As 2025 winds down, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the incredible strides we’ve made in cruise revenue management. This year has been a testament to what’s possible when bold ideas meet industry collaboration, AI-powered revenue science, innovation, and a shared commitment to transformation.
Here’s a look at the milestones that defined our year—and why now is the time to join the movement.
1. Cruise RMS Momentum: From Vision to Reality
We kicked off 2025 with a major milestone: the launch of our Cruise RMS with Virgin Voyages. Since the launch, the industry’s appetite for smarter, more scalable revenue solutions has only grown more apparent as talks have accelerated with a growing group of partner prospects. These partnerships reflect a shared belief in the power of intelligent automation to drive revenue growth and operational efficiency.
Cruise RMS is purpose-built to address the unique complexities of cruise operations: extended booking windows, driving cabin-type performance, bundled products, onboard spend modeling, and nested itineraries. With these adopters, we’ve demonstrated how cruise lines can confidently move beyond manual processes and embrace data-driven decision-making.
2. Cruise Council at Converge: Aligning on What’s Next
At Converge 2025—IDeaS’ annual client and partner summit—we introduced our first-ever Cruise Council, bringing together commercial leaders from several leading cruise lines for a dynamic roundtable discussion. The energy in the room was electric, and the conversations were refreshingly candid. Participants from Virgin Voyages, Windstar Cruises, Aman at Sea, Lindblad Expeditions, Scenic Luxury Cruises and Emerald Cruises shared perspectives on the evolving landscape of cruise revenue management, discussed common challenges, and explored what transformation could look like across the industry.
A highlight of the session was the opportunity to gather direct input on how technology can better support the business complexities cruise operators face every day. Key themes included the need for more accurate demand forecasting, deeper segmentation capabilities, and a shift from occupancy-focused strategies to holistic revenue optimization. Additionally, the panel highlighted how integrating internal and external data sources strengthens forecasting and pricing strategies. These sources are critical components for delivering actionable market intelligence and granular insights into demand patterns for each ship’s sailing, empowering more confident and profitable decisions.
Planning for next year’s Cruise Council event is underway, and we aim to go even further in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in cruise revenue management. There’s an ocean of potential for bold ideas and tech-powered strategies to unlock incremental revenue; and these councils help make it happen.
3. Thought Leadership That Resonates: Our Cruise RM eBook
One of our most impactful assets this year was a new entrant to the the Lessons in Revenue eBook series, “Lessons in Revenue: Data-Driven Revenue Management in the Cruise Industry”. It’s more than a guide—it’s a conversation starter. The eBook dives deep into the real-world challenges cruise operators face, from forecasting demand years in advance to managing complex cabin inventory and balancing ticket revenue with onboard spend.
We didn’t just highlight the problems of cruise revenue management practices—we offered practical frameworks for dynamic pricing, intelligent segmentation, and automation. The eBook also features insights informed by our newest partners, whose collaboration helped shape the content with real-world perspectives and operational nuance. We’re grateful for their contributions and proud to reflect the evolving needs of modern cruise operators. If you haven’t explored it yet, it’s a must-read for anyone serious about modernizing cruise revenue strategy.
4. Seatrade Cruise Global: Insights and Impact
At Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami, we captured record-breaking Q1 performance insights and showcased how Cruise RMS can help operators capitalize on strong demand and onboard spend. Our presence sparked conversations around pricing strategy, automation, and the future of revenue management.
One of the key takeaways? Cruise lines are ready to move beyond legacy systems and embrace data-driven decision-making. The appetite for transformation is real—and we’re proud to be leading the charge.
Building on this momentum, we also hosted an exclusive session with Oxford Economics to explore the big picture economic and industry trends shaping cruise demand. It reinforced our commitment to fostering opportunities for industry commercial leaders to come together, share insights, and shape the future of revenue optimization.
5. Elevating the Conversation: The Next Big Wave Webinar
In another collaboration with Oxford Economics, we hosted the “Next Big Wave” webinar—a standout moment in our thought leadership calendar. This session spotlighted macroeconomic trends and their implications for cruise RM, including inflationary pressures, shifting consumer behaviors, and the growing importance of onboard spend optimization.
Attendees walked away with actionable insights on how to future-proof their revenue strategies and navigate uncertainty with confidence. If you missed it, we highly recommend catching the replay here.
6. Feeding the Industry’s Hunger for Automation
In our nearly daily discussions with industry leaders and operators, one theme kept surfacing: the need to move beyond manual processes. Cruise RMS is helping clients shift from reactive pricing to proactive optimization—unlocking new revenue potential and operational efficiency. As one revenue leader put it, “We need a system that produces accurate forecasts by market segment and cabin type and tells us when to expect strong demand and how to price effectively”.
That’s exactly what Cruise RMS can now deliver. This year, IDeaS Cruise RMS is capable of producing highly accurate forecasts and dynamic pricing decisions, empowering cruise operators to make smarter, data-driven choices with confidence.
7. Looking Ahead: Innovation on the Horizon
2025 was a year of momentum, transformation, and shared success. But we’re just getting started.
In 2026, we’ll be doubling down on innovation—enhancing segmentation, refining forecasting models, and introducing new integrations and user experiences. We’re committed to helping cruise lines not just keep up, but excel.
Join Us in Navigating What’s Next
The cruise industry is evolving fast—and so are we. 2025 was a year of bold moves, collaborative wins, and meaningful impact. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished—and we’re even more excited about what’s ahead. If you’re ready to be part of the movement, talk to us and let’s chart the course together.
Ready to make waves? Check out our Cruise Revenue Management page for more.