Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the world’s second-largest cruise operator, forecast 2012 earnings below analysts’ estimates after rival Carnival Corp.’s Costa Concordia accident in Italy curtailed new bookings.

Earnings will be $1.90 to $2.30 a share, lower than the $2.97 estimated by analysts, the average of 30 surveyed by Bloomberg.

Cancellations have remained normal, while new cruise bookings have been hurt, Miami-based Royal Caribbean today in a statement. North American new bookings have fallen by low to mid-teen percentages from a year earlier, with a larger decline in Europe. The company said bookings are “down slightly” in Asia and Latin America.

Royal Caribbean has reduced marketing in the wake of Carnival’s Costa Concordia incident. The ship hit rocks and capsized on Jan. 13, killing 17 and leaving 15 missing. Captain Francesco Schettino was placed under house arrest on Jan. 17 for allegedly causing the wreck and abandoning the ship.

“A tragedy like this just breaks our hearts,” Royal Caribbean Chief Executive Officer Richard Fain said in a statement. “Stunned by the tragedy, we and the rest of the industry are determined to learn whatever lessons we can and rededicate ourselves to continue providing the best and safest vacations for our guests.”

Royal Caribbean operates the Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity, Pullmantur, Azamara and CDF Croisieres de France lines. Carnival, also based in Miami, is the biggest cruise operator.

The shares fell 4.2 percent to $27.06 at 9:32 a.m. in New York. Before today, Royal Caribbean had declined 38 percent in the past 12 months.