Debatably, the most successful cruise lines would be Carnival Cruise. An aggressive company, it’s hallmark has been a competitive pricing which effectively brought the cruise line business to the giant industry it is today. Carnival Cruise was a pioneer in bringing shorter (and cheaper) cruises.
The success wasn’t all highlights. There were some slight mishaps (or you can call it a tragedy or comedy) when on the maiden voyage of Carnival’s first ship the TSS Mardi Gras, it ran aground on a sand bar outside the Port of Miami.
Founded in 1972, it now has 22 cruise ships, called “fun ships”, servicing the Bahamas and the Caribbean, Europe, the Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, New England and Atlantic Canada. The ships are well-known for their Las Vegas inspired decor and onboard entertainment. It has a mascot called “Fun Ship Freddy”, a character designed after the ship’s funnel.
With economies of scale kicking in, with cheaper rates, shorter trips, faster turnaround time, and more and more cruise tourists and clients, Carnival started investing in larger and larger ships. In 1982, the Tropicale debuted. This was the first major cruise ship redesign in many years. It also started the cruise industry-wide multi-billion-dollar shipbuilding boom of the 1980′s.
Another innovation is the introduction of the only non-smoking cruise ship in the world, the Paradise (it has since been renamed the Carnival Paradise).
In 1996 it brought to sea the largest luxury liner in the world at that time, the Carnival Destiny, all of 100,000 gross tonnage. Succeeding ships of this class had an added deck with 101,000 gross tonnage, the Carnival Triumph and the Carnival Victory.
Since 2002, Carnival has commissioned larger Conquest Class ships of 110,000 gross tonnage. There are currently five of these in service, the Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty and Carnival Freedom.
The latest Carnival Cruise ship to ride the seas is the Carnival Splendor with 113,300 gross tonnage. Even larger Carnival Cruise ships are set to debut soon. The Carnival Dream is set to launch in 2009, and the Carnival Magic in 2011, both of 130,000 gross tonnage.
For now, due to the economic downturn, it has stopped ordering any new ship. At least not until another boom is in sight.
