I've never been on a cruise. I most likely will never be on a cruise. Why? It's that whole Titanic affair.
Besides fearing for my survival, there's another concern -- getting seasick. That certainly can't be a picnic. So although my chances of sailing into an iceberg are most likely relatively slim, there's the all-too-relevant phobia of constantly turning green and clutching my stomach for days on end. (Plus, I don't want to get lost on some weird island that isn't owned by Gilligan.)
Still, my reluctance to take up residence on a floating vacation spot doesn't mean that I can't check out the industry group every now and then. In fact, I recently read about Royal Caribbean's
After reading about this idea, I realized that keeping very young kids engaged cannot be taken lightly; parents must go nuts sometimes on these long voyages. So anything that Royal Caribbean -- or competitor Carnival
For investors, this sector of leisure has been the beneficiary of a long-term thesis that baby boomers will be retiring more and more, and looking for ways to travel and relax. I agree that the stocks in this group show promise for years, and innovative ideas such as this one from Royal Caribbean also point to an industry that's not just complacently waiting for customers -- or investors -- to come aboard.
Cruise some of these finer vessels:
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Fool contributor Steven Mallas owns shares of Disney but none of the other companies mentioned.
