According to 2024 Cruise Industry News  Annual Report, the Northern/Western Europe cruise market is expected to see a record year despite deployment limitations in the Baltic with Russia off limits.

On top of years of continuous growth, independent research from Cruise Industry News shows that region’s capacity will increase by another four percent this year.

Commanding about 10 percent of the global industry’s market share, Northern Europe is the third largest market in the industry, following the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, and will approximately 150 vessels sailing in the region during the year.

AIDA Cruises, based in Germany, is one of the main players in the area, with eight ships in the region.

The brand’s lineup includes the AIDAcosma. The 5,400-guest cruise ship, which sails in the Western Europe year-round, is currently one of the largest in the region.

MSC Cruises has four vessels that operate seasonal programs to destinations in Northern/Western Europe

The 2023-built MSC Euribia leads the company’s fleet in the region, which also includes que MSC Virtuosa, the MSC Poesia and the MSC Preziosa.

P&O Cruises, serving the UK market, completes the top three, with a total of six ships sailing in the region in 2024.

Cruising to the Norwegian Fjords from its homeport in Southampton, the 5,200-guest Iona is one of the largest vessels sailing in Northern Europe.

Other cruise lines with significant capacity in the area include TUI Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Hurtigruten, Princess Cruises, Havila Voyages, and Costa Cruises.

CIN’s Annual Report data points out that over 50 brands are scheduled to offer cruises to Northern/Western Europe in 2024.

The diverse lineup includes several regional brands, such as Phoenix Reisen, Rivages du Monde, and Ambassador Cruise Line, in addition to many expedition brands.