2016 will be a boom year for cruising, as the industry consolidates on its own success story

The Cruise Ship Industry slowed a little in 2015 by its own massive expansion standards with only 7 ships entering into service as follows:

1. Britannia: P&O Cruises, March 2015
2. Anthem of the Seas: Royal Caribbean, April 2015
3. Le Lyrial: Ponant, April 2015
4. Viking Star: Viking Ocean Cruises, April 2015
5. Mein Schiff 4: TUI Cruises, June 2015
6. AIDAprima: AIDA Cruises, October 2015 (delayed)
7. Escape: NCL, October 2015

Total capacity in 2015 entering into service: 18,867 passengers

This may sound a lot, however cruise enthusiasts were getting accustomed to at least 10 new ships each year (sometimes more), which reflects that the industry was growing around 7% for the last 2 or more decades.

However it’s back to mega business next year, as 2016 promises to be a boom year for Cruise Ships with 10 new mega and luxury vessels entering into service as follows:

1. Carnival Vista, Carnival Cruises: GT: 135,000 Pax: 4,000 Launch: Spring 2016
2. Unnamed ship, AIDA Cruises: GT: 125,000 Pax: 3,250 Launch: March 2016
3. Mein Schiff 5, TUI Cruises: GT: 97,000 Pax: 2,500 Launch: April 2016
4. Koningsdam, Holland America Line: GT: 99,000 Pax: 2,660 Launch: April 2016
5. Ovation of the Seas, Royal Caribbean: GT: 167,800 Pax: 4,180 Launch: April 2016
6. Harmony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean: GT: 225,282 Pax: 5,400 Launch: April 2016
7. Viking Sea, Viking Ocean Cruises: GT: 48,000 Pax: 928 Launch: June 2016
8. Regent Seven Seas Explorer: GT: 54,000 Pax: 738 Launch: July 2016
9. Encore, Seabourn: GT: 40,350 Pax: 604 Launch: September 2016
10. Genting World, Star Cruises: GT: 150,000 Pax: 3,360 Launch: November 2016

Total capacity in 2016 entering into service: 27,556 passengers +46% on 2015. Some 23 million people are expected to Cruise in 2016 and roughly half of his will be North American.

Clearly these figures demonstrate that the Cruise Industry is sailing ahead, regardless of worldwide financial jitters and potential global instability. To make these expansion possible Cruise Lines need to entertain new source markets, such as the Chinese and Asians in general, but all markets are being tapped from Russian and Turkish, to Indian, Arab and African.

There is a long way to go before penetration rates even in Europe are anywhere near the limit, so the Cruise Industry remains to be the good news success story of Tourism, as so many jobs are generated and cultures engaged.