The British cruise market is on track to reach its self-imposed target of two million passengers in the year 2020, a senior industry executive reportedly said.

“The (travel) trade must help the entire (cruise) industry realise its potential. The UK market is on track to hit two million passengers by 2020. Expansion in Europe has also seen some positive trends,” Jo Rzymowska, general manager of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL) was quoted by the Travel Weekly newsletter as saying. In 2011, the British cruise market generated 1.7 million passengers.

Cruise lines are offering incentives to boost trade amidst a prolonged economic slowdown. The Royal Caribbean group will, however, increase its exposure on the UK market next year, when Adventure of the Seas will join Independence of the Seas in Southampton.

Sister brand Celebrity Cruises has received Celebrity Constellation for a series of autumn cruises from the same port to accompany Celebrity Eclipse. In 2013 Celebrity Eclipse will return to Southampton, while Celebrity Infinity will introduce a new programme from Harwich.

Dominic Paul, md of RCCL in the UK, said at the European Cruise council event in Brussels in May that the company looks at positioning of ships from a global perspective. It builds its presence on a market over a number of years and looks at the deployment of its assets from a long term point of view.