Australian cruise passengers hit record high

THE number of Australians taking cruising holidays has spiked. Find out which destinations at sea are the most popular.

cruise ship

ALMOST half a million Australians took a cruise last year, prompted by a strong dollar and an increasing number of ships sailing into local waters.

International Cruise Council Australasia figures showed Australian cruise passenger numbers rose 27 per cent last year, to 466,692, when compared to 2009.

Over the past eight years, Australian cruise numbers swelled by 306 per cent from 116,308 in 2002, achieving an average annual growth rate of 19 per cent.

The 2010 numbers reflected Australians' increasing appetite for cruising, boosted by the stronger dollar and an increase in the number of cruise ships visiting Australia, council chairman Gavin Smith said.

"Australians now have a record number of cruise ships sailing from ours shores throughout the year and clearly this is enticing more people to try a holiday at sea," Mr Smith said.

"We've also seen encouraging growth in international cruising, particularly in markets like Europe where cruising provides an easy, relaxing way to see multiple destinations and the strength of the Australian dollar makes it more affordable."

The top destination for Australian cruise passengers was the South Pacific, which accounted for 37 per cent of the market, while Australia attracted 19 per cent and New Zealand 10 per cent.

Europe and Asia attracted eight per cent of passengers each, while Alaska appealed to four per cent and six per cent of passengers opted for a river cruise.

The 2010 result equated to 2.1 per cent of the population taking a cruise, compared to 1.7 per cent in 2009.

The cruise council is a not-for-profit organisation representing 25 cruise lines offering cruises to the market.