Cruising gets younger as average age of UK & Ireland passengers falls

Record-breaking 2024 figures highlight Asia demand is booming and Canary Islands also growing rapidly.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has today (May 8, 2025) revealed that the average age of UK and Ireland cruisers has decreased again. The overall passenger figures for 2024 confirm the average cruise traveller is 54.3 years – down from 55.1 in 2023 and 57 in 2019.

The findings come as CLIA stated that holidaymakers from the UK and Ireland took 2.4 million cruises last year, surpassing the previous highest total of 2.3 million in 2023.

CLIA further stated:

• 35% of passengers sailed in the Mediterranean, 26.5% Northern Europe and 13% the Caribbean.
• Asia & China saw the biggest passenger growth, at 96%. The Canary Islands followed with 31%.

For the first time, the CLIA-member cruise line fleet exceeds 310 ocean-going vessels. Overall capacity increased by 3.4% across the year.

Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland managing director, said: “Cruising continues to capture the imagination of travellers across the UK and Ireland, as more and more people embrace the diversity, value and unique experiences a holiday at sea offers. With an increasingly younger demographic onboard and more ships in the global fleet, the future of cruising has never looked brighter. And the wider benefits the industry delivers to local economies, suppliers and communities highlight the positive impact cruising has on a global scale.”