Offer a unique product to Carnival to increase your odds of landing a contract.
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Carnival Cruise Lines added the 100th ship to its fleet in April 2011, providing boundless opportunities for suppliers and vendors. Carnival Corporation & PLC is a global company whose brands include Princess Cruises, Holland America, P&O Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises and Carnival Cruise Lines. Carnival has headquarters in London, England, and Miami, Florida. At any one time, there are as many as 70,000 employees and 200,000 guests vacationing on Carnival Cruise Line ships.
1. Undergo security training to receive the proper security clearances you’ll need to service ships while in port. You can go through training and receive your Coast Guard approved safety certification that complies with the U. S. Maritime Transportation Security Act from a company such as the Smart Security Group. You’ll need to provide Carnival buyers proof of your certification before you can submit bids to provide supplies to cruise lines in port.
2. Contact the purchasing department at the company headquarters in Miami. You might have to start with an assistant who will provide you with the necessary documents you need to fill out to submit your proposals. Carnival, like most cruise lines, looks for innovation in supplies, according to World Cruise Industry Review.
3. Include plans for delivery to the various ports that Carnival utilizes so that you can impress on the purchasing agent your ability to deliver the vast quantity of products the cruise line will need. Pare down your pitch to include only your local port if you have a unique local perishable item. For example, if you would like to supply the cruise liner with fresh crabs from Maryland, you’ll need to supply the buyer with a plan to deliver the products to specific ports on the Eastern seaboard during the crab season.
4. Expect to provide large discounts for a sale of nonperishable items the company might use on all their 100 ships. You’ll need to show your ability to handle the large orders and deliver goods on time as needed.