tellus-travels
← All industry news
newscruiseluxury-travelexpedition-cruisingtravel-trendstrade-insights

What’s driving the boom in small-ship cruising?

Cruise Trade News

The article says small-ship cruising is growing rapidly and is no longer a niche, with UK search demand for 19 small-ship and luxury cruise brands up 71% over two years and generic search interest in terms like “small ship cruises” and “expedition cruising” also rising strongly. It argues the boom is being driven by changing guest preferences for more immersive, less crowded, and more curated travel, with smaller ships able to access ports larger ships cannot.

Sources & references

More industry news

news

Travel Is Spending Billions on AI. It Requires a Neutral Switch.

Business Travel NewsOct 14, 2026

The article argues that travel’s huge AI spending will not deliver full value without a **neutral, shared infrastructure layer** that can carry trusted traveler data across suppliers and platforms. It says fragmented, siloed data is still the industry’s biggest obstacle, because AI agents depend on accurate, permissioned information to avoid costly booking errors and poor customer experiences.

corporate travel technologyTMC toolsOBTs
news

MSC Poesia to Return to Seattle for Third Alaska Season in 2028

Cruise Industry NewsJul 29, 2026

MSC Cruises has opened sales for its Summer 2028 Alaska program, confirming that MSC Poesia will return to Seattle for a third consecutive season of seven-night cruises. The 2028 deployment will run from April 24 to September 18, with weekly itineraries focused on Alaska’s natural landscapes, glaciers and wildlife. The announcement builds on MSC’s inaugural Alaska season from Seattle in 2026 and a second season already on sale for 2027.

cruisealaskadeployment
news

Windstar Adds Northern Europe, Japan Mystery Cruises for 2027

Cruise Industry NewsJul 29, 2026

Windstar Cruises has expanded its Mystery Cruise program with two new itineraries for 2027 in Northern Europe and Japan, complementing the already announced 2026 Spanish Mystery Cruise. The concept keeps ports secret until shortly before arrival, with added exclusive Destination Discovery events and a booking promotion to stimulate early demand.

cruisedealsdestinations