The cruise industry is “very likely” to surpass its previous passenger records in 2024, MSC’s sales chief has predicted.
Antonio Paradiso, MSC Cruises vice-president of international sales, told delegates at Clia’s annual forum: “I’m pretty confident in saying 2024 is looking very likely to be another record-breaking year for the cruise industry in the UK and Ireland.
“I always say it’s a team effort. This is where the cruise industry excels with new ships, new hardware and this community coming together time and time again. This is how we keep developing and growing the cruise sector, which is one of the fastest-growing sectors within the travel industry.”
Paradiso based this assertion on the fact more than one million British and Irish guests took a cruise in the first half of 2024, according to Clia figures, which represented an increase of 10% year on year.
He also highlighted the impact of eight new ocean ships and 13 river cruise vessels launching throughout the year, which generated an additional capacity of 20,000 lower berths, or standard double occupancy cabins.
“With the ships’ capacity ranging from 720 guests to 5,740 guests, there really is something for everybody in the industry,” Paradiso said.
He added 73% of cruise passengers said travel advisors had “a meaningful impact on their decision to cruise”.
“This is a further statement of how important the trade community is to our business, so we will continue to rely and invest in you to make sure that we keep pushing cruise,” he stressed.
Paradiso painted a positive outlook for 2025, referencing 12 ship launches including Norwegian Aqua, Oceania Allura, Star Princess and MSC World America, which will create an additional 39,000 lower berths to sell.
He added: “By 2028, the industry will be investing $44.9 billion in a further 49 brand new ships, and all of these are now being constructed in different parts of Europe.
“But more importantly, all of these ships will probably be the most energy efficient ships that have ever sailed before.”
Paradiso also pointed to the global benefits of cruise tourism, which he said was “proving to be a powerful part of the travel and tourism sector”.
In the UK, Clia found the cruise industry contributed £5.8 billion to the economy and created 60,000 jobs in 2023, he said.