Cruise passengers demographic by cruise line, by itinerary?

Good morning,

It there a place where I can find the cruise passengers demographic by cruise line and by itinerary?

Let see some examples:

- The NCL passengers are younger on a Caribbean cruise versus a Alaska cruise.

- The HAL passengers are older on a Caribbean cruise versus NCL passengers on a Caribbean cruise.

Is there a place where I can find that kind of information?

Thank you

The cruise lines probably collect this information but anything you read in the public sphere (including cruise critic) is likely to be totally anecdotal.

Cruising overall is a bit of a "older" demographic. Especially as you get to expensive, exotic, and long itineraries. Younger crowds prefer beaches and parties like in the Carribean over the exploration type cruises. Once you get to cheaper, and shorter cruises, the crowd gets a lot younger. Obviously, you can't speak for everyone, but I think that sums it up pretty decently.

Longer cruises will tend to have old people. This group is usually can afford and has the time to travel.

Doesn't matter which cruise line.

I know of no source of the type statistics you are looking for. As said above, lots of anecdotal information, but nothing scientific

You can never tell,while it is true hal normally hAs older passengers my sister did a Alaska cruise that several hundred children. Longer cruises normally have less children, summer cruise more children.

As has been noted, younger people with families usually haven't been one job long enough to have a lot of vacation time, so they take shorter cruises. As they get older, and have more time, and hopefully a higher income, they take longer and more exotic cruises. Even on the lines that are known for younger passengers and a livelier vibe, a longer, unusual itinerary will have an older crowd. On my Panama Canal cruise on Carnival Pride (a Journeys cruise) and Panama Canal repo on Carnival Splendor, I looked around me and thought 'anyone on here who still has hair and it is not gray or white...is coloring it.' I also depends on time of year. More younger people and families when the kids are out of school. Same with holiday periods. But you never know...I have been on shorter cruises from Jacksonville on Carnival where thre were busloads of passengers frm senior living communities. EM

I don't think theres any data as it also depends on region too...

For example a Med cruise thats 13 days in July/ August will have more kids usually than a 13 day Caribbean at the same time purely because of the summer holiday difference and Europeans getting more weeks of holiday from work.

Theres also a slight skew towards colder cruise older demographic etc etc.

We buck the trend slightly as we teach so we take long cruises all over even though we are 30ish. We do prefer a boat thats mixed in its demographic to a boat full of older cruisers but if we find people we get on with it doesn't matter who sails with us.

It is best to read up using here, websites and blogs etc.

There is no central repository for this information and there is no incentive for any cruise line to participate in setting one up. Common sense should give you some idea of what you want to know however.

DON

I know no more than what others on cc are saying, and our experience of long/short cruises and school holidays

The only certainties I know are that adult ships take over 18s only...

...unless it's Saga, when you have to be 50+ :D

CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) has statistics on the cruise industry, in general, but not by specific cruise line.

Lots of variables, but generally we find length of cruise is a big factor. One one of our Panama Canal cruises from Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver, we were about the youngest passengers until L/A. Departing L/A, on the same ship we were then almost the oldest.

There are certain factors that can lead to a certain demographic and I have found sometimes the demographic that you see on a cruise is more dependent on what you do vs who is actually on the ship. Some examples from my experience:

The cruises we take in September/October (normally 7 days) both CCL and NCL appeared to be couples in their late 40's- early 60's.

Our Disney cruises and cruises taken in the summer/Thanksgiving and Christmas Break tended to be more family orientated.

Our cruise in May out of New Orleans had a lot of graduating high school and college kids and their families.

Having said this when we cruised in September/October it was always just DH and myself and we were in our late 40's early 50's. On our Disney and school break cruises we went with our kids. On our cruise in May we went with DS who had just graduated from college. So did we just follow the demographics of that cruise or was our view of the demographics clouded by our own demographic. When we were a couple did we tend to hang where couples hang so that is who we saw? When we went as a family we did the family type activities so is that who we saw? etc.

Some demographics are based on where you sail out of. For example our 5 day CCL Glory cruise out of NY in July had what seemed to be a lot of families from NY and NJ on a quick getaway. These people seemed to have a hard time relaxing and always seemed to be uptight and in a hurry. Having said that our CCL Sunshine cruise out of NY in October was again couples in their late 40's-60's who again were mostly from the NY and NJ area but seemed more relaxed. But that could be because they were older and without kids so they could relax more? Our 5 day CCL Fantasy cruise out of Mobile in October had a lot of couples from the Alabama area in their 40's-60's. These were the most laid-back group of passengers I have ever seen and they were all relaxed and having a great time.

The biggest surprise for us was when we sailed out of FLL in March on the Ruby Princess on a 5 day cruise. We expected a Spring Break cruise with lots of college age kids. What we found was a floating retirement village with snow birds and groups from Florida retirement villages. Never expected that one.

The closest we came to a floating party boat with young adults was our 4 day CCL Destiny cruise out of FLL. We set sail on Thanksgiving Day and came back that Monday.....but then I only really saw the party when we were in Cozumel at the bars near the port. On board we were with our kids and saw mostly families since we did mostly family activities.

Sometimes I think our perception of the demographic can be much different than what it actually is. If you don't hang at the bars you don't see the partiers. If you don't do the kids activities you don't see the families. I don't know. Just my opinion anyways.

Itinerary, length of cruise, time of cruise, and price of cruise can impact the demographics. We often book last minute, ie 30-45 days out. Lots of retirees can do this. If a cruise line drops pricing to very attractive levels in the final payment window senior booking probably increase.

Our two week Princess Cruises have had similar demographics to our two week Carnival cruises. All out of Southern California.

This article doesn't quote a specific source, but it has a few facts. http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/Cruise-Secrets/The-Best-Cruise-Ship-for-Your-Demographic-110926.cfm

Also, if you are looking at mass market, a small ship will have 2000+ people and a big one 6000 or so.

While there may be more of one group or another, there will be those from all walks of life.

Our two week Princess Cruises have had similar demographics to our two week Carnival cruises. All out of Southern California.

Doesn't tell us WHAT the demographics of either are.

The only assumption we make is that when schools are in session, cruises will be more adult oriented.

OP if you are asking to help you pick a cruise (good idea), how about you share a couple itineraries, time of travel and cruise lines you are thinking of going on.

Longer cruises will tend to have old people. This group is usually can afford and has the time to travel.

Doesn't matter which cruise line.

I just saw that you are from Kamloops .I was there many years ago and am trying to recall the name of a circular restaurant .Would you know it ?