Leading Cruise Brands in Q2 2024: A Sensor Tower Analysis

In the competitive landscape of the Cruises & Cruise Services category in the United States, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line have emerged as leading brands with significant digital presence. This article delves into the performance trends of these brands from Q1 to Q2 2024, highlighting key insights from Sensor Tower's comprehensive data across web, app, and advertising platforms.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line distinguishes itself with a robust digital footprint through its website, carnival.com, and the Carnival HUB app.

• Audience Trends: The website experienced fluctuations, with visits peaking at over 65M in March before stabilizing around 42M in June. Monthly true audience figures remained stable above 4M throughout the quarter.

• App Engagement: Carnival HUB's monthly active users showed an upward trend, starting at 830K in January and rising to nearly 870K by June, indicating a strong mobile presence.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Carnival's monthly ad spend decreased significantly from over $3.8M in January to about $1.3M in June. OTT channels dominated the strategy, delivering the highest impressions, while desktop video and Pinterest saw minimal engagement.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean's digital strategy is anchored by its website, royalcaribbean.com, and the Royal Caribbean International app.

• Audience Trends: The website maintained a steady performance with visits ranging between 22M to 27M monthly. Monthly true audience figures hovered around 3.3M, with a slight increase observed in June.

• App Engagement: Monthly active users for the app peaked in April at over 1.38M, indicating a preference for mobile experiences among users.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Monthly ad spend was highest in January at around $3.3M, tapering off to $1.5M by June. Facebook and OTT channels were predominant, reflecting targeted advertising efforts.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line leverages its website, ncl.com, and the Cruise Norwegian - NCL app for digital engagement.

• Audience Trends: Website visits peaked in April with over 23M visits, while monthly true audience figures remained consistently above 2.3M through Q2.

• App Engagement: The app saw an increase in monthly active users, reaching nearly 500K in June, suggesting growing mobile engagement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Monthly ad spend showed variability, peaking at approximately $3.2M in January and June. Desktop video was a significant channel, complemented by strategic usage of Pinterest and OTT.

Conclusion

The analysis of Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line showcases the dynamic digital strategies employed in the Cruises & Cruise Services category. Sensor Tower's unparalleled data offerings provide critical insights into cross-platform user behavior, highlighting the importance of a balanced approach across web, app, and advertising channels. For more detailed insights, explore Sensor Tower's Web Insights, App Performance Insights, and Pathmatics offerings.