The Mediterranean has clawed its way back to being the second biggest cruise market and is expecting a record year in capacity, according to the 2019 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.
Year-over-year capacity growth in Europe combined with ships leaving Asia-Pacific have put the Mediterranean back in second when it comes to regional cruise capacity, only trailing the Caribbean.
It will mark the first time the Mediterranean has been the second largest cruise region since 2016, before the rush into China combined with economic issues saw capacity growth slow in Europe compared to Asia.
The region will account for an estimated 14.8 percent of global cruise capacity in 2019, compared to 14.2 percent last year.
MSC remains the biggest operator in the Mediterranean, followed by Costa, AIDA, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, with the majority of capacity still concentrated in the Western Mediterranean.
Among small ship brands, Viking Ocean and Oceania lead the way in the Mediterranean.
The region will also welcome a number of new operators this summer, including Nicko Cruises and Scenic; while next year The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will bring its luxury product to the Mediterranean.
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.
