rose 93 percent, beating estimates, on higher ticket prices, new ships and cost savings from its $1.3 billion purchase of Celebrity Cruises Inc.

The world's second-largest cruise operator said profit before a charge rose to $88.8 million, or 97 cents a diluted share, from $45.9 million, or 65 cents, a year earlier. The results beat the 90-cent average estimate of analysts surveyed by First Call Corp. Revenue rose 63 percent to $656.5 million from $403.5 million.

Shares of the Miami-based company still fell $5 to $75 9/16 after the company told analysts it may sell the Viking Serenade , one of its oldest ships, as part of an upgrade. Investors are concerned that the sale of the 1,500-berth ship, which accounts for five percent of fleet capacity, would limit Royal Caribbean's revenue growth next year, said Peter McMullin, a Southeast Research Partners analyst.

In the latest quarter, a charge of $9 million, or 10 cents a share, for fines for dumping oil in the ocean and deceiving US Coast Guard investigators resulted in net income of $79.8 million, or 87 cents.

In the year-earlier period, a charge of $7.6 million, or 10 cents a share, for paying off debt early resulted in net income of $38.4 million, or 55 cents.

Three Royal Caribbean vessels, Celebrity's Horizon and Zenith , and RCCL's Song of America , are regualr summer callers to Bermuda.