The number of British tourists taking cruises last year jumped to a record 1.62 million - a 6 percent increase on 2009 figures – and industry analysts at the Passenger Shipping Association are forecasting the trend to continue with 2 million cruises by 2014.

The Mediterranean continues to prove the most popular destination, accounting for 43% of all cruises, while Northern Europe continues to also prove popular.

The new figures reveal that cruises now make up almost 12 percent of all package holidays booked in 2010 and more than twice as many people are taking cruises as were in 2001.