In a continuation of the cruise industry`s strong 2003 performance, the member fleets of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) carried 2,419,921 worldwide guests…
In a continuation of the cruise industry`s strong 2003 performance, the member fleets of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) carried 2,419,921 worldwide guests in the first quarter of 2004, a 9.13% increase over the same period in 2003. North American passengers grew 6.8% during the same period, to 2,071,797 guests in the first quarter of 2004, up from 1,939,841 first-quarter guests one year ago. Cruise line guests sourced from outside of North America increased 25.42% year-over-year to 348,124.
The 2004 first-quarter passenger figures are new statistics released today by CLIA, whose member lines represent over 95% of the cruise capacity marketed in North America. In addition to the growing passenger totals, CLIA cruise lines also posted a 103.3% occupancy factor in the first quarter of 2004, up 2 percentage points from the 101.3% occupancy posted one year ago.
The CLIA lines` positive first-quarter figures are another result of the successful partnership between the cruise lines and the travel agents who sell the overwhelming majority of cruises, as well as the industry`s emphasis on meeting our guests` vacation desires, said Terry L. Dale, CLIA`s president and CEO. These figures confirm cruising`s broad appeal, high value and the traveling consumers` increased demand for a vacation at sea.
CLIA`s first-quarter passenger carryings report also found:
- First-quarter 2004 capacity was up 6.82% compared with 2003 (to 16,533,133 available bed-days from 15,496,319 in 2003).
- Itineraries of 9 to 17 days showed the highest rate of growth, with 25.6% more passengers in 2004 compared with a year earlier (277,743 to 221,078). Itineraries of one to five days declined 1.3% (from 631,903 to 623,575), while six- to eight-day itineraries grew 7.74% (from 1,077,043 to 1,160,448).
- The average length of cruise in the first quarter was 7.09 days versus 7.16 days for the same period in 2003.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
