Young People Are Living Out Their Retirement Fantasies on Cruises
TikTokers are documenting their first cruise experiences on the platform.
Right off the top of this story, I must confess something: I've never been on a cruise. Frankly, I've never been that interested in the concept. The closest I've come is my fanatical weekly watching of whatever franchise of Below Deck happens to be airing on Bravo at any given moment. But some recent TikToks are bringing my anti-cruise stance into question.
If you were to ask most people who the most common type of cruise passenger is, I'd predict that most people would guess either a retiree or a family, but that stereotype appears to be breaking. Industry groups say younger generations are their fastest growing customer base, and both millennials and Gen Z travelers are increasingly giving cruises a try.
Based on what I've seen on TikTok lately, these younger travelers are loving what they're seeing, too.
Last month, Kasia Chatman took her husband on his first-ever cruise on Virgin Voyages. She documented the experience in a TikTok video which showed her husband constantly questioning whether something on their all-inclusive cruise was "complimentary?!" The video has over 2 million views.
In another recent TikTok, comedian Kendahl Landreth brought her internet-famous impersonation of her mother taking her first cruise aboard a Norwegian ship, showcasing a mixture of bewilderment and pure, unbridled joy at every turn. The video has gotten over 3.8 million views.
Sofia Bella also just documented her first cruise experience for TikTok. Her video shows her first day aboard a Royal Caribbean ship as she enjoyed poolside cocktails and a DJ who finally granted her request that he play some Bad Bunny.
And popular TikToker Zachariah Porter put it best in one of his videos shared from his Royal Caribbean cruise earlier this year: "Embracing my inner retired 65 year old woman."
Taking all these videos and their immaculate vibes into account, life (or at least a few days) at sea is certainly sounding more and more appealing.
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