Digital marketing strategies for cruise brands

But how can cruise operators capitalise on this trend, ensuring they are visible on search engine results pages (SERPs) at the right moment in the booking journey? In this article, we’ll take a look at the latest cruise statistics and offer six top marketing tips to ensure your brand stays afloat amidst stiff competition.

Anchors up, let’s set sail!

Cruise line statistics

• The number of global ocean cruise passengers skyrocketed in 2023, reaching an impressive 31.7 million. (Statista)

• This figure is forecast to rise steadily, with an estimated 39.4 million passengers expected by 2027. (Statista)

• Searches for the term ‘cruise holidays’ has almost doubled in just two years, increasing from 18.1k monthly searches in April 2022 to 33.1k in April 2024. (Google Keyword Planner data)

• Approximately 35.7 million global passengers are expected to cruise by the end of 2024. (Reuters)

• UK travellers took 2.3 million cruise holidays in 2023. (CLIA)

• Average age of UK passengers has dropped from 56.1 to 55.1. (CLIA)

These statistics will be music to the ears of those within the cruise industry who have had to navigate some choppy waters over the past few years. But with increased demand comes increased competition and all operators need to up their marketing game to ensure they are in the best possible position to reap the benefits on offer.

Our top six cruise line marketing strategies

1. Target the right keywords

As tempting as it may be to go after the obvious keywords (e.g ‘caribbean cruises’, ‘summer cruises’, ‘cruise holidays’, etc), this is probably one of the biggest SEO mistakes you can make, especially if you are a small, relatively unknown cruise operator.

‘But why?’ I hear you cry, ‘search volume for these terms is HUGE!’

Quite simply, if you’re a small fish in a big sea, you’re unlikely to rank for ultra-competitive keywords. The big boys of cruise will be all over them and unless you’re confident you can take on MSC, Carnival, et all, you’ll be lucky if you scrape on to page 2 of the SERPs.

Here’s an example. Search for ‘mediterranean cruises’ and the top results are all established, well-known names. And while we all love a David vs Goliath story, these are giants you are unlikely to slay:

What you CAN do however is home in on your niche and focus on more bespoke, less competitive keywords that may not have massive amounts of search volume but give you the best possible chance of ranking.

For instance:

Don’t go for ‘mediterranean cruises’ (high volume, high difficulty)

Go for ‘luxury family cruises mediterranean’ or ‘best mediterranean cruises for couples’, etc. (low volume, low difficulty).

It’s also important to ensure your site is visible at every stage of the cruise booking journey, and you can do this through identifying search intent. Each keyword has a specific intent, i.e. the reason behind an online search. This is where Google’s Micro Moments come in handy. Is the buyer just weighing up different cruise destinations at this point? Or are they at the stage where they know the cruise they want to take and are looking at dates, packages, etc?

A meticulous keyword research plan that covers broad and long tail keywords will help you create a content plan for all stages of the buyer journey, which brings us neatly onto our next top tip…

2. Prioritise fresh, relevant content

Once you’ve got your all-important keywords, it’s time to weave them into some fabulous blogs, landing pages, articles and category sections (oh, and your meta data too, of course!).

Content isn’t just about words though. After all, nobody books a cruise based on the description alone. Equal priority needs to be given to the images and videos on your site which should showcase the wonderful cruises you have to offer – just don’t forget to add alt descriptions to any visuals you use!

And while you may be tempted to prioritise landing pages over blogs, it’s worth remembering that regular, targeted travel blogs provide a fantastic opportunity to build brand authority and attract new organic traffic to your site.

3. Ensure your website is mobile friendly

Desktop is dead, long live mobile!

OK, that’s not quite true, but Google does now prioritise mobile-first sites. And just think how many people have those ‘dreaming moments’ (i.e. the early stages of planning a holiday) while commuting, lying in bed or, dare I say it, while sitting on the toilet? It’s reported that 70% of travellers research travel on their smartphones so ensuring your site has a responsive, mobile-friendly design is paramount. These are the three core elements you should be able to tick off with your mobile-first site to satisfy scroll-happy thumbs:

• Simplification: Clutter-free screen and easily clickable links.

• Responsive web design: Consistent viewing experience across different devices from laptops to mobile phones and tablets (people will often use their phones for dreaming moments, but make bookings on desktop).

• Accessible info: Key information (such as prices, how to book, flight times, etc.) should be easy to find with minimal navigation.

Extra tip: Put your hamburger menu in the bottom right-hand corner (as opposed to top left or right) which aligns more efficiently with user accessibility.

4. Build a strong social media presence    

A 2022 report by travel firm Arriva found that almost one in three travellers use social media for holiday inspiration, with an even higher figure for Gen Zs (60%) and millennials (40%). On TikTok alone, the hashtag ‘#travel’ has over 94 billion views. Social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok offer a direct channel to connect with potential customers in real time. They’re also a great way to harness the power of user generated content opportunities, showcasing passengers’ positive experiences, from the ‘…aaaaand relax’ posts on Facebook to Instagram posts like the one below featuring beautiful water, beautiful people and a ruddy great big beautiful boat.

 For tips on how to boost your social media strategy, check out our article How to promote a travel agency on social media. 

5. Pay attention to reviews

Ok, this is perhaps a bit of a no brainer, but 93% of users say online reviews had an impact on their buying decisions.

Reviews are a powerful form of social proof – a reassurance from previous customers to prospective ones that your cruise business is trustworthy and credible. Consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations and businesses with a high number of positive reviews are seen as more reliable and authentic, thus boosting your E-E-A-T credentials considerably (E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust and helps Google to determine the quality and reliability of your content).

It's not just about racking up the good reviews – it’s about how you interact with reviews, both good and bad, that can set your brand apart. Just think how often you’ve browsed reviews on Trustpilot or Google, only to find yourself irritated by the lack of response from the business. Perhaps you yourself have taken the time to write a glowing review full of praise, or a less than complimentary one about a terrible experience…only to be met with silence. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth and doesn’t exactly do the brand’s reputation any favours.

After looking at about ten different cruise operators on Trustpilot and Tripadvisor, it struck me that the cruise industry as a whole isn’t great when it comes to responding to reviews. I did find one – Elite Cruises – who were pretty proactive, as demonstrated below:

But they are very much the exception to the rule. This is an opportunity missed for so many cruise brands so it’s worth following Elite Cruise’s lead and earn yourself some marketing brownie points in the process.

6. Partner with a digital marketing agency specialising in cruises

For many smaller, independent cruise operators, finding the time and resource to craft the perfect marketing strategy can be tricky. This is where a specialist digital marketing agency like Adido can help. Think of us like the swiss army knife of marketing, providing a comprehensive service that incorporates data analysis, extensive keyword research, expert travel marketing insights and ‘think outside the box’ creativity.

Team up with Adido

If you're seeking a partner that cares about your success as much as you do, consider teaming up with Adido. We know what it takes to build a successful marketing strategy for cruise brands and make it our mission to evolve each of our clients’ digital performance.

Speak to one of our travel marketing specialists today to find out how we can take your marketing strategy to the next level.