Although an oil price shock has thrown a wrench into Carnival Corporation's (CCL) near-term outlook, the underlying story refuses to lose momentum. On Friday, March 27, the cruise ship company reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 results that moved past expectations on both revenue and earnings, while also delivering record bookings.
Demand, by all visible measures, continues to hum. Bookings for 2026 rose 10% year-over-year (YOY), with nearly 85% of sailings already sold. Customer deposits reached a record close to $8 billion, and onboard spending picked up pace as travelers committed earlier and spent more before even stepping onboard.
