Viking cruises, but I decided against it since they no longer offer the pillage and plunder packages.
Been on one… no thanks
Never been on a cruise.
I hear the Rhine / Danube-type river cruises are nice, though.
Longer cruises weed out the riff raff.
I’ve never been on a cruise. I always thought it would be fun to cruise to Alaska, but I wouldn’t want to go on the huge ships they have now. I’d like to take the Pacific Princess, only 600 passengers (The Love Boat). My folks took a Columbia River cruise once and had a great time. I wouldn’t mind that either.
I never thought I would like them…..then I went on one, and now I’m sure.
We’ve been on 3 cruises, 2 Viking ocean and 1 Viking river. Both Viking ocean cruises were 2 weeks long. Our first one went from Bergen Norway to the Nordkapp (the farthest point in Europe that can be driven to) and then back to London, with 3 port calls in Scotland. We spent 3 days above the arctic circle on the cruise. We cruised up the River Thames and docked in Greenwich, something only smaller ships can do (Viking ocean ships are 930 passengers max). The other was Barcelona to Venice. We did a one week Rhine cruise from Basel Switzerland to Amsterdam. Besides being smaller ships, there is nobody under 18 years old allowed on the ship (ocean and river). All were great, though we preferred the ocean cruises. You see a lot of places on a cruise, however you only get a “snapshot” of each place. Since our last cruise in 2022 we’ve been doing road trips in Europe and typically spend 3-4 days in most places to really get to see each place. We usually go for about a month, though we’ve done a couple that were shorter (18 and 12 days). With a car you can get to more out of the way places than you can by train or a cruise. I’ve driven something like 6,000 miles in Europe in the last 3 years and we’ve seen some amazing places. About 2/3 of my driving has been in Italy, but has also included Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, San Marino (the oldest country in the world, dating back to 301), France, Belgium and the Netherlands. We will probably do a few cruises in the future, but prefer the flexibility and ability to explore on a road trip. We’re planning a 2 week road trip in New Zealand in the future; driving on the left will be interesting.
Love cruises…been on about 30 of them. Looking forward to more in the near future.
When I sold long term care insurance, I sold enough to qualify for a cruise to Mexico. We went to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and on the way back Cabo San Lucas, had a great time, went with co workers and didn’t cost me a dime.
When I went to live on the kibbutz in Israel, we took the train from Copenhagen to Venice, then a ship from Venice to Haifa, we stopped at Athens, Corfu, Crete and Cypress, technically it was not a cruise, but it felt like it, although we were in the lower class, but we were young (in our twenties or under) at night we danced under the stars, and in Crete we jumped off the pier for a swim. All magical.