Creatix / January 11, 2025
In this post, we explore the other side of the story: The Cons of Cruise Vacations (And Why They’re Deal-Breakers for Many Travelers). For some travelers, the downsides of cruising outweigh the conveniences. Below are the most common complaints and top reasons not to cruise, based on recurring traveler feedback and industry realities.
1. Of Crowds and Germs: Floating Projects
Modern cruise ships are essentially floating neighborhoods with high-density occupancy. On today’s mega-ships that can mean traveling alongside 4,000 to 6,000 or more passengers and crew members at once. For travelers seeking peace, quiet, or personal space, this density can feel less like a vacation and more like paying to live inside a crowd. In our editorial experience—explored further in an upcoming Kindle ebook—mega cruising increasingly resembles a floating theme park: loud, busy, and relentlessly stimulating rather than genuinely relaxing, and overall crowded.
One Bad Experience Is Hard to Escape. On land, a bad hotel or neighborhood can be avoided. At sea, you’re stuck with the same environment, same passengers, same crew, same food, noise levels, and routines. If the vibe doesn’t suit you, there’s no easy exit.
That constant congestion can also carry health consequences. With thousands of people sharing dining halls, elevators, buffets, and entertainment venues, cruise ships create ideal conditions for the potential spread of germs and illnesses. Norovirus outbreaks and respiratory infections have been well-documented risks in the past. What may look like efficiency and economic on paper can, in practice, become a stressful and unhealthy environment for many travelers.2. Nickel-and-Dime Pricing + Gambling
Value is the selling point of most mega cruises. However, the “all-inclusive” promise frequently unravels once you’re onboard. While the base fare may look attractive, many essentials and indulgences come at an extra cost (e.g. specialty dining, Wi-Fi, gratuities, alcoholic drinks, shore excursions, and premium activities) adding up quickly. The ship itself is designed around constant upselling, with packages, upgrades, and limited-time offers presented at every turn.
For travelers prone to impulsive decisions, the final price of the vacation can climb far beyond the original ticket cost. Adding to that risk, most cruise ships feature full casinos operating day and night, creating an environment where gambling feels casual and consequence-free. For some passengers, what begins as entertainment can quietly turn into significant gambling losses, further inflating the true cost of the trip.
3. Limited Flexibility, Artificial Entertainment, Overconsumption
Cruising offers the appearance of abundant choice, but in reality both onboard and on shore options can be tightly constrained due to the nature of cruising. Port calls are typically brief—often just six hours—and choreographed entirely around the ship’s schedule, leaving little room for spontaneous or meaningful exploration. Missing the all-aboard time isn’t an option, which discourages venturing beyond approved zones and often funnels passengers into expensive, pre-packaged excursions. Many ports end up feeling extremely artificial and interchangeable, dominated by cruise-approved streets lined with overpriced souvenir shops designed for quick spending rather than authentic local life.
A similar lack of authentic flexibility carries over onboard: plans are difficult to change, stays can’t be extended, and daily life revolves around over consumption. For independent and adventurous travelers who value freedom and exploration, cruising can feel less like travel and more like hedonic imprisonment while at sea and ironically also while on land.
Cruise ships try to compensate for the shortfalls by creating an environment or artificial entertainment, trying to keep passengers constantly entertained, drunk if possible, and overfed at the same time. For many travelers this translates into an atmosphere of artificial stimulation rather than genuine enjoyment. Shows, games, and activities are often repetitive and heavily scripted, accompanied by loud music and frequent announcements that make it difficult to find quiet or mental space. There is subtle but persistent pressure to participate, as if stillness or solitude were a missed opportunity rather than a valid way to rest. That same excess-driven mindset carries over to food and drink. Overeating and heavy drinking are normalized, even encouraged, through unlimited packages, oversized portions, and 24/7 access to buffets and desserts. For travelers who prioritize health, mindfulness, moderation, or intentional living, the cruise environment can feel less like a restorative break and more like a degenerative system designed to test your discipline by pushing constant consumption.
4. Small Cabins and Limited Privacy
Life onboard a cruise ship can feel far more confined than travelers expect. Even upgraded cabins can feel compact, with many travelers complaining about tight bathrooms. For couples or families, sharing close quarters day after day can magnify stress instead of relieving it, especially with the lack of privacy. That sense of confinement is often compounded by constant motion. Rough seas can disrupt sleep, appetite, and mood, and even modern, stabilized ships still sway enough for some passengers to feel persistently unwell. While medications help many people, they don’t work for everyone, potentially turning the promise of a relaxing vacation into an endurance test.
5. Environmental Impact (Including Massive Food Waste)
Cruising is often promoted as carefree travel, but from an environmental perspective it is one of the least sustainable ways to vacation. A single large cruise ship can burn well over 100 tons of fuel per day, producing emissions comparable to tens of thousands of cars operating simultaneously. These ships also generate significant air and water pollution near ports, where exhaust, wastewater discharge, and runoff place stress on coastal cities and fragile marine ecosystems, including coral reefs. Food waste compounds the problem. Industry estimates suggest that cruise ships generate several pounds of food waste per passenger per day, amounting to tens of tons of discarded food on a single voyage. The all-you-can-eat buffet model encourages overproduction and overconsumption, much of which is thrown away after each meal service. For travelers who care about sustainability, energy efficiency, and ethical consumption, the environmental footprint of cruising raises serious concerns that are difficult to ignore.
Who Should Especially Avoid Cruising?
Cruises may not be ideal if you:
Value deep cultural immersion
Prefer quiet, flexibility, or nature
Are sensitive to crowds, noise, or motion
Care deeply about environmental impact and waste
Want control over your diet, schedule, and spending
The Bottom Line
Cruising works for some, but it’s far from a universal solution. For many travelers, cruise ships amplify the very things vacations are meant to reduce: crowds, excess, rigidity, waste, and artificiality. If you’re seeking freedom, authenticity, sustainability, and intentional living, cruising is most likely not the best choice for you in 2026.
2026 Outlook: What the Cruise Market Is Expected to Look Like
Cruising is heading into 2026 with strong demand and expanding capacity. Industry forecasts from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) project global ocean-going cruise passengers at ~39.6 million in 2026 (following ~37.7 million in 2025), implying another record-ish year as the sector continues its post-pandemic growth streak. (Cruise Lines International Association)
In the U.S., AAA projects about 21.7 million Americans will take an ocean cruise in 2026, up from its 2025 estimate—another sign that cruising remains a mainstream vacation choice despite higher travel costs. (AAA Newsroom)
On the supply side, the cruise industry enters 2026 with a large newbuild pipeline: Cruise Industry News reports 74 ships on order (adding significant berth capacity over the coming decade). More ships generally means more options—and often aggressive discounting in some segments—but it can also mean bigger crowds in the same ports and continued pressure on environmental and local infrastructure debates. (Cruise Industry News | Cruise News)
2026 Investing Outlook for the Cruise Industry
Whether cruising is your type of travel or not, it may prove to be a moderately good or "decent" addition to your investment portfolio. We have found cruising to be entertaining although recognizing that it is not for everyone. Some call us fools, which reminds us that fools rush in, and many will rush into cruise deals this year. Although no one has a crystal ball and the future is not fully predictable because it has not been fully created yet, cruise demand is expected to remains resilient in 2026. Some operators have reported record passenger counts and rising prices, suggesting continued long-term interest in cruising even amid broader economic headwinds. However, the space can be volatile. Share prices of major cruise stocks have dipped at times due to caution from analysts and cyclical travel trends. (Investing.com)
Cruise-Focused Stocks to Consider
1. Carnival Corporation (NYSE: CCL), the Walmart of the Seas may not be a vacation for everyone, but may be the best investment choice within the cruise segment. It is an American company, and the largest global cruise operator with broad market share. Recent earnings beats, strong bookings, and reinstated dividends signal improving financial health and cash flow confidence going into 2026. (Investopedia). Analysts expect sales and earnings growth into 2026. (Finviz)
2. Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL). If Carnival is Walmart, RCL is the Target of the Seas. It is also an American company and often trades at a premium due to scale and brand strength. Long-term growth prospects remain broadly positive even if short-term volatility persists. (Nasdaq). Royal Caribbean has historically shown strong revenue and passenger growth relative to some peers. (Business Insider)
3. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NASDAQ: NCLH). This is the Kohls of the Seas. It offers exposure to a slightly different cruise profile (e.g., pricing and capacity strategies). Some analysts see near-term headwinds in certain markets, so it may be more cyclical and higher risk than peers. (Barron's)
Note: Pure cruise stocks tend to be consumer-discretionary and cyclical, meaning they can outperform when travel demand is strong but lag during downturns or yield pressure. (MarketBeat). Travel is definitely NOT a sector that we recommend to investors. Yet, we can provide information for your consideration.
Travel & Cruise ETF Options
If you prefer a diversified approach rather than picking individual cruise operators, there are a few ETF strategies that include cruise exposure:
- Defiance Hotel, Airline, and Cruise ETF (CRUZ). This is one of the few ETFs with direct cruise industry exposure, holding meaningful weights in RCL, NCLH, and CCL. (ETF Trends). It offers diversified exposure to travel, airline, and lodging sectors.
- Harvest Travel & Leisure Index ETF (TRVL). This ETF covers a broader travel and leisure theme, including cruise lines alongside airlines, hotels, and online travel services. (Harvest ETFs). It may be ideal for investors who want broader travel sector exposure.
Why Investors Might Like The Cruise Segment in 2026
• Demand Resilience: Cruise bookings and pricing power have in many cases rebounded strongly post-pandemic, and passenger growth continues to be a near-term tailwind. (Investopedia)
• Dividend Resumptions: Some cruise operators, like Carnival, have resumed dividends — a positive signal about cash generation and management confidence. (MarketWatch)
• Structural Tourism Trends: Travel spending remains a high priority for many households, and cruising is often a large share of that travel budget.
Why Investors Might Like The Travel Sector in 2026
Travel can stay strong in 2026 because the “experience economy” is still winning—people keep prioritizing memories over stuff, even when they’re being more careful about budgets. A big driver is simply demand: multiple industry outlooks expect another robust year for global travel activity in 2026, with airlines, hotels, and tour operators continuing to chase that demand with more capacity and more targeted offers. (EMARKETER)
Social media amplifies that demand by turning travel into a kind of public identity project. Viral “trendification” pushes destinations into people’s feeds and then into their wish lists—sometimes even influencing where airlines add capacity. In that world, trips aren’t just relaxation; they’re content: the photo spot, the restaurant, the “set-jetting” location, the unique hotel, the bucket-list moment. That dynamic shows up repeatedly in 2026 trend reporting, which highlights algorithm-driven destination surges and travelers chasing distinctive, shareable experiences. (Travel + Leisure)
And it’s not just marketing talk. Research suggests social networks genuinely shape travel behavior. Large-scale analyses of social activity and check-ins find measurable “friend influence” effects on where and how people travel, which helps explain why travel interest can propagate quickly once a destination starts circulating online. Add in the modern emphasis on “travel with purpose” (wellness, reconnection, intentionality), and you get a 2026 environment where people may cut some spending—but still protect the trip, because it delivers both real-life enjoyment and postable proof that life is being lived. (Nature)
Risks to Keep in Mind
Risks to Keep in Mind
Investing in the travel sector can look deceptively straightforward when demand is strong, but the risk profile remains tightly linked to the broader economic cycle. Travel spending is discretionary, which means airlines, hotels, cruise lines, booking platforms, and destination services tend to rise and fall with consumer confidence. When inflation rises, layoffs increase, or households feel uncertain, travel is often one of the first expenses to be postponed. In strong economic periods, operating leverage can amplify profits and fuel rapid earnings growth. In weaker periods, that same leverage works in reverse, compressing margins quickly.
That leverage also explains why the travel sector is inherently volatile. Many travel businesses operate with high fixed costs and limited flexibility in the short run. Fuel prices, labor costs, maintenance, insurance, weather disruptions, and seasonal demand swings all play a major role in profitability. Even when bookings appear healthy, margins can be squeezed by cost pressures that are difficult to pass on to customers immediately. As a result, earnings across the travel sector can fluctuate sharply from year to year, even without a major demand shock.
Longer term risks increasingly come from regulation, sustainability concerns, and local politics, especially as cities push back against crowding. A growing number of popular destinations are actively trying to reduce overtourism through caps, fees, or access restrictions. Barcelona has moved to cut cruise terminal capacity, including plans to close terminals and reduce overall volume, as part of its response to crowding pressures (Skift). Amsterdam has announced plans to phase out ocean cruising at its city center terminal by 2035 and restrict ship calls in the meantime (Travel Weekly). Venice has repeatedly used a day tripper access fee to manage crowds, reflecting a broader trend of cities experimenting with taxes, reservations, and enforcement to protect residents and infrastructure (AP News). While these examples are cruise related, similar pressures affect airlines, short term rentals, hotels, and tour operators.
Taken together, the message for investors is clear. The travel sector can perform very well when demand is strong and pricing power holds, but it remains highly sensitive to macroeconomic conditions, cost volatility, and destination level policy decisions. Those factors can alter growth assumptions, margins, and long term returns faster than many investors expect.
Bottom Line for Travelers and Investors
If you have never cruised in your life, you should consider it. It offers a relatively modest entry point and options for upgrades. If you have cruised twice in your life, you have cruised for life. It's always the same and you can decide whether to diversify or to repeat. It is completely up to you. Not traveling at all can also be a fantastic idea because travel can be both expensive and overrated. For the most part, it's just marketing and over consumption of experiences to post on social media.
For investors, the cruise industry or the travel sector can present moderate opportunities to consider within a well diversified portfolio. We would not go too crazy on the segment, but cruise stocks to consider are Carnival (CCL), Royal Caribbean (RCL), and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH), each with unique risk/reward profiles. Broader travel ETFs to consider include CRUZ and TRVL. They both include cruise exposure while spreading risk across the broader travel sector. As with any travel-related investment, macroeconomic conditions and consumer discretionary spending trends will be key drivers of future performance. (ETF Trends) Costs will remain high and if they drop, competition will increase. We do not see more than a 10% to 15% annual return. Other sectors may deliver significantly stronger returns including technology and AI.
Now you know it.
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