“In God We Trust…. All Others Bring Data & Evidence”.  

In a previous career, Bob had a boss (a retired Navy Admiral) that was amongst the most quotable of people he ever met.  The caption above is particularly appropriate for today’s column about the data and trends of the travel business:

TRENDS for CRUISING

• Smaller Ships… Bigger Experiences.  The mega-ships are still out there, but the growth is in ships carrying less than 1000.  More authenticity, and less being herded like cattle
• By 2028, 50% of all new cruise ship capacity will be powered by LNG or alternate fuels.

• There are 56 new ocean ships to be launched in the next decade.  70% of those will be small ships.  Mega ship cruising is stable, but ALL the growth is in small ships.
• EXPEDITION:  It’s a word that puts people off, but it’s BUCKET LIST GOLD to get to the more remote places on the planet (and NO… they not all in polar regions).  The first Expedition Cruise for most people is the Galapagos or Antarctica.  The fastest growing Expedition destinations are Greenland, and the Kimberly Coast (Australia). 
• RIVER:  Egypt and the Lower Danube (Eastern Europe) are showing the biggest growth.  

TRENDS for DESTINATIONS:

Over-tourism and geo-political events are driving demand for travel:

• The top destinations for Americans are Italy, France, Mexico, UK, Spain, and Canada. 
• The fastest growing destinations are Canada and Japan.
• “Coolcations” (cooler weather destinations) are up in demand by 263%.
• Europe is still very popular, but people are going to the more remote corners like the British countryside, the Algarve Coast in Portugal, Slovenia, Malta, and Montenegro.
• WHITE LOTUS EFFECT:  Hawaii was up over 300% after season 1. Sicily was up 424% after Season 2, and similar trends are showing for Thailand after season 3.  If you’re wanting to avoid crowds… avoid following pop culture destinations. 

TRENDS ABOUT CRUISERS:

• A full one-third of those going on cruises do so with multi-generational family groups. 
• Cruisers take A LOT of cruises; 14% of cruisers take at least 2 cruises per year.  25% sail more than twice a year.  11% take between 3 and 5 cruises per year. 
• In 2025, it is projected that 37.7 million (!) people will get on cruise ships. 

A GLOBAL LOOK:

• Inbound travel to the US is down substantially (24% YTD), with each 1% drop translating to $1.8 Billion in lost revenue.  15 million jobs are directly affected. 
• The Cruise Business is a $168 Billion industry, employing 1.6 million people.
• Between 2021 and 2025, the stock market rose 48%, and when people feel wealthy, they like to travel.  In April (when the stock market dropped 15%) our sales volume was cut in half.  So there is a direct correlation between stock returns and travel bookings. 

THE BOTTOM LINE:  The future is pointed towards smaller, more intimate experiences that are more personalized.  Managing overtourism, while still allowing people to travel will be the challenge.

In Case You Missed It:

TAHITI & FRENCH POLYNESIA:  Imagine Hawaii, but with a fraction as many tourists.  Where is it? When’s the best time to go?  This and more: 

https://pamperedcruiser.com/tahiti-destination-focus/

WHY WE TRAVEL:  Here’s a personal look at WHERE, WHEN, and WHY we travel, and what we hope to get out of our travels:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/why-we-travel/

WINDSTAR YACHT CRUISING:  How is the experience on a yacht different than a cruise ship?  What do you have to wear?  Where do they go? 

https://pamperedcruiser.com/yacht-cruising-with-windstar/

Featured YOUTUBE Video:

TAHITI & FRENCH POLYNESIA:  Over-water bungalows, pristine beaches, friendly locals, French-inspired and tropical food:  Here’s a look at our trip to French Polynesia last June. 

https://youtu.be/ctytpPPx1tM

Remember to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel while you’re there.  It really helps us, and we can produce more content for you!

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Today’s Travel Opportunities

YACHTING with WINDSTAR

WINDSTAR is the casual yachting experience, with their largest ship holding only 320 guests.  

TAHITI round-trip from Papeete for 7-nights.  Departures every Thursday.

• Visit Papeete, Moorea, Raiatea, Tahaa, Bora Bora (overnight), Huahini.  Remember this tropical paradise is only 2 hours past Hawaii, and has a fraction as many tourists. 
• 2025: Depart November or December from $3199 with ALL-IN Fare Package.
• 2026: Depart January through March from $3699 with ALL-IN Fare Package
• Here’s our video blog from when we did this cruise: https://youtu.be/ctytpPPx1tM 

Iceland round-trip from Reykjavik for 7-nights

• Visit Reykjavik, Sertsey Island, Helmaey Island, Seydisfjordur (overnight), Akureyri, Isafjordur, Grundarfjordur.
• Depart July or August from $4399

On the RIVER with UNIWORLD

UNIWORLD is on all the rivers in Europe with custom built ships designed and decorated for the region they sail through.  Here’s some of their itineraries OUTSIDE EUROPE:

EGYPT for 12-days (4 nights Cairo and 7-nights on the ship)

• See the Pyramids and Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, Temple of Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Valley of the Kings, and a Nile Felucca ride.

• 2025: Depart November – December from $5199
• 2026: Departures January – May from $5599
• Details here: https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/river-cruise/egypt/nile/splendors-of-egypt-and-the-nile/2025-cairo-to-cairo 

INDIA:  Ganges River Cruise for 13-days between New Delhi and Kolkata

• If the other cruise lines are sold out in India, we can still find you space on UNIWORLD.
• Few countries simultaneously fascinate and frighten travellers as much as India, so visit it in comfort while still being exposed to the things that make this country so unique.
• Visit New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra (Taj Mahal), Kolkata, Cruise the Ganges, Kalna, Matairi, Murshidabad, Baranagar, Khusbagh,, Mayapur, Chandannagar.
• Includes 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and internal flights. 
• 2026: Depart January – March from $5999
• 2026: September – December from $7469

REMOTE EXPLORATIONS with HX

If you like to explore the more remote corners of the planet, and get up close to nature and wildlife, HX is a good choice for you.  You DON’T have to be an Olympic Athlete, but you DO have to be curious about the world around you.  Here’s a few ideas: 

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS and Quito for 9-days

• 2-nights in Quito, then fly to Galapagos (included in fare) for 6 nights.  Visit Mosquera Inlet, Santa Fe, South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Research Station in Port Ayora, Espanola Island, Eden Islet.  

• 2025/26: Depart October through March from $6725
• 2026:  April through December from $7785
• See our video blog from this trip:  https://youtu.be/3F38Km2EEjQ 

NORTHERN LIGHTS in NORWAY with HX

• Round-trip from Tromso, for 8-days with 5 stops on Norwegian Coast
• Northern lights PROMISE.  If you DON’T see the Aurora Borealis on this journey HX will put you on another cruise.  
• 2026: Depart January through March from $3899
• 2026/27: Depart November through March from $4536

EXPLORA JOURNEYS for Luxury Lifestyle Vacations on the Water

With a strong focus on culinary, a unique entertainment program, and huge staterooms, this new luxury lifestyle brand is worth checking out.  Click here to learn more about the Explora Journeys experience: https://inspires.to/experiences/the-explora-journeys-experience-43wo3

NORTHERN EUROPE: Reykjavik to Quebec City departing September 17, 2026 for 11-nights

• Visit 2 ports in Iceland, then sail to Greenland to visit 3 ports, then on to Canada, where you’ll stop in 2 of Quebec’s Eastern townships, before arriving in Quebec City (overnight).  
• Veranda fares from $10,890

ARABIAN PENINSULA round-trip from Dubai departing December 14 or 21, 2026 for 7-nights

• Visit Dubai (overnight), Khor Fakkan (UAE) for archeological sites and Musandam’s Fjords (the Norway of Arabia), Sur (to visit the sand dunes), Muscat to immerse yourself in authentic Arabia or to go snorkeling, Khasab on the remote Omani Peninsula, then back to Dubai.
• Veranda fares from $3800 on December 14 or $4095 on December 21

EXPLORA I SHIP TOUR VIDEO: https://youtu.be/LHjAS0JKCQ0 

EXPLORA ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT: https://youtu.be/9ELX0zxNjZ0 

LAND CRUISES Close to Home With TAUCK

ATLANTIC CANADA:  Round-trip from Halifax for 11-days

• Visit the famous lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove, see Lunenburg (a UNESCO site), witness the 38 foot tides at the Bay of Fundy, visit Saint John, do a Lobster Cruise on Shediac Bay, enjoy Charlottetown and Prince Edward Island, see the site of Anne of Green Gables, travel Cape Breton Island, and stop in at the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site (this Scottish-born Canadian invented a lot more than just the telephone!)
• Departures June through September from $6590

POLAR BEAR ADVENTURE in MANITOBA Manitoba round-trip from Winnipeg for 6-days

• Go Polar Bear Spotting on their annual migration, do a dog-sled ride, see the Beluga Whales.  Includes flights from Winnipeg to the remote village of Churchill on Hudson’s Bay.
• 2025: Sold Out
• 2026: Departures in October/November from $9590

SMALL SHIP Immersion with AZAMARA

If you want small ships (680 guests) with immersive itineraries, then Azamara may be the right fit for you:

SOUTH AMERICA: Buenos Aires to Ushuaia departing February 8 for 12-nights

• Visit Montevideo, Punta del Este, Falkland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula.
• Fares from $7559 with up to $750 cabin credit

NORWAY INTENSIVE: Amsterdam to Dublin departing June 27 for 18-nights

• Visit Amsterdam, 12 stops in Norway (as far north as Tromso), 2 stops in the Orkney Islands (Scotland), and finish with an overnight stay in Dublin.
• Fares from $5929

Do You Have an Upcoming Viking Cruise?

Viking’s BON VOYAGE incentive allows you to book your next Viking cruise in the 35 days BEFORE you board, and get some extra goodies for doing so:

• $100 per person on board credit
• 6-month final payment date
• $100 per person OFF one-week cruises, and bigger discounts for longer itineraries.

We made a short video about the Bon Voyage Program if you’d like more details:  

https://youtu.be/gBM8IvjIb3U?si=Vy9UDiSqZQYHWR32 
Contact us to book your NEXT VIKING CRUISE

If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley