Caribbean and Mediterranean lead cruise surge as interest climbs for 2025

New data from AllClear Travel Insurance reveals a significant increase in the percentage of UK travellers considering cruise holidays, with interest rising from 66% to 73% year on year. The Caribbean and the Mediterranean firmly lead the list of preferred destinations, while several lesser-known locations are showing remarkable growth.

The Caribbean remains the top choice for UK cruise travellers in 2025, increasing from 17% to 21% in just 12 months. Meanwhile, the Mediterranean solidifies its place in second position, growing from 14% to 22%, making it the fastest-growing major cruise destination.

The data also reveals interesting growth in several secondary destinations. Norway-focused cruises have shown impressive gains, with the Norwegian fjords increasing from 11% to 15% and other Norwegian routes also rising from 9% to 12%. Additionally, US cruises have jumped from 8% to 14%, while destinations like Croatia have doubled their interest levels from 4% to 8%.

These cruise holiday preferences are particularly pronounced among people travelling abroad with pre-existing medical conditions, where cruise consideration now reaches 77%. For these people, the Mediterranean (21%) and the Caribbean (19%) remain top choices, but there’s notably stronger interest in US cruises (18%) and Greece (17%) compared with the general population.

Yet, according to AllClear, many people with medical conditions say they would cut corners on buying good travel cover to save money. In fact, only 56% of those with medical conditions say they would always give the full information required when buying their cover. This comes at a time when 75% of people with medical conditions acknowledge they could not afford medical bills in popular destinations without comprehensive coverage.

Garry Nelson, Head of Corporate Affairs at AllClear, concluded: “The contrast between increasing cruise ambitions and a lack of comprehensive cover is highly concerning. With travellers heading to destinations like the Caribbean and US in growing numbers, comprehensive medical travel insurance with good medical cover has never been more essential, particularly for those with pre-existing conditions.”

According to data from AllClear, beach holidays were the most popular kind of trip among respondents looking to travel in 2025.