Cruise industry in Germany - statistics & facts

A cruise voyage is a vacation trip on a cruise ship, during which various ports are reached in the time of travel where passengers can disembark. The main share of the vacation is spent aboard, which is the primary goal of travelers. Trips differ depending on their shipping routes or which type of waterway is used: sea or river. The ship trips are offered as an all-inclusive tour with a collective package of travel services. Passengers board a vessel large enough to include accommodation, namely cabin rooms, and restaurant facilities, as well as carry supplies and cargo. The larger the cruise ship, the more leisure it can house for passengers. Essentially such a ship is a swimming hotel complex. Cruise ships are not to be confused with ocean liners, the purpose of which is transporting passengers.

The German cruise industry, same as its counterparts around the world, suffered massively during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Travel bans, border closures, restrictive measures in daily life, rising case numbers and financial hardships for passengers all led to a long-term standstill the market is still recovering from. Passenger numbers plummeted in ports across the country. Taking the Port of Hamburg as an example, one of the busiest in Germany and in Europe, after the peaks of 2018-2019, the contrast was evident. Encouragingly so, passenger numbers have started to rise since 2022, becoming comparable to pre-pandemic years. Around 2.53 million sea cruise passengers sailed from Germany that year. Besides several well-known rivers flowing through the country, such as the Danube, Rhine and Elbe, cruise enthusiasts can also access the North and Baltic Seas. In addition to Hamburg, other leading cruise ports include Rostock/ Warnemünde and Kiel, all located in the north of Germany.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 28, 2023

Key insights

Number of sea cruise passengers in Germany
2.53m
Leading European cruise brand by passenger capacity
Costa
Average sea cruise duration in Germany
9.8 days
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Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Number of sea cruise passengers in Germany from 1998 to 2022 (in 1,000)

Cruises

Passengers of sea cruises in Germany 1998-2022

Number of cruise passengers in the Port of Hamburg from 2000 to 2021

Cruises

Number of cruise passengers in the Port of Hamburg 2000-2021

Number of people in Germany who prefer cruise vacations as leisure travel from 2018 to 2022 (in millions)

Cruises

People in Germany who prefer cruise vacations 2018-2022

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Ocean and river cruises

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Ocean and river cruises

German cruise companies

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German cruise companies

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