Cruise Lines: Average & Typical (Median) Passenger Ages?

[SilvertoGold]

Anytime we have heard of the "average age " on a cruise it has been between 68 and 72. Generally this has been longer cruises like the 30 day Tahiti.

[PeetNL]

Some other Statistics:

http://www.statisticbrain.com/cruise-ship-industry-statistics/

[doublebzz]

Some other Statistics:

http://www.statisticbrain.com/cruise-ship-industry-statistics/

 

Interesting - thanks for the reference. I am particularly comforted by the fact that 55 cruise ships have sunk in the last 35 years.

[catl331]

That's what makes the question difficult to answer. If not impossible.[/QUOTe]And meaningless, since past averages are not accurate predictors of future averages, per BruceMuzz.

Edited March 31, 2014 by catl331

[sun~]

I cannot imagine what a cruise with an average age of 82 would be like.

 

My in-laws are dedicated HAL cruisers. They have done many Alaskan cruises. Two years ago, on I think the Amsterdam (they were on it again in 2013), my MIL complained about all the old people on the ship. She definitely said she was on the younger side of the cruisers. She was 81.

[Typhoon1]

Good luck finding that information. When you do, be sure to let the rest of us know.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Some other Statistics:

http://www.statisticbrain.com/cruise-ship-industry-statistics/

Thanks for the info ..

[chrisbu315]

Logon to the cruise line website and add the prices for a guarantee inside, outside, balcony, and suite.

 

Divide this total by 250.

 

Multiply by .5 if Disney or 1.2 if Holland America. All other cruise lines, divide by 1.0.

 

This formula works if it is equal to the sum of the ages of all passengers divided by the total number of passengers

[wander]

Sun,

Was your MIL being funny? Alaska cruises probably have a younger average age than most any other cruise - except maybe during Holiday seasons. Of course, those in May, late September and October may well be different, but the young people (including kids) on the summer Alaska cruises keep the average age way down in my experiences with 6 Alaska cruises.

[Lulubelle45]

Still remember the cute little old lady we met at the bar during happy hour. She was in her 70's and she told us she was trying NCL next because the Zaandam fell asleep by 10 pm! That being said, my 30 year old loved it- unlimited wine at the time helped I'm sure. When the nightclub had last call and music off before midnight on a Friday night she wasn't that off.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Forums mobile app

[sun~]

Sun,

Was your MIL being funny? Alaska cruises probably have a younger average age than most any other cruise - except maybe during Holiday seasons. Of course, those in May, late September and October may well be different, but the young people (including kids) on the summer Alaska cruises keep the average age way down in my experiences with 6 Alaska cruises.

 

Nope, she wasn't being funny. My in-laws often do the last sailing to Alaska in September. So no kids on board.

 

Last year it was to be their last cruise (MIL is now 83 FIL 85) but they have gone and booked another cruise. This one is going to Kodiak (I am not sure what ship, maybe the Amsterdam again) but I believe it is in late August so their may be some families on board. I don't know if their health will hold out til the cruise, so who knows if they will make it onboard.

 

With those late September cruises though, from what my MIL has told me, the age skews to the extreme elderly side.

[Viesczy]

Anytime we have heard of the "average age " on a cruise it has been between 68 and 72. Generally this has been longer cruises like the 30 day Tahiti.

 

FWIW I was on the Westy's Fall '12 30 day HI/Tahiti and honestly I'd've put 8 years on that #. Seemingly 8 out of 10 of the passengers were twice my age (I was 41 @ that time). Going by my memory of the passengers, there were 18-25 people under the age of 50. This includes all the children, and ourselves (Karen and I).

 

That is a fair indication of who can take such an adventure too. I mean we saved our vacation days to be able to go, $ wasn't a worry but being accumulating/hording the PTO was the hardest.

 

It was a great time FWIW.

 

Derek

[PatriciaF]

The shorter the cruise, the younger the average age. 3 day weekend cruises oftentimes have bachelor or bachelorette parties.

 

During school breaks, more kids.

 

The higher the lowest cruise fare, the higher the age.

 

Retirees generally have more money and more time--so longer, more costly cruises, skew older.

 

Based on my cruises I would rate the following: youngest to oldest average age: Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America

[POA1]

Just an update - I still haven't found a source for the information. I have found that it is indeed tracked, but it's not shared readily.

 

Should we find the average age data, I'll be sure to post it.

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

On my two HAL cruises, I found that on the Caribbean 7-day cruise, there was a wide mix of ages - from 20's-80's. All age groups were represented, and there were more families with children on board. On our Alaska cruise (7 day plus land tour) it skewed a bit older. I don't remember seeing many folks under 40. I don't know if that helps. I would assume that the longer, more expensive cruises may skew older as well, but some of the more experienced cruisers on this board who take those long cruises will have much more info on that......

[Mary Ellen]

This was on the Princess forum a while back.

 

For the past 8 consecutive years the average passenger on the Princess Fleet, worldwide, year round, is 58 years old.

 

For the past 7 consecutive years the average passenger on the Holland America Fleet, worldwide, year round, is 57 years old.

[POA1]

On my two HAL cruises, I found that on the Caribbean 7-day cruise, there was a wide mix of ages - from 20's-80's. All age groups were represented, and there were more families with children on board. On our Alaska cruise (7 day plus land tour) it skewed a bit older. I don't remember seeing many folks under 40. I don't know if that helps. I would assume that the longer, more expensive cruises may skew older as well, but some of the more experienced cruisers on this board who take those long cruises will have much more info on that......

 

Thanks. No, I knew about the length of cruise impacting the ages. It makes sense that, in general, people of working age have less time to vacation than retired folks. But if you control for the length of voyage variable and hold it steady, you still find that a line like Disney would have a younger average age than a line like HAL or Princess would. We were hoping to find some hard numbers.

 

Like I said, each of the cruise lines track the age numbers. They just keep the info close to the vest. But without it, the lines would have a hard time building activities lists and excursion selections that would meet their passengers needs, interests, and expectations. Imagine walking onto your next HAL cruise and finding that they secretly replaced the activities, entertainment, and excursion offerings with those from Royal or Carnival.

 

Maybe there's a way of backing into the age numbers using factors like classical music offerings, pub crawls, active pool games, and cartoon character mascots. ;)