News Releases

Cruise Passengers: Q4/2024

NR 010/2025
Release Date: 20 January 2025

Total cruise passenger traffic during the fourth quarter of 2024 amounted to 176,812, an increase of 4.6 per cent over the same quarter of last year.
Valletta,,Malta,-,Cruise,Ship,Sailing,Into,Grand,Harbor,At

There were 92 cruise liner calls during the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 10 when compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Transit passengers accounted for the absolute majority of total traffic, reaching 166,564 (94.2 per cent). On average, every vessel that berthed in Malta carried 1,922 passengers, 140 less than the previous year. 

Passengers from EU Member States comprised 36.2 per cent of total traffic. The major markets were Italy, accounting for 10.2 per cent of the total passengers, followed by Germany, with 8.8 per cent. The total number of passengers from non-EU countries stood at 112,806, of whom 18.1 per cent came from the United Kingdom and 44.8 per cent came from the United States.

On a gender basis, female passengers made up 54.1 per cent of the total. The largest share of passengers fell within the 60-79 age bracket (46.2 per cent) and were followed by those aged between 40 and 59 years (27.4 per cent) (Table1).

January-December 2024

During 2024, total cruise passengers stood at 849,088. Of these, 41.5 per cent came from EU Member States.

The majority of the passengers were females amounting to 456,176 or 53.7 per cent of the total. Most passengers were between 60 and 79 years old, totalling 317,033 (37.3 per cent). These were followed by passengers aged 40-59 years, reaching 256,761 (30.2 per cent).

There were 363 cruise liner calls during the year, with an average of 2,339 passengers per vessel, compared to 309 calls and an average of 2,636 passengers per vessel in 2023 (Table 2).

Chart 1. Total cruise passenger traffic

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Methodological Notes

1. The data in this release is compiled on the basis of administrative records supplied by Transport Malta.
 
2. Cruise liners calling at both Malta and Gozo during a single voyage are recorded as one cruise liner call.
 
3. The majority of passengers embarking on cruise liners from Malta generally end their trip at the same destination. Embarkations are therefore not included in total traffic figures, in order to avoid double counting. This measure was adopted as from News Release no. 079/2013, dated 23 April 2013. The referred news release also includes figures for 2011 and 2012.
 
4. For clarity, embarkation figures for the period under review are being provided:
Embarkations202220232024
October-December6,7426,6089,618
January-December71,244103,650113,004

5. Definitions:
 
  • Cruise passenger traffic: comprises transit passengers and passengers who land in Malta.
  • Embarkations: comprise all cruise passengers who are either Maltese or who are foreigners who arrive in Malta by other means of transport.
  • Transit passengers: comprise all cruise passengers who arrive in and leave Malta on the same cruise ship.
  • Landed passengers: comprise all cruise passengers who arrive in Malta on a cruise ship and leave by other means of transport, or alternatively, stay in Malta.
  • Passengers staying overnight: comprise passengers who spend at least one night on the Maltese Islands, either onboard the cruise ship or on land.
  • Average number of passengers per vessel: computed by dividing total cruise passenger traffic by the number of cruise liner calls.
 

6. A detailed news release calendar is available online.

7. References to this news release are to be cited appropriately. For guidance on access and re-use of data please visit our dedicated webpage.

8. For further assistance send your request through our online request form.

Cruise Passengers: Q4/2024  

NR 010/2025
Release Date: 20 January 2025

Valletta,,Malta,-,Cruise,Ship,Sailing,Into,Grand,Harbor,At
  • Total cruise passenger traffic during the fourth quarter of 2024 amounted to 176,812, an increase of 4.6 per cent over 2023.
  • There were 92 cruise liner calls during the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 10 when compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year.
  • The United States, United Kingdom, and Italy were the top three markets for the fourth quarter of 2024.
  • Total cruise passenger traffic during 2024 amounted to 849,088, an increase of 4.2 per cent over 2023.
  • There were 363 cruise liner calls during 2024, an increase of 54 when compared to the previous year.

Cruise Passengers: Q4/2024

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