FOREIGN VESSELS ON CRUISE IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
January – December 2023

 

In 2023, more vessels on cruise sailed across the waters of the Croatian Adriatic Sea with more passengers on board than in 2022

In 2023, foreign vessels on cruise realised an increase of 2.2% in journeys in the waters of the Croatian Adriatic Sea with 37.1% more passengers on board compared to 2022. Due to the increase in the number of journeys of foreign vessels on cruise in the last four months, the number of journeys at the annual level also rose compared to 2022. Moreover, in 2023 foreign vessels on cruise spent more time in Croatia, by 11.3% compared to 2022.

The comparison between 2023 and 2019 data shows that there are still consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on cruises of foreign vessels in the waters of the Croatian Adriatic Sea. Thus, in 2023, as compared to 2019, there were 11.0% less journeys of foreign vessels on cruise and 22.5% less passengers on board, while the number of sojourns of foreign vessels on cruise increased by 0.5%.

A total of 85 foreign vessels on cruise arrived

In 2023, there were 85 foreign vessels on cruise that arrived in Croatian seaports, which made 646 journeys. There were 869 thousand passengers on board who stayed in the Republic of Croatia for 1 474 days. Out of the total of 646 cruises of foreign vessels, most of them were recorded in August (107 journeys), June (102 journeys) and October (95 journeys), which accounted for 47.1% of the journeys. The remaining 52.9% of the journeys were realised in other months of 2023.

In 2023, foreign vessels on cruise sailed under the flags of 14 countries. As usual, the highest number of journeys of foreign vessels on cruise was realised under the flag of Malta, as many as 191 journeys, which accounted for 29.6% of the total journeys made in 2023. These were followed by journeys made under the flags of the Bahamas (167 journeys), Panama (68 journeys) and Norway (53 journeys).

Out of a total of 646 journeys of foreign vessels on cruise, the highest number was realised in the County of Dubrovnik-Neretva (48.1%) and the County of Split-Dalmatia (26.9%), which made up a total of 75.0% of journeys. The remaining 25.0% of journeys were made in the following counties: Zadar (11.8%), Istria (4.7%), Šibenik-Knin (4.5%) and Primorje-Gorski kotar (4.0%).

Dubrovnik seaport was traditionally the most visited port

The highest number of visits of foreign vessels on cruise was realised in the seaport of Dubrovnik (475 visits), followed by the seaports of Split (300 visits), Zadar (160 visits), Hvar (110 visits), Korčula (101 visits), Šibenik (89 visits) and Rovinj (63 visits).

 

Notice

Detailed monthly data are available on the website of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, under "PC-Axis databases", where it is possible to browse and print data in various forms. Databases are updated annually.

PNG PNG

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

The purpose of the statistical survey

The statistical survey is aimed at monitoring the entries of foreign cruise vessels in the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia, the number of passengers aboard and the days on which a ship stays in the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia. The results of this survey provide indicators used in the analysis of tourism in the Republic of Croatia.

Legal basis

The survey is carried out on the basis of the Official Statistics Act (NN, No. 25/20).

Sources and methods of data collection

The data source for the statistical survey on cruises of foreign vessels in the Republic of Croatia is the Croatian Integrated Maritime Information System (CIMIS). The Croatian Bureau of Statistics takes over a part of the database from the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, after which it performs further processing.

Among other data, ships submit information on the ship, journey and passengers to this system through authorised maritime agents and shippers. The accuracy and completeness of the data in the official proceedings of registration is verified by harbour master’s offices.

Coverage and comparability

Observation unit for this survey is a foreign vessel on a tourist cruise journey that enters the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia.

In the tables 1, 2 and 3, the data on foreign cruise vessels include only seaports of the first entry of the foreign cruise vessel into the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia.

In the Graph G-2, the data on visits of foreign cruise vessels include all seaports visited by these vessels during their stay in the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia. Visits to seaports are presented by statistical seaports consisting of one or more ports, normally controlled by harbour master’s branch offices able to record ship and cargo movements.

Definitions

Cruise vessel means a passenger ship intended to provide passengers with pleasure of journey and facilities for entertainment aboard (luxurious atmosphere, adventures, education, culture, entertainment, sports activities, wellness or recreation) rather than transport of persons from one seaport to another. It is equipped for a multi-day stay of passengers aboard and must provide food, drinks and accommodation services. On its journey, a foreign cruise vessel stops at seaports that are interesting tourist destinations.

Journey is an entry of a foreign cruise vessel at the first seaport of the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia.

Visit is an entry of a foreign cruise vessel at every seaport of the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia.

Passengers on board are persons who arrived by ship irrespective of their age, provided that they are not crew members.

Sojourns represent a total number of days a ship spends in the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia.

Flag of vessel represents the country in which a ship was registered, that is, entered in the ship’s registry and complies with its legislation.

Statistical seaport consists of one or more ports, normally controlled by harbour master’s branch offices able to record ship and cargo movements.

 

Abbreviations

COVID-19	COrona VIrus Disease-19
NN	Narodne novine, official gazette of the Republic of Croatia

Symbols

-	no occurrence

 

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80
Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 111
Press corner: press@dzs.hr

Persons responsible:
Edita Omerzo, Director of Spatial Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Director General

Prepared by:
Ivana Brozović and Gordana Šiklić

USERS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO STATE THE SOURCE.

Customer Relations and Data Protection Department

Information and user requests
Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 138, 48 06 154, 48 06 115
E-mail: stat.info@dzs.hr

Subscription
Phone: (+385 1) 21 00 455
E-mail: prodaja@dzs.hr