Cruise ship stocks are ownership in companies that run cruise ships and transport passengers to their destinations while offering comfort and entertainment along the way. With a projected value of $23.8 billion in 2021, the global cruise ship industry includes more than 270 ships powered by more than 50 cruise lines. Three companies own about 75% of the market share: Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian. The first two pay dividends to shareholders.
How to invest in the cruise ship sector
There are several ways you can get your feet wet with cruise line investing. You can buy shares of individual cruise stocks. Or you can purchase shares of an ETF that invests in multiple cruise ship stocks and possibly other stocks in the travel industry. Here’s how to start:
Choose a stock trading platform. You have plenty to choose from, so be sure to compare your options to find the one that works best for you.
Open your account. Be ready with your ID, Social Security number and bank account information.
Fund your account. You’ll need to transfer money to your brokerage account before you can start investing. Some platforms let you start with as little as $1.
Search for stocks. Look up stocks by ticker symbol or use a stock screener to filter the types you’re interested in.
Place an order. Once you’ve found an investment you want, specify how much of it you wish to purchase and submit your order.
Monitor your investments. Track the performance of your portfolio by logging on to your account.
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See how the following stocks are performing, and view details like market capitalization, the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio and dividend yield.
Company summary
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates as a cruise company worldwide. The company operates cruises under the Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises brands, which comprise a range of itineraries. As of February 21, 2024, it operated 65 ships. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
Carnival Corporation & plc engages in the provision of leisure travel services in North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through four segments: NAA Cruise Operations, Europe Cruise Operations, Cruise Support, and Tour and Other. It operates port destinations, private islands, and a solar park, as well as owns and operates hotels, lodges, glass-domed railcars, and motor coaches. The company offers its services under the Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises, and Cunard brand. Additionally, it sells its cruises primarily through travel agents, tour operators, vacation planners, and websites. Carnival Corporation & plc was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a cruise company in North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company operates through the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands. It offers itineraries ranging from three days to a 180-days calling on various ports, including Scandinavia, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Greek Isles, Alaska, Canada and New England, Hawaii, Asia, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, Africa, India, South America, the Panama Canal, and the Caribbean. It distributes its products through retail/travel advisor and onboard cruise sales channels, as well as meetings, incentives, and charters. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. was founded in 1966 and is based in Miami, Florida.
Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. provides marine expedition adventures and travel experience worldwide. It operates through Lindblad and Land Experiences segment. Lindblad segment provides ship-based expeditions aboard customized, nimble, and intimately-scaled vessels, which offers up-close experiences in the planet's wild and remote places, and capitals of culture; and offers expedition ship which is equipped with state-of-the-art tools for in-depth exploration with infrastructure and ports, such as Antarctica and the Arctic, and places that accessed by a ship comprising Galápagos Islands, Alaska, Baja California's Sea of Cortez and Panama, and foster engagement activities. The Land Experiences segment comprises natural habitats, which provides over 100 different expedition itineraries in more than 45 countries across seven continents, with eco-conscious expeditions and nature-focused, and small-group tours including polar bear tours and bear adventure; and DuVine provides intimate group cycling and adventure tours around the world with local cycling experts as guides in local cultural, cuisine, and accommodations. This segment also offers off the beaten path including small group travel, led by local, and experienced guides with focus on wildlife, hiking national parks, and culture; and classical journey, a curated active small-group and private custom journeys centered around cinematic walks led by expert local guides over 50 countries across the world. In addition, it has an alliance with National Geographic Partners, LLC, which provides lecturers and National Geographic experts including photographers, marine biologists, writers, naturalists, field researchers, and film crews; and partnered with World Wildlife Fund to offer conservation travel. Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Cruise stocks can surge in strong economies when people have more disposable income to travel. In fact, prior to 2020, the cruise ship business was one of the fastest-growing sectors in the travel industry. In 2018, the global cruise ship industry was valued at about $150 billion. In 2019, it generated $5.5 billion in economic activity in the US alone, marking a 5.3% increase from 2018, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which represents most of the globe’s cruise ship companies. This was fueled by a spike in people looking to take cruise vacations. In 2019, more than 1.37 million people boarded cruise ships that took off from US ports. That translated to an 8% increase from 2018 and a 26% increase from five years prior. But downturns in the global economy and the wider travel industry can cause cruise stocks to take a major plunge.
What unique risks does the cruise ship sector face?
The cruise ship industry is connected to a wide variety of businesses that help keep it afloat. For instance, cruise ships need large amounts of fuel to operate. If volatility erupts in the energy sector and fuel prices rise, it may take a toll on cruise line company earnings. In fact, there are many sectors with the potential to impact cruise ship stocks:
Industrial
Food and beverage
Apparel
Tech
Hospitality and leisure
Arts and entertainment
Finance and insurance
And of course, travel restrictions mean fewer people on cruise ships and less money in the pockets of cruise companies — as made evident by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 took its toll on a broad range of businesses across the globe, but one of the hardest-hit sectors was the cruise line industry. But, with the 2021 nationwide vaccine campaign well underway, the CDC has stated that Americans are safe to travel domestically if they’ve received their COVID-19 vaccination. And things are looking up for cruise line stocks. Major players in this sector have already begun the slow process of pandemic recovery. And some stocks, like Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, have regained everything lost through 2020 and then some — now trading near an all-time high. This sector is working hard to regain its losses and has already initiated the slow climb to recovery.
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Cruise ship stocks took a major hit from COVID-19, but evidence suggests the industry is working diligently to recover. The extent to which it recovers and how it will take remains uncertain. Depending on the type of investor you are, this may look like and immense risk or an opportunity. It’s important to do your due diligence and carefully analyze cruise ship stocks and your own risk tolerance before investing.
Frequently asked questions
Why does it seem there aren’t many cruise ship stocks? Only three companies own about 75% of the cruise ship market. While you may have heard of numerous cruise lines, there’s a good chance these are subsidiaries of Caribbean Cruise, Carnival or Norwegian. What cruise ship mutual funds can I invest in? You can invest in a number of mutual funds that have exposure to cruise ship stocks. But keep in mind that cruise ship stocks only make a small fraction of the holdings of most funds. Examples include the Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VFIAX) and the Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX).
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Javier Simon is a freelance finance writer at Finder and a certified educator in personal finance (CEPF).
He’s featured on NerdWallet, Bankrate, Yahoo Finance and Fox Business, where he’s shared his expertise on personal finance topics, such as investing, retirement planning, taxes, budgeting and savings.
He has also covered breaking news, such as student loan forgiveness initiatives, the housing market and inflation’s impact on consumers’ wallets.
His passion is turning complex financial concepts into actionable content that can help people improve their financial lives.
Javier holds a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism from SUNY Plattsburgh. See full bio
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