2019 Global Market Report
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 a 4% increase from 2018 to 2019, totaling 29.7 million passengers.
Research also shows North American travelers continued to embrace cruising with an annual passenger increase
of 8% (15.4 million passengers) in 2019. Europe experienced a healthy 7.4% increase as new ships were launched
in two key markets. The average age of cruisers has been remarkably consistent at 46.8, while the average cruise
length has also been stable, at around seven days. As expected, due to a reduction in deployment in Asia and
Australia, the number of cruisers in these regions was lower than in previous years. The Caribbean, once again,
benefited from the healthy gain in the U.S. market, and the volume of cruisers to the region grew by 6%. The growth
in Alaska accelerated with a sharp 19% increase, the third year in a row with double-digit growth. The rebound in
the Eastern Mediterranean has accelerated with a healthy 19%, following a 15% increase last year and following
a few years of retraction before 2018.
While the cruise industry experienced growth in 2019, the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020 led the cruise industry
to take immediate and aggressive action to mitigate the risk of the virus—which culminated in a global pause in
operations in mid-March.
Following the pause in operations, with strict protocols in place, and with the approval and support of local and
regional authorities, cruise lines were able to successfully resume limited operations in Europe and other parts of the
world. The successes of these initial sailings demonstrate that the new protocols are working as designed, and CLIA
and our cruise line members look forward to continue welcoming back passengers from around the world.
Gl
obalRepor
t
:2016t
o2019
PassengerVol
ume(
K)
Aver
ageDur
at
i
on,i
nDays
Aver
ageAge
2016
2017
2018
2019
2016
2017
2018
2019
2016
2017
2018
2019
25,
155
26,
716(
6.
2% ▲)
28,
515(
6.
7% ▲)
29,
673(
4.
1% ▲)
7.
2
7.
1
7.
0
7.
1
46.
7
46.
7
46.
7
46.
8
Aver
ageCr
ui
seDur
at
i
on
2019
11%
2018
11%
27%
2017
11%
28%
2016
11%
Upt
o3Days
26%
41%
40%
39%
25%
46Days
40%
7Days
813Days
15%
4% 3%
15%
4% 2%
15%
4% 2%
16%
14Days
4% 2%
1520Days
21DaysPl
us
Aver
agePassengerAgeGr
oups
2019
9%
6%
9%
11%
14%
18%
19%
14%
2018
9%
6%
9%
11%
15%
18%
19%
14%
2017
9%
6%
9%
11%
15%
18%
19%
13%
2016
8%
6%
9%
11%
15%
18%
19%
13%
<=12Year
s
1319
2029
3039
4049
5059
6069
>=70Year
s
PassengerVol
ume(
K)bySour
c
ePassengerRegi
ons
2016
2017
2018
2019
Nor
t
hAmer
i
c
a
12,
403
13,
019(
5.
0% ▲)
14,
240(
9.
4% ▲)
15,
408(
8.
2% ▲)
West
er
nEur
ope
6,
344
6,
516(
2.
7% ▲)
6,
731(
3.
3% ▲)
7,
226(
7.
4% ▲)
Asi
a
3,
370
4,
052(
20.
3% ▲)
4,
240(
4.
6% ▲)
3,
738(
11.
8% ▼)
Aust
r
al
i
a/
NZ/
Pac
i
fic
1,
370
1,
434(
4.
7% ▲)
1,
460(
1.
8% ▲)
1,
351(
7.
5% ▼)
Sout
hAmer
i
c
a
791
799(
1.
0% ▲)
883(
10.
5% ▲)
935(
5.
9% ▲)
East
er
nEur
ope
205
192(
6.
0% ▼)
213(
10.
9% ▲)
263(
23.
3% ▲)
Sc
andi
navi
a/
I
c
el
and
241
229(
4.
8% ▼)
225(
1.
8% ▼)
218(
3.
0% ▼)
Af
r
i
c
a
144
151(
4.
8% ▲)
154(
1.
9% ▲)
169(
9.
8% ▲)
Mi
ddl
eEast
/
Ar
abi
a
112
104(
7.
7% ▼)
111(
6.
6% ▲)
108(
2.
2% ▼)
Car
i
bbean
50
54(
8.
7% ▲)
56(
3.
1% ▲)
57(
1.
0% ▲)
Cent
r
alAmer
i
c
a
39
51(
30.
3% ▲)
47(
8.
3% ▼)
49(
5.
7% ▲)
Gl
obalRepor
t(
Cont
i
nued)
PassengerVol
ume(
K)f
orTopCount
r
i
es
2016
2017
2018
2019
Uni
t
edSt
at
es
11,
392
11,
944(
4.
9% ▲)
13,
091(
9.
6% ▲)
14,
199(
8.
5% ▲)
Ger
many
2,
018
2,
169(
7.
5% ▲)
2,
233(
3.
0% ▲)
2,
587(
15.
8% ▲)
UK&I
r
el
and
1,
960
1,
971(
0.
5% ▲)
2,
009(
2.
0% ▲)
1,
992(
0.
9% ▼)
Mai
nl
andChi
na
2,
113
2,
397(
13.
4% ▲)
2,
357(
1.
6% ▼)
1,
919(
18.
6% ▼)
Aust
r
al
i
a
1,
281
1,
333(
4.
1% ▲)
1,
345(
0.
9% ▲)
1,
241(
7.
7% ▼)
Canada
865
921(
6.
5% ▲)
971(
5.
4% ▲)
1,
037(
6.
8% ▲)
I
t
al
y
751
769(
2.
5% ▲)
831(
8.
0% ▲)
950(
14.
3% ▲)
Br
az
i
l
465
445(
4.
2% ▼)
510(
14.
6% ▲)
567(
11.
3% ▲)
Spai
n
480
510(
6.
4% ▲)
530(
3.
9% ▲)
553(
4.
3% ▲)
Fr
anc
e
554
504(
9.
1% ▼)
521(
3.
4% ▲)
545(
4.
6% ▲)
Tai
wanRegi
on
299
374(
24.
8% ▲)
391(
4.
7% ▲)
389(
0.
4% ▼)
Si
ngapor
e
214
267(
24.
4% ▲)
373(
39.
9% ▲)
325(
12.
7% ▼)
I
ndi
a
148
172(
16.
1% ▲)
221(
28.
1% ▲)
313(
41.
5% ▲)
J
apan
207
255(
22.
9% ▲)
266(
4.
5% ▲)
296(
11.
4% ▲)
HongKong
127
230(
80.
6% ▲)
250(
8.
6% ▲)
191(
23.
4% ▼)
Mexi
c
o
142
149(
4.
8% ▲)
174(
16.
6% ▲)
167(
3.
6% ▼)
Sout
hAf
r
i
c
a
132
140(
6.
7% ▲)
143(
2.
1% ▲)
158(
10.
2% ▲)
Ar
gent
i
na
163
178(
9.
1% ▲)
187(
4.
9% ▲)
151(
19.
2% ▼)
Swi
t
z
er
l
and
147
152(
3.
2% ▲)
154(
1.
5% ▲)
140(
9.
2% ▼)
Aust
r
i
a
125
130(
3.
5% ▲)
136(
4.
8% ▲)
136(
0.
1% ▲)
Net
her
l
ands
104
110(
5.
9% ▲)
113(
2.
2% ▲)
123(
8.
7% ▲)
Mal
aysi
a
100
188(
87.
8% ▲)
150(
19.
9% ▼)
121(
19.
6% ▼)
New Zeal
and
86
98(
13.
5% ▲)
112(
14.
7% ▲)
106(
5.
1% ▼)
Nor
way
111
104(
6.
8% ▼)
101(
2.
7% ▼)
98(
3.
0% ▼)
Vol
umeofPassenger
s(
i
nK)t
oDest
i
nat
i
ons,2019
Atl
east4KPassenger
sperDest
i
nat
i
on
Car
i
bbean/
Bahamas/
Ber
muda
11,
982.
6
Asi
a&Chi
na
3,
977.
4
Cent
r
al&West
er
nMed.
3,
211.
0
Nor
t
her
nEur
ope
1,
707.
8
Aust
r
al
i
a/
New Zeal
and/
Pac
i
fic
1,
177.
7
NAWestCoast
/
Mexi
c
o/
Cal
i
f
or
ni
a/
Pac
i
ficCoast
1,
164.
9
East
er
nMed.
1,
226.
0
Al
aska
PanamaCanal
/
Sout
hAm
Bal
t
i
c
s
1,
215.
4
807.
1
593.
6
Canar
yI
sl
.
496.
5
Af
r
i
c
a/
Mi
ddl
eEast
515.
4
Ot
her
Tr
ansat
l
ant
i
c&Wor
l
dCr
ui
se
Canada/
New Engl
and
303.
7
392.
8
301.
7
Hawai
i 243.
1
Expl
or
at
i
onDest
. 186.
9
Gl
obalRepor
t(
Cont
i
nued)
PassengerVol
umebyTr
ade(
K)
2016
2017
2018
2019
Car
i
bbean/
Bahamas/
Ber
muda
10,
135
10,
695(
6% ▲)
11,
335(
6% ▲)
11,
983(
6% ▲)
Asi
a&Chi
na
3,
386
4,
005(
18% ▲)
4,
254(
6% ▲)
3,
977(
7% ▼)
2,
920
2,
907(
0% ▲)
3,
068(
6% ▲)
3,
211(
5% ▲)
1,
419
1,
569(
11% ▲)
1,
731(
10% ▲)
1,
708(
1% ▼)
1,
020
896(
12% ▼)
1,
027(
15% ▲)
1,
226(
19% ▲)
Al
aska
779
905(
16% ▲)
1,
025(
13% ▲)
1,
215(
19% ▲)
Aust
r
al
i
a/
New Zeal
and/
Pac
i
fic
1,
180
1,
262(
7% ▲)
1,
299(
3% ▲)
1,
178(
9% ▼)
NAWestCoast
/
Mexi
c
o/
Cal
i
f
or
ni
a/
Pac
i
ficCoast
1,
209
1,
089(
10% ▼)
1,
126(
3% ▲)
1,
165(
3% ▲)
657
678(
3% ▲)
745(
10% ▲)
807(
8% ▲)
Bal
t
i
c
s
480
564(
18% ▲)
539(
4% ▼)
594(
10% ▲)
Af
r
i
c
a/
Mi
ddl
eEast
390
383(
2% ▼)
370(
3% ▼)
515(
39% ▲)
Canar
yI
sl
.
371
403(
9% ▲)
444(
10% ▲)
496(
12% ▲)
Tr
ansat
l
ant
i
c&Wor
l
dCr
ui
se
261
288(
10% ▲)
365(
26% ▲)
393(
8% ▲)
Ot
her
218
318(
46% ▲)
490(
54% ▲)
304(
38% ▼)
Canada/
New Engl
and
167
205(
23% ▲)
218(
6% ▲)
302(
39% ▲)
190
215(
14% ▲)
218(
1% ▲)
243(
11% ▲)
Cent
r
al&West
er
nMed.
Nor
t
her
nEur
ope
East
er
nMed.
PanamaCanal
/
Sout
hAm
Hawai
i
Expl
or
at
i
onDest
.
NoTr
adeI
dent
i
fied
82
114(
39% ▲)
148(
30% ▲)
187(
26% ▲)
292
220(
25% ▼)
113(
48% ▼)
170(
50% ▲)
PassengerVol
ume(
K)byTr
ade&Sour
c
eRegi
onsi
n2019
Car
i
bbean/
Bahamas/
Ber
muda
10,
536,24%
Asi
a&Chi
na
3,
475,22%
Cent
r
al&West
er
nMed.
Nor
t
her
nEur
ope
Aust
r
al
i
a/
New Zeal
and/
Pac
i
fic
2,
234,18%
1,
318,21%
963,20%
126,25%
NAWestCoast
/
Mexi
c
o/
Cal
i
f
or
ni
a/
Pa.
. 1,
East
er
nMed.
Al
aska
803,2%
Cent
r
alAmer
i
c
a
833,20%
Car
i
bbean
Mi
ddl
eEast
/
Ar
abi
a
1,
088,28%
Af
r
i
c
a
PanamaCanal
/
Sout
hAm
East
er
nEur
ope
Bal
t
i
c
s
Sc
andi
navi
a/
I
c
el
and
Canar
yI
sl
.
Sout
hAmer
i
c
a
Af
r
i
c
a/
Mi
ddl
eEast
Aust
r
al
i
a/
NZ/
Pac
i
fic
Asi
a
Ot
her
West
er
nEur
ope
Tr
ansat
l
ant
i
c&Wor
l
dCr
ui
se
Nor
t
hAmer
i
c
a
Canada/
New Engl
and
Hawai
i
Expl
or
at
i
onDest
.
PassengerVol
ume(
K)byQuar
t
er&10Sour
c
eRegi
onsi
n2019
2019
Q1
3,
584,15%
Q2
3,
956,15%
Q3
3,
998,14%
Q4
3,
771,14%
1,
171,5%
645,3%
419,2%
464,2%
1,
783,7%
943,4%
2,
173,7%
1,
589,6%
1,
077,4%
794,3%
387,1%
Gl
obalRepor
t(
Cont
i
nued)
Aver
ageAgeandCr
ui
seLengt
hf
orTopSour
c
eMar
ket
s,2019
2019
10.
0
Avg.Lengt
hi
nDays
West
er
nEur
ope
Aust
r
al
i
a/
NZ/
Pac
i
fic
East
er
nEur
ope
8.
0
Mi
ddl
eEast
/
Ar
abi
a
Car
i
bbean
Cent
r
alAmer
i
c
a
Sc
andi
navi
a/
I
c
el
and
Nor
t
hAmer
i
c
a
Sout
hAmer
i
c
a
6.
0
Af
r
i
c
a
4.
0
Asi
a
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
Avg.Age
Aver
ageAgeandCr
ui
seLengt
hbyDest
i
nat
i
on/Tr
adeRout
e,2019
2019
20.
0
18.
0
Tr
ansat
l
ant
i
c&Wor
l
dCr
ui
se
Avg.Lengt
hi
nDays
16.
0
14.
0
12.
0
Expl
or
at
i
onDest
.
PanamaCanal
/
Sout
hAm
Aust
r
al
i
a/
New Zeal
and/
Pac
i
fic
10.
0
Cent
r
al&West
er
nMed.
8.
0
Car
i
bbean/
Bahamas/
Ber
muda
Bal
t
i
c
s
Canar
yI
sl
.
Hawai
i
Af
r
i
c
a/
Mi
ddl
eEast Nor
t
her
nEur
ope
Canada/
New Engl
and
East
er
nMed.
Al
aska
6.
0
Asi
a&Chi
na
/
Mexi
c
o/
Cal
i
f
or
ni
a/
Pac
i
ficCoast
4.
0 NAWestCoast
40
42
44
46
48
50
52
Avg.Age
54
56
58
60
62
64