How to Read a Cruise Survey
Five quick questions that tell you what a cruise statistic really means.
Tell Us Your Cruise WishesHow to Read a Cruise Survey Before You Believe It
Cruise research is quoted everywhere, often without its context. Five questions help you judge any cruise survey in under a minute.
| Question | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Who paid for it? | A trade group, a club, a review site and a consumer magazine each have different interests | CLIA represents cruise lines; Consumer Reports surveys its own members |
| Who was asked? | Members of a cruise site are keener cruisers than the general public | The Cruiseline.com and Shipmate surveys asked their own members |
| How many? | Bigger samples are steadier | Nearly 19,000 Consumer Reports members; 5,500+ members in the 2026 site survey |
| Survey or forecast? | A forecast is a model, not a record of answers | AAA’s 2026 figure is a forecast prepared with Tourism Economics |
| When? | Cruising changes quickly | Always note the year of the study, not just the year it was quoted |
Common Traps
- Comparing different groups. A global figure and a US-only figure can both be right and still look contradictory.
- Percentages without a base. “70% plan to cruise again” means little until you know who the 100% were.
- Old numbers in new articles. A study from years ago can resurface as if it were fresh.
- Rounded headlines. “Nearly 90%” in a headline may be a precise figure in the report; check the source.
- Polls with no method. A website vote with no stated sample or date is entertainment, not research.
Where to Find the Original Reports
Go to the source whenever you can. CLIA publishes its annual report on its own website (the 2026 report); AAA publishes its forecasts in its newsroom (the October 2025 forecast); and consumer and trade publications summarise the rest. Each figure on this site links to the place we found it, so you can read the original wording yourself.
When two sources seem to disagree, read both methods before deciding one is wrong. A global count and a US forecast, or a survey of keen members and a survey of the general public, will rarely match, and both may still be accurate for the group they describe.
If what you really want is not a statistic but an answer — which line, which ship, which week — our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise can give you one based on your own plans.
Reading Cruise Surveys: FAQ
Is a forecast the same as a survey?
No. AAA’s cruise forecast, for example, was prepared by Tourism Economics from scheduled itineraries, a cruise database and economic forecasts. It estimates what will happen; a survey records what people say.
Can a survey by a review website be trusted?
It can be useful, but its respondents are members of that site, who tend to be keen, frequent cruisers. Their plans may not match those of the wider public.
Skip the Statistics, Get an Answer
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