Source: MedCruise (2020). MedCruise Statistics 2019. MedCruise: Tenerife.
The seasonality of cruise activities does not restrict the development of a cruise region. The Mediterranean and its adjoining seas have evolved into a highly dynamic cruise region with a highly seasonal pattern of cruise activity. Each month of the May-October period sees traffic shares of 10-12% in a most balanced way. In total, 75% of the cruise passenger movements that take place annually in this cruise region happen during these six months. The share of the total passenger movements registered during the three winter months (January, February, December) stands at only 7%, of the total annual movements. This has triggered discussions among stakeholders on how to achieve year-round activities.
Detailing the total number of cruise calls per month reveals that winter activities are associated with single-call operations of a different size than in the rest of the year. In the Mediterranean example, fewer than 850 calls out of an annual total exceeding 12,500 occur from December to February. Yet, in these months, each call is associated, on average, with more passengers; January has the highest passenger rate per call (2,314 pax), followed by February (2,153 pax) and December (2,095 pax). Cruise lines develop fewer itineraries as vessels are repositioned, leading to cruises with a substantially higher level of utilization. From a port and destination perspective, respective operational adjustments are essential.