Cruise passenger arrivals last year reached 670,135, an increase of 7.0 per cent over 2016, statistics issued on Monday show.
70.7 per cent of the visitors came from EU member states. The biggest increase was recorded from the British market, which advanced by 55,707 passengers.
Female passengers numbered 356,802 and were in the majority. Most passengers were between 60 and 79 years old, amounting to 254,242. These were followed by passengers aged 40-59, reaching 216,487.
There were 342 cruise liner calls in 2017, with an average 1,959 passengers per vessel, compared to 316 calls and an average 1,981 passengers per vessel in 2016.
Total cruise passenger traffic during the fourth quarter of 2017 amounted to
187,280, an increase of 5.5 per cent over the corresponding period in 2016.