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Legends&Leaders Legends &Leaders Micky Arison Ups & Downs Ted Arison with wife, Lin, on his Exceeding “We have had a perception and PR left, and daughter Shari on his problem because of a few high-profile right, at the christening of the incidents which the media has not put in Carnivale in Miami in 1976. Expectations the proper perspective,” Arison said. “They have not put it in the context of us “The product has to be outstanding, carrying 10 million passengers a year. In meeting or exceeding passengers’ expec- that context, these incidents are minute, tations every time,” Micky Arison, chair- but have been a big challenge. man of Carnival Corporation, answered “On the other hand, we are facing great when asked by Cruise Industry News opportunities as our business is becoming what the industry’s key performance global. If you had asked me in the ‘80s indicators are. “In addition, it is critical and ‘90s if we were going to be global, that the value relationship is outstanding. I would not have believed you. I viewed We are not the only ones doing this, Micky Arison, the industry as principally a U.S. business every company does that as well; 90 chairman and a little in Europe, in the UK. percent of the guests who come off a ship of Carnival “Theoretically it should be possible have had a great vacation. That is critical Corporation to match the penetration level we have to our future. in the U.S. elsewhere. We have done so “We must also improve yields so we “I thought the job was fun and enjoyed in Australia and I expect we will across can continue to improve the product. We every bit of it. But at that time, I had no Europe too. The only challenge is that need to continue to innovate and adjust visions for the industry’s future. What I these markets do not have a Caribbean the product to the needs of our guests,” did see was once the ship let the lines go, next door with good year-round weather he added. people would relax and enjoy their vaca- and embarkation ports you can drive to “If you compare the Carnival Vista to tion in a way they didn’t on land.” or fly to at a reasonable cost. Over time, the ship I sailed on as assistant cruise though, I believe this will be overcome director they are worlds apart. Back then, Carnival because the vacation value is so great and Creating the we had 700 passengers onboard, no spa, When Carnival Cruise Lines was the satisfaction level is so great.” Lin Arison, godmother of the Carnival Destiny; Captain Giovanni Gallo; and only a small gift shop, a small gym and founded in 1972, he started out as a Ted Arison a hairdresser, so you could get a haircut. salesman, then worked in reservations Fantastic Ships ‘Fun Ships’ Our entertainment staff included a pianist, and became reservations manager. At 25 Unlike hotels, Arison said cruise ships a comedian, who also did other jobs, and he was named vice president of passen- have a captive audience and can develop Carnival Corporation can trace its Miss Kentucky, but people had a great ger traffic and at 30 became president unique relationships between staff and origins to 1972 when Ted Arison found- Arison was born in Tel Aviv in 1924, time. (Ted Arison was chairman). the guests that cannot be found in hotels. ed Carnival Cruise Lines with a retired moved to the U.S. in 1952, and eventu- “Now, expectations have changed, “At that point,” Arison said, “we had “Because we have a captive audience trans-Atlantic liner, the Mardi Gras. ally retired to Israel in 1990, turning the people want spa treatments, lavish shows started to recognize the huge potential and control the environment, we have a Arison had entered the industry a few cruise company reins over to his son and different dining options. Back then, of the mass market, but we did not have much better opportunity to deliver. years before as the general sales agent Micky. the Lido served hamburgers and hot dogs.” the capital and were struggling for the Luxury hotels cannot touch our service for Klosters Rederi, operating as Norwe- Among his other ventures, he brought first 10 to 12 years, before we were able or our food and they cannot control the gian Caribbean Lines, before he launched professional basketball to Miami in 1988 First Cruise to develop new capacity. environment outside their doors. There his own cruise line. as the majority owner of the Miami Heat. Arison’s first cruise was on the Sun- “As our company became a little is a huge difference in quality and cost. What made Carnival different was its Arison and his wife, Lin, were also ward, which his father (Ted Arison, who larger and we got new ships, we started You can go to Harry’s Bar in Venice, for target market, focusing on a young and Ted Arison and Micky Arison strong supporters of the arts and con- later founded Carnival Cruise Lines) ran to invest in TV advertising. In those days, example, and spend as much on a meal fun-loving demographic. Soon the brand tributors to philanthropic and humanitar- for Klosters Rederi. He said he had an when we advertised on The Today Show, as an entire cruise costs. was known as the Fun Ships. ian charities both in Israel and the U.S. “absolutely fun time.” He was 14, in high Good Morning America and the Love “We have a lot more work to do. We Step-by-step Arison grew the line, holding company, Carnival Corporation, They created the National Foundation for school, going to boarding school in Con- Boat we were able to reach the whole carry 10 million guests a year; we have first by acquiring more older tonnage and was created in 1993. Advancement in the Arts and Miami’s necticut. country and create more demand for our a very good base, but we need to do a by the early 1980s, newbuilds. Meanwhile, Carnival had started to New World Symphony. When he moved to Miami, he did odd ships. Today, the TV market is much better job marketing. Upon taking the company public in acquire other cruise lines, so that today Arison was 75 when he died of a heart jobs at Norwegian Caribbean Lines for more fragmented. “Continuing to build fantastic ships for 1987, Carnival had become the largest it has nine brands and a fleet of 101 ships, attack. He was survived by his wife, two which Arison Shipping was the general “And when we took the company different segments will help us grow the cruise brand in the world, and as the commanding more than 50 percent of the sons, Micky and Michael, and a daughter agent. He worked in reservations, berth- public, it gave us access to the capital we market. The new ships are also more ef- company continued to grow, a corporate global cruise capacity. Shari. n ing and embarkations. needed to continue to expand.” ficient and consume less fuel,” he said. n 42 Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine: Spring 2015 Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine: Spring 2015 43 Legends&Leaders Micky Arison Ups & Downs Exceeding “We have had a perception and PR problem because of a few high-profile incidents which the media has not put in Expectations the proper perspective,” Arison said. “They have not put it in the context of us “The product has to be outstanding, carrying 10 million passengers a year. In meeting or exceeding passengers’ expec- that context, these incidents are minute, tations every time,” Micky Arison, chair- but have been a big challenge. man of Carnival Corporation, answered “On the other hand, we are facing great when asked by Cruise Industry News opportunities as our business is becoming what the industry’s key performance global. If you had asked me in the ‘80s indicators are. “In addition, it is critical and ‘90s if we were going to be global, that the value relationship is outstanding. I would not have believed you. I viewed We are not the only ones doing this, Micky Arison, the industry as principally a U.S. business every company does that as well; 90 chairman and a little in Europe, in the UK. percent of the guests who come off a ship of Carnival “Theoretically it should be possible have had a great vacation. That is critical Corporation to match the penetration level we have to our future. in the U.S. elsewhere. We have done so “We must also improve yields so we “I thought the job was fun and enjoyed in Australia and I expect we will across can continue to improve the product. We every bit of it. But at that time, I had no Europe too. The only challenge is that need to continue to innovate and adjust visions for the industry’s future. What I these markets do not have a Caribbean the product to the needs of our guests,” did see was once the ship let the lines go, next door with good year-round weather he added. people would relax and enjoy their vaca- and embarkation ports you can drive to “If you compare the Carnival Vista to tion in a way they didn’t on land.” or fly to at a reasonable cost. Over time, the ship I sailed on as assistant cruise though, I believe this will be overcome director they are worlds apart.