New York-listed Dianabooked a profit of $12.3m in the three months to the end of September, lessthan half the $26.4m carded a year ago.

Its earnings per sharehit the tape at $0.15, a cent ahead of what Wall Street was expecting.

Diana saw revenue sag byaround $8m as fleet expansion erased some of the pain from the lower periodrates secured.

Led by Simeon Palios theowner saw its formidable cash pile expand to $452.45mat