That dollar amount results from an average 49.7% boost for all cruise ship exporters over the five-year period starting in 2017 when cruise ship exports were worth $7.94 billion.
Year over year, the value of globally exported cruise ships accelerated by 29% compared to $9.21 billion for 2020.
Top 5 International Sellers of Cruise Ships
The five most lucrative sellers of cruise ships on global markets in 2021 were Italy, Germany, Finland, France, then Norway. Collectively, that quintet of major suppliers represents about three-quarters (75.4%) of sales from worldwide cruise ship exports.
Among continents, suppliers in Europe sold the highest dollar worth of exported cruise ships during 2021 with sales valued at $10.3 billion or 86.9% of the worldwide total. In second place were Asian exporters at 11.4%.
Smaller percentages came from providers in Latin America (1%) plus the Caribbean, Africa (0.5%), North America (0.21%), then Oceania (0.04%) led by New Caledonia and New Zealand.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code prefix is 890110 for cruise ships, excursion boats and similar vessels principally designed for the transportation of people.
Exported Cruise Ships by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of cruise ships during 2021.
- Italy: US$3.3 billion (27.6% of exported cruise ships)
- Germany: $2.7 billion (22.4%)
- Finland: $1.3 billion (10.7%)
- France: $1.1 billion (8.8%)
- Norway: $699.4 million (5.9%)
- Turkey: $384.2 million (3.2%)
- China: $381.7 million (3.2%)
- Poland: $376.1 million (3.2%)
- Romania: $359.9 million (3%)
- Croatia: $234.6 million (2%)
- Vietnam: $135.1 million (1.1%)
- Spain: $110.9 million (0.9%)
- India: $90.7 million (0.8%)
- Netherlands: $90.1 million (0.8%)
- Singapore: $86.7 million (0.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 94.4% of globally exported cruise ships in 2021.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of cruise ships since 2017 were: Croatia (up 8,242%), Spain (up 4,062%), Turkey (up 118.1%) and Norway (up 109.6%).
The major suppliers that posted declines in their international sales of cruise ships were: India (down -77.6%), Netherlands (down -31.8%), Poland (down -19.7%) and France (down -3.9%).
Countries with Competitive Advantages Trading Cruise Ships
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for cruise ships during 2021. 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.
- Germany: US$2 billion (net export surplus up 17.6% since 2017)
- Italy: $1.1 billion (down -56.8%)
- Finland: $1 billion (down -7.4%)
- France: $984.3 million (up 13.2%)
- Norway: $505.8 million (up 139.2%)
- Turkey: $382.7 million (up 118.4%)
- Poland: $348.1 million (up 50%)
- Romania: $347.4 million (up 22.5%)
- Croatia: $220.8 million (reversing a -$17.4 million deficit)
- Vietnam: $126.1 million (2020 data unavailable)
- Singapore: $83.2 million (up 114.1%)
- Netherlands: $68.4 million (down -34.3%)
- Japan: $68 million (up 40.4%)
- Oman: $57.1 million (reversing a -$60,000 deficit)
- Spain: $53.7 million (up 29,583%)
Led by economic powerhouse Germany, European nations generated the highest surplus in the international trade of cruise ships. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Europe’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Countries with Competitive Disadvantages Trading Cruise Ships
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for cruise ships during 2021. 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.
- Canada: -US$304.2 million (net export deficit up 524.9% since 2017)
- Marshall Islands: -$246.6 million (up 1,862%)
- Switzerland: -$237 million (down -33%)
- Denmark: -$171.2 million (reversing a $1.1 million surplus)
- Bahamas: -$115.2 million (2020 data unavailable)
- India: -$43.4 million (reversing a $308 million surplus)
- Australia: -$42.4 million (up 58.8%)
- Pakistan: -$32.7 million (up 6.6%)
- French Polynesia: -$31 million (2020 data unavailable)
- Lithuania: -$26.9 million (up 435.1%)
- Hong Kong: -$25.5 million (up 160.6%)
- Djibouti: -$20.9 million (2020 data unavailable)
- China: -$18.6 million (down -105.8%)
- Ghana: -$17.6 million (reversing a $23,000 surplus)
- United Arab Emirates: -$15.6 million (reversing a $1.04 million surplus)
Overtaking Switzerland in 2021, Canada incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of cruise ships. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights both countries’ strong competitive disadvantages for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for cruise ship-making countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Global Cruise Lines
Below are examples of cruise lines servicing the worldwide market. The country where the headquarters for each is located is shown 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 6, 2022
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on November 6, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on November 6, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on November 6, 2022
Wikipedia, List of cruise lines. Accessed on November 6, 2022
