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AAA projects 19 million Americans will embark on ocean cruises this year, a 4.5 percent increase over 2024, when 18.2 million Americans set sail. This will be the third straight year of record cruise passenger volume.

“The cruise industry has rebounded post-pandemic more strongly than other travel segments, with cruise demand growth exceeding hotel demand growth in the last two years,” said Robert Sinclair of AAA Northeast. “There’s a reason so many first-time cruise passengers become repeat customers. Cruises offer something for travelers of every age and provide a cost-effective, all-inclusive option that allows cruisers to enjoy meals, drinks and activities without worrying about additional expenses.” 

In 2022, cruise volume rebounded to 84 percent of 2019’s level, then surged to a new high in 2023, nearly 20 percent above the pre-pandemic baseline. That number has continued to climb since, with 2025 projected to surpass 2019 by 34 percent.

Seeking Sunshine

Most U.S. cruise passengers (72%) are heading to the Caribbean, while 6% are taking Alaska cruises and 5% will cruise in the Mediterranean. The Caribbean’s dominance this year is on par with its pre-pandemic numbers in 2018 and 2019.

Shorter Caribbean cruises are rising in popularity. Even though most cruise itineraries are six to eight days, 18% of Caribbean cruise itineraries this year are 2 to 5 days, compared to only 2% in 2023. The three busiest cruise ports in the world are in the same state: Florida! Miami, Port Canaveral, and Fort Lauderdale are the busiest ports based on embarkation and debarkation. Miami landed the world’s largest cruise ship with the debut of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas last year, and this summer, Port Canaveral welcomes the Icon’s sister ship, the equally large Star of the Seas.

Cruise Forecast Methodology 
In cooperation with AAA, Tourism Economics prepared the 2025 cruise forecast based on
scheduled cruise itineraries covering virtually all major cruise vessels, the economic outlook and
travel sector trends. This forecast relies on cruise-related analytics from Cruise IP (Tourism
Economics’ proprietary database for the cruise industry), economic forecasts prepared by Oxford
Economics and assumptions on the future path of the tourism industry.

In this analysis, U.S. cruise passenger volume refers to ocean cruises taken by U.S. residents. It
includes cruises that depart from U.S. or international ports.
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You Booked a Cruise … Now What?!  

If you’re one of the 19 million Americans going on a cruise this year, AAA Travel has expert advice to ensure your trip is smooth sailing.

  • Reserve activities ahead of time. Whether it’s an excursion, specialty dinner, or spa treatment, your best bet is to reserve your spot ASAP. Popular cruise activities sell out fast! And while you’re planning ahead, consider getting travel insurance to protect your investment in case of a medical emergency or another interruption during your trip.
  • Arrive the day before. If you’re flying into your port city, arrive a day or two before your ship is scheduled to depart. That takes the stress out of worrying about flight delays and cancelations, and it gives you time to explore your departure city. AAA travel agents can help book your flight through the cruise line which can be a convenient way to plan your trip. When you purchase airfare through cruise lines like Carnival, Princess, and Royal Caribbean, they will assist in the event of a travel disruption and help with ground transportation and other arrangements. 
  • Pick your parking spot. If you’re driving to your port city, decide ahead of time where you will leave your car. Most cruise ports offer parking right at the terminal, but like airports, those spots come at a premium price. To save some money, look for off-site cruise port parking options that offer a shuttle service. Another option is to look for hotels near the cruise port that offer “park & cruise” options. These packages allow you to stay at the hotel the night before your cruise and park your car there while you’re gone. The hotel will then take you to the cruise port on departure day and pick you up once you return.   
  • Download the cruise line’s app. You can check in for your cruise through the app, review the itinerary, complete the mandatory lifeboat drill, look at the daily program, and in some cases, open your stateroom door, order food, make dinner reservations, and text your friends. Best of all, you don’t need the ship’s internet package to use cruise line apps – they are free to use onboard!
  • Do your homework before packing. Check your cruise line’s list of prohibited items ahead of your trip. From irons and steamers to certain foods and beverages, each company is different, so take the time to look up what you can and can’t bring onboard or your items will be confiscated.
  • Items that come in handy. If you’re going on a Caribbean cruise, sunscreen is a must and bringing it from home saves you money. In general, sundries onboard are more expensive. If you take prescription medications, bring extra in case there is a delay during your trip. Magnetic hooks are popular with passengers who need extra storage space. Since cruise cabin walls are made of metal, hooks come in handy for hanging swimsuits and towels. Colorful beach towel clips are also useful at the pool deck to not only keep your towel in place but help you identify your lounge chair when you come back from taking a dip!
  • Embarkation dos and don’ts. Some cruise lines have scheduled embarkation times. Do arrive at your assigned embarkation time. Don’t try to get there early and hope they will let you on – they likely won’t. Don’t pack your passport or birth certificate in your suitcase. Always have your documentation with you including a copy of your boarding pass. If you do not have proper identification when you are checking in at the pier, you will be denied boarding. If you check your suitcase with a porter, your bag may not arrive at your stateroom for a few hours. Pack a small carry-on with your swimsuit so you can change right away and start the fun! 
  • Having fun? Run it back! If you’re enjoying your vacation at sea, look for the future cruise office onboard to book your next trip. There are often special promotions like onboard credits on top of the regular cruise line offers for bookings made onboard. Your travel agent back home will also be notified about your new booking. Just don’t wait until the last minute. The office gets busier as the final day of the cruise approaches, so stop by early in the trip, or make an appointment if the office takes reservations.

AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit auto club with offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York, providing more than 6.5 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, financial and auto-related services.

 

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METRO photo

Sustained Sub-Freezing Temperatures Can Wreak Havoc on Vehicles

With predicted temperatures at or below freezing across much of the Northeast for the coming week and beyond, AAA is encouraging drivers to understand the impact of these extreme conditions on their vehicles — and prepare accordingly.

Freezing temperatures can negatively impact vehicle performance in several ways, including:

Drained batteries: Vehicle batteries lose 30 percent of their power when the outside air temperature hits 32 degrees. At zero degrees, batteries suffer a 60 percent loss of slows the chemical reaction that creates the electrical charge, which makes starting a vehicle more difficult — especially with batteries that are three to five years old or those that previously went dead and needed a jump-start. If drivers have batteries older than three years or that have been previously jump-started, they should have their battery tested and, if necessary, replaced.

Decreased tire pressure: Cold also negatively affects tires, which lose about one PSI (pound per square inch) of pressure for every 10 degrees the air temperature drops. Tires also normally lose one PSI per month due to aspiration. Before hitting the road, motorists should make sure tires are properly inflated according to information on the sticker inside the driver’s door jamb.

Frozen fuel lines: Any moisture in a vehicle’s fuel lines can freeze, preventing gasoline from reaching the engine. Drivers should keep their gas tanks at least half full during the winter so that there will be no room for moisture laden air. Extreme winter weather also impacts electric vehicles; the main issue is that cold temperatures may reduce the distance an EV can travel on a full charge. Research by AAA found the average EV’s driving range decreases by 41 percent when the outside temperature dips to 20 degrees and the vehicle’s heating system is on.

EV drivers can improve their vehicle’s performance in the winter by utilizing the following tips:

Don’t let the battery charge drop too low: An EV reserves about 15-20 percent of its charge capacity to heat the battery itself, so it’s critical to be well above that level before hitting the road.

Use heat efficiently: Warming an EV creates a significant drain on the battery. If the vehicle has heated seats and steering wheels, those features offer a more efficient option to provide warmth than heating the entire cabin. Some EVs connect to a smartphone app that allow drivers to warm the vehicle’s cabin to a comfortable temperature at a preset time before use, improving range and leading to consistent vehicle performance.

Park your electric vehicle in a garage, if possible: Garage storage helps to ensure thatharsh weather conditions do not affect the vehicle and helps maintain a warmer temperature, which will aid battery performance. And, with zero tailpipe emissions, EVs can be safely warmed up while indoors.

Plug in when parked for extended time periods: Keeping an EV plugged in help smaintain battery health and prevent range loss. This also helps to keep the battery above freezing to help optimize performance; this occurs whether the vehicle is actively charging or not.

Ensure tires are at the proper pressure: Due to their weight, tire pressure is critical toan EV’s handling and performance. Proper tire pressure also helps to maximize range andensure the correct amount of tire surface grips the road. Overinflated or underinflatedntires can lead to range degradation and compromise safety. AAA provides road service for electric vehicles across the nation with tires the top reason for calls.

Slow down: Higher speeds can negatively impact range in all types of weather. More power is needed to overcome the increased wind resistance, especially in denser, colder air.

Know your vehicle: Some EVs have one motor and function as rear-wheel drive. Thisncan lead to handling challenges in slippery conditions. Dual-motor EVs function as all-wheel drive, providing superior traction and performance.

Drivers of all vehicles should always remove snow and ice from their vehicles before driving. This is critical for maximum driver visibility and to prevent blowing snow and ice from possibly blinding other drivers. For EVs, removing snow is important to reduce weight and air resistance while driving, both of which can negatively impact range. Snow and ice can also cover sensors used for safety features.

AAA urges all drivers to keep a cold-weather emergency kit in their vehicles, complete with gloves, a flashlight, warm clothing, blankets, extra water and food, cell phone charger, an ice scraper and any medications they may need in the event of an emergency.

AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit auto club with offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York, providing more than 6.5 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance and auto-related services.

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Supervisor Ed Romaine is taking a leadership role in trying to streamline town government services. File photo by Erika Karp

Brookhaven officials announced a major win for the town, and ultimately for the community, during a meeting last week.

Financial services agency Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings upgraded the town’s credit rating from AA+ to AAA, the highest designation the agency issues. It also classified Brookhaven’s credit future as having a “stable outlook.”

The AA+ rating, which was issued in March 2015, came with a “positive outlook.”

“A municipality’s credit rating is an important and reliable indicator of its fiscal health determined by independent and objective fiscal monitors,” a statement from the town said. “A higher credit rating saves money on borrowings in the form of lower interest costs.”

Brookhaven Town Commissioner of Finance Tamara Wright said during a town board meeting last week that the credit report was based on a review of the town’s 2014 and 2015 financial statements that had gone on for about four weeks.

“I would just like to thank [Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R)] for his leadership, his steady hand,” Wright said. “He makes our job at the finance office easy because he supports our initiatives and our controls. I also would like to thank the town board for the support they give our office. I would like to recognize each employee in the finance office. It’s the little decisions they make every single day, every control decision that leads to this kind of financial performance.”

The Standard & Poor’s report said the town has strong management and financial policies and a well-defined five-year capital improvement plan, and commended the town for paying off retirement system debt while maintaining fund balance reserves.

“It means a lot,” Romaine said on Tuesday in a phone interview.

The supervisor added that he is delighted by the rating. “It’s kind of like a report card from Wall Street saying the town is in pretty good financial condition.”

Romaine credited the financial department and the board for their hard work in making the rating possible.

“It sends a clear message that their elected officials are keeping a promise to cut spending and run the town more efficiently,” Romaine said in a statement. “Our conservative fiscal policies have the led the way to financial stability and I am proud to say that we continue to save millions of taxpayer dollars while still providing the services that our residents deserve.”

Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point), who serves as the board’s liaison to finance, also had some positive words.

“I commend the supervisor for his leadership and fiscal discipline which has resulted in Standard & Poor’s highest credit rating,” Bonner said in a statement. “I am happy to have played a role in this great success and I look forward to working with him and his staff to further improve our financial position.”

Suffolk County’s own credit rating was lowered in October 2015 from A+ to A, making Brookhaven’s upgrade more noteworthy. Romaine called this “the first time in a while” the town has received a AAA rating.

The supervisor also vowed during last week’s board meeting to chip in to pay for a luncheon for members of the town’s finance department.

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