The Caribbean will command the highest share of the global cruise industry’s deployment, with approximately 38 percent market share, according to the 2023 Cruse Industry News Annual Report

That number is down from 40 percent in 2022. The Caribbean had 39 percent market share in 2019, the last “normal” year of operations prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Mediterranean is the second largest deployment region for another year running, with 17.5 percent market share, down from 19.2 percent in 2022, and compared to 14.8 percent in 2019.

Both regions are benefitting from a slow-to-restart Asian market, as a number of ships that could have been sailing in Asia have since been redeployed to Europe and North America.

One of those ships is the Carnival Venezia. Having launched as the Costa Venezia in 2019, the ship was built for year-round operations in China. The vessel relocated to Europe with China closed to cruise, sailing for Costa and sourcing passengers in Europe. Now the ship is heading to New York City where she will be based year-round for Carnival Cruise Line.