CARNIVAL CORPORATION.

CARNIVAL CORPORATION. is in the business of cruise vacations, and that makes it a company for travelers who want a floating resort more than a plain point-to-point trip. By our assessment, its real strength is scale: cruise operations bundle ships, routes, dining, entertainment, and onboard services into one purchase. The downside is just as real, because cruises are rigid by nature, with fixed itineraries, crowded shared spaces, and a lot of dependence on the season and the ship itself. In practice, that means a holiday with a strong structure around it rather than total freedom. Carnival sits among the biggest names in cruising, so it is part of the mass-market end of the category rather than a small luxury niche. People who like everything prearranged may find that appealing; people who want full independence usually will not.