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Cruise industry in Europe - statistics & facts

The European cruise industry is one of the largest cruise markets in the world, ranking only behind North America for passenger numbers. Over seven million cruise passengers were sourced from Europe in 2019, though this number dropped to 1.7 million in 2021 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Within Europe, just four cruise companies make up most of the market share. Of these, Carnival is by far the leading cruise company in Europe, accounting for 45 percent of the total market in 2021. Carnival owns and operates numerous brands, including Costa, AIDA, and P&O Cruises. Other major cruise companies in the region include MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line.

What are the major European cruise markets?

There are five major source markets for cruises in Europe: Germany, the United Kingdom & Ireland, Italy, France, and Spain. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, over two and a half million cruise passengers came from Germany alone, with nearly two million also from the UK. During the health crisis, however, just around half a million cruise passengers were German, though Germany was still the leading European source country in 2021. Looking at the most popular cruise destinations for Europeans, the Western and Central Mediterranean recorded the highest number of passengers in 2021, welcoming roughly 630 thousand cruise travelers. This figure denotes a sharp drop compared to pre-pandemic levels when over two million European passengers took cruise trips to that area.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact the European cruise industry?

As part of the travel and tourism sector, the cruise industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic due to travel restrictions, border closures, and social distancing measures. The cruise passenger volume in Europe declined by over 80 percent in the first year of the health crisis, then experienced a 30 percent annual increase in 2021. That year, Italy, the United Kingdom & Ireland, and Norway were among the source countries reporting the highest percentage growth in cruise passengers compared to 2020, but passenger volumes remained way below 2019 figures. Despite concerns surrounding the health crisis, the cruise industry was expected to recover gradually, following its sharp decline in 2020. According to Statista’s Mobility Market Outlook, the revenue of the cruise industry in Europe was predicted to peak at over nine billion U.S. dollars by 2026, rising from approximately four billion in 2021.
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, Sep 8, 2022

Key insights

Number of cruise passengers from Europe
1.75m
Leading European cruise passenger source market
Germany
Most popular cruise destination for Europeans
Western/Central Mediterranean
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