2025 Wave Season: 3 Surprising Trends Shaping Cruise Vacations

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The 2025 wave season is here and travelers are flocking to cruise ships to escape the winter blues. New data from Squaremouth, the nation’s leading travel insurance marketplace, reveals the top trends for this year’s wave season, along with expert tips for travelers setting sail in 2025.
Travel Insurance is Trending
Travelers are jumping at the chance to set sail this season, and they’re opting to do it care-free. Of the travelers planning to cruise this wave season and beyond, an impressive 74% are insuring their trips—up from just 38% in 2024.
Cruisers’ top concerns for 2025 include illness or injury while at sea, trip cancellations, and medical evacuation coverage.
More R&R, Less Adventure 
While 2024 was the year of adventure travel, 2025 is all about rest and relaxation. Only 23% of cruisers plan to engage in adventure activities such as jet skiing, snorkeling, or scuba diving—down from 42% in 2024.

Warm Destinations & Bargain Hunting
Warm destinations continue to top cruisers’ bucket lists, but in 2025, more travelers are focused on finding great deals than on reaching their dream destinations. Nearly 49% of cruisers say that scoring a bargain is their primary goal for this year’s wave season. 
Top budget friendly cruise destinations for 2025 include Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic, which have average trip costs of $3,591, $3,800 and $4,123, respectively. 

Tips for Wave Season Cruisers
If you plan on cruising this year, Squaremouth recommends the following travel insurance tips: 

• Take Advantage of Wave Season Pricing:  While travel costs are expected to remain high, wave season offers exclusive cruise deals that travelers can take advantage of over the next few months.
• Protect Your Trip Costs: From missing your ship’s departure due to a delayed flight to your itinerary being impacted by inclement weather, cruise insurance can provide peace of mind and financial protection from major travel disruptions.
• Get Overseas Medical Coverage: Most domestic healthcare plans don’t offer coverage outside the US. Travel insurance can provide Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation benefits in case of an emergency during your cruise. Due to the increased cost of medical care at sea, Squaremouth recommends getting at least $100,000 in Emergency Medical coverage and $250,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage. 
• Stay Organized: In the event you need to file a claim with your insurance provider, you will need to provide specific evidence and documentation, including travel details, receipts, booking confirmations, and travel supplier communications.

For more travel insurance tips for cruise travel, wave season and beyond, visit squaremouth’s travel advice blog.

CONTACT: Jenna Hummer
Squaremouth
4349608093
jhummer@squaremouth.com