Cruise Industry Overview – Executive Summary
The cruise industry is the most exciting growth category in the entire leisure market. Since 1990, the industry has had an average annual passenger growth rate of 7.4% per annum.
The cruise industry is young. Since 1980, over 150 million passengers have taken a deep-water cruise (2+ days). Of this number, 61% of the total passengers have been generated in the past 10 years. Thirty seven percent of total passengers have been generated in the past five years alone.
The cruise market potential is strong. Over the next three years, 51 million North Americans indicate an intent to cruise. To date, approximately 19.9 % of the U.S. population has ever cruised. By maintaining historical occupancy levels, the cruise industry will welcome 12.8 million guests in 2008.
The cruise product is incredibly diversified with literally a cruise vacation for everyone. Over the past 10 years, the industry has responded to extensive market and consumer research that has guided the addition of new destinations, new ship design concepts, new on-board/on-shore activities, new themes and new cruise lengths to reflect the changing vacation patterns of today’s market.
The cruise industry’s product delivers unparalleled customer satisfaction. Whether a frequent or first-time cruiser, the cruise experience consistently exceeds expectations on a wide range of important vacation attributes. On a comparative basis versus other vacation categories, cruising consistently receives top marks. The on-going challenge for our industry is to convert cruise prospects into new cruisers.
Cruising is an important vehicle for sampling destination areas to which passengers may return. 80% of cruise passengers agree that a cruise vacation is good way to sample destinations that they may wish to visit again on a land-based vacation. Nearly 40% of cruise vacationers state that they returned to vacation at a destination first visited by cruise. Cruisers are not exclusively cruisers; rather they are frequent vacationers who cruise as part of their vacation mix.
The North American cruise market is strong across all 50 states and Canada. Today’s array of airlift options and streamlined port processing have opened up cruising as a vacation alternative to more and more individuals. The addition of new North American embarkation ports provides cruise vacationers more options and opportunities to drive versus fly. In fact, 72% of Americans indicate that the convenience of over 30 “Close to Home” North American embarkation ports increases their likelihood to cruise within the next three years.
CLIA Member Lines capacity utilization/deployment. From a capacity standpoint, utilization is consistently over 100%. In 2007 the CLIA industry occupancy rate was 105.7% The Caribbean and Bahamas represents the number one destination with almost 37% of capacity development. The Mediterranean, Europe, Alaska, and Mexico follow the Caribbean in popularity.
OVERALL PASSENGER GROWTH-NORTH AMERICAN CRUISE MARKET
The cruise industry is the most exciting vacation category in the United States and Canada. Its average rate of growth has been far greater than any other category.
THE BIG PICTURE ANNUAL PASSENGERS (2 Day or More Market)
Source: Cruise Lines International Association: 2009 CLIA Cruise Market Overview – Statistical Cruise Industry Data Through 2008
About CLIA
The nonprofit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is North America’s largest cruise industry organization. CLIA represents the interests of 24 member lines and participates in the regulatory and policy development process while supporting measures that foster a safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise vacations and counts as members 16,000 travel agencies. For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and CLIA-member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit www.cruising.org. |
