The seven-day and longer cruise capacity in the Caribbean is expected to grow by 9.9 percent in 1991 and another 22 percent in 1992, when 78 ships will sail in the Caribbean with a total passenger capacity of 2,204,000.

According to estimates carried out by Cruise Industry News, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line will command 21.5 percent of the Caribbean cruise capacity in 1992; followed by Carnival Cruise Lines with 16 percent; Princess Cruises with 12 percent; and Norwegian Cruise Line with 11 percent.

Noteworthy is Princess Cruises’ increasing role in the Caribbean.

While RCCL commands the largest market share in the seven-day market in the Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines nevertheless will carry more passengers when the three- and four-day Bahamas market and the seven-day Caribbean markets are combined.

Combined, RCCL and Admiral will have a total Caribbean/Bahamas capacity of 733,000 passengers compared to a combined Carnival/HAL capacity of 854,000.

The top four lines control 61 percent of the Caribbean market capacity and 60.1 percent of the combined Caribbean-Bahamas market.