Carnival Cruise Lines: Fire Aboard a Stranded Cruise Ship
Image
Region
North America
Topic
Strategy & General Management
Length
13 pages
Keywords
fire
crisis management
management
safety
crisis
Copyright Holder
Notre Dame
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students
In the early morning hours of November 8, 2010, a fire broke out in the aft engine room of the Carnival Splendor, a passenger cruise ship carrying more than 3,000 guests. Although the fire was quickly suppressed, Cruise Director John Heald and the ship’s crew found themselves stranded in the Pacific Ocean, 200 miles south of San Diego. With no electricity, poor sanitation, and spoiling food supplies, Carnival Cruise Lines must determine how best to manage this unforeseen event and ensure the safety of those onboard. This crisis management case exposes the reader to the decision-making and communication challenges faced by senior leaders in the tumultuous environment following such a crisis.
Learning Outcomes
- To encourage discussion regarding the importance of communication accuracy during a crisis situation in which human lives may be at stake;
- To highlight how a company’s lack of preparation and reliance on other entities affects reputation and credibility;
- To demonstrate the importance of two-way customer engagement through communication efforts;
- To provide an example of how an entertainment company suffers reputation damage as a result of not delivering on brand promise;
- To encourage discussion regarding the steps a company must take to rebuild and repair its reputation.