The Cruise Industry Is Still Exploding in Asia But Prices Are Under Pressure
Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean International's Mariner of the Seas in Hong Kong. The number of Chinese cruise passengers grew 40 percent last year. Royal Caribbean International
Skift Take
While the tone has changed this year in conversations about China — lower prices will do that — executives say they still believe in the market for the long term.
One of the biggest stories in the cruise industry over the past few years has been the rapid growth of cruising in Asia — and specifically China, where new ships are being deployed every year.
Cruise lines praised the high prices they were able to command for sailings in China as well as the opportunity that they saw in a growing middle class.
Last year, according to a study released Thursday by Cruise Lines International Association, the number of Chinese passengers grew 40 percent to 986,000. Throughout Asia, the total number of cruise passengers jumped 24 percent to nearly 2.1 million in 2015.
Capacity in Asia grew 51 percent this year; according to CLIA, overall capacity on ocean ships will
