2016 Marseille cruise activity report
A real driver of tourism, the cruise industry is showing positive results: with 1.6 million passengers (+10% vs 2015) and more than 500 stops this year, the region is now reaping the rewards of a shared commitment of local actors, initiated 20 years ago.
Back to 2016
The seasonality is reduced with stopovers and departures proposed all the year; Sign of the growing attractiveness for the Marseille destination.
More than 5,000 passengers on average traveled through Marseille every day from April to November - the threshold of 6,000 daily passengers was even crossed in July / August - and they are close to 2,000 daily passengers / day during the winter months.
A wide choice of cruises in the Mediterranean was offered from Marseille by the companies Costa Cruises, MSC Cruises, Cruises of France, and Norwegian Cruise Line (353 cruises - 500,000 passengers).
Because it generates pre-stays in Marseille and Provence, this offer is today a considerable asset for the destination, which the Club of the Cruise Marseille Provence and its partners are working to develop especially via international boarding .
Outlook for next year
- The overall strengthening of the positioning of Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises (in pax and stopovers), notably with the positioning of the MSC Meraviglia, the new MSC Cruise Admiral, from June 2017;
- The repositioning of the Royal Carribean Cruise Lines ships: to the program of more stopovers for the smaller capacity Freedom of the Seas, replacing the Harmony of the Seas which will remain in the Caribbean throughout the year;
- Norwegian Cruise Line: the Norwegian Spirit will make a stopover in Marseille while the Norwegian Epic will be repositioned part of the year on Palma de Mallorca;
- The development of Thomson Cruises / TUI uk with three positioned vessels (Celebration, Discovery 2 and Majesty); A rich program of stopovers of luxury cruise ships.
Top 10 on the horizon 2020
Given the prospects for sustainable growth, developments in the port area and the increasing attractiveness of the Marseille destination, the Marseille Provence Cruise Club reaffirms today its ambition to position Marseille in the world top 10 cruise ports by 2020, with 2 million passengers (total pax: transit + headend).