2008 was a record year for UK cruising

The Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) has announced another record year for the UK cruise industry, with nearly 1.5 million passengers taking a cruise in 2008, an 11 per cent increase compared to 2007. The latest statistics reveal a 23 per cent increase in the number of people joining their cruise in a UK port, while the number of fly-cruise passengers increased by 4 per cent.

PSA believes the launch of P&O Cruises’ Ventura, Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas, Fred Olsen’s lengthened Balmoral, and the first full year of service for Cunard’s Queen Victoria, along with ship launches for Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America and MSC, all contributed to the record numbers. The decision by several lines, including MSC, NCL, Princess and Royal Caribbean, to increase the number of British port departures contributed to an additional 110,000 passengers choosing to begin their cruise in the UK in 2008, the Association points out.

With no new UK dedicated capacity planned for this year, PSA expects to see similar passenger numbers in 2009 as in 2008. Further growth is expected next year, however, as a number of new ship launches, including Celebrity’s Celebrity Eclipse, Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth and P&O Cruises’ Azura, are all dedicated to the UK market.