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CCL vs RCL
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Carnival Corporation (CCL) vs. Royal Caribbean Group (RCL) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- CCL posted record third-quarter revenue and net income, yet shares remain well below their 52-week high as fuel costs and European demand weigh on sentiment.
- RCL beat third-quarter expectations and raised its full-year outlook, with shares delivering double-digit gains year-to-date.
- CCL trades at a lower valuation but carries higher leverage and does not hedge fuel; RCL commands a premium valuation supported by higher margins and a fuel-hedging program.
- Tickeron AI Verdict: RCL — favored for its stronger trend consistency, relative performance, and margin stability.
- For more context, explore CCL Major News and CCL Today's Price Move, as well as RCL Major News and RCL Today's Price Move.
- Discover how automated strategies are navigating this market by exploring Trending AI Robots.
Introduction
Investors evaluating the cruise and leisure travel sector frequently weigh the two largest publicly traded cruise operators: Carnival Corporation (CCL) and Royal Caribbean Group (RCL). Both companies compete for the same consumer travel dollar, yet their business models, balance sheets, and stock performance have diverged meaningfully in recent market activity. This stock comparison examines relative performance, growth drivers, and risk factors to help traders and investors assess market positioning. The analysis is particularly relevant for those seeking to understand whether the sector's recovery favors the larger, higher-leverage operator or the higher-margin, premium-branded rival.
CCL Overview and Recent Performance
Carnival Corporation is the world's largest cruise company, operating a broad portfolio of brands across North America and Europe. In its most recent quarterly report, the company delivered record revenue of roughly $8.44 billion and record net income, with earnings per share (EPS) exceeding analyst estimates. The stock responded with a double-digit single-session gain, reflecting relief that demand and cost discipline held up despite a roughly 36% year-over-year jump in fuel expense.
Still, CCL shares remain down substantially on a year-over-year basis and trade well below their 52-week high. Sentiment has been pressured by several factors: the company does not hedge fuel costs, carries a large net debt load, and has seen demand moderate in its European deployments, particularly Mediterranean itineraries affected by geopolitical tensions. On the positive side, management has pointed to record 2027 bookings, record customer deposits, and a resumed quarterly dividend as evidence of an improving, cash-generative business. The company has also made steady progress reducing its leverage ratio.
RCL Overview and Recent Performance
Royal Caribbean Group is the world's second-largest cruise company by revenue, operating a streamlined set of brands including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea. In its most recent quarterly report, the company posted adjusted EPS of $6.57, above both its own guidance and consensus, on revenue of approximately $5.59 billion. Management raised its full-year EPS outlook and noted booking volumes up in the mid-teens year-over-year.
RCL shares have outperformed the broader cruise peer group in recent weeks, gaining strongly from late September and delivering positive returns year-to-date. The company's "Project Perfecta" targets roughly 20% compound annual EPS growth through 2027, supported by new ships, private destination investments, and a higher-margin business model. Unlike its rival, RCL actively hedges a meaningful share of its fuel consumption, which has helped cushion the impact of elevated fuel prices. The company's balance sheet is also less leveraged relative to earnings, and it has already resumed shareholder returns through dividends and buybacks.
Trending AI Robots
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Although both companies operate in the same industry, their profiles differ sharply. CCL is the scale leader, with a larger fleet and a more diversified brand portfolio, but it carries meaningfully higher net debt and has been slower to return to normalized profitability metrics. Its valuation, at a low-teens forward price-to-earnings multiple, reflects that balance-sheet and fuel-cost risk. RCL, by contrast, trades at a premium valuation but delivers materially higher operating margins, lower leverage relative to earnings, and a disciplined hedging program that smooths input-cost volatility.
On momentum, the contrast is notable: RCL has delivered positive year-to-date and trailing-year returns, while CCL has lagged over the same periods. Both face similar external risks — geopolitical disruption to high-margin Mediterranean routes, elevated fuel prices, and potential softening in consumer discretionary spending — but their differing capital structures and cost strategies translate those risks into very different relative performance.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors including trend consistency, relative performance, margin quality, and balance-sheet strength, Tickeron's AI would currently lean toward RCL. The company's superior operating margins, lower relative leverage, active fuel hedging, and positive year-to-date momentum indicate a more consistent and stable trend profile than its larger rival. While CCL offers a cheaper entry point and a credible de-risking story, its higher leverage, unhedged fuel exposure, and softer relative price trend introduce greater uncertainty. This assessment reflects a probabilistic, data-driven comparison of current market positioning rather than a definitive prediction of future returns.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is CCL is a StrongBuy and RCL is a Buy.
Aroon Indicator for CCL shows an upward move is likely
CCL's Aroon Indicator triggered a bullish signal on November 11, 2026. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor detected that the AroonUp green line is above 70 while the AroonDown red line is below 30. When the up indicator moves above 70 and the down indicator remains below 30, it is a sign that the stock could be setting up for a bullish move. Traders may want to buy the stock or look to buy calls options. A.I.dvisor looked at 276 similar instances where the Aroon Indicator showed a similar pattern. In 222 of the 276 cases, the stock moved higher in the days that followed. This puts the odds of a move higher at 80%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 26, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on CCL as a result. In 46 of 68 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 68%.
The 10-day moving average for CCL crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 09, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 12 of 15 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 80%.
Following a +4.65% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where CCL advanced for three days, in 219 of 287 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 76%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for CCL moved out of overbought territory on November 05, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 36 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 27 of the 36 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 75%.
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 10 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where CCL declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 76%.
CCL broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 04, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 17 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. CCL’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 40 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 54 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to consistent earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 61 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (2.856) is normal, around the industry mean (-0.351). P/E Ratio (12.917) is within average values for comparable stocks, (24.800). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.769) is also within normal values, averaging (1.617). Dividend Yield (0.020) settles around the average of (0.224) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (1.178) is also within normal values, averaging (2.754).
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 71 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. CCL’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 75, placing this stock better than average.
RCL in +3.88% Uptrend, rising for three consecutive days on November 10, 2026
Moving higher for three straight days is viewed as a bullish sign. Keep an eye on this stock for future growth. Considering data from situations where RCL advanced for three days, in 270 of 331 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 82%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 27, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on RCL as a result. In 50 of 69 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 72%.
RCL moved above its 50-day moving average on October 15, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for RCL crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 13, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 9 of 13 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 69%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 295 of 368 cases where RCL Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 80%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for RCL moved out of overbought territory on November 11, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 43 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 27 of the 43 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 63%.
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 9 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where RCL declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 71%.
RCL broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 04, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 10 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. RCL’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 19 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 75, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 23 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 29 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 31 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly undervalued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 76 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (8.548) is normal, around the industry mean (-0.351). P/E Ratio (20.096) is within average values for comparable stocks, (24.800). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.980) is also within normal values, averaging (1.617). Dividend Yield (0.018) settles around the average of (0.224) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (3.690) is also within normal values, averaging (2.754).
CCL | RCL | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 40 | 42 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 61 Fair valued | 76 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 71 | 19 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 40 | 23 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 17 | 10 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 54 | 29 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 31 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
CCL's Valuation (61) in the Hotels Or Resorts Or Cruiselines industry is in the same range as RCL (76). This means that CCL’s stock grew similarly to RCL’s over the last 12 months.
RCL's Profit vs Risk Rating (19) in the Hotels Or Resorts Or Cruiselines industry is somewhat better than the same rating for CCL (71). This means that RCL’s stock grew somewhat faster than CCL’s over the last 12 months.
RCL's SMR Rating (23) in the Hotels Or Resorts Or Cruiselines industry is in the same range as CCL (40). This means that RCL’s stock grew similarly to CCL’s over the last 12 months.
RCL's Price Growth Rating (10) in the Hotels Or Resorts Or Cruiselines industry is in the same range as CCL (17). This means that RCL’s stock grew similarly to CCL’s over the last 12 months.
RCL's P/E Growth Rating (29) in the Hotels Or Resorts Or Cruiselines industry is in the same range as CCL (54). This means that RCL’s stock grew similarly to CCL’s over the last 12 months.
| CCL | RCL | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 75% | 1 day ago 63% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 78% | 1 day ago 67% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 68% | 1 day ago 72% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | N/A | N/A |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 76% | 1 day ago 81% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 78% | 1 day ago 77% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 82% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 76% | 20 days ago 71% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 78% | 1 day ago 67% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 80% | 1 day ago 80% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
CCL’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green while RCL’s FA Score has 4 green FA rating(s).
- CCL’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- RCL’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
CCL’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while RCL’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CCL’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- RCL’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
CCL (@Consumer Sundries) experienced а +5.81% price change this week, while RCL (@Consumer Sundries) price change was +8.52% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Consumer Sundries industry was -2.39%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +3.78%, and the average quarterly price growth was +11.68%.
Reported Earning Dates
CCL is expected to report earnings on Dec 18, 2026.
RCL is expected to report earnings on Feb 04, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Consumer Sundries (-2.39% weekly)Consumer sundries companies make products that usually do not have another classification, such as lawn and garden products, pest-control products, pet food and pet products like leashes, collars, and harnesses. Central Garden & Pet Company and Dogness (International) Corporation are examples of companies operating in this industry.
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CCL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, CCL has been closely correlated with NCLH. These tickers have moved in lockstep 81% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if CCL jumps, then NCLH could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To CCL | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCL | 100% | -0.20% | ||
| NCLH - CCL | 81% Closely correlated | +1.67% | ||
| RCL - CCL | 80% Closely correlated | -1.37% | ||
| VIK - CCL | 71% Closely correlated | +2.26% | ||
| TNL - CCL | 59% Loosely correlated | -0.37% | ||
| ABNB - CCL | 41% Loosely correlated | -3.09% | ||
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RCL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, RCL has been closely correlated with CCL. These tickers have moved in lockstep 79% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if RCL jumps, then CCL could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To RCL | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCL | 100% | -1.37% | ||
| CCL - RCL | 79% Closely correlated | -0.20% | ||
| NCLH - RCL | 75% Closely correlated | +1.67% | ||
| VIK - RCL | 67% Closely correlated | +2.26% | ||
| TNL - RCL | 53% Loosely correlated | -0.37% | ||
| PRSU - RCL | 39% Loosely correlated | +0.54% | ||
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