“How bad is crime on cruise ships?” That is a question I never even thought to ask. Some people probably thought it did not even exist. But as it turns out, it does, and the actual statistics might surprise you, particularly aboard Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) ships. Carnival investors were not exactly pleased about it, either. Carnival shares slid modestly in Wednesday morning’s trading.
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A new report out says that not only is crime on cruise ships a thing, but it is also worse than you might expect. Crime rates on cruise ships are continuing to rise, and they actually reached a two-year high this year. Perhaps that is because people are actually starting to cruise again, after several years of COVID-19-related delay. But regardless of the cause, the numbers are going entirely the wrong way.
In fact, the reports noted, just in the period of January 2025 to March 2025, there were 48 cruise ship crimes reported to the FBI. And of that number, fully one in four—12 total—happened on a Carnival vessel. Yet given the recommendations offered up by Jenni Fielding, a “cruise content creator,” perhaps the problem is not so pronounced. Fielding recommends cruisers “…lock your cabin door at night, avoid leaving drinks unattended and never go into someone’s stateroom alone.”
Growing Competitive Concerns
Meanwhile, there was further bad news for Carnival in a roundabout fashion, as Meyer Turku in Finland signed a new agreement with Royal Caribbean Group (RCL) for ship construction. Meyer Turku has been building ships for Royal Caribbean for the last 30 years now, roughly, and just landed a “firm order” for a fifth ship in the Icon class, a “mega cruise ship.” It also has an option for a seventh ship to come later.
With Royal Caribbean adding on to its fleet, and Carnival looking a little less than safe based on those crime statistics, concern over Carnival’s long-term future might be warranted. What also might be warranted is a bit of aggressive marketing defining specific measures Carnival is taking to not only ensure a good time, but a safe one as well.
Is Carnival Cruise Stock a Good Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on CCL stock based on 11 Buys, three Holds and one Sell assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 70.23% rally in its share price over the past year, the average CCL price target of $34.73 per share implies 14.64% upside potential.
