A total of 48,300 cruises were taken by Irish passengers in 2018, signifying a growth of 8.3 per cent from the previous year, according to the latest figures released by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

The new figures also highlight how there has been an 8.3 per cent rise in Irish cruise passengers from 2016 to 2017, which suggests that there will be continued growth from this market going forward with more Irish holidaymakers booking cruises.

Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland director, said: “It’s fantastic to see that more and more Irish travellers are choosing to cruise for their holiday.

“The figures released today by CLIA bear testament to Ireland’s rapidly expanding cruise market, demonstrating the opportunity for Irish travel agents to grow their businesses through selling cruise.”

According to the latest statistics, the average age of Irish passengers is 48; slightly lower than the age demographic of European cruise passengers, Harmer believes this suggests how cruises are becoming increasingly more appealing to a younger demographic.

He commented: “The average age of 48 years for Irish cruise guests illustrates that cruises are becoming increasingly popular for families and the younger generation. In fact, figures showed that Irish passengers aged between zero and 39 years were the highest ever recorded last year.

“With cruise lines continuing to expand their offerings both onboard and ashore, ensuring that there is something to suit every age and taste, it’s not hard to see why cruise holidays have this ever-growing appeal to families and millennials.”

The western and central Mediterranean came out on top as the most popular destination for Irish holidaymakers, followed closely by the Caribbean – collectively, these destinations make up 62 per cent of all cruises taken.

These destinations also attract the youngest demographic, most likely due to them being popular among families.

Harmer added: “Thanks to the large deployment of incredible ships offering an amazing choice of itineraries in Europe and the Caribbean, these destinations remain the most popular for Irish travellers.

“As more cruise lines homeport ships in Dublin – this year Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises both have ships sailing roundtrip from the city – travelling around Europe has never been easier, offering a stress-free way to explore many must-see destinations.

“The destination is one of the most important factors in the decision making process when booking a holiday, and so rather than focusing on the maritime language when selling a cruise, travel agents should focus on the incredible ports and shore excursions a cruise holiday offers, all with the luxury of only having to unpack once.”

These latest figures follow on from the exciting news earlier this year on how the number of British and Irish cruise passengers surpassed two million for the first time in 2018.