The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is responsible for uniting the global cruise community far and wide. As the industry transitions to a more sustainable future, CEO & President Charles ‘Bud’ Darr explained how CLIA is supporting this movement.
How does CLIA support the global cruise market?
Our voting members are the cruise lines themselves, but we also support an entire community far beyond the ship. This includes suppliers, ports and destinations, guests, policy makers, shop owners, agriculture producers, and travel advisors. As a global industry, our association is responsible for bringing all these elements together and ensuring they work in harmony for the common good.
We’re also tracking the issues that will define the next generation of crews (destination stewardship, environmental sustainability, workforce development, health and safety, and economic and social impact).
Although, today, we’re at 328 ocean going cruise ships, which is roughly one half of 1% of the world’s total number of ocean-going commercially trading ships, we punch way above our weight. In 2024, our total economic impact was 198.8 billion US dollars, and we accounted for 1.8 million jobs worldwide. That’s a pretty huge footprint for a relatively small industry, equating to roughly 3% of international tourism.
How has the cruise industry evolved over the past five years, and what are the biggest changes you’re seeing today?
In the past five years the industry completely shut down, restarted and is now experiencing record demand. We came back stronger; more disciplined, innovative, and attentive to destinations; and equally importantly, more focused on what today’s travellers want.
In 2025 we carried 37.3 million guests worldwide. That’s a historic number for the industry, and nearly 90% of those guests indicated they want to sail again. Additionally, for the first time ever, almost two thirds of people that have not cruised before are considering changing that.
The demographic also keeps getting younger. We are witnessing more multi-generational cruising, and millennials and Gen Xers that are interested in spending their limited holiday time on a genuine luxury or extraordinary experience. This is also reflected in the marketplace, where we’re seeing the introduction of new ships to meet that demand, but also new cruise lines that offer a higher-end experience.
The biggest change, however, is the ship itself. The modern cruise ship is an entire community. It’s a technology platform, an energy system, a hotel, a casino, an entertainment venue and a restaurant network. It’s a workplace, a health facility and a destination getaway, all in one. It acts as all those things and does so at great value.
In general, how do you think the cruise industry has improved its sustainability?
With the ship itself, it starts at the design table, and not just that of the shipyard, but of the system designers whose products go into the ship to create this exceptional package.
Cruise lines build ships for the operating environment that’s in front of them, and although energy systems are still taking shape, the industry has made clear its aspirations to be net zero for 2050. That is why fuel flexibility is critically important, because we don’t know what fuels are going to be available at what scale, costs or locations.
It takes a lot of courage to develop new vessels under such uncertainty, especially considering how much it costs to get a ship on the water. However, 57% of vessels on order are already being delivered with dual-fuel capability and many others will be thinking of ways they can retrofit the technology at a later date.
What are the biggest challenges to achieving net-zero ambitions?
First and foremost, the fuels have got to have wide-spread availability and marketability. We anticipate these fuels will be significantly more expensive than what has historically been used, but they must be priced at a point that allows commercial ships to stay in business.
It’s also very important that we get a fit-for-purpose universal regulatory regime. It is truly a global industry, and it needs to be regulated in a truly global way. Fortunately, there is a UN body that does exactly that, but they don’t have the political will of the member states that would enable them to create the necessary framework.
The third core challenge is ensuring there is enough green shore power to support the growing industry. When these investments are made, they need to be done in a way that helps the industry operate a better ecosystem.
How has CLIA been advocating for safe, sustainable cruise operations?
Our efforts centre around advocating for safe, healthy, sustainable cruise operations. This commitment sits at the centre of our mission, and implementing it begins long before the guests arrive.
As one of the most heavily-regulated industries around, we are among the most vigilant in safety, sanitation and public protocols. We offer exceptional training, medical readiness, navigation and security.
What recent tourism strategies have you advocated for to enhance the socio-economic benefits of cruise travel?
Cruise tourism is probably the best opportunity for managed tourism there is. Not only do the locations know years in advance when a ship is going to arrive, but how big the ship is, what the demographic of the guests are, what they like to do, and where they like to spend their money. How they interact with the local community can also be largely controlled in a way that isn’t possible with other types of tourism.
Although many think that the cruise industry causes 95% of tourist-related issues, but according to a recent third-party study by Barcelona University, we only account for 2.5% of the city’s guest volumes.
To encourage a more positive outlook, we developed the ‘Cruise Port Compass’ programme, which is designed to help existing ports and destinations improve what they have, and to help those that want to enter the business do so in a way that’s effective and efficient.
How is technology changing the cruise experience?
Technology shapes the experience, long before the ship even hits the water. A huge amount of technology goes into designing the ship. In a lot of cases, a digital twin is developed so they can set operational targets and monitor them against a theoretical AI-derived simulation.
Ordering on board is also becoming more interactive and user-friendly as more guests choose to book their activities and services remotely via a phone app. Also benefiting from the deployment of technology are short excursions, safety and personalisation of the guest experience.
Additionally, AI-driven tools are extremely powerful when put to proper use – often enhancing a seafarer’s job rather than replacing it.
What are CLIA’s key objectives moving forward?
As a leader in responsible travel, cruising remains one of the very best ways to see the world. We’ve already proven that growth and responsibility can go hand-in-hand.
As we move forward, we must work out how best to bring those pieces together in a way that ensures the industry continues to evolve.
What excites you most about the future of cruising?
The remaining upside potential. I love ships, and today’s examples are some of the most exciting vessels to ever hit the water. They just keep getting more interesting.