Accounting for nearly 90 percent of the current cruise capacity, five major cruise corporations – Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, MSC Cruises and Genting Cruise Lines, dominate the market.
According to the October 2021 edition of the Cruise Ships in Service Report by Cruise Industry News, the five companies are responsible for nearly 305,000 out of the 350,000 berths set to be in service during the month of October.
As more ships enter service for their brands through the end of the year, the companies will have a large part of their fleets back in service by early 2022.
Here are the latest details, according to data from the 2022 Global Cruise Ship Index and 2021 Annual Report:
Carnival Corporation
Percentage of the Fleet Capacity in Service by January 1: 64%
Total Ships: 95
Ships in Service by January 1: 55
Berths in Service by January 1: 162,423
By brand:
Carnival: 17 ships (or 70% of the fleet) and 54,354 berths
Costa: 6 ships (or 45% of the fleet) and 20,676 berths
AIDA: 10 ships (or 70% of the fleet) and 26,304 berths
Princess: 8 ships (or 70% of the fleet) and 26,270 berths
P&O: 4 ships (or 70% of the fleet) and 15,011 berths
Holland America: 6 ships (or 55% of the fleet) and 14,070 berths
Cunard: 2 ships (or 65% of the fleet) and 4,684 berths
Seabourn: 2 ships (or 35% of the fleet) and 1,054 berths
P&O Australia: Resuming service after January 1, 2022
With eight out of nine brands now in service, Carnival Corporation is continuing its staggered return to service globally.
While 33 vessels are currently in service for the company’s brands, a total of 55 ships are set to be sailing by Jan. 1.
Representing 64 percent of the fleet’s full occupancy, the vessels account for a total of 162,423 berths.
With plans to reactivate 17 vessels of its 24-ship fleet, Carnival Cruise Line should have the most vessels in service by early 2022.
Royal Caribbean Group
Percentage of the Fleet Capacity in Service by January 1: 83%
Total Ships: 61
Ships in Service by January 1: 50
Berths in Service by January 1: 114,358
By brand:
Royal Caribbean: 21 ships (or 85% of the fleet) and 75,800 berths
Celebrity: 11 ships (or 80% of the fleet) and 20,880 berths
Silversea: 8 ships (or 80% of the fleet) and 2,764 berths
TUI: 5 ships (or 70% of the fleet) and 13,300 berths
Hapag-Lloyd: 5 ships (or 100% of the fleet) and 1,614 berths
With its main brand leading the way, Royal Caribbean Group currently has 35 cruise ships back in service around the world.
As more vessels join the active lineup over the next months, the corporation may see 50 of 61 ships sailing with guests by Jan. 1.
With capacity for nearly 115,000 berths at full occupancy, the vessels represent roughly 83 percent of the fleet’s total berths.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
Percentage of the Fleet Capacity in Service by January 1: 74%
Total Ships: 28
Ships in Service by January 1: 18
Berths in Service by January 1: 43,833
By brand:
Norwegian: 11 ships (or 65% of the fleet) and 38,400 berths
Oceania: 4 ships (or 65% of the fleet) and 3,884 berths
Regent: 3 ships (or 60% of the fleet) and 1,549 berths
After a long operational pause, all Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings brands have now resumed service.
Sailing in Europe and North America, the companies are currently operating revenue sailings with eight cruise ships. By Jan. 1, a total of 18 vessels and over 45,000 berths are poised to be back in service around the world.
The numbers mean that the corporation may have 74 percent of its berths in service by early 2022.
MSC Group
Percentage of the Fleet Capacity in Service by January 1: 93%
Total Ships: 19
Ships in Service by January 1: 17
Berths in Service by January 1: 59,328
By brand:
MSC Cruises: 17 ships (or 90% of the fleet) and 59,328 berths
Explora Journeys: Launching service in 2023
With 12 ships currently sailing with guests, MSC Cruises plans to have most of its 19-ship fleet back in service by Jan. 1.
As five additional vessels welcome passengers back in the coming months, the company may see 59,328 berths or 93 percent of its capacity at full occupancy back in the market by early 2022.
Genting Cruise Lines
Percentage of the Fleet Capacity in Service by January 1: 58%
Total Ships: 10
Ships in Service by January 1: 5
Berths in Service by January 1: 8,992
By brand:
Dream: 2 ships (or 65% of the fleet) and 6,800 berths
Star: 0 ships (or 0% of the fleet) and 0 berths
Crystal: 3 ships (or 100% of the fleet) and 2,192 berths
Two of the three Genting Cruise Lines brands are currently back in guest operations, sailing in different destinations.
Crystal Cruises leads the way with its entire three-ship fleet in service offering luxury cruises in Europe and North America.
Dream Cruises was one of the first major cruise brands to resume revenue services and presently has two vessels sailing in Asia.
Together, the two brands currently have 8,992 berths back in service, which represents 58 percent of Genting’s fleet capacity at 100 percent occupancy.
