Will Carnival, Royal Caribbean Or Norwegian Stock Grow The Most By 2022?

Every week, Benzinga conducts a survey to collect sentiment on what traders are most excited about, interested in or thinking about as they manage and build their personal portfolios.

This week we posed the following question related to cruise line stocks:

Over the next year, which cruise line stock will have the largest percentage gain?

• Carnival Corp CCL

• Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd RCL

• Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd NCLH

Survey Says

About 38% of traders and investors back Carnival to grow the most by 2022. Carnival operates in virtually all major vacation destinations worldwide. 

Carnival’s cruises were shut down completely for most of 2020 due to the pandemic and will likely remain shut down for at least a couple of months in 2021, as well. The stock dropped 57.2% in 2020.

Next, 33% of investors believe Royal Caribbean will gain the most. Like Carnival, Royal Caribbean operates as a global cruise vacation company. The company’s mainstay brands include Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea Cruises.

Meeanwhile, traders and investors were the least confident in Norweigan's growth prospects over the next year, as 29% of respondents told us shares of Norweigan would grow the most in 2021.

Norwegian shares dropped a nearly identical 56.2% in 2020 for nearly identical reasons that the Carnival and Royal Caribbean shares lagged.

As far as other travel stocks are concerned, it can be said that low-cost ticket models in the vein of Spirit Airlines Incorporated SAVE, JetBlue Airlines Corporation JBLU or Southwest Airlines Co LUV have the potential to lead travel demand once the pandemic subsides.

As the American and global economy recover, and if vacation travel were to return by summer 2021, budget-conscious travelers may first seek accommodations from the most affordable cruise lines. 

This survey was conducted by Benzinga in December 2020 and included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older.

Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from over 500 adults.