New York City will see a record number of passengers taking cruise vacations this year, with an estimated total of around 1.5 million people boarding cruise ships from the cruise terminals in Manhattan and Brooklyn to embark on their sea voyages.
According to the business magazine “Crain’s”, this year has been a busy one for major cruise brands like Carnival, Norwegian, and Viking. The Economic Development Corporation of New York City (EDC) data shows that these three major cruise brands made a total of 238 stops at the Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan and Red Hook in Brooklyn. While the number of cruise stops at the Manhattan terminal decreased from 183 times last year to 159 times this year due to route adjustments by the cruise companies, the occupancy rate has increased. On the other hand, the cruise stops at the Brooklyn terminal have increased from last year to 79 times. As a result, approximately 1.5 million visitors boarded cruises from the two major terminals this year to start their sea journeys, an increase of about 100,000 people from last year’s 1.4 million, setting a new high. The previous record for cruise passengers in New York City before the pandemic was nearly 1.3 million people in 2018.
EDC spokesperson Jeff Holmes told “Crain’s” that cruises are the top choice for families traveling together, spanning two or more generations. Additionally, more and more young people are beginning to enjoy seaside vacations, with millennials and Generation X being the main drivers behind the growth of the cruise industry. Most of them head to tropical destinations like the Caribbean and Bermuda. The average age of cruise passengers is 46, but last year about 36% of passengers were under 40. According to customer surveys, the reasons passengers choose cruises are that they can visit multiple destinations in one trip and that sea vacations are often cheaper than land vacations, offering great value for money.
The number of cruise passengers in New York City is growing in sync with the global cruise industry. According to data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 31.7 million people worldwide boarded cruises last year, with an expected increase to 35.7 million this year and a projected surpassing of 40 million by 2027. Currently, the cruise industry accounts for only 2% of the global travel industry. J.P. Morgan’s research forecasts that by 2028, the cruise industry will represent about 3.8% of the $1.9 trillion global vacation market.