Over the last few years, the cruise market has experienced some of the healthiest growth rates of all tourism-related industries, especially in Europe. Passenger numbers were up 21% between 2003 and 20051 and over the ten-year period up to 2005, the increase was 230%. For comparison, the far larger US market grew by ‘just’ 130% in the same period. Expectations are that between 2005 and 2015, a further 50% growth will be achieved2. Some of this growth can be attributed to general economic and demographic trends, which will put more people in the main cruise market segment of affluent pensioners.