If you’re looking to take a cruise next year, you’re not alone. Almost 22 million Americans are expected to sail away in 2026, according to AAA’s latest forecast for the cruise industry.
AAA gives this forecast every year, and the 21.7 million U.S. residents that are expected to cruise next year mark the largest number recorded by the association. In addition to next year’s record-breaking number, this is also the fourth year in a row that the forecast has outdone the previous year.
Apparently, the cruise industry keeps growing as cruise lines keep building ships to keep up with the demand.
What has spurred on the spike in demand over the last several years? A large part of the story is the rebound after the shutdown of 2020-2021, but the variety a cruise offers travelers on vacation is a huge part of the draw as well.
“These numbers reflect the growing demand for ocean cruises among U.S. travelers,” Vice President of AAA Travel, Stacey Barber said.
“Our travel agents see this every day when booking dream vacations for AAA members. Whether it’s an anniversary trip to relax in the Caribbean or a family reunion to explore Alaska, ocean cruises offer variety, convenience, and lifelong memories.”
Yearly Numbers
For context, these were the cruise passenger forecasts over the last several years put out by AAA:
- 2018: 1 million
- 2019: 2 million
- 2020: 7 million
- 2021: 2 million
- 2022: 9 million
- 2023: 9 million
- 2025: 7 million
- 2026: 7 million
The Demographic Cruising the Most
Cruises appeal to a wide variety of age ranges, with some cruise lines being family friendly and others restricting children from being on board altogether.
But the age group that plans to cruise the most are passengers 55 and older, and by a wide margin. 65% of all American passengers are expected to be in this age bracket. 27% are expected to be 35-54 and 7% in the 18-34 age range.
What about families with kids? AAA says that about 20% will be cruising with kids, while on the other end of the spectrum are the solo cruisers which will make up about 7% of U.S. cruisers.
Ports of Embarkation
Florida, as always, is the cruise center of the U.S. Ports like PortMiami, Port Everglades, and Port Canaveral will see millions of travelers embarking next year, boosting South Florida’s local economy with jobs, hotel stays, and business for area shops and restaurants.
AAA expects 10.2% of cruisers to sail out of Miami, with 8.8% sailing from Port Canaveral, 5.6% out of Fort Lauderdale, and 4.1 % from Galveston.
So, it looks like the Caribbean will once again be the most popular destination for Americans to visit on a cruise ship with about 72% of passengers visiting the popular region.
Bottom Line
The pace of growth over last year is a projected 4.5% rise for 2026 compared to an 8.4% jump this year. The cruise market appears to be maturing rather than weakening. Demand remains strong, so if a cruise is on your 2026 wishlist, you should probably start planning now.
As almost one in every sixteen Americans prepares to set sail next year, it’s clear that this carefree type of vacation has become a yearly thing for many. Can’t say I blame them!
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