Cruises from Boston are booming as first-time customers turn to affordable international travel

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For the first time in their lives, the friend group of former UMass Lowell classmates found themselves turning to cruises, specifically those embarking from Boston’s Flynn…

Working at the peak of their professional careers, Kay Rogers and her girlfriends are so busy that they have to schedule social get-togethers five months in advance.

Money is also a factor when planning outings, said Rogers, a physical therapist on Cape Cod who used to struggle to pay the bills as a single mom and tries to stay out of debt. When her friends began planning their girls’ trip, Rogers, 56, was hesitant to drop cash on international flights.

For the first time in their lives, the friend group of former UMass Lowell classmates found themselves turning to cruises, specifically those embarking from Boston’s Flynn Cruiseport. Avoiding flights and hotels, they booked a seven-night round-trip vacation to Bermuda and Halifax, Nova Scotia, for $1,500 a person.

“Having a full life with work and family and obligations, the ease of cruises is really nice,” Rogers said. “I’ve been stuck in airports when my flight is canceled, so just taking the flight out of the picture makes it so easy.”

A range of economic and industry factors is leading more New Englanders like Rogers to cruise out of Boston this year compared to last. The local growth comes at a time when more people worldwide are cruising, with US travelers dominating the data. By the end of 2026, over 38 million people are expected to cruise worldwide, representing the biggest year in the industry’s history, according to the Cruise Lines International Association.

Across North America, the cruise business is booming post-COVID, and the rebound has been visible at Flynn Cruiseport in the Seaport, which began hosting the Norwegian Breakaway, the largest cruise ship to ever “homeport” in Boston, in April.

The 4,000-passenger ship has more than 20 dining options and expands NCL’s “capacity to meet growing demand” in Boston, said Tom Hamilton, the line’s chief planning officer.

Boston’s cruise season kicks into high gear in September and October, when seven-night NCL and Holland America itineraries provide views of peak…

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