Carnival Cruise Lines posted a small but surprising fourth-quarter profit as it continues to look for a turnaround after its image was hurt by mechanical problems and fires on three ships earlier this year.

Its net income of $66 million, or 8 cents per share, plunged 29 percent compared to a year earlier. Its adjusted profit was 4 cents per share. That was still better than the break-even result expected by analysts surveyed by FactSet.