Much of the success at Carnival Corporation is due to its management staff. Carnival was launched in 1972 with a converted ocean liner and the dream of an entrepreneur, Ted Arison. Mr. Arison was a pioneer in the modern-day cruise industry who set out to realize his vision of making a vacation experience once reserved for the very rich, accessible to the average person.
In 1979, Ted turned Carnival over to his son, Micky Arison. Rather than Ted firing loyal executives in key posts, he decided to step aside himself. As a teen, Micky worked for his dad at Norwegian Caribbean Lines, running the bingo games and some shore excursions. He later moved up to a sales position which made him more comfortable with the business. He attended the University of Miami. Even though the first few months were rough, the experienced executive crew helped him to learn the ropes of running operations. Among them were Robert H. Dickinson, Meshulam Zonis, Maurice Xamati, and CFO Howard Frank. They all continued to stay onboard, they say, "because Micky, has an open, measured style and delegates authority." 2 In fact some of these executives are willing to do some things not in the normal realm of their jobs. This past summer, Bob Dickinson spent 5 days working 5 different jobs aboard the Imagination. He did everything from maid service, to serving drinks on the pool deck. 3
Micky Arison took the company public in 1987. In fact, revenues have been climbing since he took over the Miami-based, three ship, company. In 1979 revenues were at $45 million, and during 2001, revenues hit $4.5 billion. He continues to look for growth abroad. He has changed Carnival into a global operation, and continues to add resources. This was certainly evident during his acquisition offer for Princess Cruises, which paid off just a few months ago. Arison's blend of determination and fretfulness has proved the right combination to propel his company. 4