Carnival Corp. shares rose as much as 4.1 per cent after the cruise company’s flagship division reported a surge in bookings following the lifting of some COVID-19 restrictions.

Carnival Cruise Line said bookings on Monday were “nearly double” the level for the same day in 2019 after management eliminated pre-cruise testing requirements for vaccinated guests and the exemption request process for people who aren’t vaccinated.

 “Our guests are booking the remaining 2022 inventory, and getting a head start planning for 2023,” Carnival President Christine Duffy said in a statement. “Mid-August is typically not a busy month for cruise bookings, but it’s clear that pent-up demand for Carnival has not been satisfied and guests are responding very favorably to our updated protocols.”

Carnival shares rose as high as US$11.15 in New York. They were up 3.2 per cent to US$11.05 at 12:53 p.m. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. also rose.