Earnings Preview: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

ASHLEY M. HEHER

CHICAGO (AP) — Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. reports results for the third quarter on Tuesday morning. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.

OVERVIEW: Royal Caribbean launched its newest ship, Oasis of the Seas, last week. The $1.5 billion boat — the world's largest and five times the size of the Titanic — will become the Miami company's newest flagship and can accommodate 6,300 passengers.

But Oasis, which will begin carrying passengers next month, still has space available on its maiden passenger voyage — a fact that concerns some watching the industry.

Royal Caribbean hasn't cut prices on Oasis tickets, which cost $1,299 to $4,829. But the company and its competitors have slashed prices on other voyages to entice travelers to book vacations during the recession.

During the quarter, Royal Caribbean said it was opening a new office in Brazil as part of its effort to increase its presence in the fast-growing South American cruise market.

Royal Caribbean's brands include the Royal Caribbean International cruise line along with Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Cruises and CDF Croisieres de France.