Cruise Passenger Travel Increases by 11 Percent

Cruise lines carried 11 percent more passengers from U.S. ports in the first quarter of 2003 than they did in the same period last year reported the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD). Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International maintain the largest market share among the top 10 cruise lines, accounting for 32.7 and 26.4 percent, respectively.

The statistics are part of a new statistical series issued by MARAD on U.S. cruise passenger traffic, which covers the 10 major cruise lines operating cruise ships with a capacity greater than 750 passengers. The cruise lines included in the database are Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Costa Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Crystal Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Cunard Line.