Cruise Statistics Every Traveler Should Know: Why Safety and Health Preparedness Matters

Learn cruise statistics, destination risks, and health preparedness so you can travel smarter with CruiseAware

Cruising is one of the world’s most popular forms of travel. Millions of people sail each year, and many cruises visit several countries or ports in a single trip. That makes cruising convenient, enjoyable, and efficient — but it also means travelers may face changing health, safety, weather, transportation, and emergency conditions from one destination to the next.

Cruise travelers do not need to be fearful. They need to be informed.

That is the purpose of CruiseAware.

Know Before You Go. Travel Smart. Travel Safe.

Cruise travel is large, global, and growing

Recent cruise industry reporting shows that global cruise travel continues to expand. In 2024, the cruise industry welcomed about 34.6 million global cruise passengers, with about 37.7 million ocean-going passengers forecast for 2025. The same industry reporting shows the cruise fleet was expected to reach about 310 ocean-going vessels in 2025.

The United States remains one of the most important cruise markets in the world. North America is the leading cruise source market, and U.S. travelers make up a major share of global cruise passengers.

The Caribbean, Bahamas, and Bermuda remain the leading cruise region, accounting for about 43% of global cruise passengers in 2024.

These statistics matter because more passengers, more ships, and more destinations create a greater need for reliable cruise destination intelligence.

Why port safety matters

A cruise itinerary may look simple on paper, but each port can have different local conditions. One stop may have strong tourism infrastructure and reliable emergency services. Another may have higher petty theft risk, transportation concerns, limited medical access, or country-specific health issues.

Cruise port safety can vary by:

• Country
• City
• Neighborhood
• Cruise terminal location
• Transportation route
• Shore excursion provider
• Weather conditions
• Emergency response capacity
• Local crime patterns
• Public health conditions

Travelers should not assume that every port on an itinerary carries the same level of safety or health risk.

Destination safety statistics are incomplete, but the risks are real

There is no single official public database that counts every safety incident involving U.S. cruise passengers while ashore in foreign ports. Many incidents are handled by local police, cruise lines, embassies, medical providers, insurers, or emergency services and are never combined into one global report.

However, public sources show that U.S. travelers abroad face real and preventable risks. CDC travel guidance identifies injury and violence as important concerns for travelers internationally. Transportation incidents, drowning, falls, crime, and unfamiliar environments are recurring safety issues for travelers abroad.

For cruise passengers, this matters because port visits often involve:

• Taxis, buses, vans, scooters, boats, or private transportation
• Beaches, snorkeling, diving, waterfalls, and boating excursions
• Crowded tourist areas
• Short port visits with time pressure
• Unfamiliar roads and driving conditions
• Independent tour operators
• Alcohol-related judgment risks
• Limited access to emergency care outside the port area

The practical message is clear: most port visits are enjoyable, but travelers should prepare before leaving the ship.

Health risks can change from port to port

Cruise travelers may visit several countries in one week. Health risks can change quickly depending on destination, season, weather, and current outbreaks.

One important example is dengue. CDC reported that the Americas had about 13 million dengue cases and 8,200 deaths in 2024. Dengue risk is especially relevant for tropical and subtropical cruise destinations, including parts of the Caribbean, Latin America, and other warm-weather regions.

This does not mean cruise travelers should avoid these destinations. It means they should understand country-specific health risks before they go ashore.

Travelers should consider:

• Mosquito-borne disease risk
• Food and water precautions
• Heat and dehydration risk
• Respiratory illness prevention
• Medication needs
• Mobility limitations
• Local medical access
• Emergency medical evacuation coverage

CruiseAware helps travelers identify these health preparedness issues before departure.

Cruise ship health events are monitored

CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program tracks certain gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships within its jurisdiction. CDC posts outbreaks when a ship is under VSP jurisdiction and the voyage has 3% or more of passengers or crew reporting symptoms of gastrointestinal illness to the ship’s medical staff.

Most cruises do not have reportable outbreaks. Still, the fact that outbreaks are tracked shows why onboard health habits matter.

Travelers should:

• Wash hands often with soap and water
• Use hand sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable
• Avoid touching the face with unwashed hands
• Report illness to the ship medical center
• Follow ship instructions during an outbreak
• Review cruise line health policies before departure

Good hygiene and early reporting help protect the traveler, fellow passengers, and crew.

Cruise safety events are also publicly reported

The U.S. Department of Transportation publishes quarterly cruise line incident reports under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act. These reports include certain alleged criminal incidents reported to the FBI on covered cruise vessels.

These reports mainly address incidents on covered cruise ships, not all incidents ashore in ports. That distinction matters. Shipboard safety data does not fully capture port-area safety, local crime, shore excursion risk, transportation risk, or medical access issues in foreign destinations.

That is why CruiseAware looks beyond the ship and focuses on the full cruise travel picture: the ship, the port, the country, the health environment, and the traveler’s preparedness.

What travelers should check before going ashore

Before leaving the ship, travelers should ask:

• What is the current travel advisory for this country?
• Are there known safety concerns near the cruise port?
• Are there areas visitors should avoid?
• Is petty theft common in tourist areas?
• Is transportation reliable and vetted?
• Is the excursion operator reputable?
• Are there country-specific health risks?
• Is mosquito protection recommended?
• Is emergency medical care available near the port?
• What time must I be back onboard?
• Do I have travel insurance and emergency assistance contacts?

These questions are simple, but they can prevent serious problems.

How CruiseAware helps

CruiseAware helps travelers prepare before they sail by organizing health, safety, travel advisory, cruise port, and destination information into practical traveler guidance.

CruiseAware focuses on:

• Cruise destination intelligence
• Cruise travel advisories
• Cruise destination safety tips
• Cruise port safety
• Country-specific health risks
• Cruise ship health information
• Traveler preparedness checklists
• Emergency planning considerations

CruiseAware does not replace official government, public health, cruise line, medical, insurance, or emergency guidance. Instead, it helps travelers understand what to check, what questions to ask, and how to prepare before departure.

Cruise traveler preparedness checklist

Before your next cruise:

• Check travel advisories for every country on your itinerary.
• Review health guidance for each destination.
• Look for country-specific health risks.
• Review cruise port safety information.
• Check your cruise line’s health and safety policies.
• Keep medications in carry-on luggage.
• Bring a written medication and allergy list.
• Carry travel insurance and emergency contact information.
• Use trusted transportation in port.
• Return to the ship before the all-aboard deadline.
• Use mosquito protection where recommended.
• Know how to contact ship security and the ship medical center.

Final thought

Cruising remains one of the most enjoyable ways to travel. The numbers show that millions of travelers sail safely every year. But the same numbers also show why preparation matters.

When cruise ships visit hundreds of destinations around the world, travelers need more than excitement and a suitcase. They need reliable destination intelligence, practical safety awareness, and health preparedness.

That is why CruiseAware exists.

Know Before You Go. Travel Smart. Travel Safe.

Sources and information basis

Cruise Lines International Association — State of the Cruise Industry Report

Cruise Lines International Association — North America Source Passenger Market Report

CDC Travelers’ Health

CDC Vessel Sanitation Program

CDC dengue health advisories and dengue surveillance information

U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories

U.S. Department of State U.S. citizen death abroad reporting

U.S. Department of Transportation Cruise Line Incident Reports

FBI cruise vessel incident reporting under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act

CruiseAware disclaimer

CruiseAware provides travel preparedness and intelligence information for general educational purposes only. CruiseAware does not replace official guidance from government agencies, public health authorities, cruise lines, medical professionals, emergency services, or travel insurance providers. Travelers should always consult official sources and qualified professionals before making travel decisions.