What’s driving the boom in small-ship cruising?

It doesn’t take an expert to see that the cruise industry is in rude health. After several years of back-to-back growth, the prospect of a holiday at sea is more appealing than ever. However, within the wider cruise landscape, one sector is on a particularly steep growth trajectory… According to research carried out by digital travel marketing agency Adido and luxury operator Unforgettable Croatia, search demand for small-ship cruise brands has increased by 71 per cent in the past two years. According to Unforgettable Croatia’s CEO Graham Carter, “That’s not an anomaly; that’s sustained growth.” Both Carter and Adido CEO Andy Headington join us on today’s episode of the Cruise Corner Podcast to examine the factors that are driving the growth in small-ship cruising and to discuss what this trend tells us about travellers’ holiday priorities in 2026.