They Spent Millions to Keep Their Dream Cruise Afloat. It Died Anyway.
Published . Updated .
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Secrecy, debt and soaring fuel costs all contributed to the Odyssey’s downfall. Here’s an inside look at how the “endless cruise” unraveled.
Directly affected
- No company is named in this report.
Indirectly affected
- XLY Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR+5.7% 30d
Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR: it holds travel and leisure firms. Linked by “cruise” (travel) in this story.
- USO United States Oil Fund-5.0% 30d
United States Oil Fund: its price follows crude oil. Linked by “fuel costs” (oil) in this story.
- TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF-2.2% 30d
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF: Treasury bond prices move with interest-rate expectations. Linked by “debt” (US interest rates) in this story.
- BKNG Booking Holdings+8.6% 30d
Booking Holdings (transportation services): travel firms move with tourism demand. Linked by “cruise” (travel) in this story.
- MAR Marriott International+25.4% 9d
Marriott International (hotels and motels): travel firms move with tourism demand. Linked by “cruise” (travel) in this story.
- RCL Royal Caribbean Cruises+39.4% 30d
Royal Caribbean Cruises (water transportation): travel firms move with tourism demand. Linked by “cruise” (travel) in this story.
- HLT Hilton Worldwide Holdings+22.6% 30d
Hilton Worldwide Holdings (hotels and motels): travel firms move with tourism demand. Linked by “cruise” (travel) in this story.
- XOM ExxonMobil Holdings-2.7% 17d
ExxonMobil Holdings (petroleum refining): oil producers' profits rise and fall with crude prices. Linked by “fuel costs” (oil) in this story.
Price reaction, T-5 to T+3
| Ticker | T-5 | T-3 | T-1 | T0 | T+1 | T+2 | T+3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XLY | -1.93% | -0.26% | base | +0.61% | after close | after close | after close |
| USO | +13.96% | +6.75% | base | +0.08% | after close | after close | after close |
| TLT | -0.08% | -1.01% | base | +0.21% | after close | after close | after close |
| BKNG | -12.23% | -6.88% | base | -3.01% | after close | after close | after close |
| MAR | -4.26% | -0.26% | base | +0.17% | after close | after close | after close |
| RCL | -4.84% | -3.01% | base | +1.63% | after close | after close | after close |
| HLT | -3.42% | -1.61% | base | +0.75% | after close | after close | after close |
| XOM | +13.27% | +7.37% | base | +0.37% | after close | after close | after close |
Closing-price change versus T-1, the last close before the story. T0 to T+3 fill in after each market close. Prices: Alpaca IEX.
Secrecy, debt and soaring fuel costs all contributed to the Odyssey’s downfall. Here’s an inside look at how the “endless cruise” unraveled.
Source: The New York Times
This story
| Company | When | Move | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BKNG | that day | -3.01% | still updating |
| BKNG | three days earlier | -6.88% | final price |
| BKNG | five days earlier | -12.23% | final price |
| HLT | that day | +0.75% | still updating |
| HLT | three days earlier | -1.61% | final price |
| HLT | five days earlier | -3.42% | final price |
| MAR | that day | +0.17% | still updating |
| MAR | three days earlier | -0.26% | final price |
| MAR | five days earlier | -4.26% | final price |
| RCL | that day | +1.63% | still updating |
| RCL | three days earlier | -3.01% | final price |
| RCL | five days earlier | -4.84% | final price |
| TLT | that day | +0.21% | still updating |
| TLT | three days earlier | -1.01% | final price |
| TLT | five days earlier | -0.08% | final price |
| USO | that day | +0.08% | still updating |
| USO | three days earlier | +6.75% | final price |
| USO | five days earlier | +13.96% | final price |
| XLY | that day | +0.61% | still updating |
| XLY | three days earlier | -0.26% | final price |
| XLY | five days earlier | -1.93% | final price |
| XOM | that day | +0.37% | still updating |
| XOM | three days earlier | +7.37% | final price |
| XOM | five days earlier | +13.27% | final price |
Trades by members of Congress and officials in the stocks in this story
- Rep. Rohit Khanna sold Booking Holdings (BKNG) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 25 Sep 2026. That is 42 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Rohit Khanna sold Booking Holdings (BKNG) (held by a dependent child), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 11 Sep 2026. That is 56 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, bought Booking Holdings (BKNG), worth $250,001 - $500,000 on 21 Aug 2026. That is 77 days before publication. Filed 8 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, sold Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL), worth $100,001 - $250,000 on 21 Aug 2026. That is 77 days before publication. Filed 8 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, sold Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 24 Aug 2026. That is 74 days before publication. Filed 8 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 14 Oct 2026. That is 23 days before publication. Filed 27 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) (jointly held), worth $100,001 - $250,000 on 31 Aug 2026. That is 67 days before publication. Filed 25 Sep 2026. View the filing.
Public disclosure filings, not a recommendation. The filing link is the source document. News use of these reports still sits under 5 U.S.C. § 13107(c).
This story
12 out of 100Price not final
“They Spent Millions to Keep Their Dream Cruise Afloat. It Died Anyway.” scores 12 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources. The price is not final yet.