Gen Z are jumping on the cruise trend and I've figured out why

I’ll be honest when I say I never expected to go on my first cruise at age 26. Sure, I grew up watching the Disney Channel series The Suite Life on Deck and was fascinated by the viral nine-month cruise earlier this year, but I always imagined I’d embark on a cruise when I’m much, much older.

Having recently spent four days aboard the Carnival Luminosa travelling from Sydney to Brisbane, I can confidently say that I wish I’d experienced cruising earlier. From the non-stop entertainment to the seemingly unlimited amount of food, here are my honest thoughts on the budget-friendly holiday option - and why I haven’t stopped telling my friends about it since I disembarked.

What I loved about going on a cruise

I’ll start by saying I was truly overwhelmed by the food options on board and that most of them didn’t require an additional cost. The Lido Marketplace features everything from a make-your-own taco station and a Chinese buffet to a pizzeria and artisan deli. Every day at least six new cakes are available on the dessert stand (you can bet I tried a slice of each), and there are multiple soft serve machines on the ship.

The main dining room, Vela Restaurant, is the primary non-buffet option for breakfast, lunch or dinner where you can try the famous Carnival’s Melting Chocolate Cake. If you feel like splurging, steakhouse Fahrenheit 555 offers an excellent fine dining experience where you can enjoy premium-quality steaks and seafood. The surf and turf with lobster and filet mignon was a definite highlight and the perfect choice for someone with analysis paralysis like myself.

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When you’re not eating, the ship offers a variety of activities on board from stage performances and comedy shows to spa treatments and poolside movies. My favourite day on board began with Taylor Swift-themed trivia followed by bingo and a Beyoncé dance class, and ended with a relaxing Swedish massage at Cloud 9 Spa.

I also had a great time playing ping-pong and mini-golf on the side of the ship, listening to others belt it out at karaoke, and attending the ‘Behind the Fun' tour - an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at a wide range of locations on board that are typically off-limits to guests. The tour allowed us to meet the captain, explore the engineering room, and wander through the kitchen where an army of chefs prepared mouth-watering dishes.

I quickly discovered that one of my favourite parts of being on a cruise was the sense of community that formed, despite being a group of over 2000 strangers. Whether we were trying to learn the ‘Single Ladies’ choreography together, working as random groups to play charades or singing happy birthday to 80-year-old Trish at the Piano Bar, everyone was thrilled to get involved and make the trip as fun as possible for one another.

The one thing I noticed

Amidst all the fun events and constant eating, I couldn’t help but notice a large portion of activities were targeted towards a much older demographic - therefore leaning into the stereotype that cruises are mostly enjoyed by the elderly.

This became especially apparent when my requests for the musician at the Piano Bar to play Taylor Swift, Britney Spears or Sabrina Carpenter were ignored in favour of Barry Manilow’s ‘Copacabana’, and the stage show Flick celebrating Hollywood movies through song and dance mainly highlighted films from the 1970s and ‘80s. There was also an 80s-themed night on board - again attracting an older crowd - and seminars in the fitness centre about how to improve your posture and relieve arthritis.

Not only were some of the activities and pop culture references dated, but the interior décor on the ship wasn't as contemporary as I had expected. The heavy wood fixtures and gleaming chandeliers make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time, but it’s been incredibly well-maintained and was recently refurbished.

I’ll emphasise, however, that I could easily overlook these minor details while on board, and it seems it’s not stopping other millennials and Gen Zs from cruising either. The number of passengers in the 18 to 35 age bracket has increased 20 per cent since 2019 and the average age of passengers is now 49, according to Carnival Australia.

Tips from one first-time cruiser to another

• The staff are there to make you feel like royalty, so the very least you can do is treat them with respect. Whether they’re performing magic tricks at dinner, belting out a show tune in the dining room or placing towel animals on your bed, the employees are incredibly generous and want you to have fun - so don’t be afraid to join in.

• I learned far too late into my voyage that you could order as much food as you wanted on board for no additional cost. Of course, you can heap your plate at the buffet, but if you’re visiting Vela Restaurant and can’t decide which entrée or dessert to order - get both! A pair of best friends gave us this tip when we were ordering and it completely changed my experience (and my pants size).

• Another ‘hack’ I picked up halfway through was that you could take your drink with you pretty much anywhere you want on the ship. You’re welcome to walk straight from dinner to a theatre show with a glass of red wine or take your Piña Colada from the deck back to the balcony in your room.

• Whether or not you exercise in your everyday life, every guest should visit the gym at least once on the trip - mostly for the view. Located at the front of the ship on level 10, the gym has floor-to-ceiling windows looking straight out to the ocean, providing an incredibly unique perspective while cycling or running on the treadmill. The nearby locker rooms also have free saunas where you can sweat it out while watching the sunrise or sunset from the large windows overlooking the water.

• Perhaps the most important tip for going on a cruise came from a woman I overheard telling her friend in the elevator: “If you get involved, you’ll have so much more fun than being on the sidelines”. Truly, the best way to enjoy the trip is to fully immerse yourself in the experience - whether that’s going all out for the themed costume party and hitting the dance floor at the on-board nightclub, or simply reading a book poolside and enjoying the spa facilities. You can make it whatever kind of holiday you want, and with so much to choose from you’ll never be bored.

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New research commissioned by Carnival Cruise Line has found that 74 per cent of Aussies agree that having a holiday booked reduces stress, while 64 per cent find booking holidays in advance benefits them financially. So, what are you waiting for?

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