Number of global ocean cruise passengers 2009-2020

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit the global cruise industry hard in 2020, as emergency measures implemented worldwide to limit the spread of the virus disrupted travel and tourism. That year, the number of ocean cruise passengers worldwide reached approximately 5.8 million, dropping from a record high of nearly 30 million passengers in 2019.

Where are cruise passengers traveling?

Cruises travel to nearly all parts of the world, from local coastal destinations to remote places such as Antarctica. Some cruises may last only a few days, but others may last weeks or even months as they travel across entire oceans or sometimes the world. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the most popular cruise destinations worldwide included the Caribbean, Asia, and the Mediterranean. Northern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand were other popular destinations as well. During the health crisis in 2020, the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Bermuda still reported the highest volume of cruise passengers, though it was only a quarter of the previous year’s amount.

Which are the leading cruise companies?

There are a variety of different cruise companies in operation worldwide. Two of the most well-known cruise companies include Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and Carnival Corporation & plc, both based in the United States. Despite setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global revenue of Carnival Corporation & plc was over double that of Royal Caribbean in recent years. Although Royal Caribbean maintains some of the largest cruise ships in the world, such as Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s global revenue in 2020 was just over two billion U.S. dollars, down from over 10 billion prior to the pandemic.