Cruise vacations are as popular as they’ve ever been, and a surprising reason why is rising interest from a fickle group that’s historically shunned the geriatric-focused industry: young travelers.
Those new Royal Caribbean ships, decked out with upscale dining options and adults-only areas, along with the cruise line’s private Caribbean islands, have helped the company appeal to a wider audience, Patrick Scholes, managing director at Truist Securities, said in an interview. Its 2024 earnings are projected to be 50 percent more than their 2019 pre-pandemic level, while its peers will see profits drop by about the same level, based on data compiled by Bloomberg.
“There’s no more cost-effective way to really see the world than cruising,” Melissa Newman, university professor and cruise blogger, said. Newman has managed to visit 30 countries aboard more than 20 cruises in the past nine years. “Social media has put cruising more on people’s radar as something that’s not just for old people,” Newman said.
“Millennial is a word people have used a lot about us and we tend to dominate that part of the market,” Saverimuttu said. Virgin Voyages’ sales are up 45 percent this year and, based on current demand projections, should achieve profitability within 18 months, he said.