CLIA State of the Cruise Industry Report
The industry’s most quoted annual report, and how to quote it correctly.
Turn Cruise Knowledge Into a CareerEach spring CLIA publishes its State of the Cruise Industry report. It is the single most quoted source of cruise industry statistics, so it is worth knowing how to read it — and how to quote it correctly.
The 2026 Edition in One Line
CLIA’s 2026 report, released in April 2026, said 37.2 million passengers cruised in 2025, a record and a 7.5% increase on 2024 (Seatrade Cruise News summary). Everything else in the report — source markets, destinations, demographics, fleet and forecasts — should be read and cited from the report itself, available on CLIA’s website.
What the Report Usually Covers
| Section | What it tells you | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger volume | How many people took cruises in the past year | It covers CLIA member lines; check the definition used |
| Source markets | Where cruisers come from, by region and country | Source market is where guests live, not where they sail |
| Destinations | Where ships sailed and which regions grew | Measured in passengers or capacity; read the footnotes |
| Traveler profile | Ages, first-timers vs repeaters, intentions to cruise again | Survey-based figures are not counts |
| Fleet and capacity | Ships and lower berths in the CLIA fleet, new ships coming | Capacity is berths, not passengers |
| Outlook | CLIA’s expectations for coming years | Forecasts are forecasts |
How to Quote the CLIA Report
- Name it fully: “CLIA, State of the Cruise Industry Report [year]”.
- Say which year the figure describes — the 2026 report describes 2025.
- Keep CLIA’s own wording for survey results (“intend to cruise again”, not “will cruise again”).
- Do not mix figures from different editions in one sentence.
- Link or point to the report, not to a blog that summarised it.
Other Annual Cruise Industry Reports
Cruise Industry News publishes its own annual industry report, with the 2026 edition announced in February 2026 (Cruise Industry News); it is a paid publication focused on fleet, capacity and the orderbook. Cruise lines’ parent companies also publish quarterly and annual financial reports, which are the primary source for business results.
Using the Figures With Clients
Most clients do not want statistics; they want reassurance. A single well-chosen figure — that cruising reached a record number of passengers in 2025, for example — helps a hesitant first-timer feel they are joining something popular. For clients new to cruising, First Time Cruise takes it from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CLIA State of the Cruise Industry report?
An annual report from Cruise Lines International Association, the cruise lines’ trade body, summarising passenger numbers, source markets, destinations, the fleet and the outlook. It is one of the most quoted sources of cruise industry statistics.
How many people cruised in 2025?
CLIA’s 2026 State of the Cruise Industry report put the figure at 37.2 million passengers in 2025, a record and a 7.5% increase on the year before, as reported by Seatrade Cruise News.
Where do I download the report?
From CLIA’s website, cruising.org, in its resources or research section. The site may block automated tools but opens normally in a browser.
Put the Numbers to Work
Be a Travel Agent helps new sellers turn cruise knowledge into bookings.
Become a Travel Agent