The family appetite for cruising continues to grow, buoyed by a huge spike in the number of multigenerational groups choosing vacations at sea, say travel agents and industry executives.

There’s no doubt that multigenerational family groups are the fastest-growing part of his business, says Tom Baker, president and partner at Houston-based CruiseCenter. “It continues to be so, because cruising rates are a fixed cost, a ship has a cocoon environment that allows people to spend time together and cruise ships have the world’s best children’s programs,” Baker says.

“When kids are happy,” he adds, “mom and dad, no matter their income level or lifestyle, are very, very happy with the experience. Mom and dad might go on Silversea or Crystal or Seabourn on their own, but they’ll do these contemporary brands when they bring the kids along.”