The cruise industry experienced sustained growth in 2024, particularly driven by the boom in the US market. However, in France, it saw a slight decline compared with 2023. The sector set a new record, carrying 34.6 million passengers worldwide. This represents an increase of 9.15 per cent compared with 2023, and 16.5 per cent compared with 2019 (29.7 million passengers), which was then at its highest level before the health crisis.

This growth is in line with CLIA’s forecasts, with a similar trend projected for 2025, at 37.7 million passengers. The 40-million mark is expected to be reached by 2027.

The sector has tripled in size over more than 20 years. New cruise ships will bolster the fleet, with vessels offering greater capacity. Indeed, by 2036, 73 new ships will be delivered, providing 176,000 berths, whilst the current fleet has 700,000. In 2025, 15 new vessels will be delivered. Cruises account for just 2 per cent of global tourism. The economic benefits are enormous, estimated by CLIA in 2023 at $168.6 billion worldwide.

Europe is the second-largest market after the United States. As the Old Continent is a cradle of shipbuilding, CLIA estimates that this industry contributed €55 billion to European output, supporting 440,000 jobs.

In 2024, the European market accounted for 8.4 million passengers (+2.8 per cent). However, the bulk of overall growth is in the North American market, with 20.1 million passengers. In 2023, the United States accounted for 16.9 million of the total 18.1 million North American passengers. Cruise lines, including European ones, are therefore concentrating their fleets on the United States, the most dynamic and profitable market.

In Europe, in 2023, Germany led the way (2.51 million passengers), followed by the United(2.4 million), Italy (1.17 million), Spain (586,800) and France (575,500 passengers). CLIA forecasts a decline of 2,500 passengers for France in 2024 compared with 2023 (573,000 passengers). However, the French market has welcomed two new cruise lines, CFC and Exploris. Their operations have helped to limit the decline in the French market.

Unlike in Italy and Spain, where bookings are made well in advance, the French tend to book at the last minute. However, cruise lines tend to allocate more cabins to more responsive markets, at the expense of the French market. And as French ports offered fewer sailings in 2024, capacity was redeployed to more active and profitable regions.