Royal Caribbean Cruises has trumped Wall Street consensus for the fourth quarter, capping a "particularly stellar" 2018, according to chief executive Richard Fain.
The New York-listed owner posted a $315.7m net profit for the three-month period versus a $288m profit a year earlier.
On an adjusted basis, earnings came in at $322.1m, up from $288m a year ago.
Those results translated into adjusted earnings per share of $1.53, up from $1.34 for the fourth quarter of 2017 and beating analysts' estimates of $1.51.
"This year our team achieved record financial results while introducing four new vessels, acquiring Silver Sea Cruises, inaugurating two stunning cruise terminals and implementing Excalibur (cruiseship app) on half of our fleet," he said.
"By any measure, 2018 was a particularly stellar year, and the strong Wave makes us optimistic about 2019 as well."
Full-year earnings came in at $1.82bn versus $1.63bn in 2017.
Smooth sailing ahead
The company expects 2019 full-year guidance within the range of $9.75 to $10 per share, expecting a strong wave season -- essentially the first quarter when most cruises are booked.
"Demand for our main products is strong across all quarters," Royal Caribbean said.
