June 4, 2008 - The number of Britons now cruising continues to break all records, according to new figures puiblished by the Passenger Shipping Association.

The PSA's Annual Cruise Report, unveiled last night, shows that 1.33 million British people cruised in 2007, with the number predicted to increase to two million by 2012.

William Gibbons, director of the PSA which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, said: "There has been a sustained boom in cruising for the past decade, with the number of Brits taking a cruise holiday more then doubling. We expect to see that growth increase even further and predict that cruise holidays will grow from 1.33 million British cruise passengers in 2007, to 1.5 million this year.

"There are also 44 new cruise ships on order through to 2012 worth more than £12 billion so we expect more than two million British people will be enjoying cruise holidays in just four years. These new ship orders range from mega-ships through to small, intimate five-star ultra-luxury vessels. This diversity means the average age of cruise passengers has reached a record low and cruise holidays are attracting a greater range of travellers than ever before - from families, to ultra-luxury spa enthusiasts or adventurers."

Major areas of growth in 2007 included:

• Ultra-luxury cruise passengers increased by 12 per cent in 2007 to nearly 22,000, with passengers spending more than £350 a day - the increase primarily driven by a growth in winter cruising.
• Specialist cruising - from the Chilean fjords to cultural river cruises in China, Peru and Russia to adventurous Antarctic voyages - niche cruising is growing in popularity. Alaska cruises alone increased by nine per cent in 2007 - 130 per cent more than in 1997. There is now more variety in the specialist cruising market than ever before, with 17 cruise lines offering niche itineraries.
• UK departures and ports of call - A record number of cruise lines (52) included UK ports in their 2007 itineraries. According to Cruise Britain (formerly Cruise UK) a record 591,000 passengers set sail on their cruises from UK ports in 2007.

The PSA Annual Cruise Review also revealed that "ex UK" cruises, which leave and arrive back in Britain, have increased by 48 per cent since 2004 compared with a 22 per cent increase in flycruises. The growth in cruising from UK shores is set to continue in 2008. This year P&O Cruises, Cunard Line and Fred Olsen all have new ships cruising out of the UK, while Royal Caribbean International has introduced its largest ex-UK ship. Carnival Cruise Lines is offering its first ex-UK schedules and both Norwegian Cruise Line and or MSC Cruises are dedicating ships to the UK for the first time this summer.

Cruise passengers are also changing. The average age of British cruise passengers fell to 53 years old in 2007, compared to 55 years a decade ago. Cruise holidays in 2007 accounted for one in 14 foreign package holidays. In 1997 it was just one in 29.

There is also a high level of repeat cruise passengers - 51 per cent cruise once a year and 28 per cent cruise more than once. Nonetheless 38 per cent of passengers in 2007 had never cruised before.

But cruising isn't the only success story for the PSA to celebrate in its golden anniversary year. The PSA was similarly bullish about ferry travel. Ferry holidays have seen a modest increase for the second year in a row. A total of 42.6 million passenger ferry journeys were taken between British ports and the continent Ireland and British Islands in 2007 - an increase of 431,000 journeys from 2006. This is significant increase for the ferry industry after facing several consecutive years of falling numbers.

For information all aspects of cruising, including free fact-sheets and information on over 30 cruise lines call the Passenger Shipping Association on 020 7436 2449.