European cruise capacity is set reach 12.5 million passengers over the next 10 years, from an estimated 7.4 million today, for a nearly 70 percent hike, according to the 2018-2019 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

That means that European markets must grow sufficiently to generate 5 million more passengers over the 10-year period, in addition to the Europeans who cruise on North America-based brands.

From 2008 to 2018, European capacity grew from 4.6 million to 7.4 million, and from 1.6 million to 4.6 million from 1998 to 2008, so going forward, the growth rate has to accelerate.

The biggest capacity jump comes in 2019 with 14.8 percent increase from 2018, followed a 10.7 percent hike in 2020, 7.2 percent in 2021, 5.8 percent in 2022 and 7.3 percent in 2023, before slowing to a more moderate growth rate from 2024 onward

While Carnival Corporation’s four European brands represent nearly 40 percent of the passenger capacity in Europe, MSC Cruises is the single largest brand, with a market share of nearly 27 percent, and is set to increase that to more than 35 percent by 2027.

The projections are based on new ship orders and known deployment and changes.

About the Annual Report:

The Cruise Industry News Annual Report is the only book of its kind, presenting the worldwide cruise industry through 2027 in 400 pages.

Statistics are independently researched. 

See a preview by clicking here.

The report covers everything from new ships on order to supply-and-demand scenarios from 1987 through 2027+. Plus there is a future outlook, complete growth projections for each cruise line, regional market reports, and detailed ship deployment by region and market, covering all the cruise lines.

Order the 2018-2019 edition today.