Record orders for cruiseships as passenger numbers keep rising

Orders for new cruiseships have reached a record-breaking 71 vessels of more than 40,000 gt.

Deliveries now stretch to 2027 if all current options are declared, shipbroker BRS said.

The cruise newbuilding binge follows what BRS described as another excellent year for the cruise industry in 2018, with passenger numbers still rising and huge potential in China.

However, the broker said continued optimism should be tempered slightly by the size of the orderbook, fuel regulations taking effect in 2020 and increased public awareness of the cruise industry’s impact on the environment.