
There was a time when the river cruise segment
was dominated by boomers and empty nesters.
However, with finances improving and also
changing trends in consumer behavior, the
36- to 45-year-old age group is the leading
demographic segment in the river cruise
category now. Is it possible then, that their
work commitments are changing the average
length of river cruising?
In 2023, 42% of the advisors said that their
clients booked river cruise vacations of more
than a week. That share has dropped to 33%
in the current Outlook.
This is not a reflection on vacation spends (that
has gone up, as we will see later). Reports
are suggesting that many Americans are
now looking at shorter, but more frequent,
vacations. In addition, many river cruisers are
also combining land vacations pre- and post-
their vacations, which may result in shorter
cruise vacations.
AVERAGE LENGTH OF RIVER CRUISE, SHARE (%)
TRENDS IN RIVER CRUISE 2024
31%
41%
40%
38%
30%
33%
30%
45%
30%
35%
33%(42% in 2023)
69%
59%
60%
63%
70%
67%
70%
55%
70%
65%
67%(58% in 2023)
U.S.
Canada
Up to 5 years
6-10 years
11-20 years
20-30 years
30+ years
18-44
45-64
65+
Total
Location Years in Business Advisor's Age
More than 1 week Up to 1 week
CHART 2
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