Essentially eight brands the luxury market segment shrinks in 2006 with the departure of the be sailmg the Crystal Harmony. following the Radisson Diamond. which left last summer.
According to Cruise Industry News, the luxury market capacity will be 302,620 passengers in 2006, or about two percent of the overall craise market
The segment is dominated by Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, accounting for 27 percent of the capacity; followed by Crystal Cruises, 19 percent; Silversea Cruises, 17 percent; Windstar Cruises, 9 percent; and Seabourn Cruise Line, 8 percent.
Most of the capacity is deployed in the Mediterranean, 31 percent; the Caribbean, 18 percent; Northern and Western Europe, 14 percent; Asia/Pacific, 10 percent; and Alaska, 6 percent. Less capacity is deployed in South America, the Indian Ocean, on the West Coast, on trans-Canal cruises, and elsewhere.
Crystal and Silversea have announced intentions to build, but there are no newbuildiags on the orderbooks or under construction for the luxury segment. (Source: 2006 Cruise Industry News Annual).
