According to the latest edition of "The Contribution of the International Cruise Industry to the U.S. Economy" for 2014 from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), U.S. cruise passengers set another record for 2014, with 11.33 million cruise travelers marking a 5.8 percent rise from the previous year.
That increase marks the industry's highest rate of growth since 2010. U.S.-sourced cruise passengers now stand 12 percent higher than in 2010. Cruise passenger embarkations at U.S. ports increased by 11 percent i 2014 to 11.06 million, another new high and the highest increase since 2004, when embarkations rose 13.9 percent. This increase was primarily the result of a redeployment of capacity from Europe to North America in response to stronger economic conditions, CLIA said.
Cruise Passenger Spending
Spending by cruise lines and cruise passengers in the U.S. also rose by 4.6 percent to $21 billion in 2014, 16.4 percent higher than in 2010 and another new peak. $15.63 billion in cruise line expenditures for goods and services, including capital expenditures, accounted for 74 percent of this direct spending, a 3.6 percent increase from 2013. Cruise line direct expenditures for wages and taxes paid to U.S. federal , state and local governments increased by 2.4 percent to $1.43 billion, or 7 percent of total direct expenditures. $3.96 billion in passenger and crew spending accounted for the remaining 19 percent of direct cruise industry spending. Passenger and crew spending increased by 8.9 percent, the sharpest increase since 2005 and a 16 percent increase since 2010.