Micky Arison Recounts History in the Industry “from the Ground up” and Forecasts a Future of Success By Micky Arison, Chairman, Carnival Corporation & plc and Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)
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t was not too long ago, or at least it does not seem like that much time has passed, when in 1972 I decided to join Carnival Cruise Line’s sales team to learn the business from the ground up. At the time, the cruise industry was just getting started, with only a few ships and pioneers leading the industry and its couple hundred thousand passengers with limited destinations and options. Time and positions indeed flew by, from getting a vantage point of our guests and products through my first sales position and subsequent promotion to reservations manager in 1974, to further concentrating on operations after being named vice president of passenger traffic in 1976, implementing initiatives including pricing plans and packages to make cruising more inclusive and attractive for younger and first-time cruisers – part of why even now cruising’s unique vacation experience is offered at such a great value, even better than land-based vacations. Things moved even faster after being appointed as president in 1979, when the contemporary cruise industry began to evolve after Carnival Cruise Line launched 10 FIRST QUARTER 2019 | TRAVEL & CRUISE
the world’s largest purpose-built cruise ship that same year, and then added three more vessels in the mid-1980s that were groundbreaking at the time, with a focus on offering guests distinct and innovative onboard vacation environments, such as streetcars serving as dining cafés, along with different nightly shows, bands and orchestras, multi-
“I HAVE ALWAYS
BELIEVED IN MAKING EVERY PLACE WE TOUCH BETTER.” ple pools and shopping options, full casino, discotheque and more to make these “Fun Ships” while sailing three-, four- and seven-day cruises to the Bahamas, Caribbean and Mexican Riviera. Fast-forward to today. Carnival Corporation sails to more than 700 ports
around the world with more than 100 ships and nine cruise line brands, including some of the most-recognized brands in North America, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Australia, while featuring a broad product selection geared to suit every conceivable taste, price preference and target market—including contemporary, premium and ultra-luxury—and catering to the desires of different cultures, offering multiple languages and countless entertainment, dining and vacation preferences. Overall, the cruise industry has more than 270 ships visiting nearly 1,000 ports, with 30 million people projected to cruise this year. The industry makes a remarkably positive impact on communities around the globe by sustaining over 1.1 million jobs with $45.6 billion in wages and salaries and $134 billion total output worldwide in 2017. Those numbers are significant to me because I have always believed in making every place we touch better. This happens through economic benefits, especially in places the some of the Caribbean islands where cruise tourism provides the over-
