Cruise Industry

The global industry that builds and operates cruise ships, large passenger vessels built for leisure voyages that typically follow round trip itineraries with port stops for excursions, distinguishing them from ocean liners built for point to point transportation. As of November 2022 the industry operated 302 ships with a combined capacity of 664,602 passengers, generating roughly 29.4 billion dollars a year and carrying over 19 million passengers annually as of 2011, a figure that grew to 34.5 million visitors worldwide by 2024. Three holding companies, Carnival Corporation and plc, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, dominate the industry through multiple brands serving different market segments, and the Caribbean and Mediterranean are its largest regional markets.