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Report North America

Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the United States Economy 2024

18 March, 2026 Download

In this report, we examine how the cruise industry in 2024 supported economic impacts across
the United States. This includes discussion of the cruise industry’s impact on eleven states with
ocean-going cruise itineraries, namely, Florida, California, Texas, Washington, Alaska, New York,
Louisiana, New Jersey, South Carolina, Georgia and Hawaii. Total cruise-linked expenditure in the US reached $33.0 billion in 2024, up 15% from 2023, driven by increased cruise volume. 

The country accounted for 35% of global cruise-linked spending despite representing only 25% of global passenger visits, highlighting a higher spending intensity than other regions. Cruise line purchases dominated spending at $20.1 billion, supported by the concentration of cruise line headquarters and operations in key US hubs. Passenger and crew spending reached nearly $10.0 billion, cruise line staff wages totaled $2.8 billion.