Royal Caribbean heads into its Oct. 27 earnings call with shares up 20% in a month but carrying billions in looming debt payments, a flat-yield quarter, and a $3 billion resort acquisition that raises urgent questions about how the company…
Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL | RCL Price Prediction) reports third-quarter results on Oct. 27. Shares rose 20.05% over the past month but sit 10.98% below year-ago levels. This report tests whether cruise demand can outrun fuel costs, debt and a flat-yield quarter.
Record Pricing Meets a Flat-Yield Quarter
Last quarter, adjusted EPS of $4.21 beat the $3.98 consensus and extended a six-quarter beat run. Revenue rose 6.5% to $4.83 billion, and net yields finished 100 basis points above guidance on stronger close-in demand. Management said it can now often raise prices on late bookings instead of discounting.
Margins told a softer story. Adjusted EBITDA margin slipped to 37.9% from 40.8% a year earlier. For Q3, management guided adjusted EPS of $6.26 to $6.36 on 8.5% capacity growth with about flat net yields, citing a 200 basis point deployment and dry-dock drag that should switch to a Q4 boost.
Since then, Royal Caribbean agreed to pay $3 billion for a 50% stake in Sandals Resorts, a deal expected to close in early 2027.
Consensus Calls for Double-Digit EPS Growth
Metric
Consensus
Year-Ago Actual
Implied YoY Growth
Q3 2026 EPS
$6.3755
$5.75
10.9%
Q3 2026 Revenue
$5.61B
$5.14B
9.2%
FY 2026 EPS
$17.8318
$15.64
14.0%
FY 2026 Revenue
$19.58B
$17.935B
9.2%
Fuel, Yields, and Debt Will Drive the Reaction
Fuel comes first. WTI crude hit $107.89 on Oct. 20, up 13.1% in a week. Management guided $1.3 billion in full-year fuel expense, with remaining 2026 consumption 58% hedged below market rates. We will see if that figure holds.
Yields come next. Flat yields on higher capacity mean growth is coming from more beds. Europe makes up 28% of Q3 capacity, and Middle East conflict weighed on Mediterranean cruises this summer. Watch for proof that onboard spending and close-in pricing offset that drag.
Then the balance sheet. Liquidity stood at $6.9 billion with leverage below 3x, but debt due dates rise to $2.7 billion in 2027 and $3.4 billion in 2028, alongside about $4.7 billion of 2026 capex and the Sandals payment. Following a recent $1.25 billion refinancing, I want clear commentary on interest costs and how the company funds Sandals.
Finally, 2027 bookings were “pacing ahead of historical levels” at higher prices. Any early yield framework could move the stock more than the Q3 numbers.
A Fair Multiple Still Requires a Clean Q4 Handoff
At $276.51, the stock trades at about 16 times 2026 consensus EPS and 14 times 2027 estimates. Beating estimates hasn’t guaranteed gains. After a Q3 2025 beat, shares fell 8.53% on the day. If management confirms that Q4 yields reaccelerate and fuel stays contained, the debt load becomes manageable background noise.
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Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $276.48, moving -3.37% from the previous trading session. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.52%. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 1.24%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.21%.
Shares of the cruise operator have appreciated by 19.73% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Consumer Discretionary sector's gain of 4.8%, and the S&P 500's loss of 1.21%.
The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Royal Caribbean in its upcoming release. The company is slated to reveal its earnings on October 27, 2026. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $6.38, marking a 10.96% rise compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $5.58 billion, indicating a 8.64% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $17.78 per share and revenue of $19.58 billion, which would represent changes of +13.68% and +9.18%, respectively, from the prior year.
Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Royal Caribbean. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the business outlook.
Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.01% lower. Royal Caribbean presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
With respect to valuation, Royal Caribbean is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 16.09. This represents a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 16.35.
Meanwhile, RCL's PEG ratio is currently 1.01. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. As the market closed yesterday, the Leisure and Recreation Services industry was having an average PEG ratio of 1.27.
The Leisure and Recreation Services industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 165, positioning it in the bottom 33% of all 250+ industries.
The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
To follow RCL in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.
Key Takeaways Royal Caribbean is set to report Q3 earnings on Oct. 27, with EPS expected to rise 11% to $6.38.Strong cruise demand, record pricing and onboard spending are likely to boost Royal Caribbean's Q3 revenues.Royal Caribbean faces a 200-basis-point yield headwind in Q3, while cruise operating costs may rise 10.4%.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL - Free Report) is scheduled to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 27, before the opening bell.
RCL’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, and missed on one occasion with an average surprise of 4.9%.
Trend in the Estimate Revision of RCLThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings per share (EPS) is pegged at $6.38, indicating a rise of 11% from $5.75 reported in the year-ago quarter.
For revenues, the consensus mark is pegged at nearly $5.59 billion. The metric suggests a rise of 8.7% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.
Let’s take a look at how things have shaped up in the quarter.
Factors Likely to Shape Royal Caribbean’s Q3 ResultsTop Line: Royal Caribbean’s third-quarter revenues are likely to have benefited from robust demand for cruise vacations, increased capacity and sustained consumer spending on premium travel experiences. Strong booking volumes, record pricing and continued momentum in onboard spending and pre-cruise purchases are expected to have supported revenues. The company's differentiated fleet, private destinations and expanding loyalty programs likely contributed to guest engagement and spending.
Our model estimates third-quarter passenger ticket revenues to rise 5.8% year over year to $3.8 billion. We expect onboard and other revenues to rise 14.9% year over year to $1.7 billion.
However, prolonged geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are likely to have weighed on booking momentum and yield growth for select European itineraries, particularly Mediterranean sailings. Higher international air travel costs and consumers' preference for closer-to-home destinations may have further influenced booking patterns. Deployment mix, new-ship timing and dry-dock comparisons are expected to have created an approximately 200-basis-point headwind to third-quarter yields. Our model predicts third-quarter net yields at $301.7 (on a reported basis) and $300.5 (constant-currency basis).
Margins: Royal Caribbean's third-quarter profitability is likely to have benefited from disciplined cost management, operational efficiencies and continued efforts to optimize spending. The company's focus on leveraging technology and artificial intelligence to improve productivity, alongside its expanding scale, is expected to have supported earnings growth.
However, elevated fuel prices and the timing of operating expenses may have posed challenges. Certain costs that shifted from the first half into the second half of 2026 could have affected quarterly expenses. Our model projects third-quarter 2026 total cruise operating expenses to rise 10.4% year over year to $2.7 billion.
Nonetheless, fuel hedging arrangements likely provided some protection against market volatility. Royal Caribbean expects third-quarter net cruise costs per available passenger cruise day, excluding fuel, to decline 1.1%-1.6% in constant currency. The company expects third-quarter adjusted EPS to be between $6.26 and $6.36.
What Our Model Says About RCL StockOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for Royal Caribbean this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat.
Royal Caribbean’s Earnings ESP: Royal Caribbean has an Earnings ESP of +0.13%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
RCL’s Zacks Rank: The company currently has a Zacks Rank #3.
Other Stocks Poised to Beat on EarningsHere are some other stocks from the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector that investors may consider, as our model shows that these, too, have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat.
Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (VAC - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +10.02% and a Zacks Rank of 1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Marriott Vacations is expected to register a 45% increase in earnings for the to-be-reported quarter. VAC reported better-than-expected earnings in the trailing three out of four quarters and missed once, the average surprise being 1.3%.
Marriott International, Inc. (MAR - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.43% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
MAR’s earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to increase 15.4%. Marriott reported better-than-expected earnings in the trailing three out of four quarters and missed once, the average surprise being 2.5%.
Rush Street Interactive, Inc. (RSI - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.44% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
RSI’s earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to increase 55.6%. Rush Street Interactive reported better-than-expected earnings in the trailing two out of four quarters, missed estimates once and reported in line once, with the average surprise being 6.3%.
The upcoming report from Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) is expected to reveal quarterly earnings of $6.38 per share, indicating an increase of 11% compared to the year-ago period. Analysts forecast revenues of $5.59 billion, representing an increase of 8.7% year over year.
The current level reflects a downward revision of 0.9% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter over the past 30 days. This demonstrates how the analysts covering the stock have collectively reappraised their initial projections over this period.
Before a company announces its earnings, it is essential to take into account any changes made to earnings estimates. This is a valuable factor in predicting the potential reactions of investors toward the stock. Empirical research has consistently shown a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and the short-term price performance of a stock.
While it's common for investors to rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates for assessing how the business may have performed during the quarter, exploring analysts' forecasts for key metrics can yield valuable insights.
In light of this perspective, let's dive into the average estimates of certain Royal Caribbean metrics that are commonly tracked and forecasted by Wall Street analysts.
The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Revenues- Onboard and other' of $1.71 billion. The estimate points to a change of +13.6% from the year-ago quarter.
Analysts forecast 'Revenues- Passenger ticket' to reach $3.89 billion. The estimate points to a change of +7% from the year-ago quarter.
It is projected by analysts that the 'APCD (Available passenger cruise days)' will reach 14884 days. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 13699 days in the same quarter of the previous year.
The average prediction of analysts places 'Net Yields' at $302.70 . Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $301.58 in the same quarter of the previous year.
The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Occupancy Rate' will likely reach 111.9%. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 112.1% in the same quarter of the previous year.
Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Passenger Cruise Days' should arrive at 16640 days. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 15356 days in the same quarter last year.
Analysts' assessment points toward 'Net Cruise Costs Excluding Fuel per APCD' reaching $122.05 . The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $123.75 .
The consensus among analysts is that 'Net Cruise Costs per APCD' will reach $150.59 . Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $145.44 in the same quarter of the previous year.
Analysts expect 'Passengers Carried' to come in at 2.84 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 2.47 million in the same quarter last year.
View all Key Company Metrics for Royal Caribbean here>>>
Over the past month, shares of Royal Caribbean have returned +25.3% versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's no change. Currently, RCL carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), suggesting that its performance may align with the overall market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 27, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis cruise operator is expected to post quarterly earnings of $6.37 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +10.8%.
Revenues are expected to be $5.59 billion, up 8.7% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.47% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Royal Caribbean?For Royal Caribbean, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +0.20%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination indicates that Royal Caribbean will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Royal Caribbean would post earnings of $3.97 per share when it actually produced earnings of $4.21, delivering a surprise of +6.05%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Royal Caribbean appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Have you been searching for a stock that might be well-positioned to maintain its earnings-beat streak in its upcoming report? It is worth considering Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Leisure and Recreation Services industry.
This cruise operator has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 9.27%.
For the most recent quarter, Royal Caribbean was expected to post earnings of $3.97 per share, but it reported $4.21 per share instead, representing a surprise of 6.05%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $3.2 per share, while it actually produced $3.6 per share, a surprise of 12.50%.
Price and EPS Surprise
Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Royal Caribbean lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Royal Caribbean has an Earnings ESP of +0.20% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on October 27, 2026.
Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) closed at $279.34 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.83% move from the prior day. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.33%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 1.08%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 0.08%.
The cruise operator's shares have seen an increase of 8.03% over the last month, surpassing the Consumer Discretionary sector's loss of 3.52% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.41%.
The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Royal Caribbean in its upcoming release. The company is slated to reveal its earnings on October 27, 2026. The company is predicted to post an EPS of $6.37, indicating a 10.78% growth compared to the equivalent quarter last year. In the meantime, our current consensus estimate forecasts the revenue to be $5.59 billion, indicating a 8.7% growth compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior year.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $17.79 per share and a revenue of $19.58 billion, demonstrating changes of +13.75% and +9.16%, respectively, from the preceding year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Royal Caribbean. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability.
Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.01% higher. As of now, Royal Caribbean holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
In terms of valuation, Royal Caribbean is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 15.42. This denotes a premium relative to the industry average Forward P/E of 15.37.
We can additionally observe that RCL currently boasts a PEG ratio of 0.97. The PEG ratio is akin to the commonly utilized P/E ratio, but this measure also incorporates the company's anticipated earnings growth rate. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Leisure and Recreation Services industry held an average PEG ratio of 1.16.
The Leisure and Recreation Services industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 85, putting it in the top 35% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.
Travellers can discover Europe year-round with new winter adventures to the Canary Islands, Madeira and Morocco, summer adventures across Scandinavia and the Greek Isles, and visits to Royal Beach Club Santorini
, /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean is expanding its 2028-29 Europe lineup with the brand's boldest year-round season, offering more ways to explore the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Canary Islands across seven ships. For the first time, holidaymakers can explore Europe any time of year on Rhapsody of the Seas, from summer adventures with overnight stays in Egypt to winter getaways to the Canary Islands. Across the season, travellers can discover sought-after destinations throughout Greece, Turkey, Portugal, Spain and Northern Europe – including Royal Caribbean's return to Copenhagen and Stockholm – on 7-to 12-night holidays with experiences for all ages on board. Bookings for the European 2028-29 season are now open for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members on Royal Caribbean's website ahead of the official opening on Thursday, Oct. 15.
Rhapsody of the Seas features a lineup of ways to relax and adventure, from rock climbing to dining on fresh sushi and Asian-inspired fare at Izumi, to taking in original entertainment and enjoying quality time under the sun or stars with the poolside movie screen.
Vacationers can experience the Ultimate Santorini Day with a full-day excursion of the Greek island’s must-see landmarks, headlined by Royal Beach Club Santorini. The beach club combines breathtaking volcanic beaches and views with Royal Caribbean’s signature service as part of a day of exploring the gems of the island at Oia and Fira. Holidaymakers exploring the Greek Isles can experience the Ultimate Santorini Day, a full-day excursion combining visits to Oia and Fira with access to Royal Beach Club Santorini, featuring a stunning beach, authentic local cuisine and more. At the beach club, guests can explore an open-air market showcasing a rotating selection from local businesses, including produce from Nomikos Estate; ouzo, tsikoudia and aged tsikoudia from Santorini distillery Canava Lyngos; and wine from Santo Wines. Select getaways with later evening stays give guests even more time to take in the island's scenery and experiences.
Europe 2028-29 Highlights
Rhapsody of the Seas – From Athens (Piraeus); Barcelona; and Lisbon, Portugal
Rhapsody will kick off Royal Caribbean's year-round Europe season with 7- to 12-night holidays from Athens (Piraeus), Barcelona and Lisbon. From May to October 2028, holidaymakers can explore the history and culture of Turkey and Egypt on 7-night getaways with overnight stays in Alexandria, Egypt and Istanbul or take in the sun-soaked destinations of Greece, including the Ultimate Santorini Day to spots around the island and Royal Beach Club Santorini. Starting November 2028, Rhapsody will deliver 9- to 12-night getaways visiting destinations across the Canary Islands, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Malta and Greece. Holidaymakers can discover Tenerife's natural saltwater pools and Gran Canaria's Maspalomas Dunes, explore the vibrant cities of Casablanca and Tangier, Morocco, or experience overnight stays in Alexandria. The season also marks Royal Caribbean's return to Heraklion, Greece, and Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy for the first time in more than a decade. Between adventures, guests can relax by the outdoor pool or fully climatized Solarium, enjoy live entertainment, and dive into global cuisines from sushi at Izumi to premium steaks at Chops Grille. Explorer of the Seas – From Ravenna (Venice)
From May to October 2028, Explorer will deliver 7-night Mediterranean holidays to the Greek Isles and Croatia, with every holiday including later stays in Santorini for more time to soak up the island's iconic caldera views, whitewashed villages and spectacular sunsets, along with Royal Beach Club Santorini. Select getaways also feature visits to Kotor, Montenegro, where holidaymakers can enjoy a hike and a picnic in Lovcen National Park or walk through Kotor's Old Town. On deck, Royal Caribbean's signature experiences include the FlowRider surf simulator, The Perfect Storm waterslides, and the adults-only Solarium. Freedom of the Seas – From Southampton, England
Adventurers on Freedom can choose from a range of 3- to 9-night holidays across Northern and Southern Europe from May to October 2028. Across the Norwegian fjords, the cityscapes of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Bruges (Zeebrugge), Belgium, and the coastlines of Bilbao, Spain, Paris (Le Havre), and Lisbon, holidaymakers can discover a variety of European experiences departing from Southampton. Freedom pairs European exploration with Royal Caribbean favourites, including The Perfect Storm waterslides, FlowRider surf simulator and glow-in-the-dark laser tag. Jewel of the Seas – From Copenhagen and Stockholm
Returning to Copenhagen, Stockholm and the Baltic, Jewel will sail from May to August 2028 on 7- to 11-night adventures visiting incredible destinations across Helsinki; Visby, Sweden; Gdansk (Gdynia), Poland, and Klaipeda, Lithuania, with itineraries highlighting Scandinavia's striking coastlines and centuries of Nordic history and culture. On Jewel, holidaymakers can enjoy a range of fan-favourite experiences, including the rock-climbing wall, adults-only Solarium and award-winning Broadway-style entertainment. Liberty of the Seas – From Barcelona, Athens (Piraeus), and Rome (Civitavecchia)
From May to October 2028, Liberty will take holidaymakers on 7- and 8-night getaways to the Greek Isles, plus adventures to the Mediterranean visiting Provence (Marseille), France, Sicily (Palermo), Italy, and Cagliari, Sardinia. Holidaymakers visiting Greece will enjoy later evening stays in Santorini, alongside the option to experience Royal Beach Club Santorini or choose from a variety of new excursions showcasing the prehistoric settlement of Akrotiri, visiting Fira or taking in the black sand beach of Perivolos. On the newly amplified Liberty, adventurers can kick back at the pool deck with the Lime & Coconut tropical tiki bar, take on the Royal Escape Room or enjoy hibachi at Izumi Teppanyaki. Mariner of the Seas – From Barcelona, Lisbon, Athens (Piraeus), and Ravenna (Venice)
Returning to the Mediterranean, Mariner will deliver 7-night holidays exploring some of the region's most sought-after destinations including Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Porto (Leixoes), Portugal, and Dubrovnik, Croatia. Between adventures ashore, holidaymakers sailing on Mariner can enjoy the ship's lineup of unrivalled attractions, from the FlowRider surf simulator and The Perfect Storm waterslides to popular dining venues including Jamie's Italian and Izumi. Odyssey of the Seas – From Rome (Civitavecchia)
From April to October 2028, Odyssey will return to Rome (Civitavecchia) for 7-night adventures through the Greek Isles, including visits to destinations like Ephesus, Turkey, and Mykonos, Greece. Holidaymakers can explore the islands with extended evenings in Santorini, with the option to spend the day at the Royal Beach Club Santorini, as part of their Ultimate Santorini Day. On Odyssey, travellers can make the most of sea days with the RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator, the North Star observation capsule and SeaPlex, the largest indoor activity space at sea. Holidaymakers can learn more about new and upcoming European adventures by visiting Royal Caribbean's website.
About Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean, part of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), has delivered memorable vacations for more than 50 years. The cruise line's game-changing ships and exclusive destinations revolutionize vacations with industry-leading innovations and an all-encompassing combination of experiences, from thrills and ways to chill, to dining and entertainment, for every type of family and vacationer. Voted "Best Cruise Line Overall" for 23 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards, Royal Caribbean makes memories with adventurers across more than 300 destinations in 80 countries on all seven continents, including Perfect Day CocoCay in The Bahamas and Royal Beach Clubs in Paradise Island and Santorini, plus Royal Beach Club Lelepa coming soon.
Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on X and visit www.RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to book, vacationers can visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com, call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN or contact their travel advisor.
Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.
Over the past month, shares of this cruise operator have returned +12.9%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. During this period, the Zacks Leisure and Recreation Services industry, which Royal Caribbean falls in, has gained 2%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
Royal Caribbean is expected to post earnings of $6.37 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +10.8%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -0.6%.
The consensus earnings estimate of $17.79 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +13.8%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $20.12 indicates a change of +13.1% from what Royal Caribbean is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Royal Caribbean is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.
For Royal Caribbean, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $5.58 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +8.7%. For the current and next fiscal years, $19.58 billion and $20.93 billion estimates indicate +9.2% and +6.9% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryRoyal Caribbean reported revenues of $4.83 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +6.5%. EPS of $4.21 for the same period compares with $4.38 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.81 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +0.45%. The EPS surprise was +6.05%.
Over the last four quarters, Royal Caribbean surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates two times over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Royal Caribbean is graded C on this front, indicating that it is trading at par with its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Royal Caribbean. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Chasing high-flying stocks can be exciting, but it can also be risky for investors who buy near or at the peak. The real big payoff for investors can come from buying up shares of struggling stocks that the market has become bearish on and that are trading at discounted valuations.
While not all stocks that are down will recover, three that I think are absurdly cheap and that I'd consider buying before the end of 2026 are Viking Therapeutics (VKTX -5.96%), Verizon Communications (VZ +1.75%), and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL +0.30%). Here's why these look like incredible deals right now.
Image source: Getty Images.
Viking TherapeuticsViking Therapeutics has been a volatile stock to own in recent years. It closed on Tuesday at less than $27, and it was less than a month ago that it hit highs of more than $40.
The healthcare company has loads of potential upside thanks to its promising GLP-1 drug, VK2735. It's been doing well in clinical trials, and the reason for the surge last month was due to encouraging results that showed it could not only help people lose between 16% to 19% while on the drug for 21 weeks, but it also helped them keep the majority of the weight off when switching to less frequent maintenance doses.
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The company doesn't have an approved drug in its portfolio just yet, but with VK2735 doing well in late-stage trials, it may only be a matter of time before that changes, and when it does, the stock could soar in value.
Unfortunately, because Viking is burning through cash, it needs to raise capital to continue developing its drugs, so the risk of dilution is high. But I think better days are ahead for Viking, and a larger healthcare company seeking exposure to the lucrative GLP-1 market could also make a bid to acquire Viking in the future. With a market cap of just $3 billion, I could see the stock easily doubling in value.
Verizon CommunicationsVerizon is an excellent dividend stock to buy, and with it yielding 6.6%, it may even be too good to pass up at these levels. Its business is doing well, generating steady growth, and its payout ratio of around 70% also suggests the dividend is just fine.
What's been weighing on Verizon and other telecom stocks of late is the fear that Space Exploration Technologies Corp., also known as SpaceX, will disrupt the industry, as it recently announced it would acquire low-band spectrum from Grain Management, which could help Starlink grow its mobile business nationwide. It's a risk, but one that I believe is overblown right now.
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Verizon's still an industry leader, and that's not likely to change anytime soon. Meanwhile, with the stock offering a high yield and it trading at just nine times its estimated future profits (based on analyst expectations), it's an incredibly appealing dividend stock to load up on right now.
Royal Caribbean CruisesOne stock that I regret not already pulling the trigger on is Royal Caribbean. The cruise ship operator's stock fell last month after it announced it would be acquiring a 50% stake in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for $3 billion. It briefly hit a new 52-week low of around $222 before recovering.
However, even at its current share price, it's a terrific deal for long-term investors. The investment in Sandals is a great example of how Royal Caribbean is expanding its business beyond just cruises. By diversifying and offering more experiences, the company is poised for much more long-term growth.
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Its cruise business is already doing tremendously well, with its performance coming in better than expected in its most recent quarter. The company also recently raised its guidance, projecting 9% revenue growth for the full year and 14% growth in adjusted earnings.
At just 11 times its estimated future profits, the stock is an all-out bargain buy. For long-term investors, this can be a solid investment to buy and hold for years.
Key Takeaways Royal Caribbean's repeat guests spend 20% to 25% more, highlighting loyalty's role in growth.Royal ONE beat expectations, while two loyalty programs added 500,000 enrollments.Over 90% of guests use RCL's app, and 2026 EPS estimates imply 13.8% year-over-year growth. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL - Free Report) seeks to turn guest loyalty into a sustainable growth driver by connecting its brands, ships, destinations and digital platforms to encourage more frequent vacations. Management said repeat guests spend 20% to 25% more, underscoring the financial benefits of retaining customers and deepening their relationship with the company.
RCL’s loyalty initiatives are gaining traction. Since its April launch, the Royal ONE co-branded credit card has exceeded expectations for sign-ups and spending. Cardholders are also twice as likely to cruise multiple times as non-cardholders. Meanwhile, Points Choice and Status Match have generated more than 500,000 new loyalty enrollments, encouraging customers to explore different brands without losing their earned recognition.
Digital engagement further strengthens this strategy. More than 90% of guests use RCL’s app, while monthly active users have increased fivefold since 2019. More than half of onboard revenues are purchased before embarkation, creating opportunities to personalize recommendations and simplify vacation planning. These capabilities can also help direct customers toward relevant dining, entertainment and destination experiences.
Stronger loyalty could support repeat bookings, higher onboard spending and pricing power as RCL expands its fleet and destination offerings. However, sustaining these benefits will require consistent guest satisfaction and effective execution amid geopolitical uncertainty and competitive promotions. With repeat-guest mix increasing year over year, loyalty is emerging as an important component of RCL’s long-term growth strategy.
How CCL and NCLH Use Loyalty to Encourage Repeat CruisesCarnival Corporation (CCL - Free Report) is strengthening customer retention through its Carnival Rewards program, launched in September 2026. The program lets members earn redeemable points and status-qualifying stars based on eligible spending. Higher status unlocks additional benefits, while rewards encourage customers to book future cruises and spend on eligible purchases. This spending-based approach could help Carnival connect customer loyalty more closely with revenue generation.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH - Free Report) uses its Latitudes Rewards program to encourage repeat bookings through points, member-exclusive offers, discounts and onboard privileges. Customers earn points for cruise nights, with additional opportunities through qualifying suite bookings and promotional offers. The company also extends loyalty recognition across Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, allowing guests to explore different brands while retaining onboard benefits. This cross-brand strategy could encourage repeat purchases and strengthen customer relationships.
Both competitors demonstrate how loyalty programs can support customer retention and spending. RCL's opportunity lies in combining similar incentives with differentiated vacation experiences to encourage more frequent bookings and higher guest lifetime value.
RCL’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Royal Caribbean have lost 7.8% in the past year compared with the industry’s 3.4% decline.
RCL Stock’s One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, RCL trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 14.4, below the industry’s average of 16.06.
RCL’s P/E Ratio (Forward 12-Month) vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RCL’s 2026 earnings implies a year-over-year increase of 13.8%. The EPS estimates for 2026 have increased in the past 30 days.
EPS Trend of RCL Stock
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
RCL’s Zacks RankRCL stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. NYSE: RCL has rarely looked more ambitious. The cruise giant has agreed to pay around $3 billion for a half-share in the company behind Sandals, the famous all-inclusive Caribbean resort, in a bold move beyond the open water and onto dry land.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Today
RCL
Royal Caribbean Cruises
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Investors have cheered the step. Though RCL shares are still roughly flat for the year, they surged about 25% over the two weeks since the deal was announced to trade near $280.
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After an initial wobble, as the market digested the price tag, the mood turned firmly optimistic, helped along by a wave of supportive analyst commentary.
So the question now is what this deal really means for Royal Caribbean's next phase of growth. Is buying into the resort business a shrewd way to extend an already booming franchise, or an expensive distraction that piles on debt at an uncertain moment?
Why the Deal Makes SenseThe logic behind the move is more compelling than it might first appear. Rather than simply adding more ships, Royal Caribbean is building out a broader vacation empire, one that spans cruises, private destinations, loyalty programs, and now land-based resorts too.
The appeal is in the connections between them. A Sandals guest could be tempted onto a cruise, a loyal cruiser onto a resort stay, and the whole ecosystem feeds a more frequent, higher-spending customer relationship. It deepens the company's grip on its most important market, the Caribbean, where demand remains particularly strong.
The deal also offers a tangible financial sweetener. Jefferies, which upgraded the stock to a Buy, estimates the venture could add around $159 million to earnings in 2027, worth roughly 59 cents per share. For a deal that’s only due to complete early next year, that is an impressively quick contribution to the bottom line.
A Business Already Sailing WellCrucially, this expansion is happening from a position of strength. Royal Caribbean’s underlying cruise business is in fine health, with management describing demand for 2027 as very strong and bookings already running at elevated levels.
Better still, that demand is giving Royal Caribbean real pricing power. The company says it can increasingly raise prices on last-minute bookings rather than slashing them to fill cabins, a telling sign that appetite for its cruises is outstripping the supply of berths.
Nor is it wholly reliant on ticket prices. A growing share of revenue now comes from what guests spend once aboard, on drinks, shore excursions and the like, giving the company another lever to pull even when fares rise only modestly. This combination of full ships, firmer pricing, and higher onboard spending has Wall Street upbeat.
A Few Clouds on the HorizonFor all the optimism, a dose of caution is sensible, and the biggest question mark hangs over the debt behind the Sandals deal. The $3 billion stake is being funded with borrowed money, and while the exact terms have not been disclosed, taking on fresh debt inevitably raises interest costs and leaves less room for maneuver if conditions sour.
There is the ever-present issue of fuel, as well. Rising crude prices are a real threat to a business that burns so much of it, and although strong pricing and onboard spending should help absorb the hit, that cushion may not be enough if fuel costs climb sharply from here.
The deal itself must also prove its worth. A $3 billion outlay sets a high bar, and the venture will need to deliver the promised earnings without swallowing more cash or management attention than expected. With a 50% stake, Royal Caribbean shares both the rewards and the risks without holding full control.
Can the Rally Keep Rolling?Looking ahead, it’s hard not to feel that Royal Caribbean is an attractive way to play the enduring strength of the cruise market, with this Sandals deal adding a fresh and potentially lucrative string to its bow. The core business is thriving, demand is robust, and the company has found a new avenue for growth even while its existing growth arm looks strong.
Current Price$281.87High Forecast$425.00Average Forecast$352.04Low Forecast$298.00Royal Caribbean Cruises Stock Forecast Details
Wall Street largely agrees. The stock carries a MarketBeat Moderate Buy consensus rating, and the enthusiasm has only grown since the deal.
This week, Barclays reiterated an Overweight rating with a $337 price target, implying around 20% of upside from current levels and a return to the top of the stock's recent range.
At the same time, Citigroup reaffirmed its own Buy rating the week before.
Yes, the debt and fuel risks are real, and a $3 billion bet is never without danger. But Royal Caribbean has given the market plenty to be excited about, so for investors who believe the cruise boom has further to sail, the recent rally could easily have another leg in it.
Should You Invest $1,000 in Royal Caribbean Cruises Right Now?Before you consider Royal Caribbean Cruises, you'll want to hear this.
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, /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) has scheduled a conference call for 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Tuesday, October 27, 2026, to discuss the company's third quarter 2026 financial results. The call will be simultaneously webcast on the company's investor relations website, rclinvestor.com. A replay of the webcast will remain available at the same website for 30 days following the call.
About Royal Caribbean Group
Royal Caribbean Group is a leading global vacation company spanning cruise, one-of-a-kind destinations, and land-based vacation experiences. The company operates 71 ships sailing to more than 1,000 destinations across all seven continents through its three wholly owned brands – Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea – and a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises, which operates the Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd brands.
The Group is expanding its portfolio of private destinations through its Perfect Day and Royal Beach Club collections, and the company will enter river cruising in 2027 with Celebrity River Cruises. Powered by innovative brands, advanced technology, and an industry-leading loyalty program, the company has built a connected vacation ecosystem, turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations.
Named to the Fortune World's Most Admired Companies 2026 list and to Forbes' 2026 Best American Companies lists, Royal Caribbean Group is guided by its mission to deliver the best vacations responsibly. For more information, visit royalcaribbeangroup.com.
Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $282.32, moving -2.24% from the previous trading session. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.22%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.66%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.22%.
Shares of the cruise operator have appreciated by 9.18% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Consumer Discretionary sector's loss of 2.69%, and the S&P 500's gain of 1.4%.
Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Royal Caribbean in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $6.36, showcasing a 10.61% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Simultaneously, our latest consensus estimate expects the revenue to be $5.58 billion, showing a 8.66% escalation compared to the year-ago quarter.
RCL's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $17.79 per share and revenue of $19.58 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +13.75% and +9.15%, respectively.
Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Royal Caribbean. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 0.01% upward. Royal Caribbean is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Digging into valuation, Royal Caribbean currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 16.24. This indicates a premium in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 15.68.
We can additionally observe that RCL currently boasts a PEG ratio of 1.02. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Leisure and Recreation Services industry held an average PEG ratio of 1.16.
The Leisure and Recreation Services industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 181, which puts it in the bottom 27% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.
From Carnival in Rio to truffle season in Tuscany, Silversea's newest sailings place guests at the heart of the world's most captivating cultural moments across 56 countries
, /PRNewswire/ -- Silversea, the leading experiential luxury and expedition travel brand, has revealed new sailings within its Voyage Collection 2028-2029, 'Let the World Surprise You.' Itineraries are timed to the world's most captivating cultural moments, from Carnival in Venice and Rio de Janeiro to New Year's Eve in Funchal and Sydney, alongside new S.A.L.T. Culinary Voyages built around Europe's truffle season and Southeast Asia's iconic markets. Spanning September 2028 to May 2029, the program comprises 103 voyages across 219 destinations in 56 countries, including 29 new ports of call across the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and South America. General sales open on October 8, 2026.
Silversea Unveils 103 New Voyages for 2028/2029 "Our Voyage Collection 2028-2029 offers industry-leading depth across every region," said Bert Hernandez, president, Silversea. "Guests can select a voyage designed around a culinary season through our new S.A.L.T. Culinary Voyages, take on an entire continent aboard Silver Nova during Grand South America 2029, or spend an afternoon on the exclusive island of Canouan, where our Destination Experience carries guests from a Carnival welcome to a beachside celebration. These moments are what allow our guests to experience each destination at its most authentic."
New features across these sailings include:
A TWO-SHIP MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMENT: A two-ship deployment in the Mediterranean, with 17 sailings aboard Silver Nova and Silver Dawn, including immersive experiences at Venice Carnival and Funchal's New Year's Eve fireworks. NEW S.A.L.T. CULINARY VOYAGES: Wine & Truffle voyages across Spain and Italy, and new Asian Markets voyages between Singapore and Hong Kong. CANOUAN - A SPECIAL DESTINATION EXPERIENCE BY SILVERSEA: A full-day call at Canouan, a secluded island within St. Vincent and the Grenadines, featuring a Carnival welcome and a beachside soiree. GRAND SOUTH AMERICA 2029: A round-trip circumnavigation of the continent aboard Silver Nova, including Antarctic Peninsula scenic cruising. THE MEDITERRANEAN AT ITS MOST INTIMATE
Silver Nova and Silver Dawn will welcome guests on 17 Mediterranean voyages between October 2028 and March 2029, calling at 53 destinations across 12 countries, including new calls at Brindisi and Imperia. Overnight stays are scheduled in Cadiz, Funchal (Madeira), Fusina (Venice), Genoa, Istanbul, Livorno (Tuscany), Naples, and Valletta, with the two-ship deployment enhancing combinability between the Eastern and Western Mediterranean.
Silver Dawn's overnight calls in Venice will allow guests to experience the Carnival after dark, including an evening event inspired by Casanova. A separate sailing positions the ship in Funchal, Madeira, for New Year's Eve, with the island's fireworks display visible from the ship, before continuing on to Casablanca and Tangier. Silver Dawn will also add three sailings featuring Alexandria, including a Great Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum excursion, alongside two additional sailings calling at Istanbul.
A NEW COLLECTION OF S.A.L.T. CULINARY VOYAGES
Silversea is also making new additions to its S.A.L.T. Culinary Voyages – a collection of itineraries shaped by the seasons, rooted in regional cuisine, and led by local experts, master chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists. Three Wine & Truffle sailings will take guests across Italy and Spain aboard Silver Dawn from October through December, tracing the truffle trail from Livorno, gateway to Tuscany, to Palamos, on the edge of Catalonia's truffle country, with truffle-hunting excursions, guided vineyard tours, and onboard tastings and chef programming. Four Asian Markets sailings aboard Silver Muse will journey between Singapore and Hong Kong, with shore excursions led by local food experts, chef-led market tours, and visits to hawker stalls and street food destinations.
SILVER NOVA AND SILVER RAY LEAD SILVERSEA'S CARIBBEAN DEPLOYMENT
Silver Ray, Silver Nova, Silver Spirit, and Silver Shadow will anchor Silversea's Caribbean and Central America deployment, spanning 38 voyages between November 2028 and March 2029, and calling at 34 destinations across 21 countries, including a new call at La Romana, Dominican Republic. All four ships offer round-trip departures from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or San Juan.
Silversea will also offer an exclusive Destination Experience at Canouan during the season: a private beach day featuring a Carnival-style welcome with local dancers and a steel band, along with a beachside soiree with light bites, flowing drinks, and live music. Silver Ray and Silver Spirit will each depart on round-trip Miami sailings of eight to 12 days, featuring St. Barts alongside Antigua, Anguilla, or St. Kitts.
GRAND SOUTH AMERICA 2029 VOYAGE
Silver Nova will host the Grand South America 2029 voyage, a 75-night round-trip circumnavigation of the continent departing Fort Lauderdale on January 13, 2029, and returning March 29, 2029. The voyage includes a Panama Canal transit, scenic cruising of the Antarctic Peninsula, and overnight stays in Manaus, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Callao (Lima), and Cartagena.
Three exclusive events are planned for guests on this voyage, starting with a sunset reception in Gustavia, St. Barts, where guests will gather with champagne and local cocktails, followed by dinner and live music in a setting inspired by the atmosphere of Saint-Tropez. Guests will then watch Rio's Carnival from a reserved space at the Sambadrome, with preferred seating along the parade runway and dedicated hospitality service throughout the evening. Before returning to Fort Lauderdale, the ship will call at Cartagena for a private event at a rooftop venue overlooking the bay, featuring live music, dancers, and cultural performances.
NEW YEAR'S EVE IN SYDNEY AND EIGHT NEW PORTS ACROSS ASIA
Silver Moon will spend the season in Australia and New Zealand, covering 10 voyages between October 2028 and March 2029 and visiting 42 destinations across three countries, including new calls at Batemans Bay and Phillip Island, and a scenic cruise through Dusky Sound. New combination voyages in New Zealand – including a round-trip Melbourne itinerary – and new routes linking Australia and Indonesia expand how these itineraries can be combined. Silver Moon will also host an overnight New Year's Eve call in Sydney.
Silver Moon and Silver Muse will together complete 26 Asia voyages between September 2028 and May 2029, calling at 62 destinations across 11 countries. This collection adds eight new ports, including Yeosu, Hitachinaka, Miyako-jima, Vigan, Muara, Sihanoukville, Makassar, and Maizuru (Kyoto), and introduces Kobe and Bali as new turnaround ports, expanding how guests can combine itineraries. Sailings are timed to Japan's cherry blossom season and Hong Kong's Lunar New Year.
General sales for these sailings within Silversea's Voyage Collection 2028-2029 open on October 8, 2026, following a preview for Venetian Society members on October 6.
For more information on Silversea's Voyage Collection 2028-2029, visit https://www.silversea.com/lp-new-winter-itineraries-2028-2029.html
About Silversea
Silversea is the leading experiential luxury and expedition travel brand, offering guests immersive experiences on all seven continents, personalized service, and an innovative culinary offering aboard its 12 intimate ocean and expedition ships. Silversea's itineraries encompass an unparalleled range of destinations worldwide, from the Mediterranean and the Caribbean to the Galápagos, both Polar Regions, and hundreds of fascinating places in between. Set to strengthen its destination leadership starting in 2026, the brand is developing the southernmost hotel on Earth, The Cormorant at 55 South, in Puerto Williams, Chile – offering guests a uniquely seamless journey to Antarctica. Silversea brings its like-minded guests closer to their destination in uncompromised comfort, championing the joy of travel, an enriching spirit of discovery, and an enduring commitment to Silversea's signature "To Finding More" promise. Silversea is owned and operated by global cruise company Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL). For more information, visit www.silversea.com. Media can stay up to date by visiting the brand's press center.
Silversea, Otium, S.A.L.T., The Cormorant at 55 South, To Finding More, and the various ship names are registered trademarks of Silversea Cruises LLC.
About Royal Caribbean Group
Royal Caribbean Group is a leading global vacation company spanning cruise, one-of-a-kind destinations, and land-based vacation experiences. The company operates 71 ships sailing to more than 1,000 destinations across all seven continents through its three wholly owned brands - Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea - and a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises, which operates the Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd brands.
The Group is expanding its portfolio of private destinations through its Perfect Day and Royal Beach Club collections, and the company will enter river cruising in 2027 with Celebrity River Cruises. Powered by innovative brands, advanced technology, and an industry-leading loyalty program, the company has built a connected vacation ecosystem, turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations.
Named to the Fortune World's Most Admired Companies 2026 list and to Forbes' 2026 Best American Companies lists, Royal Caribbean Group is guided by its mission to deliver the best vacations responsibly. For more information, visit royalcaribbeangroup.com.
Key Takeaways Royal Caribbean enters 2027 with bookings ahead of historical levels and record pricing.New ships in 2027 should expand Royal Caribbean's capacity and add differentiated experiences.AI pricing, app use and loyalty growth are helping Royal Caribbean optimize yields and customer spending. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL - Free Report) is entering 2027 with strong booking momentum and record pricing, reinforcing confidence that its growth run can extend beyond 2026. Management said early 2027 bookings were pacing ahead of historical levels and were being secured at higher prices, while booked load factors remained elevated.
The company’s expanding portfolio provides additional support for 2027. Hero of the Seas is scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2027, while Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker are expected to enter service during the second and third quarters, respectively. These additions should broaden capacity while introducing differentiated experiences that can support pricing.
Royal Caribbean is also leveraging technology and loyalty to protect yields and deepen customer engagement. Its AI-driven pricing models manage roughly $20 million and growing price points, helping optimize revenues rather than simply fill cabins. Meanwhile, Points Choice and Status Match have generated more than half a million new loyalty enrollments; more than 90% of guests use the company’s app, and over half of onboard revenues are purchased before embarkation. These trends give RCL more opportunities to personalize offers, strengthen repeat demand and capture incremental spending.
Still, sustaining record pricing will depend on healthy consumer demand and disciplined capacity growth. Geopolitical disruptions have already affected some European itineraries, underscoring the sensitivity of bookings to external events. Even so, strong 2027 pricing, expanding vacation offerings, deeper loyalty engagement and new capacity give Royal Caribbean multiple levers to sustain its growth momentum into next year.
How Cruise Peers CCL and NCLH Are Positioning for 2027Carnival Corporation Ltd. (CCL - Free Report) is also entering 2027 with strong pricing momentum. The company is already about half booked for the year, with both occupancy and pricing at record levels. Carnival expects only modest capacity growth in 2027, which should support its strategy of managing the booking curve for price. Its expanding destination portfolio, including Celebration Key, is another lever to differentiate the product and strengthen yields, while continued loyalty initiatives are aimed at increasing repeat demand and lifetime value.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH - Free Report) , meanwhile, is rebuilding its pricing and demand-generation strategy. The company is shifting toward a baseloading approach that establishes more competitive pricing earlier in the booking curve to build demand sooner, preserve price integrity and reduce close-in discounting. NCLH expects the first half of 2027 to remain pressured, particularly the first quarter, but sees sequential improvement as marketing, revenue-management and demand-generation initiatives gain traction. Investments in Great Stirrup Cay and its new Great Tides Waterpark are also intended to strengthen differentiation and improve revenue potential.
RCL’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Royal Caribbean have declined 12.6% in the past year compared with the industry’s 7.2% fall.
RCL Stock’s One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, RCL trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 14.06, below the industry’s average of 15.81.
RCL’s P/E Ratio (Forward 12-Month) vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RCL’s 2026 earnings implies a year-over-year increase of 13.8%. The EPS estimates for 2026 have increased in the past seven days.
The new terminal will support the long-term development of tourism in Okinawa, strengthen regional connectivity, and enhance the guest experience.
NAHA, OKINAWA, Japan, /PRNewswire/ -- Naha Port Authority, Cruise Port Naha G.K., Royal Caribbean Group and MSC Cruises celebrated the groundbreaking of a new cruise terminal at Naha Port, marking a significant milestone in the continued growth of cruising in Japan and across the East Asia region.
From left, Preston Carnahan, vice president, Destination Development, Royal Caribbean Group; Hon. Genta Koja, Governor of Okinawa Prefecture, president, Naha Port Authority; Oliviero Morelli, president, Japan, Korea, and South East Asia, Cruise Division of MSC Group; Javier Rodriguez Sanchez, vice president, Business Development, Ports & Destinations, CTL Maritime Cruise Port Naha G.K. is a joint venture between CTL Maritime and RCL Cruises Ltd., representing the respective interests of MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean Group. Under the Cruise Hub Formation Agreement concluded with the Naha Port Authority in August 2026, Cruise Port Naha G.K. will develop and operate the new terminal, with completion and the start of operations targeted for March 2028.
The new terminal will provide modern, purpose-built facilities designed to enhance the guest experience, improve operational efficiency, and support the long-term growth of cruise tourism in Okinawa.
As one of Japan's most strategically located ports, Naha offers year-round accessibility and serves as an ideal gateway for cruise itineraries throughout the region. Once completed, the new terminal will provide enhanced passenger facilities, strengthening the port's ability to accommodate some of the most advanced cruise ships in the world, thereby supporting increased passenger capacity and growing demand for cruise vacations in Asia.
"For Royal Caribbean Group, Japan is one of the most important cruise markets in Asia - not only as a destination, but as a long-term partner in our global business. We do not simply bring guests here, we also invest here and with Naha Okinawa, we are investing in infrastructure that will benefit the local community for years to come," said Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. "The future of cruising in Japan is about shared ambition, collaboration, and responsible innovation, and we are honored to be a part of it."
"Okinawa is uniquely positioned at the crossroads of some of Asia's most exciting cruise destinations, and we see real potential for its future," said Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, MSC Group, Cruises Division. "This project forms part of our long-term vision to expand our presence in the region and create new opportunities for guests of MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys to enjoy Asia year-round. As we continue to develop our itineraries and invest in infrastructure, we are making cruising more accessible for both international and Asian travellers while strengthening connections across the region. We are proud to partner with Royal Caribbean Group and the Naha Port Authority in bringing this vision to life, and I thank all those whose commitment, collaboration and shared ambition have made today's milestone possible. Together, we are investing not only in a port, but in the future growth of cruise tourism in Okinawa and across Asia."
The project follows Naha Port's designation by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as an International Cruise Ship Hub Formation Port in 2019 and represents an important public-private collaboration to support the long-term development of tourism in Okinawa.
Today's groundbreaking included a traditional Japanese ceremony at the future terminal site, marking the formal start of construction and bringing together several esteemed public officials for the event, including Okinawa Governor Genta Koja and representatives from the Cabinet Office of Japan, alongside representatives from Naha Port Authority, Cruise Port Naha G.K., MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean Group.
About Royal Caribbean Group
Royal Caribbean Group is a leading global vacation company spanning cruise, one-of-a-kind destinations, and land-based vacation experiences. The company operates 71 ships sailing to more than 1,000 destinations across all seven continents through its three wholly owned brands - Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea - and a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises, which operates the Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd brands.
The Group is expanding its portfolio of private destinations through its Perfect Day and Royal Beach Club collections, and the company will enter river cruising in 2027 with Celebrity River Cruises. Powered by innovative brands, advanced technology, and an industry-leading loyalty program, the company has built a connected vacation ecosystem, turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations.
Named to the Fortune World's Most Admired Companies 2026 list and to Forbes' 2026 Best American Companies lists, Royal Caribbean Group is guided by its mission to deliver the best vacations responsibly. For more information, visit royalcaribbeangroup.com.
About MSC Cruises
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the privately-owned MSC Cruises is the world's third largest cruise line and the market leader in Europe with a strong and growing presence in North America. A global cruise brand with 23 modern ships offering cruises across five continents, guests can visit more than 100 countries worldwide with more than 300 destinations, making unforgettable memories and enjoying the finest hospitality. For more information visit MSC Cruises.
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Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.
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VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.86% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise company headquartered in Miami. The company operates three global cruise brands: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea. It owns a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises GmbH, which operates Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and is accounted for under the equity method.
RCL is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Consumer Discretionary stock. RCL has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 0.1% over the past four weeks.
For fiscal 2026, two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.07 to $17.79 per share. RCL boasts an average earnings surprise of +4.9%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, RCL should be on investors' short list.
In the latest close session, Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) was up +1.99% at $265.86. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.25%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.86%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 0.24%.
The stock of cruise operator has fallen by 1.89% in the past month, leading the Consumer Discretionary sector's loss of 8.16% and undershooting the S&P 500's loss of 0.42%.
Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Royal Caribbean in its upcoming earnings disclosure. In that report, analysts expect Royal Caribbean to post earnings of $6.36 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 10.61%. Simultaneously, our latest consensus estimate expects the revenue to be $5.58 billion, showing a 8.66% escalation compared to the year-ago quarter.
Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $17.79 per share and revenue of $19.58 billion. These totals would mark changes of +13.75% and +9.15%, respectively, from last year.
Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Royal Caribbean. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook.
Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, running from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), holds an admirable track record of superior performance, independently audited, with #1 stocks contributing an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 0.01% upward. Royal Caribbean currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Valuation is also important, so investors should note that Royal Caribbean has a Forward P/E ratio of 14.66 right now. This signifies a discount in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 15.04 for its industry.
Meanwhile, RCL's PEG ratio is currently 0.92. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. The Leisure and Recreation Services industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 1.2 as of yesterday's close.
The Leisure and Recreation Services industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 192, placing it within the bottom 22% of over 250 industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.
Key Takeaways Royal Caribbean had 58% of the remaining 2026 fuel consumption hedged at below-market rates.Second-quarter fuel expense rose to $355 million from $279 million on higher rates per metric ton.Royal Caribbean extended hedge coverage to 49% for 2027, 29% for 2028 and 14% for 2029. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL - Free Report) continues to use fuel hedging as part of its broader efforts to manage operating expenses. The company expects fuel expenses of approximately $1.34 billion in 2026. As of second-quarter 2026, 58% of remaining 2026 fuel consumption was hedged at significantly below-market rates. This coverage provides partial protection against fuel-price increases while supporting greater visibility into its cost outlook.
Fuel costs nevertheless remain a source of pressure. Second-quarter fuel expense increased to $355 million from $279 million a year earlier due to higher rates per metric ton. The company stated that a 10% change in fuel prices could affect expenses by approximately $26 million over the remainder of 2026, highlighting the exposure that remains despite hedging.
For 2026, Royal Caribbean expects net cruise costs per available passenger cruise day, excluding fuel, to remain approximately flat on a constant-currency basis, supported by ongoing efficiency improvements and prudent cost management. Including fuel, unit cruise costs are expected to increase approximately 1.4% on the same basis, underscoring the additional pressure from fuel expenses.
The company added fuel hedges for 2027 when prices eased in June. As of June 30, hedge coverage represented 49% of projected fuel purchases for 2027, 29% for 2028 and 14% for 2029, extending protection beyond the current year.
Overall, Royal Caribbean’s below-market fuel hedges provide a partial cushion for its approximately $1.34 billion fuel expense outlook. Together with operating efficiencies and disciplined spending, this coverage could help preserve profitability.
How Cruise Peers Are Managing Fuel CostsCarnival Corporation Ltd. (CCL - Free Report) prioritizes lower fuel consumption over hedging to manage energy costs. In the third quarter of fiscal 2026, fuel consumption declined nearly 4% year over year, building on a reduction of more than 5% a year earlier. Carnival expects the full-year fuel expense of approximately $2.25 billion, including emission allowances, with consumption of approximately 2.7 million metric tons. Fuel consumption per available lower berth day has declined 26% since 2019, helping cushion higher prices. However, a 10% change in fuel cost per metric ton, excluding emission allowances, could affect CCL’s fiscal fourth-quarter adjusted net income by approximately $59 million, highlighting continued exposure to price volatility.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH - Free Report) also uses fuel hedging to limit exposure to energy-price volatility. As of June 30, 2026, NCLH had hedged approximately 52% of projected 2026 fuel consumption and 38% for 2027. Fuel costs nevertheless remained under pressure, with second-quarter expense reaching $219 million as prices per metric ton, net of hedges, increased to $888 from $659 a year earlier. Norwegian Cruise expects a full-year fuel price of $780 per metric ton, net of hedges. A 10% change in fuel prices, net of hedges, would affect full-year adjusted earnings per share (EPS) by approximately 5 cents, indicating continued exposure to price volatility.
RCL’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Royal Caribbean have declined 17.5% in the past year compared with the industry’s 11.2% fall.
RCL Stock’s One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, RCL trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 13.37, below the industry’s average of 15.48.
RCL’s P/E Ratio (Forward 12-Month) vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RCL’s 2026 earnings implies a year-over-year increase of 13.8%. The EPS estimates for 2026 have remained unchanged in the past 30 days.
EPS Trend of RCL Stock
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
RCL’s Zacks RankRCL stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Vacationers are in for unforgettable adventures to The Last Frontier with 7-night vacations across four Royal Caribbean ships and extended land Cruisetour experiences
, /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean has unveiled its 2028 Alaska lineup, offering more ways for vacationers to experience the beauty of the Last Frontier on Anthem, the newly amplified Ovation, Serenade and Voyager of the Seas beginning in April 2028. Adventurers can explore Alaska's majestic glaciers, diverse wildlife and coastal communities on 7-night vacations departing from Seattle, Seward and Vancouver, with ways to extend select journeys on multi-night Cruisetour land experiences. The 2028 lineup of Alaska vacations is now open to book on Royal Caribbean's website for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members, ahead of the official opening on Thursday, Oct. 1.
Anthem of the Seas offers a lineup of thrilling experiences. From the RipCord by iFly sky diving experience to the North Star glass observation capsule that takes vacationers more than 300 feet above the ocean, to robust culinary experiences and the Bionic Bar robot bartenders, there are adventures for guests of all ages. From visiting Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau and exploring the historic charm of Skagway to taking in the rugged landscapes of Icy Strait Point, adventurers can discover the state's remarkable wildlife, rich heritage and awe-inspiring scenery on bold vacations for all ages. Guests can take in sweeping views of glaciers, mountains and fjords from the all-glass North Star observation capsule on Anthem and Ovation, while enjoying experiences in between destinations like the RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, bumper cars and roller skating at SeaPlex, and live entertainment at the Royal Theater and Music Hall.
Alaska Summer 2028 Highlights
Anthem of the Seas – From Seward and Vancouver
From May to September, Anthem will combine Alaska's iconic coastlines with immersive inland experiences on 7-night vacations and 2- to 6-night Cruisetours that extend the journey before or after the vacation, including adventures to Denali National Park. Vacationers can marvel at one of Alaska's most spectacular natural wonders at Hubbard Glacier and explore Ketchikan for fishing, kayaking, hiking and zip lining through forests. Back onboard, travelers can take in panoramic views from the North Star observation capsule, enjoy action-packed experiences at SeaPlex – the largest indoor activity space at sea – and refuel at Jamie's Italian for Tuscan family-style dishes and Johnny Rockets for American classics. Ovation of the Seas – From Seattle
The newly amplified Ovation will bring vacationers to Alaska's natural wonders on 7-night adventures from Seattle between May and September. Vacationers can discover the lush landscapes and rich heritage of Sitka, Skagway and Juneau, along with the breathtaking waterfalls, valleys and mountain views at Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier. On Ovation, vacationers can make memories between destinations with skydiving at the Ripcord by iFly simulator, dancing at the brand-new Sound Cellar and celebrating with tropical cocktails at the Pesky Parrot tiki bar. To refuel, there's a variety of international cuisine to indulge in from Italian favorites at Giovanni's Italian Kitchen, premium cuts at Chops Grille and hibachi at Izumi Teppanyaki. Serenade of the Seas – From Vancouver
On Serenade, vacationers can explore Alaska's rugged mountains, temperate rainforests and wildlife-rich coastline on 7-night getaways from Vancouver from May to September. Adventures await with the longest and highest zipline at Icy Strait Point, hiking in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and browsing the historic district of Juneau. On deck, adventurers can take on the rock-climbing wall, kick back with poolside movie nights under the stars and enjoy live music at the Schooner Bar. Plus, with exteriors made from over three acres of glass, Serenade's unique, light-filled design gives way to the grandeur of the Alaskan surroundings from the comfort of the ship. Voyager of the Seas – From Seattle
From April to September, vacationers on Voyager can experience 7-night getaways from Seattle to Alaskan towns of Sitka, Juneau and Skagway and Canada's Victoria, British Columbia. Adventurers can visit national historic sites of the Last Frontier and take in postcard-perfect views of the surrounding mountains and coastal landscapes, while keeping an eye out for wildlife like grizzly bears, harbor seals and bald eagles. Back on Voyager, families can stay active with ice skating and laser tag at Studio B, mini golf and arcade games, while adults can unwind at the Solarium fully climatized pool deck. Vacationers traveling from Seward can enjoy a seamless beginning-to-end journey with Royal Caribbean Group and the Alaska Railroad's new state-of-the-art terminal. Designed to elevate every step of the vacation experience, the facility offers stunning mountain views, an effortless arrival and embarkation process, and convenient access to the neighboring Alaska Railroad station, making it easier than ever to explore more of Alaska's breathtaking destinations. The investment also advances Royal Caribbean Group's corporate responsibility SEA the Future initiative by creating lasting benefits for the local community, from providing a year-round gathering space for sports, youth programs and other group activities, to hosting events such as the recent award ceremony held for local entrepreneurs who participated in the bespoke small business accelerator program Port Partners.
Vacationers can learn more about the upcoming Alaska adventures on Royal Caribbean's website.
About Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean, part of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), has delivered memorable vacations for more than 50 years. The cruise line's game-changing ships and signature destinations revolutionize vacations with industry-leading innovations and an all-encompassing combination of experiences, from thrills and ways to chill, to dining and entertainment, for every type of family and vacationer. Voted "Best Cruise Line Overall" for 23 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards, Royal Caribbean makes memories with adventurers across more than 300 destinations in 80 countries on all seven continents, including Perfect Day CocoCay in The Bahamas and Royal Beach Clubs in Paradise Island and Santorini, plus Royal Beach Club Lelepa coming soon.
Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on X and visit www.RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to book, vacationers can visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com, call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN or contact their travel advisor.
Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.
Shares of this cruise operator have returned -1.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.4% change. The Zacks Leisure and Recreation Services industry, to which Royal Caribbean belongs, has lost 11% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
Royal Caribbean is expected to post earnings of $6.36 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +10.6%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.1%.
The consensus earnings estimate of $17.79 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +13.8%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $20.11 indicates a change of +13.1% from what Royal Caribbean is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Royal Caribbean.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.
In the case of Royal Caribbean, the consensus sales estimate of $5.58 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +8.7%. The $19.58 billion and $20.93 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +9.2% and +6.9%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryRoyal Caribbean reported revenues of $4.83 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +6.5%. EPS of $4.21 for the same period compares with $4.38 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.81 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +0.45%. The EPS surprise was +6.05%.
Over the last four quarters, Royal Caribbean surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates two times over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Royal Caribbean is graded B on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Royal Caribbean. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL) are climbing Tuesday afternoon in sympathy with peer Carnival Corporation Ltd. (NYSE:CCL) after the company posted stronger-than-expected third-quarter earnings and raised its full-year profit outlook.
Royal Caribbean Group stock is among today’s top performers. Why is RCL stock surging? Carnival Q3 Earnings Beat Signals Strong Cruise Industry FundamentalsThe sector-wide rally was triggered by Carnival’s fiscal third-quarter results released Tuesday morning, in which the cruise operator reported adjusted earnings of $1.43 per share, beating Wall Street expectations of $1.36 per share.
Carnival raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to approximately $2.24, above analyst estimates of $2.22, driven by net yield expansion of 2.4% that outpaced management’s previous forecasts.
Record Forward Bookings Dispel Consumer Slowdown ConcernsCrucially for Royal Caribbean, Carnival’s executive commentary provided concrete evidence of sustained leisure travel demand despite macroeconomic headwinds. Carnival CEO Josh Weinstein noted that booking momentum accelerated through July and August, stating that “vacations are sacrosanct” to consumers.
Carnival reported record customer deposits of $7.6 billion, up $500 million year-over-year, and confirmed that booked occupancy and pricing for 2027 and 2028 are running at record levels.
Read Next
Margin Insulation and De-risking Drive Sector Multiple ExpansionThe read-through for Royal Caribbean rests on the cruise sector’s high operating leverage and shared cost dynamics. Carnival demonstrated that strong onboard spending and ticket yield gains (+$150 million in operational improvements) effectively offset a $150 million headwind from higher fuel costs.
RCL Stock Gains Tuesday AfternoonRCL Price Action: Royal Caribbean Group shares were up 7.03% at $259.65 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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V závěru obchodní seance ropa WTI (-3,79 %) pokračovala v poklesu a udržela index Nasdaq v kladných hodnotách. Výraznější vzpruhu zaznamenaly drahé kovy, kde zlato přidalo +0,98 % a stříbro +0,15 %, které se dostalo ze záporných hodnot. Z technologických akcií se dařilo spíše čipovému sektoru. Ze softwarových společností výrazněji vyčuhovala společnost Meta +3,24 % či Oracle +3,99 %. Lehce do kladných hodnot se přetočily nakonec i kryptoměny, přičemž BTC přidalo symbolických +0,01 %. Trh jako celek osciloval celý den kolem nuly.
Akcie Fair Isaac (FICO) poté, co Federální agentura pro financování bydlení oznámila plán zjednodušit stanovování cen hypoték, končí se ztrátou -27 %
Index Dow Jones -0,25 % na 51350,99 b.
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Index S&P 500 -0,16 % na 7671,18 b. Nejsilnější sektory S&P Změna Nejslabší sektory S&P Změna Utility +1,1 % Energie -0,9 % Komunikační služby +0,4 % Základní materiály -0,5 % Průmysl +0,2 % Nezbytná spotřeba -0,5 % Nejsilnější akcie S&P Změna Nejslabší akcie S&P Změna Carnival Corp (CCL) +13 % Fair Isaac Corp (FICO) -27 % Bloom Energy Corp (BE) +11 % Lululemon Athletica (LULU) -3,7 % Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) +7,5 % Steel Dynamics (STLD) -3,7 % Lumentum Holdings (LITE) +5,7 % Equifax (EFX) -3,4 % Carvana (CVNA) +5,2 % Nucor Corp (NUE) -3,4 %
Jan Pazourek, Fio banka, a.s.
Two Wall Street analysts just upgraded Royal Caribbean after a brutal selloff, but the bear case involves Caribbean crowding, a surprise resort acquisition, and oil prices that could invalidate the entire thesis.
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Two Wall Street firms upgraded Royal Caribbean (NYSE:RCL | RCL Price Prediction) to Buy on Monday. Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Woronka and BofA Securities analyst Andrew Didora are essentially buying the dip, with both leaving their price targets unchanged as the stock’s recent selloff made their existing fundamental theses more attractive.
Shares currently trade at $242.69, against an average price target of $347.60. The stock closed 31.9% below its 52-week intraday high of $356.39, and its highest close in that window was lower, at about $342.
Woronka said the stock’s 26% decline since early August, with the S&P 500 flat, “provides considerably more favorable risk/reward from current levels.”
A sentiment derating and an earnings derating look identical on a chart, but only the first rebounds once the fear passes, and that distinction shapes how to read the recent pullback and the upgrades that followed.
Royal Caribbean Slid While the Market Stalled Royal Caribbean fell 12.66% over the past month while the S&P 500 slipped 0.49%. Year to date, the stock is down 11.57% against a 12.27% gain for the index.
Sellers cited rising oil and doubts about how long yield growth can last. Yield is revenue per available passenger cruise day, which shows whether ships are filling at higher prices.
The oil scare had a real basis, because WTI crude rose from $69.74 in early July to a peak of $107.02 before easing to $96.41.
Ocean cruise peers fell alongside it. Carnival (NYSE:CCL) is down 26.34% this year, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE:NCLH) is down 35.89%.
Fuel Is Too Small a Cost to Explain This Slide Woronka estimates fuel accounts for about 7% of revenue for Royal Caribbean, even at today’s oil prices. Didora adds that more than 50% of the company’s 2027 fuel is already hedged.
A cost that small, partly locked in, leaves the market’s questions about demand as the more likely driver of a selloff this large.
Didora’s card data addresses that question, with BofA showing cruise spending up 17% in July and 14.1% in August. Consumers kept spending on cruises through the summer.
Management described its book position as “in line with prior years at record pricing for both 2026 and 2027.”
Guidance Fell on Fuel, Then Recovered on Demand Royal Caribbean Group earned $15.64 per share on an adjusted basis in 2025, up 33%, and initially guided 2026 to $17.70 to $18.10.
Royal Caribbean Group cut that range to $17.10 to $17.50 after the first quarter. Jason Liberty tied the cut to fuel costs of “roughly $0.62 per share this year.”
A quarter later, Royal Caribbean Group topped expectations with adjusted EPS of $4.21 on $4.8 billion in revenue, then raised guidance to $17.73 to $17.87. That puts the range back inside the original one.
Fuel stayed expensive over that stretch, so the recovery came from demand. Management also said, “We don’t plan for perfection,” which suggests the new range leaves room for error.
Caribbean Crowding and Sandals Anchor the Bear Case The Caribbean is 57% of Royal Caribbean’s capacity this year. Carnival’s management said Caribbean capacity outside Carnival grew 27% over two years, which pressures pricing where Royal Caribbean is strongest.
Shares fell sharply after the Sandals Resorts deal was announced. Royal Caribbean’s edge comes from ships and private destinations, so buying land-based resorts raises a capital-allocation question worth pressing.
Liberty said, “Our flywheel is accelerating,”. Management also granted the Middle East conflict “has modestly weighed on bookings.” Both statements hold only if the weakness stays limited to Mediterranean sailings.
Should You Buy or Sell RCL Stock At roughly 13 times forward earnings with a 2.47% dividend yield, Royal Caribbean is priced for a demand problem the card data and guidance history don’t show.
Chris Woronka’s target is $299, and Andrew Didora’s is $330, both below consensus, and any target is an estimate that can miss.
Carnival reports before the open today, and Deutsche Bank flagged it as a possible group catalyst. Royal Caribbean’s own report is scheduled for late October, though the company hasn’t confirmed it.
The call is wrong if Carnival signals softer 2027 pricing. It is also wrong if Royal Caribbean drops its “record pricing” language on bookings, or if crude tops its recent $107.02 peak. Any of those would mean the market read demand correctly.
Regardless, I would avoid buying RCL stock as long as fuel prices stay high and interest rates seem poised to drift upwards.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE:RCL) has gone on sale, according to Bank of America, which upgraded the stock to Buy from Neutral after a 26% share decline.
The pullback has left the shares at a 2027 estimated EV/EBITDA multiple of under 10x, compared with a recent average of about 12x.
Analysts pointed to the strength of the underlying business, which generates return on invested capital in the high teens and EBITDA margins of nearly 40%. Royal Caribbean also holds an investment grade balance sheet and is more than 50% hedged on 2027 fuel.
Bank of America said travel spending has grown at a mid- to high-single-digit pace since February, while cruise spending re-accelerated to mid-teens growth in July and August.
Commentary from Royal Caribbean at a recent Bank of America conference pointed to steady demand, the analysts said. That gave them confidence in net yield growth of at least 4% in the fourth quarter of 2026, which they said would be the strongest in the industry. They also believe the company can guide 2027 in line with its historical net yield algorithm of 2% to 3% growth.
Despite that outlook, the stock has de-rated on concerns around fuel, Caribbean capacity and the broader macro backdrop, the bank said.
Bank of America also highlighted Royal Caribbean's recently announced US$3 billion investment for a 50% stake in Sandals Resorts. The price equates to 10x 2027 EBITDA, or roughly US$1 million per room.
The analysts said the deal adds 3% to 4% to EBITDA in the near term. They see potential for more as Royal Caribbean brings its pricing and supply chain expertise and a loyalty program that could narrow the gap between Sandals margins and its own.
If that plays out, Bank of America estimates the venture could grow EBITDA at a low- to mid-teens rate through 2030, lifting Sandals EBITDA to US$900 million from US$600 million today.
The bank flagged Caribbean pricing as a risk, with competitive capacity up by a high-single-digit percentage in 2027, along with macro pressures. It said its historical review found no relationship between Royal Caribbean shares and rising interest rates.
Bank of America also noted that the Sandals venture exposes Royal Caribbean to fixed asset risk, as opposed to mobile ships, which could add volatility during events such as hurricanes. Even so, it said travel spending has been strong, estimates appear reasonable and Royal Caribbean is well positioned to capture further travel share.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL – Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-two ratings firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, thirteen have given a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $356.10.
Several analysts recently commented on RCL shares. Susquehanna boosted their price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $350.00 to $372.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $327.00 to $362.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Royal Caribbean Cruises from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, July 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Royal Caribbean Cruises from $345.00 to $394.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, TD Cowen upgraded Royal Caribbean Cruises to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 8th.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Royal Caribbean Cruises
Royal Caribbean Cruises Stock Performance Shares of RCL opened at $243.57 on Friday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $284.09 and its 200-day simple moving average is $281.85. The firm has a market cap of $65.14 billion, a PE ratio of 15.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.78 and a beta of 1.74. Royal Caribbean Cruises has a 12-month low of $222.22 and a 12-month high of $356.39. The company has a current ratio of 0.21, a quick ratio of 0.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03. Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported $4.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.98 by $0.23. Royal Caribbean Cruises had a return on equity of 43.33% and a net margin of 23.54%.The firm had revenue of $4.83 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.82 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $4.38 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.5% on a year-over-year basis. Royal Caribbean Cruises has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.730-17.870 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 6.260-6.360 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Royal Caribbean Cruises will post 17.78 EPS for the current year.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 8th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 17th will be issued a dividend of $1.50 per share. This represents a $6.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 17th. Royal Caribbean Cruises’s dividend payout ratio is 37.08%.
Key Headlines Impacting Royal Caribbean Cruises Here are the key news stories impacting Royal Caribbean Cruises this week:
Positive Sentiment: Royal Caribbean’s agreement to acquire a 50% stake in Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts for approximately $3 billion provides a new growth platform beyond cruising. The transaction, expected to close in early 2027, could help broaden the company’s customer ecosystem and create cross-selling opportunities. A Cruise Line Betting on Land: Is Royal Caribbean’s Sandals Deal Genius or Overreach? Positive Sentiment: Analysts reacted favorably to the Sandals partnership. Citi placed RCL on a 90-day positive catalyst watch, while JPMorgan raised its price target to $394 from $345 and maintained an “overweight” rating. BMO Capital Markets also rated the shares “outperform,” reinforcing the bullish view. JPMorgan, Citi Bullish on Royal Caribbean’s Sandals Partnership Positive Sentiment: Strong bookings, cash flow and raised 2026 earnings expectations suggest that cruise demand remains resilient despite the stock’s decline over the past year. Some valuation analysis estimates that RCL could be materially undervalued if earnings growth continues. Royal Caribbean Cruises Could Be 31% Undervalued Neutral Sentiment: RCL’s recent advance occurred on above-average volume, but analysts caution that earnings-estimate revisions alone may not sustain additional near-term gains. The shares have also delivered a strong five-year return while remaining sharply lower over the past year, creating a mixed valuation signal. Royal Caribbean Moves Higher: Will This Strength Last? Negative Sentiment: The Sandals investment increases capital requirements and execution risk, while Royal Caribbean already carries substantial leverage. Investors will need evidence that the resort stake can generate attractive returns without weakening the cruise company’s balance sheet. Negative Sentiment: Recent weakness appears linked less to collapsing demand than to slower cabin pricing in the third quarter. Continued pressure on fares, combined with the risk that the market has already priced in much of the earnings recovery, could limit further upside. Should You Buy Royal Caribbean At a One-Year Low? Insider Activity at Royal Caribbean Cruises In related news, CEO Michael Bayley sold 12,811 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $315.99, for a total value of $4,048,147.89. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 45,297 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,313,399.03. The trade was a 22.05% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 6.44% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Royal Caribbean Cruises Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in the second quarter worth approximately $6,549,422,000. Capital International Investors increased its holdings in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises by 9.8% during the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 36,165,358 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,088,156,000 after buying an additional 3,215,382 shares during the last quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA purchased a new position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in the 2nd quarter worth $669,804,000. Jupiter Topco LLC purchased a new stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises during the second quarter valued at about $597,350,000. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises during the fourth quarter worth about $456,752,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.53% of the company’s stock.
(Get Free Report)
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., now operating as Royal Caribbean Group, is a global cruise vacation company headquartered in Miami, Florida. The company provides cruise vacations and related travel experiences through a fleet of ocean-going ships serving destinations across the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and other regions.
Royal Caribbean Group’s principal brands include Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea. Royal Caribbean International focuses on large-ship vacations featuring entertainment, dining, family activities and onboard attractions; Celebrity Cruises offers premium cruises; and Silversea specializes in luxury and expedition voyages.
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Key Takeaways RCL plans to acquire 50% of Sandals and Beaches for about $3B, with the deal expected to be accretive in 2027.Royal Caribbean's Q2 adjusted EBITDA reached $1.8B as revenues rose 6% and net yields beat guidance.RCL's debt-funded Sandals deal may lift leverage, while geopolitical pressure and fuel costs remain key risks. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL - Free Report) is drawing fresh investor attention after signing a definitive agreement to acquire a 50% equity interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for a base cash purchase price of approximately $3 billion. RCL has secured committed debt financing from Morgan Stanley. Subject to customary approvals and closing conditions, the transaction is expected to close in early 2027 and be accretive to earnings that year.
The agreement could extend RCL’s vacation platform beyond ocean cruising and its planned river-cruise offering into all-inclusive resorts. The announcement coincided with a sharp selloff, as RCL touched a 52-week low of $222.22 on Wednesday. Although the stock rebounded in the following session, shares of RCL have declined 14.3% year to date, narrower than the Zacks Leisure and Recreation Services industry’s 15.8% fall.
RCL’s YTD Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
With operating momentum strengthening and the Sandals partnership opening another potential growth channel, should investors buy RCL following its recent selloff? Let’s analyze.
Sandals Deal Expands RCL’s Vacation PlatformSandals operates adults-only all-inclusive resorts across the Caribbean, while Beaches serves families and multigenerational groups. Upon closing, the partnership would expand RCL into the adjacent all-inclusive resort category through a 50% interest in Sandals and Beaches’ established portfolio.
The companies plan to explore opportunities to broaden distribution, deepen guest engagement and make it easier for travelers to discover vacation experiences across both portfolios. The partnership is also expected to provide additional resources to support the future growth of Sandals and Beaches Resorts.
The purchase price represents approximately 10 times forward EBITDA, and RCL expects the transaction to be accretive to earnings in 2027. However, the committed debt financing could increase leverage, while expansion into an adjacent vacation category may introduce additional execution risk.
Strong Demand Supports RCL’s Investment CaseThe proposed partnership comes as RCL’s core cruise operations demonstrate strong momentum. During the second quarter of 2026, the company delivered 2.4 million vacations as capacity increased 5% year over year. Revenues advanced 6% to $4.83 billion, while net yields rose 1.2% and exceeded guidance by 100 basis points, supported by stronger close-in demand and onboard spending.
Adjusted EBITDA reached $1.8 billion, representing a 38% margin, while operating cash flow totaled $1.9 billion. Adjusted earnings of $4.21 per share exceeded the midpoint of guidance by 33 cents. RCL also returned more than $600 million to its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
For 2026, revenues are expected to increase approximately 9%, supported by 6.6% capacity growth and net yield growth of 1.75%-2.25%. Adjusted earnings are projected to rise 14% to between $17.73 and $17.87 per share, while net cruise costs excluding fuel are expected to remain approximately flat.
Forward demand indicators remain encouraging. RCL’s 2026 booking position is in line with historical levels at record prices, while 2027 bookings are pacing ahead of prior-year trends with improved pricing. Onboard spending and pre-cruise purchases also continue to exceed previous-year levels.
RCL’s Loyalty and Destinations Deepen Guest SpendingRCL’s digital and loyalty ecosystem is becoming an increasingly important revenue driver. More than 90% of guests use the company’s mobile app, with monthly active users increasing fivefold since 2019. More than half of onboard revenues are now purchased before embarkation, improving revenue visibility and enabling more personalized marketing.
Royal Caribbean has also generated more than half a million loyalty enrollments through its status-matching and points initiatives. Management noted that repeat guests spend approximately 20%-25% more, underscoring the financial value of encouraging customers to travel more frequently across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea.
Private destinations and new vacation products reinforce that strategy. Nearly 4 million guests are expected to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay during 2026, while Royal Beach Club openings, Legend of the Seas and the 2027 launch of Celebrity River Cruises could broaden RCL’s addressable market.
RCL’s Valuation and Competitive LandscapeFrom a valuation standpoint, RCL stock appears inexpensive, trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 12.26X, below the industry average of 14.75X. However, the stock trades at a premium to Carnival Corporation (CCL - Free Report) and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH - Free Report) , which carry respective forward earnings multiples of approximately 8.75X and 9.66X.
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Competition remains strong as cruise operators expand exclusive destinations to improve itinerary appeal and capture more guest spending. Carnival expects its Paradise Collection to attract more than 9 million guest visits in 2027, supported by Celebration Key, RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay and other destination investments. Norwegian Cruise is strengthening Great Stirrup Cay through a new pier and the Great Tides Waterpark. However, declining yields and expected year-end net leverage above 6X indicate that NCLH’s turnaround remains in an early stage.
RCL’s premium valuation is supported by its stronger margins, comparatively lower leverage and established destination portfolio, led by Perfect Day at CocoCay and its expanding Royal Beach Club network. The proposed Sandals investment could extend this platform into all-inclusive resorts and create cross-selling opportunities. However, the debt-funded transaction introduces additional financial and execution risks, making successful earnings growth and deleveraging important to sustaining the stock’s premium over Carnival and Norwegian Cruise.
RCL’s Risk Factors and MitigationRCL’s near-term performance remains sensitive to geopolitical disruption and itinerary mix. The prolonged Middle East conflict has moderated demand for Mediterranean sailings, while higher airfares may affect international bookings. Despite an expected 8.5% capacity increase, third-quarter net yields are projected to remain roughly flat, reflecting an approximately 200-basis-point headwind from deployment changes, global events and dry-dock timing. The company also projects approximately $1.3 billion in 2026 fuel expenses, although 58% of its remaining consumption is hedged at below-market rates.
Project-timing risk also affects RCL’s destination pipeline. Continued government and community engagement is expected to affect the previously planned timeline for the Mahahual project in Mexico. Although strong bookings, cost discipline and Caribbean demand provide some protection, geopolitical uncertainty and fuel volatility could pressure near-term yields, while project delays may postpone expected destination benefits.
ConclusionRCL’s proposed 50% investment in Sandals and Beaches Resorts represents a strategic expansion into the all-inclusive resort market. The transaction could broaden the company’s addressable market, expand distribution and deepen guest engagement across both portfolios. RCL’s pricing power, forward booking position and cash-flow generation provide a credible operating foundation for this diversification.
However, the $3-billion debt-financed commitment could increase RCL’s leverage and introduce execution exposure outside its traditional cruise operations. Successful closing, effective commercial coordination and disciplined capital allocation remain central to realizing the anticipated earnings accretion. Moreover, RCL’s premium valuation relative to CCL and NCLH suggests that some of the company’s stronger operating prospects may already be reflected in its share price.
Against this backdrop, existing shareholders may consider retaining RCL stock, while prospective investors may prefer to await greater clarity on the transaction’s earnings contribution and balance-sheet impact. RCL currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Royal Caribbean (RCL) saw its shares surge in the last session with trading volume being higher than average. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions may not translate into further price increase in the near term.
Americké akciové trhy se pohybují v mírně záporném pásmu, přičemž index Dow Jones odepisuje 0,38 % na 51 317,46 bodu, S&P 500 klesá o 0,12 % na 7 696,91 bodu a technologický Nasdaq Composite ztrácí 0,22 % na 26 876,34 bodu. Akcie postupně odmazávají hlubší ztráty díky zprávám o možném jednání mezi USA a Íránem o znovuotvření Hormuzského průlivu, což mírní obavy z vysokých cen energií a navazující inflace. Trhy však udržují pod tlakem prohlášení některých představitelů FEDu, kteří upozorňují na potřebu dalšího zvyšování úrokových sazeb.
Mezi sektory se nejvíce daří komunikačním službám se ziskem 1,4 %, energiím s růstem o 1 % a zdravotní péči, která přidává 0,6 %. Naopak nejslabším odvětvím jsou základní materiály se ztrátou 1,1 %, následované sektory průmyslu a informačních technologií, které shodně odepisují 0,6 %.
Na čele růstových akcií se nachází společnost Everpure (P) se ziskem 14 %. Výrazně posilují také Charles River Laboratories International (CRL) o 6,2 %, GoDaddy (GDDY) o 5,0 %, Illumina (ILMN) o 4,6 % a Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) o 4,4 %. Naopačnému tlaku čelí společnost MGM Resorts International (MGM), jejíž akcie propadají o 11 % v reakci na zprávu, že ze záměru na její převzetí odstoupila společnost People Inc. Ztráty zaznamenávají také Gen Digital (GEN) o 9,1 %, First Solar (FSLR) o 8,1 %, Rollins (ROL) o 6,9 % a Xylem (XYL) o 5,1 %.
Na komoditních trzích rostou ceny ropy. Americká ropa WTI přidává 3 % na 94,94 dolaru za barel a severomořský Brent se obchoduje kolem 106 dolarů. Spotové zlato naopak oslabuje o 0,6 % na 4 260,70 dolaru za unci. Na devizovém trhu posiluje dolarový index o 0,3 %, zatímco euro zůstává bez výraznějších změn na úrovni 1,1372 USD. Britská libra oslabuje o 0,1 % na 1,3220 USD a japonský jen ztrácí 0,4 % na 158,89 JPY za dolar. Výnosy dluhopisů pokračují v růstu. Desetileté americké dluhopisy dosahují výnosu 5,15 % a třicetileté dluhopisy vystupují na 5,44 %, což představuje nejvyšší úroveň od roku 2004.
Index Dow Jones -0,38 % na 51317,46 b.
S&P 500 -0,12 % na 7696,91 b.
Nasdaq Composite -0,22 % na 26876,34 b.
Index S&P 500 -0,12 % na 7696,91 b. Nejsilnější sektory S&P Změna Nejslabší sektory S&P Změna Komunikační služby +1,4 % Základní materiály -1,1 % Energie +1 % Průmysl -0,6 % Zdravotní péče +0,6 % Informační technologie -0,6 % Nejsilnější akcie S&P Změna Nejslabší akcie S&P Změna Everpure (P) +14 % MGM Resorts International (MGM) -11 % Charles River Laboratories International (CRL) +6,2 % Gen Digital (GEN) -9,1 % GoDaddy (GDDY) +5,0 % First Solar (FSLR) -8,1 % Illumina (ILMN) +4,6 % Rollins (ROL) -6,9 % Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) +4,4 % Xylem (XYL) -5,1 %
Daniel Marván, Fio banka, a.s.
Royal Caribbean plans to take a 50% stake in Sandals, a move that gives the cruise line access to wealthier customers
As Royal Caribbean plans to make a massive investment in the Sandals Resorts chain, some analysts are wondering whether the costs of the deal outweigh the benefits.
Bernstein analysts said the move by the cruise line RCL to take a roughly $3 billion, 50% stake in Sandals was “highly surprising.” They noted that while it might help Royal Caribbean gain more access to a wealthier customer less affected by inflation, it also looked expensive, and they wondered how it fit in with Royal Caribbean’s broader family focus.
A senior Iranian official told a Japanese news agency that Tehran could reopen one of the world's most critical oil chokepoints within seven days, and the stocks that stand to gain the most are not the ones the market moved…
The report landed with conditions attached. A senior Iranian official told a Japanese news agency that Tehran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, provided Washington begins ending its blockade of Iranian ports and its military operations. That is a single unnamed source, and American networks said they could not independently verify it.
Crude drifted lower on the headline. For anyone holding airlines or cruise operators, a durable reopening would take a structural bid out of a crude market that has been pressuring operating margins all year.
The market is pricing a possibility here, though it’s still a low one.
What Was Actually Said, and by Whom The Iranian official said reopening the strait was conditional on American concessions that have not begun. No formal negotiation channel has been confirmed, and the statement came through a single unnamed source rather than an official Iranian government release.
WTI closed at $107.02 on September 15, after trading in the mid $80s in late August. That is the fuel backdrop against which any relief would be measured, and it is why a credible reopening would matter to travel operators.
The de-escalation headline did not arrive alone. Reporting the same day carried that the U.S. Treasury moved to cut Iranian airlines off from the dollar system, that Houthi forces seized an island near another critical strait, and that American diesel hit a record price.
How the Supposed Winners Actually Traded The airlines finished modestly higher. United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL | UAL Price Prediction) closed at $115.21, up 0.72%. Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) added 1.73% to $83.93. American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) gained 0.29% to $13.61. The U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSEARCA:JETS) barely moved, up 0.34% to $29.11.
Cruise lines moved the other way. Royal Caribbean (NYSE:RCL) fell 6.17% to $234.81, and Carnival slipped 0.13% to $22.28.
Over one week, United is up 7.75%, American 6.58%, Delta 6.38%, and JETS 4.45%, while Royal Caribbean is down 5.21%. The market bought airlines on softer crude and sold cruise lines regardless, which tells you the cruise trade is about consumer risk rather than a fuel story.
If Hormuz does open, airline stocks could be the biggest winners, and so could cruise stocks. That said, it needs to stay open for long enough for the oil “glut” to happen. That could take years, since countries also need to refill their reserves.
When a similar de-escalation headline hit in June, the airline complex ran hard, and Brent collapsed. That deal later fell apart, which is the sentence anyone repeating the current headline should read twice.
Airline equities historically perform best when oil is high but already falling, which is precisely the setup here. The counterparties in that trade are producers and refiners, and two refiners were downgraded to Hold as this cycle turned.
Bull and Bear Case for JETS ETF JETS is a diversified airline fund covering multiple carriers. Net assets stood at roughly $959 million as of June 30, with American at 11.30%, United at 11.07%, Southwest at 10.65%, and Delta at 10.50%.
Bull case: fuel is the largest controllable line for these carriers, and a genuine Hormuz reopening pulls a persistent bid out of crude. United management said the recent fuel spike alone was worth about $1.12 of EPS, so rerating operating margin against a reversal would be material.
Bear case: the offer is unverified, conditioned on concessions Washington has not made, and the June deal already collapsed once. Jet fuel is a refined product whose crack spread does not always follow crude, and carrier fuel hedges delay whatever benefit eventually arrives.
The deciding variable is tanker transit counts through the strait inside the next week. If shipping data does not confirm what the official said, this remains only a headline.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Diane King Hall kicks off First Moves with a look at the earnings front, taking investors through the restaurant's earnings beat and 2027 guidance. KB Home (KBH) continues to see earnings pain due to persistent headwinds facing the housing market.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE:RCL) has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for approximately $3 billion, expanding the cruise operator into the all-inclusive resort market.
The partnership will combine Sandals and Beaches Resorts' all-inclusive resort expertise with Royal Caribbean Group's vacation platform, including its cruise brands and private destinations.
The joint venture expands Royal Caribbean Group into an adjacent vacation category and increases its participation in the approximately $2 trillion global vacation market.
Royal Caribbean operates 71 ships sailing to more than 1,000 destinations through its three wholly owned brands - Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea - and a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises.
The partnership is intended to accelerate the expansion of Sandals and Beaches Resorts while broadening the experiences available across Royal Caribbean Group's vacation platform.
Executives from both companies described the partnership as a natural fit.
“We see tremendous opportunity to expand the reach of Sandals and Beaches Resorts,” said Jason Liberty, chairman and chief executive of Royal Caribbean Group.
He described the partnership as “an important next step” in the company’s vacation platform.
The joint venture will be governed by a board under the shared leadership of Royal Caribbean Group chief executive Jason Liberty and Sandals Executive Chairman Adam Stewart.
The partnership combines Sandals and Beaches Resorts' more than four decades of Caribbean hospitality experience with Royal Caribbean Group's cruise, private destination and vacation platform.
The companies will explore opportunities to broaden distribution, deepen guest engagement and make it easier for travelers to discover experiences offered across both portfolios.
The joint venture expands Royal Caribbean Group into an adjacent vacation category and increases its participation in the approximately $2 trillion global vacation market.
The transaction is expected to close in early 2027, subject to customary approvals and closing conditions, and is expected to be accretive to earnings next year.
Royal Caribbean shares were down over 3% on Wednesday morning.
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Happy Wednesday. It's CJ, back for another edition. The weather's starting to cool down outside our Englewood Cliffs bureau, and, being a native Californian, I always get excited at the thought of a real autumn. But if you're still in a tropical mindset, read on for news of a Caribbean deal.
Stock futures are lower this morning after a mixed day on Wall Street.
Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:
1. Fueling actionOil prices dropped for a fifth straight day Tuesday after President Donald Trump said delegations from the U.S. and Iran had a "very good" three-hour meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. Earlier in the day, Iran reportedly suggested it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the U.S. eases its military pressure and lifts its blockade on Iranian ports.
Here's what to know:
U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures are now on their longest losing streak since February, while Brent crude futures are on their longest losing streak in more than a year.Still, fuel prices are at record highs. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that the Trump administration is considering fully or partially banning diesel exports to help ease prices — something Trump said he's pushed for in internal administration discussions.House lawmakers have introduced a slew of new bills this month aimed at lessening the impact of gas and fuel prices on Americans' budgets, including floating a tax deduction. The Nasdaq Composite closed at a record for a second straight session yesterday, while the S&P 500 finished the day relatively flat. Follow live market updates here. 2. U.N. in N.Y.C.Trump defended his decision to go to war with Iran in his Tuesday address to the United Nations General Assembly, saying he now has a "big decision" to make on whether to make a deal with Tehran or "annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly." Iran's military responded to Trump's comments this morning, calling his threats a sign of "strategic desperation."
In his speech, Trump also touted a new military deal with the leaders of Greenland and Denmark that allows the U.S. to expand its military presence on the island. The agreement, signed on the sidelines of the U.N. gathering yesterday, follows repeated calls from Trump during his second term for the U.S. to take control of Greenland.
But it wasn't just geopolitics: Trump repeated his pledge not to "stifle growth" of artificial intelligence, which he dubbed "super intelligence." OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei are expected to brief the U.N. Security Council in a meeting this week.
3. Model behaviorSpeaking of the frontier AI labs, Anthropic and OpenAI both announced new, lower-cost models on Tuesday. For OpenAI, that's coming in the form of additional tiers to its GPT-6 family, while Anthropic is unveiling Claude Opus 5.5, its latest in its new Claude 5.5 model family.
The two labs are facing ongoing pressure from companies and startups offering cheaper open-weight models, particularly as cost-conscious customers look to rein in their AI spending.
The releases are the companies' first rollouts since Amodei called for an industry-wide slowdown in developing advanced AI in response to growing fears about the technology's safety. Altman and SpaceX's Elon Musk quickly backed Amodei's push for deceleration.
4. Obamacare cutsThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said yesterday that it canceled about 315,000 Affordable Care Act marketplace enrollments that covered roughly 760,000 people last month. The agency alleged there were unauthorized enrollments into the program, which Vice President JD Vance characterized as "rampant fraud."
As CNBC's Annika Kim Constantino reports, it's unclear how many of those 315,000 enrollments involved people who weren't eligible to receive coverage. The Trump administration has made widespread accusations of fraud in national health programs.
5. Setting sailAnchors are aweigh on a new travel tie-up. Royal Caribbean is taking a 50% equity stake in Sandals in a $3 billion deal, the two companies announced today. The agreement, which is expected to close early next year, values Sandals at $6 billion.
As CNBC's Contessa Brewer reports, Royal Caribbean has been aiming to diversify its vacation offerings beyond its luxury cruises and private destinations. Shares of the cruise company fell 6% in Tuesday's session amid reports that it was nearing a deal with the Caribbean resort chain.
The Daily DividendAfter the Clarity Act stalled in a Senate vote last week, state and federal regulators are rushing to fill the void when it comes to regulating cryptocurrency. Here's how:
watch now
— CNBC's Sam Meredith, Lim Hui Jie, Spencer Kimball, Sarah Agostino, Kevin Breuninger, Anniek Bao, Annika Kim Constantino, Tanaya Macheel, Garrett Downs and Talia Kaplan contributed to this report.
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Royal Caribbean Group Investment to Advance Sandals and Beaches' Growth and Broaden the Group's Vacation Portfolio
, /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) and Sandals Resorts today announced the signing of an agreement to form a partnership in the all-inclusive resort space with a 50% investment from Royal Caribbean Group. Building on Sandals and Beaches Resorts' more than four decades of leadership in Caribbean hospitality, the joint venture will create new opportunities for continued resort growth while broadening the experiences across Royal Caribbean Group's vacation platform.
Jason Liberty, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, and Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts, mark the signing of an agreement to form a landmark partnership that expands Royal Caribbean Group into the all-inclusive resort space and supports the future growth of Sandals and Beaches Resorts. The signing took place at Royal Caribbean Group's new headquarters in Miami, with the city's skyline in the background. The partnership brings together two of the travel industry's most celebrated vacation companies, pairing Sandals and Beaches' all-inclusive resort expertise with Royal Caribbean Group's vacation platform, including industry-leading brands – Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea – a portfolio of private destinations, new river cruising offering, and an industry-first loyalty program. United in a shared history in the Caribbean and connected by a love for their communities, the companies will offer travelers an unparalleled collection of cruise, private destination and resort experiences, serving guests across more vacation occasions and establishing their undisputed leadership in Caribbean vacations.
The joint venture expands Royal Caribbean Group into an adjacent vacation category, growing its participation in the approximately $2 trillion global vacation market, and meets the growing global demand for Sandals and Beaches Resorts by accelerating their expansion. The partnership will include Sandals and Beaches' collection of premier all-inclusive properties across the Caribbean, and the companies will explore opportunities to broaden distribution, deepen guest engagement, and make it easier for travelers to discover vacation experiences offered across both portfolios.
"For nearly 60 years, we've reimagined what a vacation can be, constantly expanding the ways we inspire our guests to explore, connect and create lifelong memories," said Jason Liberty, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. "We have been building a vacation platform that brings joy to millions of people around the world and creates meaningful relationships that last with our guests. Our partnership with Sandals and Beaches Resorts is an important next step on that journey - bringing together two iconic leading vacation companies to further strengthen and grow one of the most admired resort portfolios in the world. The Stewart family has created powerful and beloved brands, and we are honored to build on that legacy. Together, we see tremendous opportunity to expand the reach of Sandals and Beaches Resorts and continue turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations."
"My father, Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, founded Sandals Resorts with the belief that a company built in the Caribbean could stand on the world stage alongside the most respected names in hospitality. Today is proof of how far that vision can go," said Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts. "This partnership is the natural next step in building on that conviction. It gives us the ability to grow faster with a partner that shares our values of exceptional hospitality, long-term investment, and the power of enduring brands. Together, we will introduce more guests to Sandals and Beaches Resorts while creating even more extraordinary experiences for those who have made our resorts part of their lives for decades." Stewart added, "As we continue to grow, we will remain true to what has always defined us: delivering authentic vacations that exceed expectations while creating opportunities for our team members, travel advisor partners and the communities we call home. The future has never been brighter, and I know this moment would make my father incredibly proud."
The joint venture will be governed by a board under the shared leadership of Stewart and Liberty. Stewart will maintain a leadership role in guiding the company's long-term strategic growth as Executive Chairman of Sandals and Beaches Resorts. Existing reservations, loyalty programs, resort operations and cruise operations will continue as usual, with the partnership bringing additional resources to support future opportunities.
Under the terms of the agreement, Royal Caribbean Group will acquire a 50% equity interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for approximately $3 billion, representing a forward EBITDA multiple of approximately 10x. Royal Caribbean Group has secured committed debt financing from Morgan Stanley to fund the investment. The transaction is expected to close in early 2027, subject to customary approvals and closing conditions, and is expected to be accretive to earnings next year.
BofA Securities and PJT Partners acted as financial advisors, and Latham & Watkins and Jones Day acted as legal advisors to the Sandals Group. Perella Weinberg Partners and Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisors and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal advisor to Royal Caribbean Group.
About Royal Caribbean Group
Royal Caribbean Group is a leading global vacation company spanning cruise, one-of-a-kind destinations, and land-based vacation experiences. The company operates 71 ships sailing to more than 1,000 destinations across all seven continents through its three wholly owned brands - Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea - and a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises, which operates the Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd brands.
The Group is expanding its portfolio of private destinations through its Perfect Day and Royal Beach Club collections, and the company will enter river cruising in 2027 with Celebrity River Cruises. Powered by innovative brands, advanced technology, and an industry-leading loyalty program, the company has built a connected vacation ecosystem, turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations.
Named to the Fortune World's Most Admired Companies 2026 list and to Forbes' 2026 Best American Companies lists, Royal Caribbean Group is guided by its mission to deliver the best vacations responsibly. For more information, visit royalcaribbeangroup.com.
About Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts
Sandals and Beaches Resorts are rooted in the vibrancy, warmth and spirit of the Caribbean, redefining the region's all-inclusive experience for more than four decades. Sandals Resorts is the adults-only all-inclusive brand with beachfront resorts across Jamaica, Antigua, Saint Lucia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Curaçao, and Saint Vincent and The Grenadines. From local flavors and global cuisine to butler service, signature suites and the Caribbean's first Overwater Villas, Sandals pairs elevated experiences with the distinctive spirit of each island.
Beaches Resorts is the family all-inclusive designed for how families travel today, with resorts in Negril, Jamaica and Turks and Caicos, and coming soon to Exuma, The Bahamas; Barbados; Runaway Bay, Jamaica; and Saint Vincent and The Grenadines. Multi-bedroom villas, vibrant dining and entertainment, waterparks and award-winning Kids Camps, including autism-friendly programming, make Beaches a natural choice for families and multigenerational groups to vacation together.
For more information, visit www.sandals.com and www.beaches.com.
Beyond the resorts, Sandals Foundation, the brands' nonprofit philanthropic arm, works to strengthen Caribbean communities through programs focused on education, community and the environment. To learn more about its impact across the region, visit www.sandalsfoundation.org.
Certain statements in this press release relating to, among other things, the proposed partnership between Royal Caribbean Group and Sandals Resorts and our future performance estimates, forecasts and projections constitute forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to statements regarding the benefits and expected impact of the proposed joint venture, including the timing of closing of the transaction, earnings impact, and financing arrangements; anticipated growth, expansion and future opportunities for Sandals and Beaches Resorts; and expectations regarding continuity of existing reservations, loyalty programs, and resort operations. Words such as "anticipate, "committed," "could," "expect," "position," "will," "would," and similar expressions are intended to help identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations, are based on judgments, are inherently uncertain and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in those forward-looking statements. Examples of these risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, the following: the risk that the anticipated benefits, synergies and growth opportunities of the joint venture may not be realized or may take longer than expected to be realized; the impact of the economic and geopolitical environment, including changing tariffs and the related uncertainty thereof, on key aspects of our business, such as the demand for cruises, passenger spending, and operating costs; changes in operating costs; the unavailability or cost of air service; disease outbreaks and increased concern about the risk of illness on our ships or when travelling to or from our ships, which could cause a decrease in demand, guest cancellations, and ship redeployments; incidents or adverse publicity concerning our ships, port facilities, land destinations and/or passengers or the cruise vacation industry in general; the effects of weather, climate events and/or natural disasters on our business; risks related to our sustainability activities; the impact of issues at shipyards, including ship delivery delays, ship cancellations or ship construction cost increases; shipyard unavailability; unavailability of ports of call; vacation industry competition and increase in industry capacity and overcapacity; inability to manage our cost and capital allocation strategies; the uncertainties of conducting business globally and expanding into new markets and new ventures, including potential acquisitions; issues with travel advisers that sell and market our cruises; reliance on third-party service providers; potential unavailability of insurance coverage; the risks and costs related to cyber security attacks, data breaches, protecting our systems and maintaining data integrity and security; uncertainties of a foreign legal system as we are not incorporated in the United States; our ability to obtain sufficient financing or capital to fund our capital expenditures, operations, debt repayments and other financing needs; our expectation and ability to pay a cash dividend on our common stock in the future; changes to our dividend policy; growing anti-tourism sentiments and environmental concerns; changes in U.S. or other countries' foreign travel policy; impact of new or changing legislation and regulations (including environmental regulations) or governmental orders on our business; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, fuel prices and interest rates; further impairments of our goodwill, long-lived assets, equity investments and notes receivable; an inability to source our crew or our provisions and supplies from certain places; our ability to recruit, develop and retain high quality personnel; and pending or threatened litigation, investigations and enforcement actions.
More information about factors that could affect our operating results is included under the caption "Risk Factors" in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, as well as our other filings with the SEC, copies of which may be obtained by visiting our Investor Relations website at www.rclinvestor.com or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are based on information available to us on the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Royal Caribbean Group (RCL.N) said on Wednesday it had agreed to acquire a 50% stake in Caribbean resorts operator Sandals Resorts International for $3 billion, expanding the cruise company's presence in land-based vacation experiences.
Royal Caribbean has been focused on broadening its land-based vacation offerings, including its Royal Beach Club private destinations and Perfect Day destinations, as cruise operators seek to capture a larger share of consumers' overall travel spending.
The deal, expected to close in early 2027, would add Sandals' 20 resorts to Royal Caribbean's portfolio and broaden its exposure to travelers who prefer resort stays over cruises.
Sandals, founded in 1981 by the late Gordon "Butch" Stewart, operates all-inclusive resorts across the Caribbean under the Sandals and Beaches brands with properties in Jamaica, the Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, and other destinations.
Royal Caribbean Group said it has secured committed debt financing from Morgan Stanley to fund the investment.
The Financial Times first reported this week that the deal could value Sandals at more than $6 billion, citing people familiar with the matter.
Sandals has been the subject of speculation about a potential sale for nearly a decade. Reuters reported in 2017 that the company was exploring strategic alternatives, including a sale, citing people familiar with the matter.
A board jointly led by Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, and Adam Stewart, executive chairman of Sandals Resorts, will oversee the joint venture.
Stewart will remain executive chairman of Sandals and Beaches Resorts and continue to oversee the brands' long-term growth strategy.
Sandals faced controversy in the early 2000s over a policy that barred same-sex couples from its couples-only resorts. The company dropped the policy in 2004 after the London Underground banned its advertisements following complaints from gay rights activists.
Royal Caribbean is nearing a $3 billion deal to take a 50% equity stake in Sandals, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss talks that had not been made public, said the deal values the Caribbean resort chain at $6 billion and that it was expected to boost for growth for both companies. The talks are ongoing and may not result in a deal, according to the person.
Royal Caribbean shares fell roughly 6% on the news, which was first reported by the Financial Times.
The company's stock is down roughly 25% over the past year after it trimmed its forecasts for revenue growth on softer demand for European sailings.
The cruise company has been intent on diversifying beyond cruises and becoming a leader overall in vacations. Royal Caribbean already operates several private destinations for its cruise passengers, but it has been working to build out those land offerings.
Sandals and its Beaches brand, meanwhile, have more than a dozen properties across the Caribbean, which would give Royal Caribbean a foothold in all-inclusive options.
Neither Royal Caribbean nor Sandals immediately responded to a request for comment.
Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $250.25, moving +1.81% from the previous trading session. The stock's change was more than the S&P 500's daily gain of 1.49%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 0.71%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 2.26%.
Shares of the cruise operator witnessed a loss of 15.82% over the previous month, trailing the performance of the Consumer Discretionary sector with its loss of 7%, and the S&P 500's gain of 0.1%.
The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of Royal Caribbean in its forthcoming earnings report. In that report, analysts expect Royal Caribbean to post earnings of $6.35 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 10.43%. Simultaneously, our latest consensus estimate expects the revenue to be $5.58 billion, showing a 8.62% escalation compared to the year-ago quarter.
In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $17.78 per share and a revenue of $19.58 billion, indicating changes of +13.68% and +9.15%, respectively, from the former year.
Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Royal Caribbean. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.
Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been no change in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Royal Caribbean is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.
In terms of valuation, Royal Caribbean is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 13.82. This expresses a discount compared to the average Forward P/E of 14.66 of its industry.
Investors should also note that RCL has a PEG ratio of 0.88 right now. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Leisure and Recreation Services industry held an average PEG ratio of 1.11.
The Leisure and Recreation Services industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 198, placing it within the bottom 20% of over 250 industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.
Corient Private Wealth LP reduced its position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL – Free Report) by 59.5% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 21,681 shares of the company’s stock after selling 31,912 shares during the quarter. Corient Private Wealth LP’s holdings in Royal Caribbean Cruises were worth $6,885,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in the 2nd quarter worth $321,332,000. TD Asset Management Inc grew its position in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 29.7% in the 4th quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 877,659 shares of the company’s stock worth $244,797,000 after purchasing an additional 201,014 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Sarl grew its position in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 19.3% in the 4th quarter. Capital International Sarl now owns 363,713 shares of the company’s stock worth $101,447,000 after purchasing an additional 58,734 shares in the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans purchased a new position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,027,000. Finally, Proficio Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in the second quarter valued at approximately $650,000. Institutional investors own 87.53% of the company’s stock.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Price Performance Shares of NYSE RCL opened at $249.88 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.21, a quick ratio of 0.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $289.82 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $283.88. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has a 1-year low of $232.10 and a 1-year high of $356.39. The firm has a market cap of $66.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 1.74.
Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported $4.21 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.98 by $0.23. The firm had revenue of $4.83 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.82 billion. Royal Caribbean Cruises had a return on equity of 43.33% and a net margin of 23.54%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.38 EPS. Royal Caribbean Cruises has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.730-17.870 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 6.260-6.360 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will post 17.78 earnings per share for the current year. Royal Caribbean Cruises Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 8th. Investors of record on Thursday, September 17th will be paid a $1.50 dividend. This represents a $6.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 17th. Royal Caribbean Cruises’s payout ratio is currently 37.08%.
Insiders Place Their Bets In other Royal Caribbean Cruises news, CEO Michael Bayley sold 12,811 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $315.99, for a total transaction of $4,048,147.89. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 45,297 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,313,399.03. The trade was a 22.05% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 6.44% of the company’s stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets RCL has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Royal Caribbean Cruises from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on Royal Caribbean Cruises in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $370.00 price objective on the stock. TD Cowen upgraded Royal Caribbean Cruises to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. Loop Capital initiated coverage on Royal Caribbean Cruises in a research report on Monday, June 1st. They set a “hold” rating and a $304.00 target price for the company. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Royal Caribbean Cruises from $361.00 to $388.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $353.40.
Check Out Our Latest Report on Royal Caribbean Cruises
(Free Report)
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., now operating as Royal Caribbean Group, is a global cruise vacation company headquartered in Miami, Florida. The company provides cruise vacations and related travel experiences through a fleet of ocean-going ships serving destinations across the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and other regions.
Royal Caribbean Group’s principal brands include Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea. Royal Caribbean International focuses on large-ship vacations featuring entertainment, dining, family activities and onboard attractions; Celebrity Cruises offers premium cruises; and Silversea specializes in luxury and expedition voyages.
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Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.
Shares of this cruise operator have returned -15.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.9% change. The Zacks Leisure and Recreation Services industry, to which Royal Caribbean belongs, has lost 12.7% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current quarter, Royal Caribbean is expected to post earnings of $6.35 per share, indicating a change of +10.4% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
The consensus earnings estimate of $17.78 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +13.7%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $20.12 indicates a change of +13.1% from what Royal Caribbean is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Royal Caribbean is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
For Royal Caribbean, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $5.58 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +8.6%. For the current and next fiscal years, $19.58 billion and $20.96 billion estimates indicate +9.1% and +7% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryRoyal Caribbean reported revenues of $4.83 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +6.5%. EPS of $4.21 for the same period compares with $4.38 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.81 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +0.45%. The EPS surprise was +6.05%.
Over the last four quarters, Royal Caribbean surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates two times over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Royal Caribbean is graded B on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Royal Caribbean. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Building on one of the most inclusive offerings at sea, guests can now choose from 17 suite types across four categories – Oceanview, Veranda, Residence, and Villa – each offering guests distinct comforts and inclusions, with Residence and Villa guests also gaining new sets of benefits starting in 2027
, /PRNewswire/ -- Silversea, the leading experiential luxury and expedition travel brand, has introduced four distinct categories for its 17 suite types. The new Oceanview, Veranda, Residence, and Villa categories will provide their own set of comforts, with every suite continuing to include Silversea's signature benefits. Residence and Villa guests will also gain a new selection of benefits, extending the brand's personalized service across Silversea's intimate fleet. The new benefits apply to sailings departing on or after January 1, 2027.
Silversea refines its suite collection, introducing four categories of comfort. "Guests choose to sail with Silversea time and time again for the intimacy of our ships and the personal attention that comes with it," said Bert Hernandez, president, Silversea. "Our new suite categories let us build directly on that foundation. Whether that's with early access to spa and dining reservations or dedicated time with the ship's head sommelier – we're strengthening the personalized service that has always defined Silversea, while maintaining and expanding on the inclusions guests know and love."
17 SUITE TYPES, FOUR NEW CATEGORIES
Across its intimate, all-suite fleet, Silversea's 17 suite types are now organized into four categories, with each building on the included benefits. These new benefits build on Silversea's existing inclusions, such as butler service, 24-hour in-suite dining, complimentary Wi-Fi, multiple dining options, beverages, port fees, taxes, and gratuities:
Oceanview Category: Panorama and Vista suites, featuring large windows with expansive ocean views. Veranda Category: Premium Veranda, Deluxe Veranda, Superior Veranda, Classic Veranda, and Veranda suites, each with a private balcony extending the living space outdoors. Residence Category: Junior Grand, Signature, Silver, Premium Medallion, and Medallion suites, offering separate bedroom and living spaces for guests seeking additional room. Villa Category: Otium, Master, Owner's, Grand, and Royal suites, the brand's most expansive accommodations, with generous living spaces and large terraces. A NEW TIER OF CARE: ENHANCED BENEFITS FOR RESIDENCE AND VILLA CATEGORIES
Oceanview and Veranda guests will continue to enjoy the personalized, all-inclusive service standard offered across all Silversea suites. Effective for sailings departing on or after January 1, 2027, Residence and Villa guests will also receive an expanded set of benefits:
RESIDENCE CATEGORY:
Priority embarkation: Guests on Classic voyages will experience an even more streamlined boarding experience, building on Silversea's already seamless embarkation process. Early access to reservations: First opportunity to book spa treatments 210 days before a voyage, and dining reservations 150 days before. VILLA CATEGORY:
All benefits and inclusions of the Residence Category plus:
Signature arrival experience: On Classic Voyages, a private transfer will be offered to guests who book airfare through Silversea. Guests will also receive priority embarkation on Classic Voyages, early suite access, and a welcome escort. Private consultations: One-on-one time with the ship's chef, sommelier, and spa manager to personalize dining, wine pairings, and wellness goals. Signature experiences: A selection of curated moments, including a chef-selected in-suite dining experience, an in-suite afternoon tea, a stargazing evening with Champagne and caviar, in-suite cocktail celebrations for hosting guests, and a cigar-and-whiskey pairing. In-suite wellness: A Technogym exercise bag, including a yoga mat, resistance bands, and a roller, available in every Villa Category suite. Priority Destination Expert access: Dedicated planning support for flights, hotels, shore excursions, Land Programs, and City Stays by Silversea, ahead of departure. Extended stay: At select debarkation ports on Classic Voyages, guests will enjoy continued access to dining, beverages, and onboard spaces on the final day, with luggage stored and Wi-Fi active until the ship's next departure. Expedition-exclusive benefits: On Expedition Voyages, Villa Category guests can gear up and head out on their own schedule with Flexible Zodiac Departure, joining their preferred Zodiac group. They can also secure priority entry to a kayaking session of their choice and get behind-the-scenes access to expedition operations alongside onboard experts. Guests can book under the new suite categories beginning September 16, 2026. The enhanced benefits and inclusions will apply to sailings departing on or after January 1, 2027, across both the brand's classic and expedition fleets.
Discover more about Silversea's suite classes at silversea.com/life-onboard/luxury-suites.html
About Silversea
Silversea is the leading experiential luxury and expedition travel brand, offering guests immersive experiences on all seven continents, personalized service, and an innovative culinary offering aboard its 12 intimate ocean and expedition ships. Silversea's itineraries encompass an unparalleled range of destinations worldwide, from the Mediterranean and the Caribbean to the Galápagos, both Polar Regions, and hundreds of fascinating places in between. Set to strengthen its destination leadership starting in 2026, the brand is developing the southernmost hotel on Earth, The Cormorant at 55 South, in Puerto Williams, Chile – offering guests a uniquely seamless journey to Antarctica. Silversea brings its like-minded guests closer to their destination in uncompromised comfort, championing the joy of travel, an enriching spirit of discovery, and an enduring commitment to Silversea's signature "To Finding More" promise. Silversea is owned and operated by global cruise company Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL). For more information, visit www.silversea.com. Media can stay up to date by visiting the brand's press center.
Silversea, Otium, S.A.L.T., The Cormorant at 55 South, To Finding More, and the various ship names are registered trademarks of Silversea Cruises LLC.
About Royal Caribbean Group
Royal Caribbean Group is a leading global vacation company spanning cruise, one-of-a-kind destinations, and land-based vacation experiences. The company operates 71 ships sailing to more than 1,000 destinations across all seven continents through its three wholly owned brands - Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea - and a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises, which operates the Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd brands.
The Group is expanding its portfolio of private destinations through its Perfect Day and Royal Beach Club collections, and the company will enter river cruising in 2027 with Celebrity River Cruises. Powered by innovative brands, advanced technology, and an industry-leading loyalty program, the company has built a connected vacation ecosystem, turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations.
Named to the Fortune World's Most Admired Companies 2026 list and to Forbes' 2026 Best American Companies lists, Royal Caribbean Group is guided by its mission to deliver the best vacations responsibly. For more information, visit royalcaribbeangroup.com.
Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $248.77, moving -2.57% from the previous trading session. This change lagged the S&P 500's 0.45% loss on the day. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 0.63%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq depreciated by 0.78%.
Shares of the cruise operator have depreciated by 15.39% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Consumer Discretionary sector's loss of 4.05%, and the S&P 500's loss of 1.99%.
The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Royal Caribbean in its upcoming release. The company is predicted to post an EPS of $6.35, indicating a 10.43% growth compared to the equivalent quarter last year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $5.58 billion, reflecting a 8.62% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.
Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $17.78 per share and revenue of $19.58 billion. These totals would mark changes of +13.68% and +9.15%, respectively, from last year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Royal Caribbean. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.
Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged. At present, Royal Caribbean boasts a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
In terms of valuation, Royal Caribbean is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 14.36. This signifies a discount in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 15.37 for its industry.
It is also worth noting that RCL currently has a PEG ratio of 0.92. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Leisure and Recreation Services industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.14.
The Leisure and Recreation Services industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 187, this industry ranks in the bottom 24% of all industries, numbering over 250.
The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.
The trailblazing leader will celebrate the U.S. arrival of the vacation brand's newest Icon Class vacation this November during a Veterans Day naming ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
, /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of the boldest family vacation's arrival to Fort Lauderdale, Royal Caribbean has named retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson as the official godmother of Legend of the Seas. A pioneering leader, role model for women in service, and dedicated advocate for individuals and families balancing their careers and homes, Gen. Robinson has spent her career breaking barriers as the nation's first female combatant commander and former leader of NORAD and NORTHCOM, inspiring generations through her example. As godmother, she will join a longstanding maritime tradition of bestowing safekeeping upon the ship, its crew and the millions of vacationers who will make memories on Legend for years to come.
Royal Caribbean has introduced retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson as the godmother of Legend of the Seas. The 37-year Air Force pioneering veteran, role model for women in service, and advocate for individuals and families balancing their careers and homes will welcome the newest Icon Class vacation to Fort Lauderdale in November 2026.
Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas is the newest family vacation delivering summer 2026 adventures to Europe ahead of its grand Caribbean debut from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in November 2026. Vacationers can go all in on bold experiences like the most dining at sea with 28 options, new entertainment, and more ways to thrill, chill and stay. Following its debut summer in Europe, Legend of the Seas will arrive in Fort Lauderdale this November, where Royal Caribbean will officially welcome the ship to the U.S. during a Veterans Day naming ceremony with Gen. Robinson, the vacation brand's leaders, crew and vacationers. The celebration on Nov. 11 will mark the ship's next chapter of delivering the world's best family vacation while recognizing Gen. Robinson's groundbreaking leadership and the service of veterans, active-duty service members and military families.
"I am deeply honored to be named godmother of Legend of the Seas and take part in such a special tradition for Royal Caribbean alongside my family," said Gen. Lori J. Robinson, godmother of Legend of the Seas. "Throughout my career, I have seen the importance of bringing people together in pursuit of a shared purpose, and Legend creates those same connections for families and loved ones. Having the ship's naming ceremony on Veterans Day makes this especially meaningful to me, and I look forward to recognizing the generations of men and women who have served."
Built for every type of family and adventurer, Legend delivers the ultimate family vacation with a lineup of unrivaled experiences across thrills, relaxation, dining and entertainment. Vacationers of all ages can experience the most dining at sea with 28 options, including the immersive Royal Railway – Legend Station and multi-course Hollywoodland Supper Club; seven pools; thrills like Crown's Edge – part skywalk, part zip line 154 feet above the ocean – unparalleled entertainment, including America's Got Talent LIVE on Legend of the Seas and Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," and more.
"Gen. Lori J. Robinson embodies courage, determination and a spirit of service that make her a legend in her own right and a remarkable godmother for Legend of the Seas," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean. "We are honored to celebrate her incredible legacy as a 37-year Air Force commander who has defied all limits, along with the countless stories of military service across our Royal Caribbean family, from the crew who create unforgettable vacations to the guests who sail with us from around the world."
From Fort Lauderdale, Legend will deliver 6-night Western Caribbean getaways and 8-night Southern Caribbean vacations to the beaches of Oranjestad, Aruba, and Willemstad, Curacao. Plus, every vacation on Legend will visit Royal Caribbean's top-rated Perfect Day CocoCay in The Bahamas, featuring crystal-clear waters and white sand beaches, a thrilling waterpark, pools, swim-up bars and more.
Vacations on Legend are open to book on Royal Caribbean's website.
About Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean, part of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), has delivered memorable vacations for more than 50 years. The cruise line's game-changing ships and signature destinations revolutionize vacations with industry-leading innovations and an all-encompassing combination of experiences, from thrills and ways to chill, to dining and entertainment, for every type of family and vacationer. Voted "Best Cruise Line Overall" for 23 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards, Royal Caribbean makes memories with adventurers across more than 300 destinations in 80 countries on all seven continents, including Perfect Day CocoCay in The Bahamas and Royal Beach Clubs in Paradise Island and Santorini, plus Royal Beach Club Lelepa coming soon.
Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on X and visit www.RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to book, vacationers can visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com, call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN or contact their travel advisor.
Investors often weigh the high-growth potential of luxury travel against the steady reliability of retail giants. Choosing between Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL -1.46%) and Walmart (WMT +1.61%) requires balancing cyclical upside against defensive strength.
Royal Caribbean thrives on discretionary spending, offering high-end experiences to a global audience through several premium brands. Walmart serves as a cornerstone of the global economy, providing essential goods and services to millions of weekly shoppers. These companies represent two different paths to wealth creation: capitalizing on leisure demand or capturing everyday household expenditures.
Royal Caribbean operates premium brands like Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, serving guests across all seven continents with its global fleet. The company maintains a massive network of over 28 million loyalty members through its Crown & Anchor Society and other clubs. Partnerships with SpaceX for Starlink connectivity and iCON Infrastructure for port facilities strengthen its operational capabilities for global vacationers.
In the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2025, revenue reached nearly $17.9 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of roughly 8.8%. This growth supported a net income of close to $4.3 billion for the period, which was a significant improvement over the prior year. The company achieved a strong net margin of approximately 23.8%, which measures the percentage of revenue remaining as profit after all expenses are paid.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio was roughly 2.3x. This ratio compares total debt to shareholder equity, indicating the company uses more borrowed money than its own capital. The current ratio, which measures the ability to pay short-term debts with short-term assets, was approximately 0.2x. Free cash flow, or the cash remaining after paying for operations and equipment, was nearly $1.2 billion for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2025.
The case for WalmartWalmart operates a massive retail network of more than 10,900 locations and a growing eCommerce presence across 19 countries. The company serves roughly 280 million customers weekly through segments like Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. By providing a wide range of services from grocery to advertising solutions, it remains a dominant force among retail stocks today.
In the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2026, revenue reached approximately $713.2 billion, which was a 4.7% increase compared with the prior fiscal year. Net income grew to nearly $21.9 billion during this period, reflecting a consistent ability to scale its global operations effectively. The net margin was roughly 3.1%, illustrating the high-volume nature of the discount retail industry where low prices are the primary draw.
According to its January 2026 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio stands at approximately 0.7x, which compares total debt to shareholder equity. The current ratio was close to 0.8x, a metric that indicates the company has nearly enough short-term assets to cover its immediate liabilities. Free cash flow for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2026, was approximately $14.9 billion, representing the cash left over after accounting for all capital expenditures. This significant cash generation supports ongoing investments in its fulfillment networks and omnichannel supply chain facilities.
Risk profile comparisonRoyal Caribbean faces risks from macroeconomic shifts that could lower discretionary spending on vacations. Operational disruptions from severe weather, disease outbreaks, or geopolitical events can also impact itineraries and demand. The company competes with rivals like Carnival (CCL -0.79%) and faces legal risks from maritime litigation, cybersecurity threats, and ship shipyard delivery delays.
Walmart must navigate intense competitive pressure from other omnichannel retailers and eCommerce giants like Amazon. Reliance on complex global supply chains makes the company vulnerable to geopolitical tensions and potential labor shortages. Regulatory challenges including data privacy compliance and the fallout from past opioid dispensing disputes also remain significant concerns for the business.
Valuation comparisonRoyal Caribbean currently offers a significantly lower earnings multiple, while Walmart carries a lower price-to-sales valuation despite its premium valuation relative to retail peers.
MetricRoyal Caribbean CruisesWalmartForward P/E14.6x37.1xP/S ratio3.9x1.2xValuation metrics sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.
Which stock would I buy in 2026?I'd go with Royal Caribbean. Its booking visibility and record pricing give it a clarity of purpose that is hard to match right now. The company has roughly two-thirds of this year's capacity already booked at record prices. Earnings are projected to grow at a double-digit rate, and management continues to raise its full-year outlook on the strength of that momentum.
Walmart, to its credit, is executing well in a difficult consumer environment. E-commerce sales jumped sharply in the most recent quarter, marketplace revenue surged, and management raised its full-year outlook. For investors who want defensive exposure to a business that keeps taking market share regardless of the economic backdrop, it is a dependable choice.
But Walmart's stock fell sharply after earnings despite the beat, weighed down by margin concerns and softer comparable sales. When investors sell a stock after a beat, it is usually a sign that expectations are running ahead of what the business can reliably deliver.
Royal Caribbean is growing faster, raising its outlook more aggressively, and doing it with forward booking visibility that makes the opportunity unusually predictable. For a long-term investor, a business that can tell you two-thirds of its annual revenue is already locked in at record prices is a rare and valuable thing to own.
Investors often turn to recommendations made by Wall Street analysts before making a Buy, Sell, or Hold decision about a stock. While media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm employed (or sell-side) analysts often affect a stock's price, do they really matter?
Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let's see what these Wall Street heavyweights think about Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) .
Royal Caribbean currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.63, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 27 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.63 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.
Of the 27 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 18 are Strong Buy and one is Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 66.7% and 3.7% of all recommendations.
Brokerage Recommendation Trends for RCL
Check price target & stock forecast for Royal Caribbean here>>>
The ABR suggests buying Royal Caribbean, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.
Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.
In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), is a reliable indicator of a stock's near-term price performance. So, validating the Zacks Rank with ABR could go a long way in making a profitable investment decision.
Zacks Rank Should Not Be Confused With ABRIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.
The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.
It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.
In contrast, the Zacks Rank is driven by earnings estimate revisions. And near-term stock price movements are strongly correlated with trends in earnings estimate revisions, according to empirical research.
Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.
Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.
Is RCL Worth Investing In?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for Royal Caribbean, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $17.78.
Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Royal Caribbean. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>
It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Royal Caribbean.
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.8% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise company headquartered in Miami. The company operates three global cruise brands: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea. It owns a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises GmbH, which operates Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and is accounted for under the equity method.
RCL is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 14.56; value investors should take notice.
Nine analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.48 to $17.78 per share. RCL boasts an average earnings surprise of +4.9%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, RCL should be on investors' short list.
