Cruiseline.com and Shipmate’s 2026 member survey points to sustained booking demand, longer planning horizons and broader interest in destinations and cruise formats.
Cruiseline.com and Shipmate have released the results of their 2026 Member Survey, based on responses from more than 5,500 travellers. The findings indicate that cruise demand remains active well beyond the immediate booking window: 92.8% of respondents said they already had at least one voyage booked for 2026 or later, while 70.3% said they planned to make additional bookings. The results matter less as a forecast than as a detailed snapshot of how experienced cruise customers are weighing lines, destinations and itinerary lengths.
The survey audience was heavily composed of seasoned cruisers, with 64% reporting that they had taken at least 10 cruises and only 1.8% saying they had never cruised. Among future bookings, Royal Caribbean International was the most frequently reported cruise line at 29%, ahead of Carnival Cruise Line at 24.2%, Princess Cruises at 19.1%, Celebrity Cruises at 18.8% and Norwegian Cruise Line at 17.7%. The Caribbean and Bahamas remained the leading booked region at 61.1%, followed by the Mediterranean, Alaska, Mexico’s Pacific Coast and Northern Europe.
The figures also show a broad spread of trip lengths rather than a single dominant format. Among cruises already booked, 45.9% of respondents had selected seven-night voyages, while 41.5% had booked itineraries lasting eight to 13 days and 29.2% had chosen trips of 14 nights or more. For future bookings under consideration, the balance shifted towards longer travel, with 59% considering eight- to 13-day cruises and 34.5% considering voyages of at least 14 nights. Interest in shorter two- to six-day trips was reported by 12.1% of respondents.
Compared with the 2025 results, the survey reported several changes in preference. Royal Caribbean International overtook Carnival as the most-booked brand, while Margaritaville at Sea entered the top 10 lines being considered for future sailings. Mediterranean booking intent rose to 31.2%, above Alaska at 30.7%, and interest in transatlantic voyages increased to 23.6%. The report also said more respondents were considering river cruising, with Viking, Celebrity River Cruises and American Cruise Lines the three most-considered brands in that category.
Taken together, the findings describe a cruise customer base that is committing early while retaining flexibility over where and how to travel. Caribbean itineraries continue to anchor demand, but the survey’s comparison with 2025 shows greater attention to Mediterranean, transatlantic, river and shorter-duration options. For Cruiseline.com, which combines cruise reviews, planning tools and its Shipmate app, the results reinforce the value of helping travellers navigate a widening set of choices rather than simply selecting a single conventional itinerary.
