2 Predictions for Norwegian Cruise Line Stock in 2026

By Rick Munarriz – Apr 1, 2026 at 11:07AM ESTKey PointsNorwegian Cruise Line is cheap and out of favor. But it can bounce back in the next nine months.NCL trades at lower valuation multiples than Carnival and Royal Caribbean, but that's not a compliment.With its two rivals now yielding more than 2%, it's about time for NCL to hop on the dividend bandwagon.The country's third largest cruise line has historically been a laggard relative to its peers. But that doesn't mean it will always be that way for Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH +2.97%). Can this textbook cheap stock become a world-beater? That's a big question, and I can only counter with some equally large predictions. Here are three things I see playing out in the next nine months for Norwegian Cruise Line and its shareholders. Image source: Getty Images. 1. NCL stock will move higher in the next nine months It's been a rough start to the year for the cruise line operator. NCL stock declined 16% through the first three months of 2026. Its two larger rivals also ended March with year-to-date declines, but NCL was the worst performer of the three. I would love to predict that NCL will finally outperform Carnival (CCL +2.22%) and Royal Caribbean (RCL +2.97%), but that has historically been a dud of a wager. Just looking over the past 12 months, Carnival stock and Royal Caribbean shares have returned more than 30%, while Norwegian stock has declined in that time. NCL still has its charm. It trades at the lowest revenue and earnings multiples. It is growing in the current climate. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and NCL all have trailing revenue growth in the single digits. Here's a positive prediction to kick things off in an industry that's become too cheap to ignore: NCL stock will move higher over the nine final months of 2026. It may or may not be enough to push year-to-date results higher, but I think the stock will close out the year higher than it is right now. ExpandNYSE: NCLHNorwegian Cruise LineToday's Change(2.97%) $0.56Current Price$19.25Key Data PointsMarket Cap$8.5BDay's Range$18.96 - $19.3952wk Range$14.21 - $27.18Volume316KAvg Vol22MGross Margin31.76% 2. It will introduce a quarterly dividend The cruise line industry's post-pandemic recovery is complete. All three major players are now posting record revenue.

Only Royal Caribbean is generating record profitability, but give Carnival and NCL time. They'll get there, given how the fundamentals have improved, with customers' willingness to pay more than before for the watery escapes. Another sign that things are back to normal is that Royal Caribbean reinstated its quarterly distributions in the spring of last year. Carnival followed suit earlier this year. They both currently yield a little more than 2% on a forward basis. NCL can't bring back a quarterly dividend, since it never offered one before. However, it can't ignore that its two more successful rivals are now appealing to value investors by offering reasonable dividends. As the only one of the three with a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio in the single digits, it can certainly afford to play the payout game. It can still grow its business and pay down its debt. It wouldn't take much from NCL's earnings for it to yield more than its peers. And it would finally have the lead in something valuable beyond just valuation.Read NextMar 23, 2026 •By Joe TenebrusoWhy Norwegian Cruise Line Stock Recovered TodayMar 16, 2026 •By Will HealyNorthern Right Dumps 790,000 NCLH Shares Worth $19.5 MillionMar 8, 2026 •By Billy DubersteinWhy Norwegian Cruise Lines Surged in February, Only to Retreat Again in MarchMar 6, 2026 •By Billy DubersteinWhy Norwegian Cruise Lines Sank This WeekMar 2, 2026 •By Rich SmithWhy Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Stock Sank TodayApr 1, 2026 •By Rick MunarrizCan Super Mario Save Nintendo Stock, Again?About the AuthorRick Munarriz is a contributing Motley Fool stock analyst and long-time contributor to the company’s free offerings and premium investing services, including Rule Breakers and Supernova. He has analyzed stocks across media and entertainment, retail and restaurants, and emerging technologies for The Motley Fool for 30 years. Rick holds an MBA from the University of Miami, once traveled the country with his band Paris By Air, and on weekends he can be seen on stage at Just The Funny theater in Miami as an improv comedy performer and co-owner. He is a regular guest on CNBC, Fox Business, BBC, and NPR for his expert stock analysis. He lives with his family in Miami and Celebration, Florida.TMFBreakerRickX@marketStocks MentionedNorwegian Cruise LineNYSE: NCLH$19.27(+3.02%)+$0.57Carnival Corp.NYSE: CCL$26.52(+2.47%)+$0.64Royal Caribbean CruisesNYSE: RCL$283.18(+2.90%)+$8.00*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.