Is RCL (Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.) Halal or Haram?

Based on our AAOIFI-standard shariah screening, RCL is Halal and considered permissible for Muslim investors. It passed all 4 of 4 compliance screens including business activity review, debt-to-market-cap ratio (32.70% vs ≤33% threshold), interest income ratio (0.13% vs ≤5% threshold), and cash & securities ratio (1.36% vs ≤33% threshold).

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a leading global cruise company operating a massive fleet of over 60 ships. The company manages highly recognizable travel brands, including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara, and Silversea Cruises, offering diverse itineraries to approximately 1,000 global destinations. For Muslim investors using HalalStocks.co.uk, RCL currently screens as a Halal investment, successfully passing all four AAOIFI criteria. Its core business of travel and maritime tourism is permissible, and it has successfully managed its financial ratios to stay within Islamic compliance guidelines. From an Islamic finance perspective, the most critical metric to watch is RCL's debt-to-market cap ratio, which currently sits at 32.7%. While this passes the 33% AAOIFI threshold, it is extremely close to the limit, meaning a dip in share price could easily push it into non-compliant territory. Fortunately, its interest-bearing cash and interest income remain negligible. While the core travel business is permissible, Muslim investors should be aware that cruise ships routinely sell alcohol and feature onboard casinos. Although these non-compliant revenues typically fall below the 5% tolerance threshold, investors must monitor RCL's income streams and ensure appropriate dividend purification for any haram earnings. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates in the Consumer Cyclical sector under the Travel Services industry and is headquartered in Miami, FL, US. The company is led by CEO Jason T. Liberty and employs approximately 105,950 people.

RCL was screened using AAOIFI-based shariah compliance criteria. Four tests are applied: (1) Business Activity — the company's core business must not derive primary income from haram (prohibited) activities such as alcohol, gambling, tobacco, or interest-based finance. (2) Debt-to-Market-Cap — total debt must not exceed 33% of market capitalization. (3) Interest Income — interest income must not exceed 5% of total revenue. (4) Cash & Securities — cash and interest-bearing securities must not exceed 33% of market cap. RCL passed 4 of these 4 screens.

Although RCL passes all shariah screens, it does earn $24.0M in interest income (0.13% of revenue). Many scholars recommend purifying this portion by donating the equivalent percentage of any dividends received to charity. For example, if you receive $100 in dividends, you would donate approximately $0.13 to purify the income.

RCL was last screened on 2026-04-29. Shariah compliance status can change as companies report new financial data, acquire new businesses, or shift revenue streams. We recommend checking back periodically for the most up-to-date screening results.