article_snippet: The number of British and Irish holidaymakers taking cruises fell by almost 80,000 last year – the first annual drop for a decade, according to industry figures.
article_snippet: Her Majesty the Queen christened Britain’s largest cruise liner last week as figures show cruises were less popular with British tourists last year .
article_snippet: But the bubble may be bursting, with many put off by ever larger ships, having to fly abroad to the first port, and cost.
article_snippet: meaning travellers had to fly further to pick up travellers cruise.
article_snippet: That may change this year with the launch of several routes from ports like Southampton, including the massive liner Britannia christened by Her Majesty the Queen last week.
article_snippet: The fall also means Britain loses Britain places as Europe's biggest cruisers, overtaken by the 1.77 million Germans who took a seabound voyage last year.
article_snippet: Closer to home: Cruise bosses hope the launch of the Britannia, pictured, will lead to a spike in Brits booking cruises after figures from last year showed a dip in popularity .
article_snippet: Overall, the number of Europeans taking a cruise rose by 0.5 per cent to 6.39 million passengers last year said the CLIA report, so Britain's fall bucked an overall trend.
article_snippet: Andy Harmer, of CLIA, told website TravelMole: 'The UK and Ireland continue to have one of Europe's highest rates of market penetration for cruise holidays. '
highlights_snippet: People put off by growing ship size and cost including flights to port .
  
highlights_snippet: Britain loses place as Europe's biggest cruisers to Germany .