The world is a mess. Let’s book a cruise!

Carnival’s record-breaking bookings prove that ‘vacations are sacrosanct,’ even in times of upheaval.

[Source Photos: Ivan/Adobe Stock, Thierry Meier/Unsplash, Paul Zoetemeijer/Unsplash]

Consumer confidence is feeble, gas prices remain high, the labor market has the jitters, there’s war in the Middle East, and AI doomerism has become part of pop culture. So . . . time to book a cruise?

Apparently so. This week Carnival, the largest cruise line, reported record results—third quarter revenue of $8.4 billion, well ahead of expectations—and, more intriguingly, all-time high bookings for 2027. With customer deposits totaling $7.6 billion in the third quarter, up almost 7% over last year, Carnival says it is roughly half booked for 2027. And 2028 bookings are also ahead of past pace. Notably, the company points out the spike is due to increased demand and earlier-than-usual bookings, not discounts.

On the company earnings call, CEO Josh Weinstein told investors that Americans’ leisure mentality is “catching up” to a European mindset. “Vacations are sacrosanct. And they will take them in good times and in bad,” he said.

Still, the robust results may seem counterintuitive........

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