The cruise industry experienced significant growth in recent years, with 34.6 million passengers globally in 2024 and projections increasing to 37.7 million in 2025, as reported by the industry’s trade association.
In the previous year, 74,000 Portuguese nationals opted for cruise vacations, favoring the Mediterranean, followed by the Caribbean-Bahamas-Bermuda region and Northern Europe.
The average cruise duration for Portuguese passengers stood at 8.2 days, with an average age of 47.8 years.
Despite representing only 2% of worldwide travel and tourism, the cruise industry generated 156 billion euros globally in 2023.
Within Europe, the sector contributed 55 billion euros to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), supporting 440,000 jobs.
In Portugal, the industry generated 681 million euros in 2023, adding 322 million euros to the GDP and sustaining over 9,000 jobs.
“Cruises remain one of the most dynamic and resilient sectors of tourism. Our ability to attract new customers, welcome multigenerational groups, and offer diverse experiences underlines the vitality of our sector,” emphasized CLIA Europe’s executive director, Nikos Mertzanidis.
