How many cruise tickets are sold each year in the U.S. and Europe?
What % are sold offline through travel agents?

Hello Jasongriffith,


Profile of the U.S. Cruise Industry

?More than 11 million people took a cruise vacation in 2005.?

?Ninety percent of all cruise vacations are booked through travel
agents, and cruise sales account for more than half of all vacation
sales among travel agents.?

Source: The 2006 Cruise Industry Source Book profiles 
http://www.cruising.org/press/sourcebook2006/profile_cruise_industry.cfm


North American Passengers (2004)

9,107,000  Passengers

?The differences between Internet research and booking continue. About
one in three Internet enabled travelers indicate a likelihood of
communicating online with a travel agent about a cruise (33%) but just
one in four (23%) will actually book through this agent. Cruisers are
somewhat more likely to consult a travel agent than non-cruiser
vacationers (36% vs. 31%), but the two traveler types are equally
willing to book through an agent (23% vs. 24%).?

Travel Agent Usage - Cruises

?Four out of five (80%) cruisers book at least some of their cruises
with travel agents; Luxury and Premium passengers seem more inclined
to consult them than those choosing Destination and Contemporary
lines.?

CLIA: Spring 2005
http://www.cruising.org/press/overview/Spring2005.pdf



North America

?North America dominates the world market for cruising with an
estimated 9.8 million passengers in 2004 or 73% of the world total of
13.4 million passengers. With a population of nearly 330 million
that?s equivalent to a penetration rate of 4% or 1 in 25 North
Americans cruising each year. ?


Europe

?Western Europe with a population of approximately 395 million has
only 2.8 million passengers, equivalent to a penetration rate of less
than 1% of Western Europeans cruising each year. The difference
between the North American and Western European markets illustrates
the enormous untapped potential of Western Europe as a source market
although Western Europe does not have the homogenous consumer base
that has encouraged the development of the North American market.?
       
IRN Research
http://www.irn-research.com/EuropeanArticle.htm


Europe
Year        Passengers (000s) 
2003        2,672 
2004        2,835 
2005        3,216

European Cruise Council Statistics 2005
Published: 24th March 2006
http://www.irn-research.com/downloads/ECC2005Statistics.pdf


The vast majority of cruise bookings ? 86% in 2004 (90% for
flycruises) continue to come through travel agents.

Source: Annual cruise review 2004 International UK
http://www.irn-research.com/downloads/2004_acr.pdf


Cruisestat - annual report on the UK Cruise Market
http://www.irn-research.com/cruise-stat.htm



Search terms used: 
U.S.  Cruise Industry + statistics
European Cruise industry statistics


I hope the information provided is helpful!

Best Regards,
Bobbie7