Cruises Are Redefining Travel As A Lifestyle, Not A Vacation

Forbes

26-05-2025

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship.
Cruise ships' reputations have come a long way since the pandemic when they became synonymous with being tied to port, sick, and stranded. Many companies and analysts are betting big that these are the future of vacations, allowing neverending travel without the fear of overcrowding. With global shipyards creaking under burgeoning order books—70 new liners will add 170,000 berths to the international fleet by 2036—it may seem clichéd to say it, but it's more true now than ever before; in the world of cruising, there is quite literally something for everyone.
Travelers stay onboard longer, whether on residential cruises—with people buying apartments on them and never getting off, like on the Villa Vie Odyssey—or staying onboard for longer on vacation, circling the globe for extended periods. Virgin Cruises recently launched its annual unlimited cruise pass, where for $120,000, you can stay onboard the entire year, traveling from cruise to cruise.
Princess Cruises unveiled the 129-day World Cruise Grand Circle Pacific Voyage, departing from Fort Lauderdale on January 6, 2027. It will visit 61 destinations across 20 countries and three continents, including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Alaska ports. Guests will have access to 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, nine late-night stays, and one overnight in Hong Kong.
That winter cruise to the Mediterranean is not that far-fetched either, with climate change offering the possibility of sailing to typically hot destinations not in their summer but in cooler months instead. And boats are increasingly doing more to be environmentally friendly; new fleets mean more efficient ships.
There's Disney Cruise Line at one end, planning to double its fleet in the next six years. Business is booming, with roughly 40% of its customers saying they would never have tried a cruise without the Disney brand.
At the other end, CNTraveler recently listed the best adult cruises: ships with small berths that can reach those smaller harbors, those with world-class dining experiences, and onboard activities that include cooking classes, art tours, and guest speakers. Some stay in port longer to enable more in-depth exploration of the culture, and some bring the art offshore; think Regent Seven Seas Cruises, whose brand new Seven Seas Grandeur has Picassos and the first Fabergé egg to live at sea. Some offer unlimited Moët & Chandon champagne and diamond-dust facials—as far away as you can get from the all-you-can-eat buffet.
The Icon of the Seas set sail in 2024, the biggest in existence; she is five times the size of the Titanic and squarely aimed to offer something for the entire family, the multi-generational consumer. Its 20 decks allow 5,610 people to amble through eight neighborhoods, play mini golf, swim in the world's largest water park at sea in one of seven pools, and surf and rock climb.
An increasingly younger crowd drives the trend for larger and larger ships. Fueled by TikTok, some industry analysts believe there will be floating cities, with people living abroad permanently, working from ship and taking smaller boats onto land. This idea also seems to fit with the fact that many ports are closed to large vessels, particularly across Europe, and cruise companies are heading to the Caribbean instead, where they can build their fun parks and adventure places that don't have crowd limits or hundred-year-old streets to navigate.
As ships grow larger and more innovative, offering unique experiences and eco-friendly designs, but also smaller, more intimate, and adult-only, it seems cruising has become less about whether you're the sort of person who goes on a cruise, which used to be the question, but more about which cruise you like to take.
CNTraveler has a Hot List of Cruises for 2025 if you're looking for something new.