Benjamin Xiang, a San Francisco-based flight attendant, went on his first cruise last August, setting aside his reservations about "cruise people" and a type of trip he'd imagined would be "not my travel style."
He's among the many cruise newbies who've helped power the industry's recent growth.
Some 27% of cruise passengers over the past two years have been first-timers, up 12% from the prior two-year period, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a trade group.
That's exactly what cruise operators are hoping for, and so far they're getting it: 82% of all cruisers say they'll book again, CLIA's latest report found.
After welcoming 31.7 million passengers last year, 7% more than in 2019, the industry expects volumes to swell to 34.7 million by the end of 2024.
Persons:
Benjamin Xiang, he'd, Xiang, who've, Will, CLIA's, Jennifer Klaussen
Organizations:
Voyages, Cruise Lines International Association, Sundari
Locations:
San Francisco, Barcelona, Mallorca, Ibiza, Malibu , California