When I took an 8 day Caribbean voyage this summer with my family (see post here), I had no intention of doing any business much less thinking of it. But as a business owner, business just has a way of creeping into the brain like rock doves finding their way home. But analogies aside—successfully hosting  approximately five thousand (staff and passengers) on a ship for eight full days takes logistical know how. May eight days at sea with Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) reinforced so many business principles—here are my top five.

1. Know Your Customer Base – Fun for all. All for fun. It’s Carnival’s slogan. And rightfully so. Carnival is known as the fun ship and after speaking to many cruise travelers, they’ve made it clear that this is their number one reason to cruise with Carnival. And during my 8 days aboard the Splendor—I got to experience this for myself. Those aboard seemed to have come to have just that, fun. From toddlers to retirees—there were infinite activities for all. There’s even Camp Ocean, a kids camp where parents can drop off their precious cargo for some kiddie time. I was so happy to have this option for my son. The hubs and I had some much needed time to ourselves.

2. Value Systems and Processes – I was fortunate to have a private tour of the galley where the head Chef aboard the Carnival Splendor explained the very detailed and in-dept process of providing passengers with nightly palatable three-course meals. From the procurement of food and supplies, food prep or personnel management–one thing is for sure, there were solid systems and processes in place to support this complex operation. This is key to the success of any solvent and profitable business. Applications to support staffing, procurement to passenger booking are all essential in supporting business operation and process automation. Documenting business processes for the sake of business continuity is just as critical should there be unexpected disruption. Having all of your business policies and procedures in your head does no good to the success of your business and puts your business at great risk.

3. Stay in Your Own Lane – Carnival is known as the budget-friendly cruise line and they are comfortable knowing that. Why? Because as long as they can provide customers with safe and reliable cruise options at a fraction of the cost—it’s a win for their business. There’s a market for it. Just ask their loyal customers. 

4. Learn from Failure – It’s no secret that CCL has had its share of business setbacks. But what company hasn’t? With every setback or failure comes the opportunity for progress and growth.

5. Employee Satisfaction – I had the opportunity to speak and interact with many of the staff aboard the Splendor and one thing I found common amongst them were their job satisfaction. They were happy to be at work and it showed. It’s proven that employee satisfaction has a direct and positive impact on customer satisfaction.

#cruisingcarnival #partnership #sponsored