There is no slowing down for the cruise industry. In the State of the Cruise Industry Outlook 2016 by CLIA it is expected total of 24 million passengers for next year, a figure far higher than the 15 million cruise passengers totaled ten years ago (in 2006) or to the 1.4 million of 1980, when the organization began to record the number of passengers. Cruise Company’s in 2016 will be launching 27 new ocean cruise ships, river ships and specialized cruise vessels, for an investment of over $ 6.5 billion. Travel agents are also seeing an increase in demand: eight in ten expect an increase in sales of cruises over the current year. 

The economic impact of the industry on a global level, is positive. Revenue related to the cruise industry generated a total of 119.9 billion dollars worldwide, supporting 939,232 full-time employees in 2014. CLIA also shows 13 main trends in the cruise industry: 

Growth of river cruises. The members of Clia currently have 170 cruise river ships while 18 new river cruise ships were ordered in 2016 (+ 10%). 

More ships, more options. This year there are 471 cruise ships and next year plans to launch 27 new ocean-going vessels. 

The grooving Asian market. They are record numbers coming from Asia, which registrars the fastest growth in the industry. Between 2012 and 2014 the volume of passengers has increased from 775mila to 1.4 million passengers (+ 34% per year). 

Cruises in Australia. In 2014 the cruise industry in Australia has exceeded 1 million passengers. In ten years the number of cruise passengers has grown more than six times.

Experts cruises. Today, more there are more than 30 thousand travel agents members of Clia globally compared to 12 thousand in 2010.

Widespread connectivity. Priority today is the need for consumers to stay connected to the Internet while traveling. Most cruises offer a myriad of options wifi to write messages and access the web.

The love of luxury. The cruise company’s offer specialized experience on yachts, concierge services, exclusive tours, gourmet dining and personal butlers.

Brands on board. The cruise companies leverage the attractiveness of brands to attract the interest of new travelers. On board there is something for everyone from Lego and Dr. Seuss, to luxury brands like Hermes and Veuve Clicquot Champagne and - on the front of the restaurant - Johnny Rockets and Margaritaville.

The ships are destinations. The ships of the latest generation offer experiences and services on board never seen before, from Broadway productions to designer stores, from A zipline all'autoscontro.10. Spend the night. Many cruise companies offer overnight stays in ports of call to offer cruise passengers the opportunity to immerse themselves in the experiences that the destination offers.

Travel experiences for all ages. The cruise is becoming a popular choice for a family vacation. With the onboard services designed to meet any age, from children to the elderly, the cruises offer aggregation (and independence) to travel between generations.