Royal Caribbean

Shares of Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival came under pressure after news of a rare hantavirus outbreak raised fears of a slowdown in travel demand. Traders and commentators flagged the three cruise operators as the most exposed names, noting that memories of the pandemic make investors quick to punish travel stocks on any new disease headlines.

Travel advisors are publicly criticizing the newly announced partnership between cruise line Royal Caribbean and all-inclusive resort operator Sandals, telling the companies to "just read the room." Many in the travel agent community see the alliance as poorly timed or misaligned with their interests, and the trade publication Travel Market Report is covering their reaction to the deal.