In 2023, 33.2 million cruise passengers sailed in the Mediterranean, which helped the region retain its second place in the market. Six of the cruise destinations in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean are also among the top 25 of the world’s busiest cruise ports.
At the same time, the increase in cruise calls was almost eight per cent.
They include Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia (Rome) and Pireaus (Athens), writes Cruise Hive.
The figures show that the region has not only recovered from the global pause caused by the pandemic, but also that it has seen a significant increase in cruise visitors.
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Many people want to go to Venice, but Venice does not want so many people. Overtourism has become a significant problem in the Italian canal city. Photo: Shutterstock / NTB
High on the wish list
Going on a cruise is for many the best way to experience the spectacular sights, sounds, food and culture around the Mediterranean. Not only are Venice, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia and Pireaus in the top 25 of the world’s busiest cruise ports, but the region boasts some of the largest ports.
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Ports such as Santorini, Portofino, Kotor and Dubrovnik are still high on the wish list of those who want to cruise. Therefore, all the largest cruise operators, from Carnival to Royal Caribbean, NCL and MSC, as well as smaller cruise lines such as Windstar, are represented with at least one vessel in the region all year round.
It shows in the figures that have been released by MedCruise, the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports. Ukraine and Israel are also part of this association. So are the Black Sea countries Romania and Bulgaria and the Red Sea countries Saudi Arabia and Egypt. In addition, Tunisia is included.
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In 2023, 33.2 million cruise passengers sailed in the Mediterranean, an increase of 6.59 percent compared to 2019. At the same time, the region experienced an increase of 7.91 percent in cruise calls in 2023 compared to 2019, a total of 14,670 calls, shows the figures obtained by Cruise Hive based on the MedCruise report.
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The figures ensure that the Mediterranean is now the second largest cruise market in the world, behind the Caribbean, but ahead of Western and Northern Europe, South America and Asia.
The Western Mediterranean remains the most popular, with 24,216,060 cruise passengers registered in 2023, during 9007 calls.
The Eastern Mediterranean welcomed 4,890,583 passengers and 2,893 calls in 2023. The Adriatic Sea, a region that includes ports such as Venice, Dubrovnik, Kotor and Trieste, welcomed 4,069,461 visitors and 2,720 cruise ship calls.
The figures for the Mediterranean are considered surprising, as the winter season is normally slow for cruises in this region compared to Asia and the Caribbean.
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Alanya in Turkey is also experiencing an increase in cruise tourism. Photo: Shutterstock / NTB
Challenging overtourism
The popularity of Mediterranean cruises is good news for the cruise lines and local businesses that depend on the revenue from millions of cruise passengers. But the influx of cruise ships has led to over-tourism which has become a problem for cities such as Santorini, Venice and Dubrovnik. They experience significant strain during the busy summer months due to the combination of land-based and sea-based tourism.
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– The sheer volume of guests can overwhelm local infrastructure, reduce the quality of life for residents and lower the quality of the experience for visitors. Environmental concerns are also a concern, writes Cruise Hive and adds:
– Meeting the challenges is crucial to maintaining the long-term viability of cruises in the Mediterranean. Balancing economic benefits with environmental innovation will be essential to ensure the region remains a popular destination.
