Royal Caribbean shares rise as fuel costs and cruise margins draw focus
The cruise operator’s stock advanced alongside peers as benchmark oil prices declined on September 21, 2026.
Royal Caribbean shares traded near $249.57 on September 21, 2026, an intraday increase of 1.53% from the previous close, according to cited market data. A separate market report said Carnival Corp gained about 2%, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings rose 1.7% and Royal Caribbean advanced roughly 1.5% as benchmark oil prices fell.
A cited Zacks analysis of Royal Caribbean’s second-quarter 2026 performance said the company generated $1.8 billion in adjusted EBITDA, with an EBITDA margin of 38%. Net cruise costs per available passenger cruise day, excluding fuel, increased 3.9% from a year earlier. The increase was approximately 90 basis points better than expected because some expenses shifted into the second half, according to the analysis.
For full-year 2026, Royal Caribbean expected fuel expense of about $1.3 billion and had hedged roughly 58% of its remaining fuel consumption at rates described by the analysis as significantly below prevailing market prices. The company also maintained guidance for approximately flat net cruise costs excluding fuel for the year.
