When your cruise clients think Carnival Cruise Line, many might have flashbacks to their first cruise experience, as “Carnival is the place where people try their first cruise, especially through the various weekend options,” points out Christine Duffy, Carnival’s president. Geoff Cox, v.p. of sales for KHM Travel Group, adds that, “because of the price point, most people’s first cruise is a Carnival cruise. Carnival really opens the door to the cruise industry.
“They benefit the entire industry because people get on board for the first time, they have a great time, and their vacation needs, wants, and bucket lists change; now cruising is something they want to do,” he says.
“Carnival’s unique homeports across the U.S., where 50 percent of the population can drive to a Carnival cruise vacation in a half-day or less, that really makes us a convenient, accessible and an affordable option, particularly for middle-class families today who often take a drive vacation,” points out Duffy.
They’ve done a great job trying to connect with agents. They seem to be
ahead of the curve dealing with host agencies.– Geoff Cox, Vice President of Sales, KHM Travel Group
Firsts in Cruising
Duffy notes that Carnival has influenced the cruising industry since its inception 45 years ago. “I believe our founder Ted Arison essentially created what we know today as the modern-day cruising industry, which really came from a commitment of shifting cruises from only being affordable to the very rich, to making cruising accessible to everyone,” she says. “I think that Carnival really laid the foundation for a lot of what the cruise industry has become over time.”
Carnival has also been the leader in the industry with a few firsts under its belt, such as the first ship to exceed 100,000 tons; the first to advertise on TV; and now, on the brand’s newest ship, the Carnival Vista, the first ship with a SkyRide and the first brewery on a North America-based ship.
Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, Carnival continues to be a pioneer in cruising.
“These are exciting times for the cruise industry,” says Duffy. Carnival is introducing four new ships through 2022: the Carnival Horizon in 2018; a Vista-class ship in late 2019; and two new 180,000-gross-ton cruise ships in 2020 and 2022, which are set to be the largest in the fleet and powered by liquefied natural gas.
Additionally, the line’s Carnival Journeys enrichment programs have expanded with 13 new 12- to 14-day seagoing adventures departing from homeports along the East and West coasts and the Gulf of Mexico in 2018 and 2019. According to Duffy, the line will also be moving larger ships into shorter cruise itineraries and, in the next two years, will complete a massive enhancement program to the Fun Ship 2.0 features.
Additionally, the private Bahamian destination of Princess Cays has been added to the itineraries of six different Carnival ships beginning this month, and Carnival Splendor will offer week-long Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach, CA, starting next year.
Onboard Innovations
And with Carnival not one to rest on its laurels, new partnerships are always in the works, including the Carnival Live concert series featuring such artists as Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood. “We’ve leaned into music to bring more live entertainment back on the ship,” she says.
As far as innovations in technology, Duffy says, “We are excited about our Carnival Hub app—a mobile app available across the entire fleet that’s a great tool to know what’s happening across the ship.” She notes that new features on the app will be coming over time. Duffy points out, though, that “we use technology in a way to still allow team members to engage with our guests, but make it easier for guests to know what’s happening and share their photos with social sharing.
“There are lots of new things coming —there will be surprises along the way,” she adds.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Carnival Cruise Line
Tel: Carnival’s Travel Agent Support, (800) 327-7276
Website: GoCCL.com
