Norwegian Cruise Line Faces Soft Demand, Trims Guidance -- WSJ

By Jacob Passy

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings warned that the coast is not yet clear on its turnaround efforts, prompting the company to lower its full-year outlook despite a stronger-than-expected second quarter.

Shares fell more than 7% Thursday.

The less-optimistic outlook reflects softer booking patterns, related in part to the conflict in the Middle East but also to efforts to overhaul the company's marketing and revenue management. Norwegian said those factors will contribute to a nearly 5% decline in its net yield, suggesting that a more cost-conscious approach isn't making up for the fact that ships aren't filling with enough passengers.

"Our outlook continues to reflect a challenging backdrop as we are in the early stages of the turnaround and continue to build our commercial engine," said Mark Kempa, Norwegian's chief financial officer, during a call with analysts.

Other cruise lines are facing similar challenges this year. Royal Caribbean Group narrowed its net yield outlook on Tuesday, citing geopolitical uncertainty.

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July 30, 2026 11:30 ET (15:30 GMT)