Tourexpi
A new survey by Marella Cruises has revealed that
nearly three in five Brits (57%) would go on a multi-generational cruise
holiday, with one in three (32%) saying the main reason is to spend quality
time with family. Interestingly, Gen Z (36%) are leading the trend, ahead of Millennials
(34%), Baby Boomers (32%), and Gen X (29%) – suggesting that cruising as a
family appeals most strongly to younger generations.
Why Brits are cruising together
According to the survey, Britons enjoy
multi-generational cruise holidays because “the more people there are, the more
fun it is” (13%). Other key reasons include flexibility and freedom of choice
(10%), the ability to split costs (10%), and opportunities for grandparents to
spend time with grandchildren (7%).
Surprisingly, Gen Z respondents (51%) were far more
likely than Gen X (20%) to say they would prefer to set sail with their parents
— highlighting that younger travellers value shared experiences as much as
relaxation and adventure.
Family cruising capitals of the UK
Based on Marella Cruises’ booking data, Birmingham
tops the list as the UK’s leading city for family and group cruises, followed
by Cardiff, Sheffield, Newcastle, and Nottingham.
To celebrate the growing appeal of family cruising,
three generations of TV personalities — Jess Wright, her mother Carol Wright,
and Jess’s young son Presley — recently joined Marella Voyager on a
Mediterranean cruise. The family enjoyed a variety of onboard and onshore
experiences, from spa sessions and sunset cocktails to exploring Barcelona and
visiting Marella’s free kids’ club, The M Club.
“The perfect way to make memories together”
TV personality Jess Wright shared:
“Spending real, quality time with my husband, both my
parents, and Presley has honestly been amazing. Life gets so busy, so having
the chance to come together as a full family—whether we’re relaxing onboard
Marella Voyager or heading out to explore—has been such a gift.”
Her mother Carol Wright added:
“There’s nothing quite like sharing these special
moments abroad with Presley. Watching him have the time of his life in the
kids’ club and seeing his face light up as we explore the sights of Italy
together—those are memories I’ll treasure forever.”
Top 10 UK cities booking family or group cruises
·
Birmingham
·
Cardiff
·
Sheffield
·
Newcastle
·
Nottingham
·
Glasgow
·
Belfast
·
Swansea
·
Bristol
·
Leicester
A
cruise for every generation
Chris Hackney, CEO of Marella Cruises, said:
“With multi-generational cruise holidays on the rise,
Marella Cruises makes it easy for every family member to feel looked after.
From grandparents enjoying a drink at Indigo Bar and parents relaxing at
Ocean’s Spa, to kids having fun at the M Club—there’s something for all ages,
all in one place.”
Marella Cruises offers all-inclusive holidays as
standard, with tips and service charges included, allowing guests to enjoy
premium service and complete peace of mind.
More information on Marella’s multi-generational
cruises is available at www.tui.co.uk/cruise.
Image
Credit: © TUI Group
The most interesting news


Emirates opens the Centre of Hospitality Excellence to train 25,000 cabin crew
Emirates has inaugurated the Emirates Centre of Hospitality Excellence, a new USD 8 million facility in Dubai dedicated to elevating the airline’s cabin crew training to the highest standards of global luxury hospitality


The Lufthansa Group–Singapore Airlines Joint Venture welcomes Brussels Airlines
The Lufthansa Group and Singapore Airlines have announced the expansion of their long-standing Joint Venture through the addition of Brussels Airlines (SN)


Qatar Airways Expands U.S. and South America Connectivity through Aer Lingus and LEVEL
18 new routes via Dublin and Barcelona strengthen the airline’s transatlantic network and deepen cooperation with IAG partners


RIU Hotels & Resorts reopens the fully refurbished Hotel Riu Guanacaste in Costa Rica
RIU Hotels & Resorts has announced the reopening of the Hotel Riu Guanacaste after a complete refurbishment that elevates the resort’s design, comfort, and guest experience


Star Princess Sets Sail on Maiden Voyage from Barcelona
Princess Cruises welcomes its newest Sphere-Class ship with elevated dining, new entertainment, and signature Princess luxury


Thailand Green Tourism Plan 2030 charts course for a sustainable future
National roadmap introduces the “Thailand Good Travel” mark as a global benchmark for responsible tourism and aims for Top 100 sustainable destination ranking


Star Alliance Los Angeles Lounge named North America’s leading airport lounge
Prestigious World Travel Awards 2025 recognises the LAX lounge once again for its design, service and guest experience


Sun Princess named #1 mega cruise ship in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards
Princess Cruises flagship wins top honour for the second consecutive year


Kempinski Hotels honoured in Condé Nast Traveller’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards
Five Kempinski properties ranked among the world’s best, reflecting the group’s legacy of timeless elegance, cultural depth and heartfelt service


Spain’s International Tourism Spending Surpasses €92 Billion Through August
Tourist expenditure grows faster than arrivals as Spain consolidates a quality-driven tourism model


Amadeus drives travel innovation with agentic AI hackathon in Bangkok
Travel tech teams from across Asia Pacific reimagine booking, personalization, and operations with AI-powered solutions


IHG Hotels & Resorts accelerates voco expansion across Southern Europe
IHG’s fastest-growing premium brand adds nine new properties across France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Türkiye – expanding its regional presence with over 1,000 new rooms


Hilton and Sun Group expand partnership to transform Vietnam’s hospitality sector
Five new hotels and nearly 1,800 rooms to double Hilton’s presence in Vietnam by 2027


TUI River Cruises to debut first new-build, TUI Luzia, on Portugal’s Douro in Summer 2027
Largest summer programme to date goes on sale 16 October 2025, adding two new ports in Croatia and the Netherlands


Royal Caribbean unveils Legend of the Seas: the next level of family adventure
With 28 dining options, spectacular new entertainment, and record-breaking onboard experiences, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship sets sail for Europe in July 2026 before making its grand Caribbean debut later that year


France, Spain, Germany, the UK and Greece remain Europe’s weakest air traffic control systems
Over 30 million passengers in 2025 affected by mismanagement and staff shortages / Ryanair calls on Ursula von “Derlayed-Again” to fix Europe’s broken air traffic control – or step down


Amazing Thailand Mid-Autumn Night 2025 Celebrates 50 Years of Thailand–China Friendship
The Tourism Authority of Thailand marks five decades of diplomatic relations with a nationwide cultural and tourism showcase, uniting Thai and Chinese traditions under the “Nihao Month” campaign


IHG Hotels & Resorts expands into Iceland with first Candlewood Suites property in Reykjavik
New signing marks IHG’s Nordic growth momentum and continued European expansion of its extended stay portfolio


Agoda: Event Tourism Drives Growing Travel Interest in Thailand
BLACKPINK concert and major festivals boost domestic and international bookings across the country


Türkiye’s airports serve 187,4 million passengers in first nine months of 2025
Average of 686,000 travelers per day as air traffic rises 7.6% year-on-year


Ryanair cuts 1,2 million seats from Regional Spain for Summer 2026
Airline ends all Asturias flights, citing Aena’s monopoly fee hikes and “illegal” bag fines imposed by Spanish Minister
