Hi friends, I am back from a few days of unrest and busy schedule. After a few couple of years in Premier Cruises, the company went bankrupt on 5th September, 2000 leaving all the crew and many passengers stranded in the Bahamas and Barcelona, Spain. I shall come back to this story later, for I am excited to tell you the story of hhow my next company Carnival Cruiselines was born in 1972.




Carnival Corporation & plc Historical Background
Although the name Carnival Corporation didn’t come into existence until 1994, the foundation for the company was laid when its flagship brand, Carnival Cruise Lines, was formed in 1972 by cruise industry pioneer, the late Ted Arison. 


Carnival got its start in 1972 with a single ship, the Mardi Gras, a converted ocean liner which featured a number of innovative elements along with a festive onboard ambiance unlike any other cruise ship sailing at the time. The success of the Mardi Gras was instrumental in Carnival’s growth. The entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering vision of Carnival’s founder, the late Ted Arison, provided a solid foundation for the company’s future.

 The story of the first cruise goes on something like this..... The launch of Carnival Cruise Lines is a classic tale of the American Dream. Started by the late Ted Arison, the company began operation in 1972 with a boatload of vision, a single secondhand ship and just enough fuel to make a one-way trip from Miami to San Juan. Even as the Mardi Gras got out of Miami Harbour around evening, the ship ran aground and the tugboats had to be called in after collecting money from the guests onboard and in return, they were offered complimentary cruise at a later date. That was the beginning of Carnival and then there was no looking back for the company, its employees and Ted Arizon as Carnival Cruiselines soon reached the position of the Largest Cruise Operator of the World. After achieving its position as "The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line", in 1987 Carnival made an initial public offering of 20 percent of its common stock which provided the initial influx of capital that allowed the company to begin expanding through acquisition.

Over the years, Carnival has acquired representation in virtually every market segment of the cruise industry, including premium operator Holland America Line in 1989 (the purchase included niche operator Windstar Cruises and Alaskan/Canadian tour operator Holland America Tours); luxury brand Seabourn in 1992; Genoa, Italy-based contemporary brand Costa Cruises, Europe’s number one cruise operator, in 1997; and venerable premium/luxury operator Cunard Line in 1998, which built the world’s largest ocean liner, the 150,000-ton Queen Mary 2.

History in the Making Micky Arison, Carnival Chairman and CEO, and Howard Frank, Vice Chairman and COO, ring the closing bell at the NYSE on April 22, 2003, signaling the end of the first day of trading of Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc shares (symbol: CCL) on the New York and London stock exchanges.

In April 2003, agreements were finalized to combine Carnival Corporation with P&O Princess Cruises plc, creating the world’s first global cruise operator encompassing 12 highly recognizable brands and making the new company one of the largest leisure travel companies in the world.

The merger with P&O Princess Cruises included some of the most recognizable brands in ocean-going travel – premium brand Princess Cruises, which gained worldwide acclaim from the hit television series, “The Love Boat”; P&O Cruises, an esteemed British cruise operator; contemporary brand P&O Cruises Australia, the country’s largest cruise operator; AIDA Cruises, Germany’s number one cruise company; Ocean Village, a contemporary United Kingdom operator catering to a younger, active clientele; and Swan Hellenic, a premium United Kingdom brand offering a distinctive and refined cruise experience.

Carnival’s unprecedented rise to the world’s largest cruise operator can be attributed to its ability to manage brand autonomy, with each major cruise line maintaining separate sales, marketing and reservation offices, as well as through the industry’s most aggressive shipbuilding program.

THE FUN BEGINS


Relying on little more than a contagious level of enthusiasm, Arison forged a partnership to build the young company into a full-fledged cruise line. Two years later, Carnival was still a struggling, small-time operator. But Arison remained as focused on his goal as ever. In 1974, he proved his determination, buying full ownership of the ailing Carnival – and its precarious future – for $1 in cash and the assumption of $5 million in debt.

Tenacious, driven and supremely confident, Arison spent the rest of his life making business strides that have become the stuff of seafaring legend – changing the tide for Carnival and turning a $1 investment into the most popular and profitable cruise line in the world. 

                                          41        years    of      fun

 

THROUGH THE YEARS . . .
1972 – Maiden voyage of Carnival’s first ship, the TSS Mardi Gras, which runs aground on sandbar outside the Port of Miami
1975 – Carnival purchases Empress of Britain, enters service as the TSS Carnivale
1978 – The Festivale, formerly the S.A. Vaal, undergoes $30 million refurbishment, begins service for Carnival as the largest and fastest vessel sailing from Miami to the Caribbean
1982 – Debut of the Tropicale, the first new cruise ship the cruise industry has seen in many years; ship marks the beginning of an industry-wide multi-billion-dollar shipbuilding boom
1984 – Carnival becomes first cruise line to advertise on network T.V. with the premiere of new advertising campaign starring company spokesperson Kathie Lee Gifford (then Johnson)
1985 – Debut of 46,052-ton Holiday
1986 – Launch of 47,262-ton Jubilee
1987 – The 47,262-ton Celebration enters service. Carnival earns distinction as “Most Popular Cruise Line in the World,” carrying more passengers than any other. Carnival Cruise Lines undertakes its initial public offering on Wall Street, raising approximately $400 million to fuel future expansion; entity later becomes Carnival Corporation & plc, a multi-line worldwide cruise conglomerate
1990 – The 70,367-ton Carnival Fantasy – the first and namesake vessel in the highly successful “Fantasy-class” — enters service as first new ship ever placed on three- and four-day Bahamas cruise program from Miami.  Eventually, Carnival would construct eight “Fantasy-class” vessels, the most cruise ships in a single class.
1991 – Launch of 70,367-ton Carnival Ecstasy
1993 – Carnival introduces its third 70,367-ton SuperLiner, Carnival Sensation
1994 – Debut of 70,367-ton Carnival Fascination. Carnival’s parent company renamed Carnival Corporation to distinguish between it and its flagship brand, Carnival Cruise Lines. Company is later renamed Carnival Corp. & plc following the combination with P&O Princess Cruises, creating the world’s largest cruise operator by far.
1995 – 70,367-ton Carnival Imagination enters service
1996 – Carnival’s launches sixth “Fantasy-class” vessel, Carnival Inspiration. Carnival debuts the first passenger vessel to exceed 100,000 tons, the 101,353-ton Carnival Destiny, at the time the world’s largest cruise ship
1998 – Introduction of seventh “Fantasy-class” vessel, the Carnival Elation, the first new cruise ship deployed on the West Coast. The eighth and last in the “Fantasy-class” series, the Carnival Paradise, enters service
1999 – Debut of the 102,000-ton Carnival Triumph, Carnival’s second “Destiny-class” vessel
2000 – A third “Destiny-class” vessel, the 102,000-ton Carnival Victory, is launched.
2001 –Carnival introduces a new class of vessel with the launch of the 88,500-ton Carnival Spirit, the first new “Fun Ship” ever positioned in the Alaska and Hawaii markets
2002 – A second “Spirit-class” vessel, the Carnival Pride, is launched. Carnival’s third “Spirit-class” ship, Carnival Legend, enters service. Debut of the 110,000-ton Carnival Conquest, beginning a new class of vessel for the line.
2003 – Second 110,000-ton “Conquest-class” ship, the Carnival Glory, enter service
2004 – Carnival Miracle, the fourth in Carnival’s “Spirit-class,” debuts. A third 110,000-ton “Conquest-class” ship, Carnival Valor, sets sail
2005 – A fourth 110,000-ton “Conquest-class” vessel, Carnival Liberty, enters service July 20 operating Carnival’s first-ever Mediterranean cruise program.
2007 – Debut of Carnival’s fifth “Conquest-class” vessel, Carnival Freedom
2008 – The new 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor enters service, representing a new class of ship for the line
2009 – The130,000-ton Carnival Dream – the largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed – is introduced in Europe Sept. 21, 2009.
2011 – A second 130,000-ton ship, Carnival Magic, debuts in Europe May 1 and launched year-round seven-day Caribbean service from Galveston, Texas, Nov 14.
2012 – A third 130,000-ton ship, Carnival Breeze, enters service in June 3 operating 12-day Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona before repositioning to Miami on year-round six- and eight-day departures beginning November 24, becoming Carnival’s largest South Florida-based “Fun Ship.”
2016 – An as-yet-unnamed 135,000-ton ship is scheduled to debut in winter 2016.