The number of Australians taking cruise holidays has overtaken
pre-pandemic levels, according to new data released by Cruise Lines
International Association (CLIA).
Figures for 2023 show the number of Australians who took an ocean
cruise during the calendar year reached 1.25 million, slightly above the
1.24 million who sailed in 2019.
“Australians have not just returned to cruising, they’ve come back
with enormous enthusiasm and at a faster pace than in other markets
worldwide,” said CLIA managing director in Australasia Joel Katz.
CLIA’s figures also show a revival in the number of overseas visitors
cruising in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, which reached
217,000 during 2023, a similar level to 2019.
Australians showed a preference for close-to home itineraries – about
84.8% cruised within Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific
during 2023, up from 72.5% in 2019.
The figures also show a fall in the average age of Australian
cruisers as the sector continued to attract younger generations. The
average age of an Australian cruise passenger was 48.4 years in 2023,
down from 50.4 in 2019.
Other points from the report:
- Cruising’s market penetration rate in Australia was close to 5% –
almost one in every 20 Australians took an ocean cruise, one of the
highest rates in the world.
- The average duration of an ocean cruise taken by Australians in 2023
was 8.1 days, down from 9.0 days in 2019, reflecting the rise in
short-break cruises offered by cruise lines.
- The most popular cruise region for Australians in 2023 was
Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific (84.8%), followed by the
Mediterranean (5.3%), Asia (2.5%), Alaska (1.9%), Northern Europe
(1.0%), the Caribbean (1.0%), Trans-Atlantic & World Cruises (0.8%),
Hawaii & the US West Coast (0.7%) and Expedition Cruises (0.7%).
- At 1.25 million passengers, Australia was the world’s fourth largest
cruise market in 2023, behind the United States (16.9 million), Germany
(2.5 million) and the United Kingdom (2.2 million).