Australia is gearing up for one of its biggest years ever for cruise tourism in 2024. According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), that means more local ships, more sailings and more cabins than ever before. So pretty much more everything.
Did we mention more ships? CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz says there will be major capacity expansions across the cruising sector… and that’s just the start.
“We will see 81 cruise ships operating in Australian waters over the course of 2024, which is 14 per cent more than last year,” he says.
“Many of these ships will be staying longer and offering more local sailings, which means Australia will welcome more than 3,700 port calls around the country – an 18 per cent increase over last year.”
This outcome, states Katz, equates to more choices for cruise holidaymakers and significant economic potential for communities along the Aussie coast.
“The total cruise passenger capacity in Australia this year will be up by 42 per cent over 2023, which reflects the huge passion Australians have for cruising and the strong overseas interest in sailing down under,” he says.
“Cruising delivered a record economic impact worth $5.6 billion to the national economy last financial year, and all signs suggest cruise tourism will continue to be enormously valuable to Australia throughout 2024 and well beyond.”
Global cruising outlook
Internationally, 2024 will see the introduction of several new ships as cruise lines invest billions of dollars in a more advanced and sustainable world fleet.
After launching 13 new ocean cruise ships in 2023, CLIA cruise lines are gearing up to welcome an additional nine in the upcoming year.
“The incoming fleet of new ocean ships illustrates the huge diversity of cruising styles available to today’s traveller around the world,” Katz says.
“This year’s launches include a mix of contemporary ships, luxury ships and expedition ships, from an equally broad range of cruise lines.
“Together these ships will be among the most advanced and energy-efficient ships to have ever sailed, and the choices they offer demonstrate why there is a cruising style to suit almost any taste.”
Get up to speed with our latest cruise update from cruise contributor Sally Macmillan.
