Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) vs Viking (VIK)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Viking (VIK) has outperformed Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) over the past year, gaining 37.4% versus a loss of 8.8%. Royal Caribbean Cruises is the larger company by market cap ($75.51 billion vs $36.29 billion), about 2.1 times the size, while Viking is growing revenue faster (+21.9% vs +8.8%). On valuation, Royal Caribbean Cruises trades at a lower forward P/E (13.8x vs 18.5x for Viking).
Royal Caribbean Cruises pays a dividend yielding 1.77%, while Viking does not currently pay one. Royal Caribbean Cruises converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 23.8% versus 17.7%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | RCL | VIK |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $282.32 | $81.26 |
| Market cap | $75.51B | $36.29B |
| 1-day change | -2.24% | -0.47% |
| YTD return | +2.89% | +14.50% |
| 1-year return | -8.82% | +37.42% |
| 5-year return | +232.47% | — |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 17.43 | 27.00 |
| Forward P/E | 13.81 | 18.53 |
| EPS (TTM) | $16.20 | $3.01 |
| Dividend yield | 1.77% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $5.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $17.93B | $6.50B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +8.80% | +21.89% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $4.27B | $1.15B |
| Gross margin | 49.36% | 43.34% |
| Operating margin | 27.38% | 23.10% |
| Net margin | 23.80% | 17.65% |
| 52-week high | $356.39 | $110.09 |
| 52-week low | $222.22 | $56.37 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -20.78% | -26.19% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +24.09% | +34.81% |
| Average volume | 2.43M | 3.45M |
| Shares outstanding | 267.45M | 318.87M |
| Employees | 107,950 | 13,000 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Marine Transportation | Marine Transportation |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Royal Caribbean Cruises is about 2.1 times larger than Viking by market value ($75.51B vs $36.29B).
- VIK has outperformed RCL by 46.2 percentage points over the past year.
- Viking trades at a higher earnings multiple (27.0x vs 17.4x trailing P/E).
- Royal Caribbean Cruises offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.77% vs 0.00%).
- Royal Caribbean Cruises is more profitable, keeping 23.8 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 17.7 cents for Viking.
- Viking grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+21.89% vs +8.80%).
About Royal Caribbean Cruises
RCL stock →Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates as a cruise company worldwide.
Consumer Discretionary · Marine Transportation · 107,950 employees
About Viking
VIK stock →Viking Holdings Ltd focused on providing passenger cruises in North America, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through the River and Ocean segments.
Consumer Discretionary · Marine Transportation · 13,000 employees
RCL vs VIK FAQ
Which is bigger, Royal Caribbean Cruises or Viking?
Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) is larger, with a market capitalization of $75.51B compared with $36.29B for Viking (VIK).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, RCL or VIK?
VIK returned +37.42% over the past 12 months, compared with -8.82% for RCL (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, RCL or VIK?
RCL has the lower trailing P/E at 17.4, versus 27.0 for VIK. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Royal Caribbean Cruises or Viking?
Royal Caribbean Cruises pays a dividend yielding 1.77%, while Viking does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Royal Caribbean Cruises and Viking in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Marine Transportation industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.