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Party on the high seas As its name suggests, the Carnival Corporation invites its customers to get loose, whether floating around on the high seas, or staying on dry land. The world's number one overnight cruise operator, Carnival Corp. controls three cruise lines, the most prominent one being Carnival Cruise Lines: a veritable floating party featuring ships bearing names like "Ecstasy" and "Carnival Destiny." For a more upscale experience, Carnival offers the Holland America Line, which plies the waters of Alaska and the Caribbean, and the Windstar line, whose three luxury boats sail the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and the South Pacific. The company has even acquired the mother of all cruise lines: Cunard. Carnival, however, isn't just about the ocean. It operates Holland America Westours, which offers 16 hotels and touristic adventures in Alaska and Canada. The company also owns a 28% interest in Airtours, a U.K.-based tour operator. Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has grown, and, despite warnings of industry saturation, the company continues to purchase and launch new ships and has even begun setting up its own travel agencies in shopping malls. History: from sea to land The history of the Carnival Corporation begins in 1972, when Ted Arison set up Carnival Cruise Lines as a subsidiary of the American International Travel Service. The first ship ran aground, but Arison remained steadfast in achieving his vision of a cruise line offering affordable vacation packages to middle-income consumers. By 1977, Carnival had three ships, and ten years later, as the industry leader, the company went public. In the early 1990s, Carnival began to diversify into land-based entertainment, thus changing its name to Carnival Corp. in 1994. A Carnival unto itself? Carnival Corp. maintains headquarters in Miami, but is officially registered as a corporation in Panama. The Panamanian corporate citizenship certainly has one advantage - corporations in Panama are not required to pay income taxes. In 1997, for example, Carnival paid $6 million in taxes on $677 million in pretax income. While the situation has some fuming, investment strategists see opportunities. "There is a real advantage for the investor," one portfolio manager told The New York Times, adding that freedom from taxes "permits the compounding of earnings faster." Freedom from Uncle Sam, however, has some unhappy consequences. The company has faced scandal brought on by claims that Carnival ducks responsibility for crimes, notably sexual assault, committed on board its ships. In November 1998, The New York Times ran a feature story titled "On Cruise Ships, Silence Shrouds Crimes," and reported that a federal grand jury was investigating whether Carnival had helped a crew member accused of rape to flee the country. Tim Gallagher, a VP at Carnival, insisted on the company's vigilance regarding criminal activity, noting: "We have more than 1.5 million guests a year, and it is impossible that there would not be a huge public outcry if there were any kind of serious crime problem." Ships for sale Carnival has its eyes set on one of its main competitors Norwegian Cruise Lines. After dealing with some shady business practices by competitor and rival Norwegian bidder, Star Cruises, Carnival decided it would be better to join forces with Star. The two companies agreed to pay $1.9 billion for Norwegian, giving Carnival a 40 percent ownership stake and Star the other 60 percent. This move is expected to open the Asian market for Carnival, as the acquistion will enable Carnival to have Norwegian take some of its routes as it expands.
Many Carnival positions -- including those aboard ship -- require only a high school diploma or the equivalent work experience. However, positions in Audit Services, Fun Air, and Information Systems require a college degree. Carnival frequently favors those candidates proficient in Spanish, especially for positions related to its Miami ship operations. Carnival lists 'shoreside' job openings on its employment Web page, located at www.carnival.com/jobs/shoreside.shtml, and on its job hotline. Applicants should send a resume to the specific recruiter that is listed with each opening. The most frequent shipboard opportunities are in Accounting, Entertainment, Food and Beverage, Maintainance, and Operations Hospitality.
Having fun isn't hard to do Our contacts at Carnival reveal that the company's fun-loving image seems to trickle down to work conditions. "Just like in any company, there is the politics," says one, who nevertheless adds that "overall, it is a lot of fun." Another insider with experience on a cruise ship reports: "For the most part, I had a great time on the ship. It's a great way to save money and to go to tropical ports for free." Still another agrees: "If you like travel and work, Carnival is an excellent start." Note also that Carnival Corp. fields a workforce from all over the world. Says one: "Out there people are just people (at least until its time for World Cup soccer - then things can get ugly); and everyone gets along (if you don't you get fired and sent home)." Sea/land split Culturally, a divide seems to exist between land and sea operations. "Life on board is completely different than the office," one insider tell us. Another sea-lover agrees: "I imagine the atmosphere would be quite different [working in the corporate office]." One contact says of the divide: "I am fairly happy here, although I am fairly isolated from the rest of the company being in Information Systems." What's it like living on a ship? For those interested in setting sail with Carnival, heed the advice of our contacts who note: "There is a high turn-over rate due to the fact that life aboard ship is very different than most expect." What does this mean in particular? Another source explains, "One of the downsides is that on sea days - when the boat is between ports - boredom sets in and a lot of people just drink a lot." The same contact continues, "One of the strangest things to get used to is sleeping somewhere with no windows. Most of the crew cabins are in the middle of the ship and have no windows. When you wake up, you have no idea what time it is, and your biological clock can get out of whack." Another informant warns: "It also takes a while to get used to being on the water. If you get motion sickness, this is not the job for you." Adequate compensation for the hours On the ships, life is laid back," says one of our Carnival contacts, "but you work many, many, many hours." Another reports fewer hours, but indicates an-around-the-clock lifestyle: "I worked fewer than 40 hours a week, but I worked at least a few hours a day, seven days a week, and I was 'on call' 24 - 7." However, insiders generally give favorable reviews on compensation packages and benefits, which include paid vacations, 401 (k) plans, health benefits, and stock purchase plans. One source notes that "pay was far less comparable for jobs on land, but expenses were almost nil, so you can build a savings like nowhere else."
Human Resources (305) 599-2600, ext. 2793
Cruises;Land tours;Hospitality;Gambling
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