Royal Caribbean (RCL) to issue new senior notes and refinance 2026 bonds
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is planning to issue two new series of unsecured senior notes, each paying semi-annual cash interest, to refinance its 2026 senior notes and repay other existing indebtedness, including term loans. The notes will rank equally with the company’s other senior unsecured debt and will be structurally subordinated to liabilities at subsidiaries.
The company reported strong 2025 results, with total revenues of $17,935 million, operating income of $4,910 million, and net income of $4,268 million. Total debt including finance leases was $21,345 million and shareholders’ equity was $10,245 million as of December 31, 2025. Adjusted EBITDA reached $7,026 million, giving a ratio of Adjusted EBITDA to net interest expense of 7.08x, indicating improved coverage of interest costs.
Positive
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Insights
Royal Caribbean plans new senior notes mainly to refinance 2026 maturities, modestly extending its debt profile while maintaining high but better-covered leverage.
Royal Caribbean intends to issue two tranches of senior unsecured notes to refinance its 2026 senior notes and repay other borrowings. The new notes will sit pari passu with existing senior unsecured debt and will be structurally subordinated to subsidiary liabilities, with no subsidiary guarantees.
As of
The transaction does not by itself reduce gross debt but targets maturity and rate management. Actual impact will depend on final coupon levels of the new notes and future operating performance disclosed in subsequent filings.
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Proceeds to the Issuer (before expenses)(1)
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| | J.P. Morgan | | | Morgan Stanley | | |
PNC Capital Markets LLC
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
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TRADEMARKS AND TRADENAMES
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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SUMMARY
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RISK FACTORS
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USE OF PROCEEDS
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CAPITALIZATION
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DESCRIPTION OF NOTES
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EXCHANGE CONTROLS
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INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
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CERTAIN ERISA AND RELATED CONSIDERATIONS
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UNDERWRITING
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BOOK-ENTRY SYSTEM; DELIVERY AND FORM
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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
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LEGAL MATTERS
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EXPERTS
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
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THE COMPANY
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RISK FACTORS
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USE OF PROCEEDS
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
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SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
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LEGAL MATTERS
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EXPERTS
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As of and for the Year Ended December 31,
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2025
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2024
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2023
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(dollars in millions, except costs per Available Passenger
Cruise Day (“APCD”)) |
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| Operating data: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Total revenues
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| | | $ | 17,935 | | | | | $ | 16,484 | | | | | $ | 13,900 | | |
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Operating income
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| | | $ | 4,910 | | | | | $ | 4,106 | | | | | $ | 2,878 | | |
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Net income attributable to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
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| | | $ | 4,268 | | | | | $ | 2,877 | | | | | $ | 1,697 | | |
| Balance sheet data: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Total assets
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| | | $ | 41,619 | | | | | $ | 37,070 | | | | | $ | 35,131 | | |
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Total debt including finance leases
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| | | $ | 21,345 | | | | | $ | 20,076 | | | | | $ | 21,452 | | |
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Total shareholders’ equity
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| | | $ | 10,245 | | | | | $ | 7,735 | | | | | $ | 4,899 | | |
| Cash flow data: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net cash provided by (used in): | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Operating activities
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| | | $ | 6,465 | | | | | $ | 5,265 | | | | | $ | 4,477 | | |
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Investing activities
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| | | $ | (5,012) | | | | | $ | (3,446) | | | | | $ | (3,923) | | |
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Financing activities
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| | | $ | (1,018) | | | | | $ | (1,922) | | | | | $ | (1,993) | | |
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Capital expenditures
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| | | $ | (5,229) | | | | | $ | (3,268) | | | | | $ | (3,897) | | |
| Non-GAAP financial data: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Adjusted net income attributable to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.(4)
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| | | $ | 4,286 | | | | | $ | 3,237 | | | | | $ | 1,827 | | |
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Adjusted EBITDA(12)
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| | | $ | 7,026 | | | | | $ | 5,971 | | | | | $ | 4,544 | | |
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Ratio of Adjusted EBITDA to Interest Expense, net of interest capitalized
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| | | | 7.08 | | | | | | 3.76 | | | | | | 3.24 | | |
| Selected operational data: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Net Cruise Costs per APCD(15)
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| | | $ | 149.07 | | | | | $ | 150.34 | | | | | $ | 143.81 | | |
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Net Cruise Costs, Excluding Fuel per APCD(15)
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| | | $ | 127.57 | | | | | $ | 127.40 | | | | | $ | 119.30 | | |
| Selected passenger data: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Passengers carried
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| | | | 9,446,010 | | | | | | 8,564,272 | | | | | | 7,646,203 | | |
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Passenger cruise days(1)
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| | | | 58,518,751 | | | | | | 54,844,780 | | | | | | 49,549,127 | | |
| APCD(2) | | | | | 53,325,212 | | | | | | 50,552,731 | | | | | | 46,916,259 | | |
| Occupancy percentage(3) | | | | | 109.7% | | | | | | 108.5% | | | | | | 105.6% | | |
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Year Ended December 31,
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2025
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2024
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2023
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(dollars in millions)
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Net income attributable to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
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| | | $ | 4,268 | | | | | $ | 2,877 | | | | | $ | 1,697 | | |
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Loss on extinguishment of debt and inducement expense(5)
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| | | | 16 | | | | | | 463 | | | | | | 121 | | |
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Gain on sale of equity interest(6)
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| | | | (11) | | | | | | — | | | | | | (3) | | |
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PortMiami tax on sale of noncontrolling interest(7)
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| | | | — | | | | | | (3) | | | | | | 7 | | |
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Silver Whisper deferred tax liability release(8)
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| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | (26) | | |
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Impairment and credit losses(9)
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| | | | — | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | 8 | | |
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Amortization of Silversea intangible assets resulting from the Silversea acquisition(10)
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| | | | 6 | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | 6 | | |
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Restructuring charges and other initiative expenses
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| | | | 8 | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | 5 | | |
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Equity investments impairment, recovery of losses and other(11)
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| | | | (1) | | | | | | (1) | | | | | | 12 | | |
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Litigation loss contingency(12)
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| | | | — | | | | | | (124) | | | | | | — | | |
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Adjusted net income attributable to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
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| | | $ | 4,286 | | | | | $ | 3,237 | | | | | $ | 1,827 | | |
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Year Ended December 31,
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2025
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2024
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2023
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(dollars in millions)
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Net income attributable to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
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| | | $ | 4,268 | | | | | $ | 2,877 | | | | | $ | 1,697 | | |
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Interest income
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| | | | (24) | | | | | | (16) | | | | | | (36) | | |
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Interest expense, net of interest capitalized
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| | | | 992 | | | | | | 1,590 | | | | | | 1,402 | | |
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Depreciation and amortization expenses
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| | | | 1,718 | | | | | | 1,600 | | | | | | 1,455 | | |
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Provision for income tax
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| | | | 82 | | | | | | 46 | | | | | | 6 | | |
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Other (income) expense(14)
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| | | | (17) | | | | | | (149) | | | | | | 2 | | |
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Impairment and credit losses(9)
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| | | | — | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | 8 | | |
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Restructuring charges and other initiative expenses
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| | | | 8 | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | 5 | | |
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Equity investments impairment, recovery of losses and other(15)
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| | | | (1) | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | 8 | | |
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Gain on sale of equity interest(6)
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| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | (3) | | |
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Adjusted EBITDA
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| | | $ | 7,026 | | | | | $ | 5,971 | | | | | $ | 4,544 | | |
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Ratio of Adjusted EBITDA to Interest Expense, net of interest capitalized
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| | | | 7.08 | | | | | | 3.76 | | | | | | 3.24 | | |
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Year Ended December 31,
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2025
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2024
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2023
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(dollars in millions, except Costs per APCD)
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Total cruise operating expenses
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| | | $ | 9,083 | | | | | $ | 8,652 | | | | | $ | 7,775 | | |
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Marketing, selling and administrative expenses
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| | | | 2,223 | | | | | | 2,125 | | | | | | 1,792 | | |
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Gross Cruise Costs
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| | | | 11,306 | | | | | | 10,778 | | | | | | 9,567 | | |
| Less: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Commissions, transportation and other
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| | | | 2,369 | | | | | | 2,250 | | | | | | 2,001 | | |
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Onboard and other
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| | | | 981 | | | | | | 909 | | | | | | 809 | | |
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Net Cruise Costs including other costs
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| | | | 7,957 | | | | | | 7,619 | | | | | | 6,757 | | |
| Less: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Gain on sale of controlling interests(5)
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| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | (3) | | |
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Impairment and credit losses(8)
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| | | | — | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | 8 | | |
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Restructuring charges and other initiatives expenses
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| | | | 8 | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | 5 | | |
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Net Cruise Costs
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| | | | 7,949 | | | | | | 7,600 | | | | | | 6,747 | | |
| Less: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Fuel
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| | | | 1,146 | | | | | | 1,160 | | | | | | 1,150 | | |
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Net Cruise Costs, Excluding Fuel
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| | | $ | 6,803 | | | | | $ | 6,440 | | | | | $ | 5,597 | | |
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APCD
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| | | | 53,325,212 | | | | | | 50,552,731 | | | | | | 46,916,259 | | |
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Gross Cruise Costs per APCD
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| | | $ | 212.03 | | | | | $ | 213.20 | | | | | $ | 203.92 | | |
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Net Cruise Costs per APCD
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| | | $ | 149.07 | | | | | $ | 150.34 | | | | | $ | 143.81 | | |
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Net Cruise Costs, Excluding Fuel per APCD
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| | | $ | 127.57 | | | | | $ | 127.40 | | | | | $ | 119.30 | | |
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As of December 31, 2025
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(in millions)
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Actual
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As-adjusted
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Cash and cash equivalents(1)
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| | | $ | 825 | | | | | $ | | | |
| Debt: | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Unsecured Revolving Credit Facilities(2)
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| | | | 0 | | | | | | | | |
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Unsecured term loans due through 2042
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| | | | 10,546 | | | | | | | | |
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4.250% Senior Notes due 2026
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| | | | 650 | | | | | | | | |
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5.500% Senior Notes due 2026
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| | | | 1,000 | | | | | | | | |
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5.375% Senior Notes due 2027
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| | | | 1,000 | | | | | | | | |
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7.500% Senior Debentures due 2027
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| | | | 300 | | | | | | | | |
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3.700% Senior Notes due 2028
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| | | | 500 | | | | | | | | |
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5.500% Senior Notes due 2028
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| | | | 1,500 | | | | | | | | |
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5.625% Senior Notes due 2031
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| | | | 1,500 | | | | | | | | |
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6.250% Senior Notes due 2032
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| | | | 1,250 | | | | | | | | |
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6.000% Senior Notes due 2033
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| | | | 2,000 | | | | | | | | |
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5.375% Senior Notes due 2036
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| | | | 1,500 | | | | | | | | |
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% Senior Notes due 20 offered hereby
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| | | | — | | | | | | | | |
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% Senior Notes due 20 offered hereby
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| | | | — | | | | | | | | |
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Total debt principal amounts
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| | | | 21,746 | | | | | | | | |
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Debt net carrying value adjustments
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| | | | (560) | | | | | | | | |
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Finance lease liabilities
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| | | | 159 | | | | | | | | |
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Total debt(3)
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| | | | 21,345 | | | | | | | | |
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Total shareholders’ equity(4)
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| | | | 10,245 | | | | | | | | |
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Total capitalization
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| | | $ | 31,590 | | | | | $ | | | |
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Underwriters
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Principal
Amount of the 20 notes |
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Principal
Amount of the 20 notes |
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J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
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Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
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PNC Capital Markets LLC
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Total
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| | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | |
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, Florida 33132
Attn: Investor Relations
Telephone: (305) 539-6000
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Page
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
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| | | | 1 | | |
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
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| | | | 2 | | |
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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| | | | 3 | | |
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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
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THE COMPANY
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RISK FACTORS
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USE OF PROCEEDS
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
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SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
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LEGAL MATTERS
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EXPERTS
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Name
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Shares Beneficially
Owned Before the Offering |
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Maximum
Number of Shares Offered |
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Shares Beneficially
Owned After the Offering Assuming All Shares Registered Are Sold(1) |
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Number(#)
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Percent(2)
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Number(#)
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Percent(2)
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A WILHELMSEN AS(3)
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| | | | 19,167,507 | | | | | | 7.47% | | | | | | 19,167,507 | | | | | | — | | | | | | * | | |
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Osiris Holdings Inc.(4)
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| | | | 11,496,865 | | | | | | 4.48% | | | | | | 10,156,380 | | | | | | 1,340,485 | | | | | | * | | |
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J.P. Morgan
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Morgan Stanley
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PNC Capital Markets LLC
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