Carnival Corp & PLC , the world's largest cruise operator, reported a lower quarterly profit on Tuesday, but raised its full-year earnings forecast as booking volumes strengthened.

Miami-based Carnival said it made a profit of $ 1.1 billion, or $1.33 per share, for its third quarter ended August 31, down from $1.65 per share a year earlier.

Revenue sank more than 14 percent to about $4.1 billion.

Carnival and its competitor Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd have discounted fares to drum up demand for cruises. But Carnival said booking volumes have picked up for cruises slated for the rest of 2009 and the first half of 2010.

The company said it now expects full-year earnings per share to be between $2.16 and $2.20, up from its earlier forecast of $2.00 to $2.10.

Carnival shares rose 6 percent in premarket trading.

(Reporting by Deepa Seetharaman, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

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