1 |
Good day to you. Do you have a moment? My name is Ted Arison and I am looking for a business partner. I am not long here in Miami and I do not have many contacts yet. |
2 |
I have some experience with managing a shipping company back in Israel. I am planning on continuing this career here in the United States. But I would prefer to start my own business. |
3 |
I am glad you are ready to invest. There are three of us. I have already made an agreement with the Norwegian entrepreneur, Mr. Knut Kloster. He has a fishing fleet back in Europe. |
4 |
We are not starting another cargo shipping line. We are thinking of something different, a luxurious cruise line. But first, we need to make sure we have some starting capital by selling raw materials. |
5 |
Mr. Kloster insisted we use his heritage in the name so it will be called Norwegian Cruise Lines. I am not thrilled but I don’t want to argue. Anyway, we will build the headquarters in Miami. |
6 |
For now, we are starting with cruises to the Bahamas with Kloster’s ferry Sunward. But first, we need to fix her up a bit. Especially the interior looks pretty shabby. |
7 |
Our cruises to the Bahamas are an amazing success. I am looking for additional ships as we speak. But we will also need a fresh crew to man the vessels. |
8 |
Kloster ordered two new cruise ships to be constructed in Germany. If we deliver the materials, the final price should be acceptable. Hurry up so they can start the construction as soon as possible. |
9 |
I feel like we struck a gold mine here. The new ships will be pricey, so we need to get a loan. But I am counting on our investments returning in as fast as two years. |
10 |
I am not in a good mood today. Kloster is enforcing his plans again. He wants to make his own winery with our profits. I think it’s time to separate ourselves from him. |
11 |
Yes, you guessed it. I am founding my own company. The Carnival Cruise Line will soon be the competition Norwegian did not expect. Now help me get some ships of my own. |
12 |
I have made a deal for the purchase of an old liner. Mardi Gras will be our first cruise ship. She needs some work before we can use her for cruises but it should be doable. |
13 |
We have a new business partner, Mr. Riklis. I hope our relations will remain warm unlike with my former partner. You can meet him tomorrow at lunch. I will be making Gefilte Fish, it's a family recipe. |
14 |
Mardi Gras will be ready for her first cruise next month. So it’s time we started looking for the crew. We can’t offer high wages right now but with the predicted earnings we should raise them soon. |
15 |
I want to differentiate the Carnival Cruise Line from Norwegian and all other lines. So we will advertise it as a fun and exciting cruise line for the younger generation. What do you think? |
16 |
We are ready for our first cruise. Let’s get the fuel and set sail. We will be the largest cruise ship sailing out of Miami. I am sure that will attract some spectators. |
17 |
We have a problem. Mardi Gras may be too large for the Miami harbor. The ship is grounded. The passengers will have to disembark so we can refloat her. Send boats to pick them up. |
18 |
The ship is back on the water and it seems there is no damage. The cruise can continue as planned with a little delay. Let’s get something sweet for the passengers as compensation. |
19 |
I was anxious there for a while. But it all went well in the end. Our earnings are not as good as I hoped so we will have to make do with repurposed ships for now. I have picked two more. |
20 |
After a few months, I can finally say the business is doing well. We have a bit of money and materials to properly fix up our latest cruise ships. Let’s do this! |
21 |
I am so busy at the office, I didn’t even have the time to experience one of our cruises. It’s time to change that. Make sure we have enough seafood for the trip. It’s the one thing I must have. |
22 |
This cruise is a blast! Yes, there is some space for improvement. For example, this beach we make a stop at is not the best one. I know it’s secluded but I would prefer a sandy beach. |
23 |
Also, I had a problem with a few members of the crew. They were rude to the guests and we can’t have that. Let’s look for a replacement. |
24 |
Back in the office! I admit I feel steadier on land. I have a few ideas that we can work with to further improve our cruises. But first, let’s expand this tiny office. I can hardly move in here. |
25 |
Now it looks like the proper headquarters of a prospering cruise line. Let’s get some new furniture for the office and then we can hire some staff to take care of the administration. |
26 |
We are finally making some real profit. From now on it will be smooth sailing, I promise. We are ready to order our first ship constructed explicitly for the Carnival Cruise Line. |
27 |
A new pier is being built in Miami harbor. It should accommodate the large cruise ships that are now becoming more common in Florida. I promised to contribute to the construction. |
28 |
For our first new ship, I requested a custom design that should be replicated on all our future vessels. We need to build an image that will let people know that this is a Carnival cruise ship. |
29 |
Tropicale is the first true Carnival ship. She was delivered yesterday. Have you seen the beauty already? Let’s make sure there is a fabulous fish feast on the first cruise. |
30 |
I think it’s time we step up our marketing game. There are new cruise ships appearing in Miami every day. We need to act before we lose potential customers. How about a collaboration with a rum distillery? |
31 |
The Caribbean rum is famous all over the world. I am sure it can help us attract new customers. Just in case, we hired a celebrity to film a tv advert for us. |
32 |
Our new marketing strategy is a success. All our cruises are sold out for months in advance. We will need to hire some additional staff to oversee all those cruises. |
33 |
It’s time to expand again. New ships with the characteristic winged funnel are being constructed. A custom wooden interior will be included too. |
34 |
The Carnival Cruise Line is doing really well. I am thinking of investing in some other business too. Maybe cargo transportation? The gas-shipping market looks promising. |
35 |
That gas-shipping business didn’t go so well. Maybe I should try something I care about. I was always a great fan of basketball. Can you believe there is no professional basketball court in Miami? |
36 |
Now that the basketball court is complete, we can assemble a professional team. We need to acquire some good players if we want to bring the basketball culture to Florida. |
37 |
Basketball is my hobby but I want to do some good in other fields too. I am considering sponsoring a foundation supporting young artists. From poets to sculptors. |
38 |
The competition is getting serious. Every day I see a new cruise ship docking in Miami. If we want to keep up, we need to order new vessels. |
39 |
I’ll be ceding the leadership of the company to my son. He has been helping me since he left school. He is much better with the new technologies than me. I trust he will be a good president. |
40 |
I will announce my resignation during a celebratory dinner tomorrow. You are invited but please help me out with the food. It’s difficult to find a catering on last notice. |
Final |
Thank you for your help. I have a small gift for you. Farewell, captain! |