Cruise ship companies are a unique industry that have seen tremendous growth in the last few years. As the industry grows, so does the number of publicly traded companies in the sector. There are several publicly traded cruise ship companies that investors can consider when looking to diversify their portfolios.
One of the largest and most well-known cruise ship companies is Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE: CCL). This company owns such brands as Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Cunard Line.
It operates over 100 ships across its different brands. The company has a market capitalization of over $27 billion which makes it one of the largest publicly traded cruise ship companies in the world.
Another major cruise line is Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE: RCL). This company owns such brands as Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises and Pullmantur Cruises.
It operates over 50 ships across its various brands and currently has a market capitalization of over $22 billion. The company has also recently announced plans to expand its fleet and add new ships over the next few years.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (Nasdaq: NCLH) is another large publicly traded cruise line. This company owns Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
It currently operates nearly 40 ships across its different brands and has a market capitalization of over $9 billion. The company is investing heavily in new technology to enhance customer experience on board their vessels as well as expanding their fleet with new ships scheduled to come online in 2021 and beyond.
These three companies make up some of the largest cruise lines that are publicly traded on US stock exchanges. However, there are also several smaller, regional cruise lines that are publicly traded such as Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line (OTCBB: BPCI) and American Queen Steamboat Company (NYSE American: AQSC).
These regional operators generally have smaller fleets than their larger global counterparts but still offer attractive investment opportunities for those looking to diversify their portfolios into this sector.
Conclusion
Cruise ship companies have become increasingly popular investments due to their growth potential and attractive dividend yields. There are several publically traded cruise ship companies that investors can choose from when looking for ways to diversify their portfolios including some of the larger global operators such as Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd as well as regional operators such as Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line and American Queen Steamboat Company.