Cruises have proved to be a popular holiday getaway, with a 4% increase last year, statistics from The Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) revealed today. PSA figures show that 1.53 million British people took a cruise in 2009 and a 7% increase in those joining the cruise at a UK port.
Fly-cruise passengers increased by 2%. The Mediterranean continues to be the most popular destination, taking 39% of the market, followed by Northern Europe (including the UK) and the Caribbean. In addition, 14 new ships are being launched this year; three dedicated to the UK market. This will boost passenger capacity by 28,000.
Speaking at the Cruise Shipping Miami Conference, Director of the PSA William Gibbons predicted that 1.65 million Brits will take a cruise holiday this year. He said: “The UK cruise industry proved resilient in 2009 and much of this success can be attributed to the all-inclusive nature of cruising and the very high standards of quality and service.
These are values intrinsic to cruising and will continue to encourage greater numbers of passengers”. cruiseBritain, a joint initiative between the PSA, VisitBritain and cruise industry has reported record figures for 2009 as the number of visits to UK ports grew by 7% and those embarking from a UK port rose by 6%. PSA has also announced that four new cruise members have joined its association: Shearings Holidays, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Compagnie du Ponant and Voyages to Antiquity.