Strong Passenger Growth!

Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from the Cruise Lines International
Association (CLIA)and thought it would be of interest. If you have
missed any of my news' postings, they are available on my web site.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com


CLIA Member Cruise Lines Report Strong Passenger Growth With Positive
1st Quarter Passenger, Occupancy Figures

NEW YORK, June 23
In a continuation of the cruise industry's strong 2003 performance,
the member fleets of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
carried 2,419,921 worldwide guests in the first quarter of 2004, a
9.13% increase over the same period in 2003. North American passengers
grew 6.8% during the same period, to 2,071,797 guests in the first
quarter of 2004, up from 1,939,841 first-quarter guests one year ago.
Cruise line guests sourced from outside of North America increased
25.42% year-over-year to 348,124.
The 2004 first-quarter passenger figures are new statistics released
today by CLIA, whose member lines represent over 95% of the cruise
capacity marketed in North America. In addition to the growing
passenger totals, CLIA cruise lines also posted a 103.3% occupancy
factor in the first quarter of 2004, up 2 percentage points from the
101.3% occupancy posted one year ago.

"The CLIA lines' positive first-quarter figures are another result of
the successful partnership between the cruise lines and the travel
agents who sell the overwhelming majority of cruises, as well as the
industry's emphasis on meeting our guests' vacation desires," said
Terry L. Dale, CLIA's president and CEO. "These figures confirm
cruising's broad appeal, high value and the traveling consumers'
increased demand for a vacation at sea."

CLIA's first-quarter passenger carryings report also found:

* First-quarter 2004 capacity was up 6.82% compared with 2003 (to
16,533,133 available bed-days from 15,496,319 in 2003).

* Itineraries of 9 to 17 days showed the highest rate of growth,
with
25.6% more passengers in 2004 compared with a year earlier
(277,743 to
221,078). Itineraries of one to five days declined 1.3% (from
631,903
to 623,575), while six- to eight-day itineraries grew 7.74%
(from
1,077,043 to 1,160,448).

* The average length of cruise in the first quarter was 7.09 days
versus 7.16 days for the same period in 2003.


Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is a nonprofit marketing
and training organization comprising 19 leading cruise lines in 2004,
which together accommodate over 95 percent of the North American
cruise passengers. Approximately 16,000 travel agencies focused and
engaged in the sales of cruise vacations in the U.S. and Canada are
members of the association. The association conducts cruise
industry-related research and communication initiatives to educate and
promote the attributes of cruise vacations and CLIA member travel
agencies to the traveling public. CLIA is a recognized travel industry
leader in sales education. CLIA provides an extensive array of
educational programs for travel agents including curriculum leading to
certification as Accredited Cruise Counsellors, Master Cruise
Counsellors and Elite Cruise Counsellors -- considered the consumers'
best resource for planning a cruise vacation. For more information on
CLIA, its member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit its website
at http://www.cruising.org.