Last year, the German cruise business again recorded impressive increases in sales. A total of 2.2 million holidaymakers opted for a sea or river cruise, bringing passenger numbers to new record levels. The extremely positive result is mainly due to the rapid growth in the ocean cruise segment. The cruise business is becoming increasingly important for the entire travel market. This is the outcome of surveys on the German cruise market conducted by the German Travel Association (DRV), Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) Germany and IG RiverCruise, which were presented at the ITB Berlin in March 2015.
The total cruise business, including river and ocean cruises, now accounts for more than 13 percent of all tour operator sales. Included are sales for travel to and from ports.
Thus, the cruise success story continues. When the DRV presented its first survey on the ocean cruise market back in 1993, the segment was still in its early stages. At that time, only about 183,000 German guests booked a holiday trip on an ocean cruise liner. At that time, cruises were the preferred way of travelling of wealthy customers at an advanced age. Since then, i.e. over the last 21 years, the number of guests has increased tenfold! With only about 53,000 German guests in 1993, also the river cruise business still operated on a small scale at that time. This has fundamentally changed: Over the last 21 years, the number of guests has increased eightfold, since river cruises are becoming increasingly popular as well.
Over the last two decades the cruise market changed completely. Now offerings are tailored to the specific demands of customers in terms of content and price, providing the right offering for every target group. The market and the products on offer for cruise passengers are growing: This year alone six new ocean liners will be put into service. The course for growth is set.
New record in passenger numbers: Ocean cruises are more popular than ever with German guests
Last year, more Germans than ever before went on an ocean cruise. In 2014, a total of 1.77 million guests spent their holidays aboard a cruise liner, corresponding to a growth of 5.0 percent (2013: 1.69 million guests). Thus, Germany may now well be the biggest market for ocean cruises in Europe. This was established by the survey "Der Hochseekreuzfahrtenmarkt Deutschland 2014" (The German sea cruise market in 2014) conducted for CLIA Germany, the German branch of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
"Within ten years, the number of passengers more than tripled. With 1.77 million guests and a total of 15.63 million overnight stays, cruise companies set a new record in passenger numbers," says Michael Ungerer, Chairman of CLIA Germany. "By combining lifestyle with variety and comfort at an unrivalled price benefit ratio, cruises have become an attractive way of travelling for all generations. This also explains their high growth potential.
The vast majority of German passengers (80 percent) prefer European destinations: In 2014, the Mediterranean was again among the most popular destinations of German passengers (2014: 32.1 percent 2013: 33.5 percent). In addition, more than one third of German passengers went on a cruise across Northern and Western Europe and the Baltic Sea last year (2014: 36 percent; 2013: 32 percent). However, tour operators' catalogues now also include more and more exotic routes.