Whopping 802 dry dock days for Carnival Corp. in 2022

This is an 'unusually large number,' CFO David Bernstein said, adding that in the range of 550 days was probably the previous high.

Appearance and fuel efficiency

'We want to make sure the ships look great when the guests get back on board and of course we're cleaning the hulls,' he said, to reduce drag and maximize fuel efficiency.

Some 24 ships are scheduled to enter dry dock during the second quarter. This will double dry dock days for Q2 compared to the same period in 2019, leading to higher adjusted cruise costs per available lower berth day, excluding fuel.

Cost not expected to recur in 2023

These higher costs won't reoccur in 2023, Bernstein said.

In first quarter 2022, Carnival racked up 273 drydock days versus 141 in Q1 2019. In the second quarter, the number goes to 399 days, versus 184 in Q2 2019.

Drydocks are typically scheduled in the first half of the year or Q4, not during the highest yielding Q3.