TripAdvisor has announced the launch of a new cruise experience in the UK and US.

TripAdvisor Cruises expands its offering to both new and seasoned cruisers with the ability to consider a cruise holiday, as they read and write cruise ship reviews, share photos and shop for great deals.

This addition expands the TripAdvisor travel ecosystem by exposing cruise to up to half a billion monthly users.

“We know our community demands the best options while travelling, and by adding awe-inspiring cruises to our platform, we’re excited to support the continued growth of the overall cruise industry by bringing cruise to the world’s largest travel audience,” said Bryan Saltzburg, president of TripAdvisor Flights, Cruise & Car.

“The addition of Cruise will help solve the complexity of planning and booking a voyage, supported by the confidence of rich user generated content with reviews and photos from millions of TripAdvisor members.”

According to data courtesy of the Cruise Lines International Association, the cruise industry continues to grow at a steady pace, with 30 million passengers expected to cruise in 2019, which is an increase of more than 34 per cent in the past five years.

While this is the first time TripAdvisor will feature cruise reviews, TripAdvisor travellers are already passionate about this industry.

For almost 15 years, TripAdvisor has been anchored by Cruise Critic, the world’s largest cruise site and credible place travellers turn to when they want to set sail, making TripAdvisor Cruise already an expert in the industry.

Building upon this rich history, TripAdvisor will apply those learnings and expertise to its massive audience of 490 million unique monthly users who place their trust in user generated content.

Cruise Critic will continue to operate independently of TripAdvisor.