According to the State of the Cruise Industry 2026 report , published by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 7 out of 10 cruise passengers participate in organized excursions at the destinations they visit during their voyage. Furthermore, 64% spend at least one night in the embarkation/disembarkation city, and approximately 60% return to places they first visited during their cruise.
Thus, the nature of this type of tourism continues to evolve, with a growing trend towards more immersive travel that includes:
- Carefully selected excursions that offer more personalized and memorable experiences.
- Greater cultural commitment, with a focus on local heritage and communities.
- More time at destinations, allowing for a more flexible and enriching visit.
CLIA's Executive Director for Europe, Nikos Mertzanidis, comments: “Enjoying a cruise means discovering destinations and creating lasting connections. This year's report shows that, globally, around 60% of passengers return to the places they first visited on their voyage, extending the benefits of tourism beyond the trip itself.” He adds, “Itineraries are planned well in advance and in coordination with ports and destinations; local economies across Europe are boosted by this predictable and highly organized form of tourism.”
Spain, as an originating market
The aforementioned report states that 635,000 residents in Spain enjoyed a cruise in 2025, representing a 4.1% increase compared to 2024. This figure places the country in fourth and ninth position in the ranking of European and global source markets respectively.
Regarding their profile, they have an average age of 44.7 years; they travel mainly through the Mediterranean and Northern Europe and their journey has an average duration of 7.2 days.
CLIA's director in Spain, Alfredo Serrano, values this result: "The sustained and sustainable growth that Spain is experiencing as a source market is the materialization of the great work that shipping companies have been doing for years to bring their proposal closer and adjust it to the tastes and needs of the Spanish customer, which is added to the ease of being able to embark in numerous ports on our coast."
With nearly 9 million European passengers expected in 2025, demand continues to grow, supported by high repeat business and increased interest among first-time cruisers. Approximately 90% of tourists who have already taken a cruise intend to choose this option again.
Long-term investments
As demand develops, the composition of the fleet also transforms: the picture shows a balanced and flexible mix of ship sizes, reflecting the diversity of experiences available to passengers.
Furthermore, as a sector committed to Europe – both from a market and manufacturing perspective – it continues its investment. Thus:
- In 2026, 8 new ships (CLIA member fleet) will enter service, representing an investment of $6.6 billion.
- The construction of more than 60 ships is planned until 2037, which is equivalent to an investment of 71 billion dollars.
- 57% of the ships in the shipyards' order book are designed to be powered by engines that allow high flexibility in terms of fuel use ( multifuel), reflecting the ongoing effort to support the transition to new energy solutions.
Economic impact
In 2024, the cruise sector in Spain supported approximately 64,000 jobs; it had an economic contribution of €8.6 billion and contributed €3.9 billion to the country's GDP. Of this nearly €4 billion, 45% was linked to the cruise lines themselves.
In European terms, it supported 445,000 jobs and contributed €64.1 billion to the economy, including €28 billion in direct contribution to GDP.
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