According to figures just released by the European Cruise Council, a record 1.3 million Britons took a cruise last year making them the biggest cruisers in Europe leaving Germany, second with 763,000, in their wake.

This represented an increase of 11% on the previous year and so taking the total for Europeans who cruised in 2007 past the four million mark for the first time.

A spokesman for the Council said that the speed that cruise figures had increased had taken the whole cruise industry by surprise as they had forecast that these new figures would be reached in 2010.

As more cruise ships have been positioned in Europe than ever before plus the fact that there are more cruises from UK ports the increase is not that surprising when one considers the cruise deals available.