Expedition lines are seeing a rise in multigenerational families traveling together, with many guests coming from three generations of a family. This trend is often referred to as “Gen-XYZ-peditions” by Virtuoso, a travel agency network.
Virtuoso’s 2027 Luxe Report found that multigenerational family travel is the No. 1 travel trend of 2027, and expedition cruising came in at No. 3. The network believes these two trends are converging, with many families opting for expedition cruises.
Growing Demand
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions has seen an increase in multigenerational family travelers over the last four years, said Christine Stevens, vice president of strategic, national and international sales. The top destinations for these families are Alaska and the Galapagos.
HX Expeditions is also seeing families book bucket-list destinations, with places like Antarctica and the Galapagos being increasingly viewed as once-in-a-lifetime experiences best shared together, said Carla Brake, senior director of sales for the Americas. They are noticing this trend as families seek unique experiences.
Family Travel
Grandparents are often the driving force behind multigenerational trips, with many booking expedition cruises to celebrate special occasions like milestone birthdays or wedding anniversaries. David Marathakis, Quark Expeditions’ senior director of sales for the Americas, groups and charters, said grandparents long to share their expedition travel experiences with loved ones.
Younger generations are drawn to the idea of traveling to places like Antarctica and the Arctic because of content they’re seeing on social media, Marathakis said. The youngest members of a multigenerational group tend to be in their 20s or teens, although at National Geographic-Lindblad, the average age is around 10 years old.
On expedition cruises, individual members of a multigenerational family may split up over the course of a day, gravitating to activities best suited to their interests and abilities. However, family members are united by a visit to remote destinations together, creating memories that last long after the trip is over, said Brake.
Caroline Hay, Global Travel Collection’s senior director of cruise, recently traveled to the Arctic with Quark and was struck by how many families were onboard, including large, multigenerational groups traveling together. She found that the experience naturally accommodated the different generations, with family members able to head off and enjoy different activities based on their interests and abilities.
The mix of independent and communal experiences makes expedition cruising well suited for a multigenerational family group, Hay said. She sees opportunity for more advisor education about how to position expedition cruising for affluent families booking luxury vacations, as it is traditionally marketed as an adult travel experience.
National-Geographic Lindblad has promotional offers for multigenerational groups, such as a package for groups of eight or more, limited-time promotions for discounted cabins for children or airfare credits, Stevens said. However, cruise line representatives pointed out that expedition cruises are not suited for every type of multigenerational group, as they emphasize the destination and experience rather than onboard attractions.