Largest Cruise Companies Projecting Significant 10-Year Annual Capacity Growth

MSC Magnifica.

The five largest cruise companies are projected to see dramatic capacity growth over the next 10 years, ranging from 114 percent for MSC Cruises to 36 percent for Royal Caribbean Cruises.

The projections are based on new ships to be introduced and known ship withdrawals and deployment changes.

Carnival Corporation is expected to grow its annual passenger capacity from approximately 11.1 million to 15.8 million passengers, for a 42 percent increase, and the largest industry-wide hike in terms of actual passengers, 4.7 million more passengers over 10 years.

MSC will see the second largest estimated increase in terms of actual passenger capacity, going from 2.1 million to 4.6 million, an increase of 2.5 million passengers, or 114 percent.

Royal Caribbean is projected to grow its annual passenger capacity from approximately 6.2 million to 8.4 million passengers, for 2.2 million more passengers, an increase of about 36 percent.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings will see its capacity go from 2.5 million to 3.5 million, climbing 1 million, a 40 percent increase.

Genting Hong Kong will grow its capacity from 1.2 million passengers to 2.0 million, for a 66 percent increase.

The largest industry-wide growth year will be 2020 with global passenger capacity increasing 7.9 percent from the previous year.