That dollar amount results from an average 46.5% increase for all cruise ship exporters over the five-year period starting in 2018 when cruise ship exports were worth $10.3 billion.
Year over year, the value of globally exported cruise ships accelerated by 27.4% compared to $11.8 billion for 2021.
The 5 biggest exporters of cruise ships in 2022 were Italy, France, Germany, Finland and mainland China. Collectively, that quintet of major suppliers generated over four-fifths (81.9%) of worldwide cruise ship exports.
Among continents, suppliers in Europe sold the highest dollar worth of exported cruise ships during 2022 with shipments valued at $13 billion or 86.3% of the worldwide total. In second place were Asian exporters at 13.2%.
Tinier percentages came from providers in Africa (0.4%), North America (0.04%), Latin America (0.01%) plus the Caribbean, then Oceania’s New Zealand, Samoa and Fiji (0.001%).
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code prefix is 890110 for cruise ships, excursion boats and similar vessels.
Exported Cruise Ships by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of cruise ships during 2022. Cruise ships are highly capital intensive and take a relatively long time to manufacture.
- Italy: US$4.5 billion (30.2% of exported cruise ships)
- France: $3.6 billion (23.6%)
- Germany: $2.1 billion (13.9%)
- Finland: $1.4 billion (9.6%)
- China: $705.8 million (4.7%)
- Saudi Arabia: $537 million (3.6%)
- Spain: $531.5 million (3.5%)
- Norway: $511.4 million (3.4%)
- Türkiye: $277.3 million (1.8%)
- India: $243.5 million (1.6%)
- Poland: $164.5 million (1.1%)
- Netherlands: $52.7 million (0.4%)
- Singapore: $45.7 million (0.3%)
- Romania: $42 million (0.3%)
- Nigeria: $41.6 million (0.3%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 98.2% of globally exported cruise ships in 2022.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of cruise ships since 2021 were: Saudi Arabia (up 2,669%), Spain (up 379.1%), France (up 225.7%) and India (up 168.3%).
Major suppliers that posted declines in their international sales of cruise ships were led by: Romania (down -88.3% from 2021), Poland (down -56.3%), Singapore (down -47.2%), Netherlands (down -41.9%) and Türkiye (down -27.8%).
Cruise Ship Countries With Competitive Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for cruise ships during 2022. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported cruise ships and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Italy: $4.5 billion (up 308%)
- France: $3.5 billion (up 242.4%)
- Germany: $2 billion (down -16.8%)
- Finland: $1.4 billion (up 41%)
- China: $705.7 million (reversing an -$18.6 million deficit)
- Saudi Arabia: $526.5 million (up 6774.4%)
- Norway: $443.6 million (down -12.3%)
- Spain: $408.4 million (up 660.2%)
- Türkiye: $277.2 million (down -27.6%)
- India: $198 million (down -556.4%)
- Poland: $104.5 million (down -70%)
- Singapore: $45.7 million (down -45.1%)
- Romania: $40.7 million (down -88.3%)
- Netherlands: $36.3 million (down -47.8%)
- United Arab Emirates: $20.6 million (up 901.6%)
A subset of European nations generated the highest surplus in the international trade of cruise ships. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms those European country’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Cruise Ship Countries Facing Competitive Disadvantages
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for cruise ships during 2022. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported cruise ship purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- Gibraltar: -US$528.6 million (2021 data unavailable)
- Estonia: -$262.1 million (reversing a $24.2 million surplus in 2021)
- Denmark: -$137.7 million (net export deficit down -19.5% from 2021)
- Canada: -$126.9 million (down -58.3%)
- Israel: -$83.5 million (reversing a $66,000 surplus)
- Switzerland: -$74.8 million (down -72.1%)
- Russia: -$73.1 million (up 7,954%)
- Philippines: -$43.5 million (reversing a $44.4 million surplus)
- Greece: -$42.4 million (reversing a $19.6 million surplus)
- Cameroon: -$34.9 million (up 25973.9%)
- Taiwan: -$33 million (up 134%)
- Australia: -$29.5 million (down -30.4%)
- Ecuador: -$27 million (reversing a $479,000 surplus)
- Croatia: -$11.4 million (reversing a $221.1 million surplus)
- Gabon: -$9.8 million (up 37.2%)
A relatively small competitor, Gibraltar, incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of cruise ships. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights Gibraltar’s strong competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for cruise ship-making countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Major Cruise Line Companies
Below are cruise lines currently in operation, with the country where their headquarters is located within parenthesis.
- AIDA Cruises (Germany)
- AmaWaterways (United States)
- American Cruise Lines (United States)
- Avalon Waterways (United States)
- Azamara Club Cruises (United States)
- Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line (United States)
- Birka Line (Finland)
- Carnival Cruise Line (United States/ United Kingdom)
- CDF Croisières de France (France)
- Celebrity Cruises (United States)
- Celestyal Cruises (Cyprus)
- Compagnie du Ponant (France)
- Costa Cruises (Italy)
- Cruise & Maritime Voyages (United Kingdom)
- Crystal Cruises (Japan)
- Cunard Line (United Kingdom)
- Disney Cruise Line (United Kingdom)
- European Waterways (United Kingdom)
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines (United Kingdom)
- Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (Germany)
- Holland America Line (United States (originally Netherlands))
- Hurtigruten (Norway)
- Kristina Cruises (Finland)
- Majestic International Cruises (Greece)
- The Majestic Line (United Kingdom)
- Mano Maritime (Israel)
- MSC Cruises (Italy)
- Norwegian Cruise Line (United States (originally Norway))
- Oceania Cruises (United States)
- Orion Expedition Cruises (Australia)
- P&O Cruises (United Kingdom)
- P&O Cruises Australia (Australia)
- Paul Gauguin Cruises (United States)
- Peter Deilmann Cruises (Germany)
- Phoenix Reisen (Germany)
- Polar Star Expeditions (Canada)
- Portside (Brazil)
- Poseidon Expeditions (United Kingdom)
- Princess Cruises (United States)
- Pullmantur Cruises (Spain)
- Quark Expeditions (United States)
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises (United States)
- Royal Caribbean International (United States)
- Saga Cruises (United Kingdom)
- Seabourn Cruise Line (United States)
- SeaDream Yacht Club (Norway)
- Silversea Cruises (United States/ Italy)
- Star Cruises (Malaysia)
- Swan Hellenic (United Kingdom)
- Thomson Cruises (United Kingdom)
- Transocean Tours (Germany)
- TUI Cruises (Germany)
- Uniworld River Cruises (United States)
- Un-Cruise Adventures (United States)
- Viking Cruises (United States)
- Windstar Cruises (United States)
See also Car Exports by Country, Helicopters Exports by Country and Truck Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on November 1, 2023
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on November 1, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on November 1, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on November 1, 2023
Wikipedia, List of cruise lines. Accessed on November 1, 2023