The Next Horizon: How Cruise and Hospitality Can Ride the Wave of Experiential Hyper-Personalization in 2026

In 2025, cruising proved once again that it is a strong, flexible part of global travel. According to industry data, the number of cruise passengers is on the rise. By 2025, there will be an estimated 37.7 million travellers, and 82% of guests plan to cruise again. New cruisers are also joining the fold.

A lot of the talk so far has been about sustainability, ship design, and basic digital upgrades. However, there is a new area that needs attention: experiential hyper-personalisation. This is the combination of customised experiences and operational systems that can predict and respond to each guest's needs at sea and on land.

Why Personalisation Is the Next Big Thing That Sets You Apart

Traditionally, cruise and hotel companies have divided their markets into broad groups based on things like age, spending level, or preferred itineraries. Today's guests, especially younger travellers like Gen Z and millennials, want more than just where they go. They want experiences that show who they are. Recent reports show that younger groups are changing the way industries grow, which means that brands need to change not only their activities but also their emotional stories and social connections.

At its core, hyper-personalisation uses data, technology, and smart service design to create unique, meaningful journeys. This means that both cruise lines and resorts need to move away from hospitality that works for most people to experiences that are tailored to each person and change in real time.

From Data Streams to Emotional Journeys

How does this work in real life?

To get started, cruise lines and high-end resorts can connect their operational systems with real-time guest preferences, like what kind of food they like, what activities they want to do on board, or how fast they want to travel. People have been saying for a long time that technology will change the way we experience things. But to go from "better booking interfaces" to truly anticipatory service, guest touchpoints need to be better organised. For example, dining suggestions based on past preferences, itinerary changes based on mood and energy levels, or dynamic programming that changes with the guest over the course of a voyage.

In this case, being a maritime and hospitality consultant means helping clients with more than just new gadgets. It also means giving them strategy frameworks that take into account how things really work while also tapping into their emotions.

Moving on from One-Note Luxury

Price or exclusivity has often been used to define luxury, but the next generation of luxury travel is all about relevance. More and more, travellers think of luxury as experiences that feel like they were made just for them, not just fancy things. A stunning private suite or Michelin-starred meal is important, but it has an even bigger effect when it's set in a real-life context, like a chef who knows your taste, a shore excursion that matches your interests, or a cultural experience that feels real instead of like a business deal.

This is where human-centred design and industry knowledge come together: instead of automating everything, they invite crews and staff to be part of the creative process. It's not about replacing people with technology; it's about giving employees the freedom to have meaningful interactions with customers.

What cruise and resort leaders need to know about operations

To be at the front of this change, operations teams need to think across departments:

• Cross-platform data alignment: Guest information shouldn't be stored in separate systems. Reservations for cruises, hotels, spas, dining preferences, and entertainment feedback all need to be able to talk to each other.

• Training for adaptive service: Hotel staff and crew need tools that help them pick up on small hints from guests. When an organisation supports real-time decision making, it becomes easier.

• Experience prototyping: Just like tech product teams, hospitality designers can quickly and on a small scale test new guest experiences before rolling them out to all of their locations or brands.

Consultants such as iStrive, who have worked in both maritime and land-based hospitality, are in a unique position to put these pieces together into useful roadmaps.

Bringing Expectation and Memory Full Circle

As we move from 2025 to 2026, the companies that do well won't just offer more; they'll also connect more deeply—between systems and services, between insights and actions, and between the traveller's story and your brand's promise. Cruises and hotels aren't just ways to get around anymore; they're also ways to make memories. People who understand and deliver that nuance will have the next competitive edge.