Today, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) announced the cruise industry has surpassed 2016 ocean cruise passenger projections, reaching 24.7 million cruise passengers globally up from a projection of 24.2 million. For 2017, based on current new vessel launch schedule and expected regional deployment, CLIA is projecting another positive year of growth for the industry with a passenger forecast of 25.8 million.
“One of the many reasons that the cruise industry continues to thrive is because of the personalization it is able to offer to its guests from around the world,” said Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO, CLIA. “Never before have I been a part of or seen an industry that is so good at listening and reacting to what its customers want, and this is why we are going to see our industry continue to grow.”
Top Cruise Destinations in 2016
- Caribbean (35 percent)
- Mediterranean (18.3 percent)
- Europe w/o Med (11.1 percent)
- Asia (9.2 percent)
- Australia/New Zealand/Pacific (6.1 percent)
- Alaska (4.2 percent)
- South America (2.5 percent)
Much of the industry’s growth can be attributed to the continuing development of the Asian market, with ocean capacity rising to 9.2 percent in 2016, a 38 percent increase from 2015. The increased capacity in the region, combined with travelers in this region going on shorter, and more frequent cruises, has kept this marketplace at the top of emerging markets within the cruise industry.
New Ships
Globally, the 2016 CLIA fleet was comprised of 458 ships and welcomed nine new ocean ships and 17 new river vessels for a total of 26 new ships. These new ships represent an additional 28,000 passenger capacity.
