Strong Demand Fuels First-Quarter Passenger Growth For CLIA-Member Companies

Hefty consumer demand for seagoing vacations drove robust passenger growth in the first three months of 2005 as the member fleets of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) carried 2.63 million worldwide guests in the first quarter of 2005, an 8.9 percent increase over the same period in 2004.

The 2005 first-quarter passenger figures are new statistics released this week by CLIA, an organization that comprises 19 member cruise lines. In addition to the growing passenger totals, CLIA cruise lines also posted impressive occupancy figures, with a 104.3 percent occupancy factor in the first quarter of 2005, compared with 103.3 percent for the year prior.

“The cruise industry´s strong first-quarter 2005 passenger totals provide further evidence of the fertile consumer interest and demand for cruise vacations,” said Terry L. Dale, president and CEO of CLIA, the cruise industry´s chief marketing and training organization.

“As the cruise lines continue to attract more and more consumers through non-stop innovation and new onboard options, CLIA-member agencies also continue to play a key role, providing today´s consumers with the latest cruise product information and unmatched counsel and sales expertise,” Dale added.