- Hotel brands account for 5pc of all future cruise bookings.
- The average branded voyage is priced at US$40,000.
- Brand loyalists are booking a cruise for the first time.
- GTC’s yacht sales are up US$3m year over year.
- The U.S. cruise industry is forecast to grow 5pc in 2026.
Global Travel Collection booking data from Canada has revealed that iconic hotel and hospitality brands now account for 5pc of all future cruise bookings, with the average branded voyage priced at US$40,000, four times the cost of a traditional ocean cruise. These are not existing cruisers trading up but brand loyalists following the names they trust from land onto the water, often booking a cruise for the first time. Angie Licea, President of Global Travel Collection, stated this is category creation, not category switching.
GTC’s yacht sales are up roughly US$3m year over year, with strong demand through spring and autumn. The U.S. cruise industry is forecast to reach record highs in 2026, growing 5pc overall, with river cruise up 25pc and yacht up 40pc. Licea stated the ceiling on what a luxury traveller will spend at sea has gone up dramatically, and the brands moving into this space are the reason why.
GTC represents 1,500 international luxury travel advisors and has seen the segment grow 14pc. Brand loyalists are bringing four-figure-a-night expectations from land onto the water.
Angie Licea, President of Global Travel Collection, shared, “This is category creation, not category switching.”
