2011 proved to be a successful year for the cruise industry, with cruise ships hosting a record breaking 16 million passengers worldwide.
Already in 2012, the cruise industry experts Cruise Market Watch are predicting that the cruise industry will see a continued rise in passenger numbers and an increase in revenue. Passenger numbers are predicted to rise to a massive 20.3 million bringing in $ 34.1 billion in revenue.
One of the main reasons for the increase in passengers is due to an increased capacity in ships. 2011 saw nine new ships being launched and 2012 is no exception to the rule; eight new cruise ships will sail on their maiden voyage this year. These news ships will be able to comfortably accommodate between 2,000- 4,000 travellers.
Not only are these new, larger cruise ships able to accommodate more travellers; the cost of cruises has also dropped due to economies of scale, enabling more people to be able to afford a cruise holiday.
Traditionally, most cruise passengers are from America, with over 12 million passengers coming from the States last year. In comparison, only an approximate 4 million cruise holiday makers came from the rest of the world. It therefore comes as no surprise that a key area of further growth for cruise liners is to widen their appeal to the ‘rest of the world.’ One method being pursued by the cruise liners is to increase the number of destinations and routes, with heavy investment underway to build new ports and upgrade existing ports.
Cruise liners are also keen to cast off the ‘stuffy, OAP’ image that they traditionally carry with them. Instead, cruise companies are developing new and exciting concepts on board their ships to attract young couples and families.
Chef-endorsed restaurants, kids clubs, pamper spas and a wide selection of onboard activities are just some of the ways that cruise liners are engaging a more varied audience. Companies such as Celebrity Cruises are promoting themed cruises, such as a new route out of Southampton port specifically targeting wine enthusiasts. This new cruise route, ‘Immersive Europe Wine Cruises,’ will take in Europe’s wineries; explaining how grapes are harvested and wine is produced in France, Spain and Portugal.
The Mediterranean is expected to be a particularly popular destination this year with both European and American passengers. The ‘Arab Spring’ uprisings in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia caused a downturn in Mediterranean cruise bookings in 2011. The political situation in the Middle East still remains unstable and this has meant many cruise liners are offering revised Mediterranean routes as an alternative to previously popular ‘Holy Land’ routes. Cruise liners will now be offering Mediterranean cruises that visit Greece, Spain, Malta, Slovenia, Croatia and Italy instead of Egypt and Tunisia.