The growth has been fueled by a 30% increase in river cruise while luxury cruise bookings are 11% up.

The growth has helped make the case for Barrhead Travel’s decision to operate an exclusive charter flight from Scotland to Genoa to connect with a cruise ship.

Cruise Director, Catriona Parsons said: “As the cruise industry continues to innovate, more and more of our customers are choosing to take to the seas to explore new destinations and enjoy unique on-board experiences.

“Since the introduction of our net rates for river cruise, we have been able to offer options with better flexibility and added value for our customers.

“With our river cruise division accelerating, we will consider adding charter flights exclusively for river cruise departures to complement our current charter offering.

“It’s a really exciting time to be in the cruise business and we are looking forward to continued growth in 2018.”