ABSTRACT
In 1972, entrepreneur Ted Arison formed Carnival Cruise Lines with one secondhand ship, and only enough fuel to sail from Miami to San Juan. Through determination and hard work, Mr. Arison built Carnival into a popular and profitable cruise line. In 1997, Carnival and another firm, Airtours, jointly acquired Costa Cruises. Carnival became the sole shareholder of Costa Cruises after purchasing all Airtours shares in 2000, which was also the year Costa saw the Italian flag return to its ships. In 2004, Costa Cruises became the first company to receive BEST 4 recognition, acknowledging its effort in quality, safety, environmental protection, and social responsibility. Concerns about the damage the accident caused to the environment were raised by the residents of Giglio, many of whom depended upon tourism. Fortunately, the environmental effects to date have been minor. While some oil spilled, the vast majority of it remained in the Concordia's fuel tanks, which stored nearly half a million gallons.
