• Most of Carnival Cruise Line’s customers are millennials, amid a search for new, younger customers.
• I spent four nights on his new Florence Carnival ship in May.
• Its amenities, itineraries and prices provide insight into how the company attracts younger cruise passengers.

When you leave Carnival Cruiseyou’re more likely to see your millennial colleague than your older neighbor.

Forget any preconceived notions you might have about the age of cruise enthusiasts (no, they’re not all retirees). Carnival Corp. has been seeking new and younger travelers — so much so that it saw a 17% increase in new cruise passengers in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, said Josh Weinstein, president and chief executive officer. management of the cruise giant, to analysts. September.

Amid this surge, the majority of the cruise line’s customers are now millennials, averaging about 41 years old, David Bernstein, Carnival Corp’s chief financial officer, told analysts. This is five years younger than the average age of cruise passengers in the sector, according to commercial group International Association of Cruise Lines.

A look at his new ship, the six month old Florence Carnivalcould explain why the cruise line excels with millennials.