Cruises will be super-popular next year. Be prepared to fight for a pool chair.

• Get ready for crowded cruise ships: A trade group expects a 21% jump in passengers from 2019.
• More cruise ships will sail fully booked in 2024 than in 2023.

If you were hoping for a quiet and peaceful cruise vacation, you might be out of luck — 2024 is shaping up to be the year of mass cruising.

Throughout 2023, demand for vacations-at-sea has been steadily accelerating past pre-COVID-19 levels. And interest has yet to wane: Royal Caribbean Group's 2024 bookings are already outgrowing 2019 levels "by a wide margin," Jason Liberty, the cruise giant's CEO, told investors in late October.

Trade group Cruise Lines International Association estimates there will be a whopping 36 million cruise-goers next year — an increase of more than 21% over 2019 numbers.

That's great news for operators like Royal Caribbean, of course, but such strong demand could leave some travelers stuck with expensive cruise fares, more sold-out ships — and the possibility that they won't be able to book their preferred itinerary or cabin.

Dedicated cruisers who advocate against "pool chair hogs" could be facing one of their busiest years yet

In August, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' Executive Vice President and CFO Mark Kempa told investors that the company was "more fully booked" than ever before. "There's just not a lot left to sell," he said.

Looking to next year, the number of available cabins may dwindle even further, resulting in more sold-out cruises in 2024 than in 2023, Carnival's CEO said.

"While we see no signs of demand slowing for our brands, at some point, booking volumes for 2024 will recede as we simply run out of inventory to sell," Josh Weinstein, Carnival Corp's CEO, told investors in late September.

Sold-out cruises could be an annoyance for travelers

In the best-case scenario, seafarers navigating packed ships may have to strategize how to secure a highly coveted poolside lounge chair or table at the buffet.

In the worst case, travelers who have unknowingly booked over-reserved ships could end up with an involuntary cruise reservation cancellation, leaving them vacation-less or even stranded at the embarkation port.

Royal Caribbean Group has overbooked a handful of its 2023 itineraries. While these incidents are rare, Patrick Scholes, an analyst at Truist Securities, told Business Insider in October that he "wouldn't be surprised" if it continued in 2024 as well.

Travelers will have to pay more just to board these packed ships

Cruises are generally considered more convenient and affordable than many land-based vacations. After all, what other ticket includes food, entertainment, a cabin, and the opportunity to seamlessly see multiple destinations?

But as demand increases, so, likely, will the cost of these vacations-at-sea. The era of ultra-cheap cruises is probably over.

"We are well-positioned to drive 2024 pricing higher with less inventory remaining to sell than the same time last year despite a capacity increase of 5%," David Bernstein, Carnival Corp's CFO, told investors in late September.

So if you're one of the millions of would-be travelers who have been fantasizing about a tranquil and untroubled vacation at sea, consider booking well in advance — or even opting for potentially less-crowded niche luxury cruise ship.

Otherwise — pay up, start stretching, and gather your armor for a battle at the buffet line.

May the best cruiser win the last piece of freshly carved roast beef!