Revenue and Earnings Beat
Revenue grew 11% year-over-year in Q1 and adjusted EPS was $3.60, $0.37 above the midpoint of guidance and up 33% versus prior year; Q1 adjusted EPS outperformance driven by better-than-expected revenue, lower costs and stronger JV performance.
Strong EBITDA, Cash Generation and Liquidity
Adjusted EBITDA was approximately $1.7 billion with a 38% margin (up >300 basis points YoY); operating cash was $1.8 billion (up 13%); liquidity ended the quarter at $6.9 billion and leverage remained below 3x.
Record WAVE Season and Demand Metrics
Delivered over 2.5 million vacations (12% more vacations YoY), record WAVE season, booked load factors within historical ranges at record APDs and record prices; onboard spending remains well above prior years.
Positive Booking and Digital Engagement Trends
Digital penetration of bookings has more than doubled since 2019; monthly active app users are 5x 2019 levels and app adoption is >90%; over 70% penetration in pre-cruise booking engines with >5 items purchased per booking and more than half of onboard revenue booked before embarkation.
Full-Year Outlook: Double-Digit Revenue and EPS Growth
Company expects roughly double-digit revenue growth for 2026 and net yield growth of 1.5%–2.5%; full-year adjusted EPS guidance of $17.10 to $17.50, targeting another year of double-digit EPS growth and continued cash flow generation.
Capital Allocation and Balance Sheet Actions
Returned $1.1 billion of capital through dividends and share buybacks in the period; repurchased 2.9 million shares for $836 million with $1.0 billion remaining authorization; completed $2.5 billion investment-grade bond offering (oversubscribed) and used proceeds to refinance near-term maturities.
Operational and Strategic Progress
Progress on strategic initiatives: Icon VI & VII orders placed; Legend of the Seas (third Icon) delivering and in strong book position; Royal Beach Club Santorini opened and demand strong; Perfect Day Mexico on track for soft opening late 2027 and ramp in 2028; loyalty enhancements and Royal ONE co-branded card launched (cardholder accounts more than doubled since 2019).
Cost Discipline and Margin Improvement
Net cruise costs excluding fuel performed better than expected in Q1 and full-year net cruise costs excluding fuel are expected to be approximately flat (~50 bps better than prior guidance), reflecting ongoing efficiency initiatives and technology deployment.