Global wellness cruise spending is expected to reach $14.2 billion in 2033, growing at an average rate of 10.2% from 2025 to 2033, according to Growth Market Reports. New options greet cruises: hospitality brands Four Seasons, Orient Express and Ritz-Carlton enter the cruise industry with luxury yachts heavy on wellness facilities.
Traditional cruise lines respond to increased demand with reimagined wellness amenities, nonalcoholic drinks programs and relaxation spaces. These investments span cruise lines, but the new Sphere class ships from Princess Cruises shine in their inaugural Alaskan sailing season.
Cruising trends younger
Cruise Lines International Association, or CLIA, reports millennial and Gen Z travelers now make up 36% of cruise passengers. This demographic is especially focused on health and wellness, according to McKinsey & Company’s Future of Wellness survey. Younger generations spend disproportionately on wellness compared to their older counterparts.
The 2025 results also highlight in-person experiences and wellness travel as 1 of 6 areas of growth in the industry. For cruise lines responding to this growth, this presents opportunities on and off the ship to create an active, wellness-focused experience.
Off the ship, millennial and Gen Z cruisers are more interested in exploring ports independently. Less than 70% of those demographics booked a shore excursion on their last cruise, compared to 81% of baby boomers.
The Alaskan sailing season, expected to serve a record 2.1 million passengers from the Seattle port alone in 2026, offers options at each stop to entice adventurous travelers without the headache of planning an outing yourself. Hike around the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, traverse a ropes course and zipline in Skagway or pilot a zodiac boat in Ketchikan in search of wildlife.
A new take on indulgence
Princess Cruises debuted a nonalcoholic drink line for summer 2026. The new POURS program incorporates adaptogenic ingredients such as ashwagandha powder, maca root and ginseng root. The signature mocktails fill a gap in the food and beverage program, giving travelers elevated options that go beyond traditional soft drinks.
The Lime Serenity drink is complex, mixing fresh flavors like citrus, mint and coconut green tea with earthy reishi powder for a balanced sip. It feels sophisticated and every bit as interesting as a cocktail. Nonalcoholic guests are no longer an afterthought.
Healthy eating on board
Cruise lines are known for indulgence, but healthy dining options do exist everywhere, from the buffet to specialty dining. Bella Buchiotti of xoxoBella looks for cruises with healthy food. “What I value most is having healthy choices on board. Cruise lines have come a long way in offering fresh, nutritious options, and I’ve found it’s surprisingly easy to eat well when that’s your goal,” she says.
Shelby Stover, Precision Nutrition Level One Coach and owner of Fit as a Mama Bear, shares a tip for making mindful choices when traveling. “The easiest way to stick to healthy habits while still enjoying yourself on a cruise is to prioritize protein and colorful fruits and vegetables in your main meals to meet your fiber needs. This ensures you stay full longer, feel more energized and are less likely to overdo it on indulgent foods.”
Sphere of wellness
Princess Cruises’ Sphere class of ships, including Star and Sun Princess, were designed for modern, wellness-seeking travelers. The two-story Lotus Spa covers nearly 12,500 square feet of space and offers a hydrotherapy circuit and sauna in addition to face and body treatments. Those who do cold plunges at home will wish the spa had one on board, but the icy shower enclaves provide some of the same benefits.
The 6,197 square foot fitness center on Star Princess, larger than that on Princess’s other ships, offers unbroken sea views from its prime top deck location. The gym is lively on sea days, yet never feels crowded even on a sold-out ship. For those who prefer an open-air workout, a walking track and an enclosed sports court offer additional flexibility.
When you need a break from the other 4,300 passengers onboard, sneak away to the Dome, a solarium designed for quiet relaxation and unbroken vistas. For a consistent smaller-ship feel, book a cabin in the Sanctuary, Princess’s ship-within-a-ship concept with a top-deck retreat perfect for whale watching in Alaska.
An industry movement
CLIA highlights the investments its members make in their wellness offerings to meet an overall growth in wellness demand. Innovations like immersive yoga programs on Oceania Cruises and pickleball courts on several lines, including Princess Cruises, give cruisers more social fitness options than ever.
Passengers do notice. Holland America Lines enticed Andrea Updyke from Just is a Four Letter Word with their hydropool and heated loungers after a day of exploring. “Spa passes used to be a splurge for me,” she says. “Now, I budget them in from the start.”
Jenn Allen agrees. “I love that new cruise ships are putting an emphasis on wellness,” the owner of All The Best Spots shares. Celebrity Xcel’s SEA Thermal Suite left an impression on her. “It has eight therapeutic experiences like a Turkish bath, salt room, steam room, ocean-view sauna and Hydra Room, which has a soaking pool and heated loungers.”
Rethinking the all-inclusive image
Wellness plays a larger role in how cruise lines design their ships and programming. It entices a younger generation eager to indulge in a different way. From a misty early morning marveling at Dawes Glacier from your private balcony room to an adaptogenic mocktail at happy hour after a hydrotherapy circuit at the Lotus Spa, a day aboard Star Princess encourages you to rethink what it means to maximize your cruise experience.
Ashley Wali is a Seattle-based travel journalist and owner of Wanderlux, writing about luxury, family, culinary and wellness travel. Her work has appeared in The Seattle Times, Boston Herald, The Philadelphia Tribune, Sun Sentinel and more. Recent assignments have had her exploring art in Hong Kong and sailing the fjords of Norway.
The post Cruising sheds all-you-can-eat image as priorities shift to wellness appeared first on Food Drink Life.
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