Many miles have been covered since 1835, when the industry of cruisers was born. Today, some 280 shipping lines operate close to 30 000 sea and river cruises in more than 2 000 destinations in the World. The Caribbean is the global and the center of the hemisphere, which is the door to other tempting options to the Pacific, the South American Atlantic coast, the Patagonia and the Antarctic.

Although Europe (mainly the Mediterranean coast), South America and Australia attract cruiser lovers increasingly, the most wanted destination is still the Caribbean, which receives the 40 percent every year. According to sources this region will exceed 7.5 million cruiser tourists in the current year. Steady growth is accompanied by the launching of new ships and the construction or improvement of harbors. 2009 was a remarkable year when 14 ships were launched, including the Oasis of the Seas, of Royal Caribbean, the biggest in the world (6360 passengers). Shortly after, its twins, the Allure of the Seas, and Norwegian Epic, the oldest of NCL, joined. Other eight launches are scheduled for 2011, including two of Carnival. Due to the Caribbean proximity to the main market, North American, (the source of 11 of the 17 million passengers worldwide expected for 2011), has as its tradition strengths in business and natural attractions, routes and set harbors , incentives to industry and a long list of destinations for a wide variety of itineraries. Towns and picturesque villages, colonial centers reminiscent of the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Spain, and cultural diversity is reflected in the music and cuisine and local markets, are other advantages of the region, where each island is a small world. There are cruises in which the traveler can go from major ports to virgin bays, salsa dancing with an orchestra of choice in a colonial center, whale watching, swimming and diving among blankets or sharks, enjoy the carnival and the steel band or go back shopping in a modern business district or take a trip to the rainforest. In the region is moving a process of creation, improvement or expansion of infrastructure. In addition to the historic port of Falmouth theme, opened this year in Jamaica, there are plans for expansion and renovation in Barbados and construction of new docks in St. Kitts and Nevis, Curacao and Aruba, while modernizing facilities in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Republic Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Falmouth, with two harbors that could accommodate the giant Oasis and Allure, will include in future complex of shops, restaurants, attractions, hotels and residences. It is perhaps a first step in the region to face the challenge in the industry: carriers become increasingly larger and more modern ships where the tourist has miniature golf, casinos, nightclubs, concerts, surf ski, zip, amphitheatres, spas, walls scale and, in short, very little time to go to port. The destinations have to update their bid to face such competition. From Alaska to the Antarctic America is the busiest area of market-leading organizations: the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), with 26 shipping companies, and the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), with 11 companies. They are the world's largest companies, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Celebrity, Costa, Disney, MSC or Norwegian. At the same time, the shipping ports are among the most active: Miami, Port Everglades, Galveston, Vancouver, San Diego, New York, Nassau, Cozumel, Buenos Aires, Columbus, Roatan, Progreso, San Juan ... Cruise areas are many: western Caribbean, eastern or southern part of the Antilles, Florida or ports like Cozumel, Progreso Columbus, Pacific and Caribbean, Mexico, South Pacific and North America, Central America, Alaska and Patagonia, Antarctica, or combinations, Caribbean and Pacific through the Panama Canal. Beyond the Caribbean islands, routes can be chosen as Cozumel-Roatan-Belize, a departure from the new terminal Quinquela Martín from Buenos Aires to "city of the end of the world, Ushuaia, following the South Shetland Islands and even the Antarctic Peninsula through the Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel and Cape Horn to Valparaiso, or from Rio de Janeiro, touching ports like Punta del Este, Montevideo, Buenos Aires or Mar del Plata to Tierra del Fuego, a journey in which the carioca summer contrasts with glaciers and fjords of Patagonia. There are cruises that cover the mouth of the Amazon to Manaus and the Peruvian Amazon, in the area Los Angeles-Hawaii-Pacific and Mexico to French Polynesia, or the Galapagos, in big yachts or sailing boats. Anchorage and Vancouver have the best entry and exit doors for Alaska cruises, which allow tourists to know Juneau, capital of the remote state, and the route of prospectors in the Yukon, navigate and fly over fjords, glaciers and quaint villages and stunning scenery dominated by Frost Mountains. There are journeys such as the Pacific Princess, which will cover Fort Lauderdale to Venice in January 2012 for a trip of 107 days by 28 countries, touching Aruba and Santa Marta (Colombia) to cross the Panama Canal to San Juan del Sur (Nicaragua ) and San Diego, continuing along the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, East Asia and Southeast Asia, Middle East and the Mediterranean. Cruise Lines in the Caribbean The 2011 annual report of Cruise Industry News Quarterly, which for more than 25 years have reported and analyzed the events, developments and industry trends, including a list of cruise lines and their operation for 2011 in the Caribbean (number of vessels , total passenger capacity and Caribbean market share percentage).