cruise industry passenger statistics

Growth of the Ocean Cruise Line Industry

Worldwide, the ocean cruise industry experienced an annual passenger compound annual growth rate of 5.9% from 1990 to 2024.

While the COVID-19 pandemic brought the ocean passenger cruise industry to a standstill for nearly two years, it also prompted the accelerated retirement of numerous older ships. Simultaneously, new additions to fleets adopted a more modern and environmentally friendly approach. In 2024, passenger numbers are expected to surpass the pre-COVID levels of 2019.

Between 2023 and 2024, a total of 10 new ships, with a combined passenger capacity of 25,450, are set to be added (refer to the tables below). This influx will bring the worldwide ocean cruise passenger capacity to 673,000, spread across 360 ships. These vessels are projected to carry a total of 30.0 million passengers by the end of 2024, representing a 4.2% increase over 2023 and a 9.2% increase over 2019.

Shipbuilding Summary

Sources: Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., Carnival Corporation and plc, NCL Corporation Ltd., Thomson/First Call, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) , The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) , DVB Bank and proprietary Cruise Market Watch Cruise Pulse data.

• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East & Africa
• North America
• Australia & New Zealand

Mainland China

• Hong Kong SAR, China
• Philippines
• Taiwan, China
• Channel Islands
• Netherlands
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom
• Saudi Arabia
• South Africa
• United Arab Emirates
• United States

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Key takeaways

• While Baby Boomers once formed the core consumer base for the cruise industry, an increasing number of younger travelers and first-time passengers are now coming on board.
• Cruise operators are investing in new hardware, including mega-ships and private destinations, to acquire new customers.
• Against a tighter consumer spending backdrop, cruise voyages — which often work out cheaper than land-based vacations — are growing in popularity.
• Looking ahead, J.P. Morgan Research estimates the cruise industry will capture ~3.8% of the $1.9T global vacation market by 2028.

The cruise industry has markedly picked up speed after taking a major hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), about 35.7 million passengers are expected to set sail in 2024, 6% more than in 2019. Indeed, major cruise lines have enjoyed a successful 2024 wave season — the period from January to March, when operators offer their best deals.

“An important point underscoring our more constructive view of the cruise industry post-pandemic is market share gains from the larger $1.9T global vacation market and accelerated new-to-cruise customer acquisition,” said Matt Boss, Head of Leisure and Retailing (Department Stores & Specialty Softlines) at J.P. Morgan. “Demand remains robust, with not a single historical lead indicator in the business, notably booking curve and on-board spend, signaling any softening.”

Ahead of the summer travel season, what is the outlook for the cruise industry, and what’s driving its rebound? 

The number of cruise passengers is growing 

The annual number of cruise passengers from 2023 to 2027 is expected to exceed pre-COVID levels. 

Positive demographic shifts

In the past, Baby Boomers formed the core consumer base for the cruise industry. Today however, an increasing number of younger travelers are coming on board. According to the CLIA, 73% of Millennials and Gen X travelers say they would consider a cruise vacation. And during its first-quarter earnings call, Royal Caribbean International noted that half of its cruise customers are Millennials or younger.

This is in part due to rising affluence. “Importantly, the spending capacity of the Millennial customer has grown ~49% since 2019, with the average net worth today for an individual aged 40 or under now standing at ~$259K,” Boss observed. 

Cruises are also attracting more first-time passengers. During its first-quarter earnings call, Carnival Cruise Line noted there was a healthy mix of “new-to-cruise” in its 2025 bookings to date, with the customer group increasing by over 30% versus a year ago. 

Elevated product and destination offerings

Cruise operators are overhauling their offerings in order to appeal to consumers. “Key operators are investing in new hardware, notably mega-ships and private destinations. This is driving more eyeballs to the industry, accelerating new-to-cruise acquisition,” Boss said.

In April 2024, Norwegian Cruise Line placed the largest ship order in its history to meet rising demand for cruise travel. The company will receive eight new vessels between 2026 and 2036.

Investments in land-based offerings are burgeoning, too. For instance, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, is expected to draw over 3 million visitors in 2024. In the same vein, Carnival Cruise Line is developing a private beach destination, Celebration Key, on Grand Bahama. Opening in 2025, it will feature five areas, each with its own distinct amenities. “Investments in such attractions provide the cruise industry with the improved ability to give customers an experience that is better able to compete with land-based alternatives,” Boss added. 

“Key operators are investing in new hardware, notably mega-ships and private destinations. This is driving more eyeballs to the industry, accelerating new-to-cruise acquisition.”

Head of Leisure and Retailing (Department Stores & Specialty Softlines), J.P. Morgan

Consumers favor cruises over land-based activities

According to J.P. Morgan Research’s recent Cost of Living survey conducted in April, only 29% of respondents still have excess savings, and 45% expect to spend less in discretionary categories over the next 12 months. This illustrates an increasingly cautious spending environment even in the face of moderating inflation.

This puts cruise voyages, which often work out cheaper than land-based vacations, in good stead. “We see the consumer increasingly focused on value within discretionary categories, with the value spread between cruises and land-based alternatives standing at 25–30% today versus 10–15% pre-pandemic,” Boss noted. “Cruise lines have focused on improved experiences with no step down in quality or service despite inflation, further amplifying their value.”

Despite the tighter consumer spending environment however, both ticket and onboard prices have increased in recent months. Royal Caribbean International cited that in addition to record ticket pricing, consumer spending onboard and pre-cruise purchases continue to exceed prior years. In the same vein, Carnival Cruise Line’s onboard revenue in the first quarter of 2024 was +17.6% versus the first quarter of 2019. 

Overall, the demand backdrop remains robust for the cruise industry. “We estimate that 85%+ of tickets have been booked for 2024, and the focus is turning to 2025, with bookings to date already ahead of historical levels,” Boss said. “Looking ahead, we see the industry growing revenues by high-single digits over the next five years, capturing ~3.8% of the global vacation market by 2028.” 

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43+ Cruise Industry Statistics for 2024

Welcome to our curated and vetted list of 43+ cruise industry statistics for 2024.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what we’ll cover:

Top Cruise Industry Statistics

Passenger volumes and forecasts, revenue and market growth, cruise ship characteristics, cruise destinations and ports, cruise demographics and preferences, environmental and sustainability practices.

• In 2024, approximately 36M passengers globally are anticipated to embark on cruises.
• The global cruise market is expected to expand by 9.29% from 2023 to 2027, reaching $35.87B in 2027.

• In 2024, the worldwide cruise sector will produce $30.11B in revenue.

A total of 323 cruise ships are currently in operation globally.

There are 51 ocean and 27 river cruise lines in the world.

On average, a cruise ship can host around 3,000 passengers.

There were 12,592 cruise guests from North America in 2022.

• A cruise ship earns an estimated net profit of $291 per passenger.
• The typical age of a cruise tourist is 46.5 .

01. In 2024, cruise passenger volume is expected to hit 120% of 2019’s levels, with 36M passengers setting sail.

02. There were 12,592 cruise guests from North America in 2022.

03. In 2022, Celebrity Cruises, a luxury brand under Royal Caribbean Cruises, led selected cruise brands in passenger capacity, boasting a combined vessel capacity of about 32,500.

Sources: CLIA #1 , CLIA #2 , Statista

04. The global cruise market is expected to expand by 9.29% from 2023 to 2027, reaching $35.87B in 2027.

05. In 2024, the worldwide cruise sector will produce $30.11B in revenue.

06. The US is projected to lead the cruise industry in terms of revenue, reaching $18.36B.

07. Offline sales channels are expected to account for 76% of global cruise industry revenue in 2027, surpassing online sales, which are projected to constitute 24%.

08. A cruise ship earns an estimated net profit of $291 per passenger. Consequently, a fully booked 7-day trip on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas could generate $9.8M in revenue, with profits of $1.7M.

09. In 2023, Carnival Corporation & plc’s global revenue reached $20.036B, a 108.38% surge from the previous year.

10. In 2023, Royal Caribbean Cruises reported a revenue of $13.173B, an 82.48% increase from the previous year.

11. In 2022, the number of businesses in the US cruise and travel agency franchise sector rose to 38 from 27 the previous year, with 42 expected to operate in 2023.

Sources: LoveTheMaldives , Statista #1 , Statista #2 , Statista #3 , MacroTrends #1 , MacroTrends #2

12. A total of 323 cruise ships are currently in operation globally.

13. There are 51 ocean and 27 river cruise lines in the world.

14. Ocean liners typically have an average passenger capacity of about 3,000 guests, while larger river cruise ships accommodate ~150 guests.

15. The largest cruise ships can accommodate 5,412 passengers in double occupancy, with a maximum capacity of 6,318 if all berths are filled.

16. In 2023, the worldwide cruise industry’s ocean-going vessels had an average passenger capacity of ~701,490, with projections indicating a rise to over 764,000 by 2025.

17. The average age of ships in the fleet of CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) members is 14.1 years.

18. As of April 2023, Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship, with a gross tonnage of 236,860.

19. In February 2023, Royal Caribbean was home to the world’s longest cruise ships, with Harmony of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas, each exceeding 1,180 feet (360 meters) in length.

20. As of November 2022, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas was the world’s most expensive cruise ship, with a construction cost of ~$1.43B. It’s the fourth-largest cruise ship globally, with a gross tonnage of 225,000.

Sources: Cruise Market Watch , LM&W, PA , CruiseMapper , Carnival , CLIA , Marine Insight , The Telegraph , Cruise Fever

21. In 2022, the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Bermuda topped the list of global cruise destinations, attracting approximately 9M passengers.

22. Port Canaveral in Florida, US, was the world’s busiest cruise port in 2022, recording approximately 4.1M passenger movements.

23. In August 2023, Tripadvisor’s most expensive luxury cruise was a 125-night global tour with Silversea Cruises’ Silver Wind, costing nearly $132,000 per person.

Sources: CLIA , Statista , Travel Weekly

24. The typical age of a cruise tourist is 46.5.

25. The average age of a Norwegian Cruise Line passenger is 52.5 years.

26. Royal Caribbean cruise passengers have a median age in the low 40s, skewing younger on 3–4 night cruises and older on cruises of 10+ nights.

27. Cruise trips typically last about seven days on average.

28. Of those who have cruised, 85% plan to cruise again.

29. Cruise vacations are gaining popularity among Millennials and Gen Xers, with 73% of those who haven’t cruised yet open to considering it.

30. Most travelers (73%) cruise with family from at least two generations.

31. Solo travelers typically book their cruises 1–12 months before departure.

32. In 2022, Carnival Corporation & plc carried 7.7M passengers worldwide.

33. In 2022, Royal Caribbean Cruises served over 5.5M passengers worldwide.

34. In 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line served roughly 1.66M passengers.

35. Norwegian Cruise Line was the highest-rated mega-ship operator in Condé Nast Traveler’s June 2023 survey, scoring 86.72.

36. Virgin Voyages was the highest-rated large-ship cruise operator in Condé Nast Traveler’s June 2023 survey, scoring 94.07.

37. Viking led June 2023’s midsize-ship cruise line ratings by Condé Nast Traveler with a score of 94.98.

38. Emerald Cruises led the June 2023 Condé Nast Traveler small-ship cruise line ratings with a 95.27 score.

39. Viking led the June 2023 Condé Nast Traveler river cruise line ratings with a 97.32 score.

Sources: Carnival Corp. , CLIA , Condé Nast Traveler , Cruise1st Blog , Norwegian Cruise Line , Royal Caribbean International , Royal Caribbean Press Center

40. Low-friction hull coatings are used on 96% of ships.

41. Cruise ships generate up to 90% of their freshwater onboard. They use advanced systems to conserve and repurpose water, avoiding reliance on resource-scarce areas.

42. A significant 60% of ships set to launch from 2023 to 2028 will use LNG fuel as their main propulsion source.

43. New ship classes are typically 20% more efficient than their predecessors.

Sources: CLIA

Stacking It All Up

That concludes our deep dive into cruise industry statistics.

If you think this information would benefit your audience, you’re welcome to share it. Just remember to link back to this page as a nod to our efforts.

How many people are there on a cruise ship?

How many cruise ships are there, how many cruise lines are there, how many cruises depart from north america, how much does a cruise ship make per trip.

A cruise ship earns an estimated net profit of $291 per passenger. Consequently, a fully booked 7-day trip on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas could generate $9.8M in revenue, with profits of $1.7M .

As a Digital PR specialist and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), I have 5+ years of writing experience. Over the course of my career, my work has garnered significant attention, with features in numerous prominent publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, Inc., Business Insider, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, BBC, TechRepublic, Glassdoor, and G2.

Cruise Industry: 100+ Statistics, Facts, and Trends [2023]

Over 32M passengers were expected to go cruising in 2020. 

Only a handful of 400 cruise ships ready to hit the water could take passengers onboard due to COVID-19.

The result? Over $60B in losses. 

So if you’d like to learn more about the cruise industry, you’ve come to the right place. 

In this data-driven roundup, we’ve compiled the most relevant and up-to-date stats and facts on the topic to help you catch the essence.

Let’s dive right in:

Top 10 Cruise Industry Stats and Facts to Know in 2023   

General cruise industry statistics & facts, wonder of the seas, working onboard a cruise ship, cruise ships: a general overview, cruise industry demographics, cruise ships pollute but are good at recycling, covid-19 impact on cruise tourism.

• The cruise industry made $18B in revenue in 2022.
• The total number of cruise ship passengers stood at 13M+ as of 2021.
• The cruise industry is expected to reach $25.1B in revenue by the end of 2023.
• The cruise industry supports over 1M jobs.
• A cruise costs an average of $214 per passenger daily. 
• The world’s fleet of cruise ships totals 430.
• US nationals made up the majority (43%) of all cruise passengers in 2021.
• US nationals made up 43% of all cruise passengers in 2021.
• The cruise industry seeks to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030.
• A cruise ship emits more greenhouse gasses daily than 13M cars.
• The global revenue of cruises is set to reach $30B by 2024.
• Only 22% of cruise tickets are purchased online. Instead, 78% of the sales come from offline channels (e.g., ticket offices).
• Wonder of the Seas, owned by Royal Caribbean Group., is the world’s largest cruise ship.
• 1.7M passengers cruised to the Caribbean region in 2021.
• The US, Canada, and Mexico make up half of all cruise passengers.
• Crime rates on cruise ships are 95% lower than on land.
• Wonder of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. It’s 1,188 feet long and 209 feet wide (362 x 64m).
• Wonder of the Seas can take up to 7K passengers and 2.3K crew members onboard.
• The Wonder of the Seas ship was ordered in 2016 and completed in 2022, with a construction cost of $1.3B.
• Wonder of the Seas has a Central Park (the first ever park at sea) with over 20K natural plants.
• The Wonder of the Seas ship has four thrusters with 7.5K horsepower each, which help it reach the cruising speed of 22 knots (25 mph).
• Wonder of the Seas has 24 bars and dining facilities.
• There are eight specially designed neighborhoods on the Wonder of the Seas ship.

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• The cruise industry provided 1.7M jobs in 2019.
• It takes 24 passengers to support one full-time job on a cruise ship.
• The cruise industry has average employee turnover rates: 25–35%.
• A cruise ship may require over 2K crew members.
• Cruise ships have a strict, military-like chain of command: officers > staff > crew members.
• 70% of cruise ship crew work in the hotel division.
• Most cruise companies (70%) hire employees via foreign agencies.
• A typical cruise ship employment form is a 6-month-long contract.
• Cruise ship crew are on call around the clock.
• An average cruise ship member in the US makes $29K annually.
• 72 new ships were manufactured in 2021.
• The average cost of building a cruise ship is $600M.
• There were 65 ocean cruise lines as of 2022.
• The three leading cruise companies made 85% of the global revenue in 2021.
• Only 11% of cruise ships can accommodate more than 4K passengers.
• Most cruise ships (32%) can take 2–3K tourists onboard.
• 371 out of 430 cruise ships operated in 2022.
• Here’s a look at the highest-rated cruise lines:
• The cruise ship’s passenger capacity is projected to reach over 38M in 2027.
• The average age of a cruise ship is 14.
• The world’s longest cruise ship (~1,188 ft or 362m) is just 6.5 ft (2m) longer than the fifth longest ship (853 ft or 260m).
• Royal Caribbean has all five longest cruise ships in its fleet.
• The most expensive cruise ships are Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. The former cost 1.5B to build, and the latter’s price tag was 1.4B.
• Here’s a breakdown of the world’s largest cruise ships:
• 57% of cruisers are college graduates.
• 83% of cruise passengers are married. 
• Cruisers spend around $385 in the port city before boarding a ship.
• During a typical cruise, passengers spend an average of $750 per person in port cities.
• Cruise passengers are 47 years old, on average.
• 85% of Millennials plan to cruise in the future, compared to 82% of Gen Xers and 79% of Gen Zers.
• Eight in 10 cruisers are likely to book their next vacation on a cruise ship.
• ~70% of cruisers are willing to board a cruise ship next year.
• Almost 60% of people who have never cruised say they are likely to cruise in the next few years.
• 70% of cruisers have an annual household income greater than $80K.
• 17% of Americans have cruised at least once.
• Most cruisers (77%) travel with a spouse.
• 30% of cruise passengers travel mainly with under-aged children.
• A quarter of cruisers generally travel with friends.
• A 3K-person cruise ship generates an average of 150K gallons (567 liters) of sewage per week.
• Cruise ships dump as much as 1B gallons (3.7B liters) of bacteria, heavy metals, and nutrients into the sea yearly.
• Here’s an overview of the waste produced by a 3K-passenger cruise ship during one week voyage:
• The cruise line industry dumps 285K gallons (1M liters) of wastewater into the sea every day.
• 75% of solid waste is incinerated on cruise ships, and the ash is typically discharged at sea.
• 24% of the solid waste generated by all ships comes from cruise ships.
• Cruise ships recycle 60% more waste daily than people on land.
• Cruise lines recycle 80K tons of paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass each year.
• The global revenue from cruises dropped by 88% in 2020.
• The cruise industry made just $3B in 2020 compared to 27B in 2019.
• The revenue growth in the cruise market is expected to plateau at 3% by 2026.
• The number of cruise passengers globally dropped by 84% in 2020.
• The cruise industry expected to carry 32M passengers in 2020.
• The number of ocean cruise passengers stood at 7M in 2020.
• Only 5M people went ocean cruising in 2021.
• The number of cruise passengers from North America dropped from 15M in 2019 to 3M in 2020.
• In 2021, the cruise industry declined by 25% compared to 2020.
• In the Middle East, the number of cruise passengers declined by 92% in 2020, followed by a 160% increase in 2021. 
• In North America, the number of cruise passengers dropped by 80% in 2020 and continued to decline by another 25% in 2021.
• Leading cruise companies saw a 90% drop in revenue in 2021 compared to 2019.
• Here’s a look at the net income of the largest cruise companies between 2019 and 2021:
• The cruise industry’s economic contribution in 2019 was $154B.
• In 2020, the economic contribution of the cruise industry dropped by 59% to $63B.
• Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, cruise industry-supported jobs shrank by 50%.
• The number of cruise passengers will surpass the 2019 levels by 2024.

Stacking It All Up

There you have it.

A comprehensive list of cruise industry statistics, facts, and trends to help you better understand the market and its direction.

Was there a statistic you found particularly surprising? Or maybe there are other cruising stats you’d like to see?

Let us know in the comments.

Is the cruise industry growing?

Before 2019, the cruise industry had a 3–5% yearly growth, but in 2020, the market saw a drop of over 80% due to COVID. In 2021, the market got back on track, seeing a 300% increase in revenue and 50% in passenger numbers.

How big is the cruise line industry?

There are over 60 ocean cruise lines, operating a total of 430 ships. In 2019 (before coronavirus), these cruises brought $27B in revenue. By the end of 2023, that number is expected to reach $25B.  

Who are the biggest players in the cruise industry?

Three companies made 85% of the total revenue in the cruise industry in 2021. These are Carnival Cruise ( 45%) , Royal Caribbean Group ( 25% ), and Norwegian Cruise Line ( 15% ).

What’s the #1 cruise line in the world?

Carnival Cruise Lines is the #1 cruise line in the world in terms of revenue ( $12.168B ). However, Royal Caribbean has five of the world’s largest cruise ships in its fleet.

How much money does the cruise industry make?

The cruise industry made $18B in revenue in 2022. It’s also set to reach $30B by 2024. 

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• Bureau of Transportation Statistics, “Summary of Cruise Ship Waste Streams”
• Comparably, “Cruise Ship Salary”
• Condé Nast Traveler, “Top Cruise Lines: Readers’ Choice Awards 2022”
• Cruise Industry News , “Cruise Ships in Service (Oct 2022)”
• Cruise Industry News, “31.7 Million Cruise Passengers Possible in 2022”
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• Cruise Lines International Association, “Security At Sea”
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• Cruise Lines International Association, “State Of The Cruise Industry Outlook 2020”
• Cruise Lines International Association, “State Of The Cruise Industry Outlook 2021”
• Cruise Lines International Association, “State Of The Cruise Industry Outlook 2022”
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• Cruise Market Watch, “Passenger Origins”
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• Grand View Research, “Cruise Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Ocean Cruises, River Cruises), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2028”
• Indeed, “How Much Do Cruise Ship Workers Make?”
• Scherb M., “Improving Employee Retention Rates in Cruise Industry by Assessing Living and Working Conditions”
• Ship Technology, “Wonder of the Seas Cruise Ship”
• Statista, “Cruise Passenger Volume Index Worldwide in 2019 and 2020, with a Forecast until 2026, by Scenario”
• Statista, “Gross Tonnage of Cruise Ships in the Global Order Book In 2021, by Region”
• Statista, “Largest Cruise Ships Worldwide as of February 2022, by Length”
• Statista, “Leading Countries in the Cruise Industry Revenue Worldwide from 2019 to 2022”
• Statista, “Most Expensive Cruise Ships Worldwide in 2022, by Building Cost”
• Statista, “Net Income of Carnival Corporation & Plc Worldwide from 2008 to 2021”
• Statista, “Net Income of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Worldwide from 2011 to 2021”
• Statista, “Net Income of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Worldwide from 2007 to 2021”
• Statista, “Number of Ocean Cruise Passengers Worldwide from 2009 to 2021”
• Statista, “Number of Ocean Cruise Passengers Worldwide from 2019 to 2021, by Region”
• Statista, “Percentage Change in Revenue of Leading Cruise Companies Worldwide during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic in 2020 and 2021”
• Statista, “Revenue Growth of the Cruise Industry Worldwide from 2018 to 2026”
• Statista, “Revenue of the Cruise Industry Worldwide from 2017 to 2026”
• Statista, “Revenue Share of Sales Channels of the Global Cruise Industry from 2017 to 2026”
• Statista, “Worldwide Market Share of Leading Cruise Companies in 2021”
• Statista, “Year-Over-Year Percentage Change in Cruise Passengers during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Worldwide in 2020 and 2021, by Source Region”
• Wander Eat Write, “What Working on Cruise Ships Is Really Like: Pros & Cons”
• Wikipedia, “Environmental Effects of Shipping”
• Wikipedia, “List of Cruise Lines”
• Wikipedia, “List of Largest Cruise Ships”
• Wikipedia, “Wonder of the Seas”

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West Coast Cruise Market: Less Ships in 2024

• June 26, 2024

According to the 2024 Cruise Industry News Annual Report , the West Coast cruise market will see a slight decrease in both passenger and ship numbers in 2024.

After consecutive years of growth post-pandemic, the capacity in the region will down roughly nine percent when compared to 2023..

Contrary to the trend, Carnival Cruise Line is one of the few brands increasing its presence on the West Coast in 2024.

Serving as the market leader in the region, the brand is adding a new ship to with the region with the Carnival Firenze.

After joining Carnival’s fleet earlier this year, the 4,232-guest vessel arrived in California in April for a year-round program out of Long Beach .

The Firenze joined the Carnival Panorama and the Carnival Radiance in the company’s cruise terminal located near Los Angeles.

The three ships are now offering a series of three- to eight-night cruises to different destinations in the Mexican Riviera and Baja Mexico.

Sailing from San Francisco, the Carnival Miracle completes Carnival Cruise Line’s lineup on the West Coast.

Explora Journeys is also a highlight of the 2024 program in the region, with a short spring season onboard the Explora I.

Brands reducing their capacity on the West Coast include Celebrity Cruises.After deploying the Celebrity Solstice and the Celebrity Eclipse for seasonal programs in the region in 2023, the company is set to operate only a few sailings out of California this year.

Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises are also poised to offer fewer cruises in the region.

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Carnival shares rise as flood of demand for cruise bookings bolsters record quarterly results

After cruises became the canary in the coal mine for the tourism industry’s decimation during the pandemic, bookings have come roaring back. The biggest winner is cruise companies, with Carnival reporting on Tuesday that it had reached record revenue in the second quarter of 2024.

The outlook for the cruise giant is even rosier for 2025, with advanced bookings set to be higher than in 2024. Analysts at UBS maintained their buy rating on the stock, setting a target price of $21. Carnival shares rose Tuesday on the news, reaching $18.40 at time of publication after hovering around $16 at the start of the week.

A rising tide

After a disastrous 2020 and 2021, which saw cruise companies lose tens of billions of dollars and become saddled with debt, they won back customers with what a Morningstar analyst referred to as "diplomatic pricing"—offering deep discounts and packaging together amenities.

In Tuesday's second-quarter earnings release, Carnival announced it had prepaid around $6.6 billion in debt over the last 15 months, reducing its debt by nearly 40%. With growing revenue, however, the company also has invested in infrastructure, including installing the Elon Musk–run internet service Starlink across its fleet and launching a new ship called Queen Anne, which can hold 3,000 passengers.

Competition remains steep, with Royal Caribbean unveiling the Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, in January. Carnival's market cap of $23 billion is just over half of Royal Caribbean's $41 billion, though it remains the largest company in the industry by number of boats. The Switzerland-based Viking remains the smallest of the big three, with a market cap of around $13 billion.

Despite the positive outlook, UBS analysts warned that an economic slowdown, especially in the U.S. and Europe, could impact booking levels and pricing. Fuel prices remain another concern. Still, Tuesday's financials outperformed the analysts' expectations, largely driven by increased bookings and higher pricing. According to a separate report from Morningstar, booking patterns indicate that 2025 could yield higher results than the 3% previously predicted.

A May report from the trade association Cruise Lines International Association attributed the growth to new passengers, with 27% of "cruisers" over the past two years embarking on their first voyage, an increase of 12% over the past year. According to the report, cruise tourism rebounded faster than other forms of travel after the pandemic, with 31.7 million passengers in 2021 compared with pre-pandemic numbers of 29.7 million in 2019.

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Carnival Corp raises annual profit forecast again on steady cruise demand

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Granth reports on the North American Consumer and Retail sector, covering a broad range of companies from consumer packaged goods and restaurants to department stores and apparel retailers. Granth's work on the website usually appears on the Retail & Consumer page of Reuters Business section. He holds a post-graduate degree in international relations and area studies and has previously worked as a research analyst.

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• CLIA Reveals Growth in Global and North American Passenger Numbers and Insights

Press Release | April 09, 2019

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Reveals Growth in Global and North American Passenger Numbers and Insights

(WASHINGTON, DC, April 9, 2019) – Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s largest cruise industry trade organization, is releasing the latest global cruise passenger statistics. Playing a significant role in international tourism, cruising continues at a paced growth around the world with an almost 7 percent increase from 2017 to 2018, totaling 28.5 million passengers . Research also shows North American travelers continue to embrace cruising with an annual passenger increase of 9 percent (14.2 million passengers) in 2018.

While the cruise sector represents 2 percent of the overall global travel industry, this segment is on pace with international tourism worldwide. According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals grew 6 percent in 2018, totaling 1.4 billion while cruise travel grew at almost 7 percent during the same timing.

“It is not surprising that cruise travel is on par with overall international tourism growth. Cruising makes international travel accessible for travelers worldwide and it is apparent in the 2018 CLIA global passenger findings,” said Kelly Craighead, president and CEO, CLIA. “From a renewed interest in cruises to the Mediterranean to a significant increase in adventure cruising, travelers are embracing cruise travel more than ever before.”

Cruise Passenger Insights Around the Globe

• Mediterranean Moves – Cruises in the Mediterranean are moving up in popularity with an impressive 8 percent increase from 2017 to 2018 totaling more than 4 million cruise passengers.
• Shorter Cruises – Passengers are preferring shorter cruise durations. Seven-day cruise itineraries are up 9 percent while three-day and under cruises are also up 10 percent in 2018.
• Caribbean Rebounds – Cruisers love the Caribbean and the latest insight reveal travel to the islands is still in full swing. An impressive 11.3 million cruise passengers traveled to the Caribbean in 2018 an annual increase of 6 percent .
• Destination Alaska – As adventure travel continues to thrive, so do adventurous cruise destinations. Alaska has experienced double-digit growth with a year-over-year 17 percent increase in passengers in 2017 and another 13 percent increase in 2018 accounting for more than one million cruisers travelling to this destination.
• Moderate Growth in Asia – When compared to the rapid increases of the past, 2018 saw moderate cruise passenger growth throughout Asia and China with a 5 percent increase in cruise passengers from the region totaling a still impressive 4.2 million .

Cruise Passenger Insights in North America

• Cruise Travel on the Rise - North American passenger numbers reached 14.2 million in 2018, showing an increase of 9 percent from 2017.
• Eyes on the Mediterranean – Globally, Mediterranean cruises grew substantially in popularity last year, totaling more than 4 million cruise passengers worldwide. Of those, more than 700,000 passengers came from North America up 29 percent from the previous year.
• Craving the Caribbean – Cruise travelers from North America dominate cruise travel to the easily accessible Caribbean. Continued growth in cruising to the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Bermuda, is up 7 percent to 9.8 million passengers in 2018.
• Alaskan Adventures Preferred – Aligning with global insights, North American cruisers made up the significant portion of cruise passengers traveling to Alaska in 2018 with 906,019 cruise passengers increasing to 14 percent from 2017.
• Additional Destinations - Other growing North American destinations include the Hawaii & North Atlantic Coast region, Mexico, California, and Pacific which increased 4 percent in 2018, totaling 1.3 million cruise passengers .

For the full findings on global cruise passenger statistics, please visit HERE . For an overview of work being done by CLIA and its cruise lines: https://cruising.org/sustainability .

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England: Average time spent travelling by private transport 2002-2022

The average person in England spent 178 hours travelling by car as a passenger or driver in 2022. While travel by car dipped during the COVID-19 pandemic, the average time spent walking increased during this period. In 2022, the average time spent walking stood at 80 hours per year.

Average time spent travelling per person per year by private transport in England from 2002 to 2022, by mode (in hours)

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August 2023

United Kingdom (England)

2002 to 2022

Weighted results.

Walking trips in 2002 and 2003 and short trips in 2007 and 2008 are under-recorded.

The term walking extends other modes of transport similar to walking, including the use of non-motorized wheelchairs, prams, non-motorised children's cycles scooters, or rollerskates when accompanying parents walking, or jogging.

This statistic is using original data from the Government Digital Service and includes copyright material from © Crown, licensed under the Open Government License v3.0 .

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Statistics on " Motorcycle industry in France "

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