Not long ago, cruising felt like something people talked about in the past tense.
Now it’s back in the search bar.
A new analysis from Dunhill Travel, which tracked Google Trends data from 2022 through 2025, shows cruise-related searches in New Jersey have climbed 26.8 percent over that stretch. That places the state 21st nationwide for growth in cruise interest.
It’s not the fastest-growing state. But it’s part of something larger.
Cruise Passenger Numbers Are Breaking Records Again
Globally, cruise passenger volume reached 34.6 million in 2024—the highest total ever recorded, according to industry figures cited in the Dunhill report. Projections suggest 2025 and 2026 will push even higher.
Americans are driving that rebound. In 2024, U.S. travelers accounted for 55.2 percent of global cruise passengers—more than half the market.
That’s a significant shift from the pandemic years, when the industry nearly stalled. Passenger volume collapsed in 2020 after federal restrictions shut down sailings from U.S. ports. Recovery took time. But by 2023, numbers had surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
Now the growth isn’t just recovery. It’s expansion.
What the New Jersey Numbers Actually Mean
The Dunhill Travel analysis didn’t track bookings. It tracked search behavior.
Researchers compared relative Google search interest for cruise-related queries in 2022 and 2025. Google Trends doesn’t give raw totals; it measures popularity on an indexed scale, allowing comparisons across states.
In New Jersey, that relative interest rose 26.8 percent.
That increase suggests something simple: more residents are researching cruises now than they were three years ago.
Which Cruise Line New Jersey Is Looking At Most
Among New Jersey residents, Royal Caribbean was the most searched cruise brand during the study period.
Nationally, Royal Caribbean also held the highest relative search interest in both 2022 and 2025, with modest growth over that time.
Other lines are drawing attention as well. Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line saw noticeable increases in national search interest. MSC Cruises—still expanding its U.S. presence—recorded one of the sharpest jumps in online curiosity.
Not every brand moved upward. But most did.
Interior States Are Surging: Even More Than Coastal Ones
While New Jersey’s growth is steady, some landlocked states saw dramatic spikes.
North Dakota recorded the largest percentage increase in cruise-related searches between 2022 and 2025, followed by South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska.
That doesn’t necessarily mean those states are booking more cabins than New Jersey. It does mean cruise marketing and accessibility are reaching regions that historically weren’t cruise-heavy.
At the same time, coastal states still generate strong overall search volume. Proximity to embarkation ports remains an advantage.
Why Cruise Interest Feels Different This Time
Part of the rebound may be psychological.
Cruising was once viewed as a high-risk travel choice during the public health crisis. Today, many travelers appear to see it differently—as structured, predictable, and often price-contained.
Cruise lines have added ships, expanded itineraries, and pushed into new demographics, including younger travelers and first-time cruisers.
The search data suggests Americans are paying attention.
New Jersey, it seems, is right in the middle of that shift.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.