Concurrently, Oslo-based Awilhelmsen announced that it had sold an additional 3.5m shares to an unnamed financial institution.

RCL said the amount it will pay for the shares will be the same as that paid by the financial institution to Awilhelmsen. The repurchase will be funded from cash on hand.

The last reported sale price of RCL stock, which is listed in New York and Oslo, at the close of business on Monday, was $68.40