Cruise industry in the United Kingdom (UK) - statistics & facts
Cruise tourism is a popular form of leisure travel in the United Kingdom. In 2022, the UK and Ireland ranked second among the largest source markets for cruise passengers in Europe, ahead of Italy and Spain. While cruise traffic in that region fell dramatically with the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the number of cruise passengers sourced from the United Kingdom and Ireland bounced back in 2022, reaching around 1.7 million. This figure, however, remained below pre-pandemic levels. When looking at the leading cruise destinations for British and Irish travelers, Northern Europe and the Central & Western Mediterranean reported the highest figures, welcoming more than 400 thousand cruise guests each in 2022.
