Swot Analysis

Summary: The cruise line industry has been experiencing a period of massive expansion over the last decade thus heightening the competitive profile for the industry in terms of market share and competitive rivalry. Now cruise industry is one of the most competitive across all.

Carnival Corporation & plc is a global contender with the title of the world’s largest cruise and leisure travel company. The goal of this assessment is to analyze the strengths and weaknesses with the financial ratio analysis of the company along with conducting an internal factor evaluation matrix to view the status of the company in comparison with their top competitor, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Carnival is “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line” with 24 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 16 days in length to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Europe, and Bermuda. Carnival’s success is attributed to its marketing program directed towards

Copa Cruises - Welcome Aboard! Copa Cruises is a 40-year old company that offers dining and sightseeing cruises. What started with only one ship at Maryland’s Eastern Shore, is now a big business operating at multiple locations with 40 vessels. Copa operates scheduled tours at least twice daily during the peak travel/tourism seasons at each of its locations. The total number of scheduled tours varies based on the number of vessels available at each location. Copa also offers its ships exclusively for groups. In fact, a significant portion of Copa’s revenues come from group bookings. Typically, group customers book for corporate events, weddings, or private celebrations (e.g. family reunion). Copa customizes the table arrangement, the deck,

Carnival Cruise’s, Disney Cruises and Norwegian was the only other clear competitors to RCL but in terms of subsidiaries Crystal Cruises was the only direct rival in terms of size and scale and position in the industry but in analyzing the demand increase from 1999 to 2001 a 16.7% increase in demand showed that Celebrity cruises had to maintain their position as a luxury brand to continue being a major player in the industry. The demand was strong and the competition was average, as it relates to entries to market the cruise line industry requires multiple stipulations and regulations required thus unless one of the major players mentioned above acquired a smaller cruise line to increase in operations and services Celebrity’s position was relatively strategic and smart. The competitive landscape was relatively small so quality improvement process should be the main focus during this time, they already created the process needed to offer superior service thus tweaks such as management training, career progression programs and increases in standard of performance programs would set Celebrity’s consistent quality assurance position in the industry to better

Carnival Corporation & plc. is a global company with over 100,000 employees that serve 5 million passengers a year. At the end of 2014 Carnival Corporation & plc. income earnings were $15,884,000 dollars. Tickets sales at $11,889,000 dollars. After paying salaries and other fees Carnival Corporation & plc. income came to $459,000 which is low considering that in 2012 and 2013 income was over $1,070,000 dollars for each year after deducting costs. (Financial Information) The total sales come for the different age demographics, so approximately 50 percent of the predictions for cruise come from the 25-39 age group followed by the 40-59 age group at about 39 percent and the 60 plus age group at 11 percent. (Cruise Demographics)

The economic climate has a strong impact on the cruise line industry. However, the cruise line industry is growing and more people are traveling today then ever before. As welfare of people has considerably grown despite all possible crises in world economy, anyhow many economic factors are influence to cruise line industry, such as clientele's economic positions, growth in markets, currencies rates when working international and inflation plays a role. Operators of a cruise will be affected under management and operational levels. If fuel price begins to increase, then it will influence operational costs of the company. If interest rates increase then, then it will influence the income of the company. Economic factor plays a major role for the company to be afloat of cruise industry.

Over the years the cruise industry has seen remarkable growths across the country. Several different ports have seen an increase in ships, which increases the amount of passengers have grown. When ships, and passengers increase it can only benefit the cruise industry in a whole. Means more profits, jobs, and the economy will thrive.

Carnival is a leader in the cruise industry and it’s highly likely that the consumers would select this company; as it is also a branded company recognizable on the market it allow the process of word of mouth that lessen the power of the consumers from their self.

There are nine main cruise line, these include Ambassador International, Carnival Corporation, Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruise Lines, Louis Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Silversea Cruises and Star Cruises (Cruising). The major cruises out of these are Royal Caribbean and Carnival Corporation. These cruises line are known for using their popularity to their advantage by raising their prices at any given time. But on the other hand, all the ships are comparable. All passage can anticipate the equivalent experience on board. In addition Rivalry is at a peek because getting rid of a cruise industry cost more than to just keep into development.

The cruise-line industry has changed drastically over the past several years. What was once thought of as a luxury to most people, is now affordable and convenient. The industry now focuses on targeting the working middle class, as well as the upper class. One cruise-line in particular, Carnival, has mastered the informal cruise for the mass market. Carnival offers numerous cruises that are inexpensive and exciting. Nevertheless, Carnival operates internationally with shipyards and ports all over the world. Being an international business, Carnival is affected by many global forces, both controllable and uncontrollable. In order to maintain the corporation’s success, Carnival must be aware of all global forces while

The final uncontrollable force affecting the cruise line industry is competition (Montalvo, 2007). This is probably the least influential force since 91% of the cruise line industry is made up of three companies-Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Star. These three organizations are world-famous and have developed the cruise concept to the point that there is a cruise that will fit just about every person’s destination dream and budget reality.

The global cruise industry continues to be the fastest growing travel sector in the world with strong consumer attention and substantial cruise line investment in a diversity of mind-blowing ships that travel to the most exotic locations in the world and offer exceptional vacation experiences.

The first of these strategies that will be rejected deals with segmentation. Sea Goddess Cruises has not adequately considered enough segments in the market, which has been a major contributor to the lack of market share. SGC should eliminate all plans for monosegmenting. As stated in earlier reports, the segment that SGC is trying to target (i.e. lawyers, doctors, CEOs, etc.) is not large enough to make consistent profit. SGC must look at some other segments to a greater variety of

In 1822, the very first cruise line, known as the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, was founded by Brodie McGhie Willcox and Arthur Anderson, both experienced in the shipping industry. Its first ship was the 206 ton paddle steamer called the William Fawcett, which was first deployed in 1835 from London to Spain and Portugal. More recently, in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, three of the world’s largest cruise lines were established. The first one, Norwegian Cruise Line, was introduced when airline travel was becoming increasingly popular. The cruise industry declined significantly from this competition. The second cruise line, Royal Caribbean International, was also experiencing the same challenges as