After a devastating pandemic shutdown and a reemergence, Carnival Cruise Lines (NYSE: CCL) is finally surpassing 2019 levels on several metrics. Ships are near full capacity, and pent-up demand for cruises has brought record bookings in an uncertain economy.

Still, the question for investors is whether this recent performance will help the stock. Even though Carnival has surged this year, financial challenges remain. Hence, one has to look more closely at the cruise line stock's business and financials to decide whether to invest.

In one key respect, Carnival has recovered from the pandemic. Consumers seem to have an insatiable demand for cruise vacations. In the second quarter of 2023, approximately 3 million passengers took a Carnival cruise, up from 1.7 million in the year-ago quarter. That led to a 98% occupancy rate.

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Source Fool.com