Carnival sells $1.25B 5.125% notes; to redeem $2.0B at 101.5%
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Carnival Corporation & plc completed a private offering of $1.25 billion senior unsecured notes due 2029 at 5.125%, and will use the proceeds, together with cash on hand, to redeem all of its outstanding $2.0 billion 6.000% senior unsecured notes due 2029.
The new notes accrue interest from October 15, 2025 and pay semi-annually on May 1 and November 1, starting May 1, 2026. They are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by Carnival plc and certain subsidiaries. Prior to February 1, 2029, the notes are redeemable at par plus a make‑whole premium; on or after that date, at 100% plus accrued interest.
Carnival issued a redemption notice to retire the $2.0 billion 2029 notes on November 1, 2025 at 101.500% of principal, plus accrued interest. The offering was made to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and to non‑U.S. investors under Regulation S and was not registered under the Securities Act.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
Insights
Refinances 2029 debt, lowering coupon on a portion and extending flexibility.
Carnival sold
The new notes carry guarantees from Carnival plc and certain subsidiaries, include standard covenants on liens and mergers, and feature a change‑of‑control put at
Net interest outlays will reflect the lower
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (date of earliest event reported)
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrants under any of the following provisions:
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | |
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| Special Voting Share, GBP 1.00 par value and Trust Shares of beneficial interest in the P&O Princess Special Voting Trust | , Inc. | |||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrants are emerging growth companies as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2) of this chapter).
Emerging growth companies
If emerging growth companies, indicate by check mark if the registrants have elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
| Item 1.01 | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
Indenture
On October 15, 2025, Carnival Corporation (the “Company”) closed its previously announced private offering (the “Notes Offering”) of $1.25 billion aggregate principal amount of 5.125% senior unsecured notes due 2029 (the “Notes”). The Notes were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of October 15, 2025 (the “Indenture”), among the Company, Carnival plc, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee. The Company will use the proceeds from the Notes Offering, together with cash on hand, to redeem all of its outstanding 6.000% senior unsecured notes due 2029 (the “2029 Unsecured Notes”).
The Notes will mature on May 1, 2029 unless earlier redeemed or repurchased. Interest on the Notes will accrue from October 15, 2025 and is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 1 and November 1 of each year, commencing on May 1, 2026, at a rate of 5.125% per year.
The Notes are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by Carnival plc and certain of the Company’s and Carnival plc’s subsidiaries (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) that also guarantee certain of the Company’s existing first-priority secured indebtedness, certain of its unsecured notes and its convertible notes. In the future, each of the Company’s and Carnival plc’s subsidiaries that becomes an issuer, borrower, obligor or guarantor of certain other indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company, Carnival plc or any Subsidiary Guarantor will be required to guarantee the Notes, subject to certain exceptions.
Prior to February 1, 2029, the Company may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus a “make whole” premium and accrued and unpaid interest. On or after February 1, 2029, the Company may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
The Indenture contains certain restrictions on liens, mergers, consolidations and transfers of substantially all of the Company’s or Carnival plc’s assets. Additionally, upon the occurrence of specified change of control triggering events, the Company will be required to offer to repurchase the Notes at 101% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the purchase date.
The Indenture sets forth certain events of default after which the Notes may be declared immediately due and payable and sets forth certain types of bankruptcy or insolvency events of default after which the Notes become automatically due and payable.
The Notes were offered only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or to non-U.S. investors in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes were not, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws.
| Item 2.03 | Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant. |
The information in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference in this Item 2.03.
| Item 7.01 | Regulation FD Disclosure. |
On October 15, 2025, the Company issued a notice of redemption for all of the $2.0 billion aggregate principal amount of its 2029 Unsecured Notes to be redeemed on November 1, 2025 (the “Redemption Date”) at a redemption price equal to 101.500% of the principal amount of the 2029 Unsecured Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.
On October 15, 2025, the Company issued a press release announcing the closing of the Notes Offering and the issuance of the notice of redemption. A copy of the press release is furnished hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein. Neither this current report nor the press release constitutes a notice of redemption with respect to the 2029 Unsecured Notes. The press release includes forward-looking statements. See “Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements” within the press release for additional information.
The Company is furnishing the information in Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1 hereto, to comply with Regulation FD. Such information shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any of the Company’s filings under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date hereof and regardless of any general incorporation language in such filings, except to the extent expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
| Exhibit No. | Description | |
| 99.1 | Press release of Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc dated October 15, 2025. | |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded with the Inline XBRL document). |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each of the registrants has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| CARNIVAL CORPORATION | CARNIVAL PLC | |||
| By: | /s/ David Bernstein | By: | /s/ David Bernstein | |
| Name: | David Bernstein | Name: | David Bernstein | |
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer | Title: | Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer | |
Date: October 15, 2025 |
Date: October 15, 2025 | |||
FAQ
What did CUK (Carnival plc/Carnival Corporation & plc) announce?
How will Carnival use the proceeds from the new notes?
What is the redemption price for the 2029 Unsecured Notes being retired?
What are the key terms of the new 5.125% notes?
Are the new notes registered with the SEC?
Can Carnival redeem the new notes early?
