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Royal Caribbean Cruises’ (NYSE:RCL) Icon of the Seas embarked from South Florida this week, heralding its maiden seven-day odyssey.
The record-breaking Icon of the Seas stretches nearly 1,200 feet (365 meters) from stem to stern—matching the Empire State Building’s lofty height. Its emphatic debut featured a christening ceremony attended by soccer luminary Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami compatriots, according to Associated Press.
The Icon of the Seas has been a long time coming. When Royal Caribbean (RCL) initially unveiled the marvel in October of 2022, the ship spurred the most massive booking day and the highest-volume booking week in the annals of Royal Caribbean (RCL).
The colossal Icon of the Seas is partitioned into eight idyllic districts sprawled across 20 decks. The ship boasts six water slides, seven swimming pools, an ice skating rink, a theater, and over 40 dining establishments, bars, and lounges. At maximum capacity, the vessel can accommodate up to 7,600 passengers, alongside 2,350 crew members.
During Royal Caribbean’s (RCL) most recent earnings call (transcript), management underscored that the overall 2024 cruise capacity is expected to surge by 8%, propelled by the introduction of the Icon, Utopia, and Silver Ray, and benefiting from a full year of Ascent and Silver Nova. The most striking capacity surge is expected in the first and third quarters, owing to the timing of new ship deliveries and dry dock schedules.
Royal Caribbean (RCL) is slated to release its earnings on February 1. Projections suggest the cruise line operator will disclose revenues of $3.36B and an EPS of $1.13. The last 19 EPS revisions by analysts have all skewed upwards. Options trading hints at a 6% fluctuation in share price following the earnings report.
