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Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announces leadership transitions at Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 December 2022 15 December 2022

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. today announced the following key organizational changes at the senior executive leadership level effective January 1, 2023, as part of its robust succession planning process:

– The appointment of Andrea DeMarco, current Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises, as President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, succeeding Jason Montague.

– The appointment of Frank A. Del Rio, current Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Oceania Cruises, as President of Oceania Cruises, succeeding Howard Sherman.

To ensure a smooth and seamless transition, Montague and Sherman will serve as Special Advisors to the Company.
“We are grateful to Jason and Howard for their significant contributions to our Company’s success and their tremendous achievements at Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “We look forward to continuing to partner with them in their new roles as Special Advisors and benefitting from the wealth of knowledge, experience and strategic relationships they have accumulated as leaders in the cruise industry for over two decades.”

Del Rio continued, “Our entire management team and Board of Directors are confident that Andrea and Frank are the right executives to succeed as Presidents of Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises, respectively. In their current roles as Chief Sales and Marketing Officers for their brands they have worked side-by-side with Jason and Howard, proving time and again their leadership acumen, strategic mindsets and ability to deliver top notch results. I have no doubt that they are prepared to take the helm and build on our significant momentum at this critical time as we complete our transition to steady-state operations and prepare to deliver on our industry-leading growth profile.”

“Today’s announcements are the culmination of a robust succession planning process and reflect the deep bench strength across our organization,” said Russell W. Galbut, chairman of the Board. “Andrea and Frank are talented and dynamic leaders who will bring unique, fresh and diverse perspectives in their new roles while also ensuring brand continuity with their significant Company and cruise industry experience. On behalf of the entire Board, I want to congratulate them on their new roles and I also want to thank Jason and Howard for their dedication, leadership and collaboration.”

Andrea DeMarco has nearly 20 years of diverse cruise industry experience across multiple areas of the business. She has served as Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises since September 2021, during a pivotal time for the cruise line as it resumed operations post-pandemic. Prior to this role, DeMarco held various positions of increasing responsibility since joining the Company in 2012, including most recently as Senior Vice President of Investor Relations, Corporate Communications and Environmental, Social and Governance for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings from January 2020 until August 2021. She successfully represented the Company to Wall Street since its initial public offering and earned numerous accolades including recognition as the #1 Overall Best Investor Relations Officer in the Leisure sector in the prestigious Institutional Investor All-American Executive Team rankings. Prior to her time at the Company, she worked in charter sales and corporate financial planning roles at Royal Caribbean Group. DeMarco has an M.B.A. in Finance from Florida International University and a B.S. in Finance from Florida State University.

“I am honored to lead the world’s leading luxury cruise line,” said Andrea DeMarco, chief sales and marketing officer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “The hard-working and talented team at Regent is truly unrivaled, and I look forward to contributing to the line’s future growth and success, particularly as we prepare for the addition of our newest ship, Seven Seas Grandeur®, in 2023.”

Frank A. Del Rio is an industry veteran, having started his career in the cruise industry in 2003. Frank A. Del Rio has served as Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Oceania Cruises since March 2022, where he worked side-by-side with Sherman, and as Senior Vice President, Port Destinations and Onboard Revenue from March 2015 through April 2017. From 2018 until March 2022, Frank A. Del Rio pursued entrepreneurial opportunities in the private equity, finance, and tech spaces, where he was involved across a wide spectrum of products and industries, including AI, telecommunications and 5G network solutions, medical, and real estate development, including serving as Chief Executive Officer of Divinus Life LLC, a specialty provider of skin and wellness products, from 2018 through 2020. Prior to the Company’s acquisition of Prestige Cruises International S. de R.L. and its subsidiaries (“Prestige”), Frank A. Del Rio served as Senior Vice President, Port and Destination Services at Prestige from 2008 until March 2015 and as Vice President, Destination Services and Product Development at Prestige from 2003 to 2008. Frank A. Del Rio has a B.S./B.A. in Finance and Economics from the University of Florida.

“I look forward to building on the incredible momentum we are experiencing at the renowned Oceania Cruises brand,” said Frank A. Del Rio, chief sales and marketing officer for Oceania Cruises. “I am truly humbled and thankful to lead the world-class team at Oceania and I am excited for the bright future we have ahead of us at the brand and the Company.”

P&O Cruises takes delivery of Arvia

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 December 2022 15 December 2022

At a handover ceremony with the Meyer Werft shipyard on 15 December 15, P&O Cruises took ownership of Arvia, the latest addition to its fleet and, similar to its sister ship Iona, the largest cruise ship ever built for the UK market.

At 185,000 tonnes, 345m in length with 16 guest decks and setting new ground for guest experience, Arvia is P&O Cruises second ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the marine industry’s most advanced fuel technology to date. Arvia has an optimised hull design to minimise drag and is installed with the latest energy-efficient technology on board, the company y said in a statement.

P&O Cruises president, Paul Ludlow, who was present at the event in Bremerhaven and signed the Protocol for Delivery and Acceptance said:

“Arvia, as the latest evolution in the P&O Cruises experience, embodies the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment and is the epitome of a sunshine resort sailing year-round to the warmest climates. It takes its sister ship Iona’s design aesthetic and general arrangement but provides new and exciting outside and inside spaces which make the most of Arvia’s deployment to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Arvia is a very evident symbol of optimism for the future of the cruise industry as we see a new generation recognising the value for money and individuality of a holiday at sea."

The ship is now part of the P&O Cruises fleet and is being readied to welcome guests for the maiden cruise on 23 December 23 before departure to the Caribbean on 6 January 2023 for a winter season from Barbados.

Arvia is the seventh ship in the fleet of P&O Cruises, which is part of the Carnival group. The ship is a member of Excellence class, a design which P&O Cruises shares with Carnival group members AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line and Costa Crociere.

TUI reports strong final quarter cruise recovery

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 15 December 2022 15 December 2022

TUI AG, the German tour operator that has a stake in 16 cruise liners, has reported a strong recovery in its cruise activities for the final quarter of its financial year that ended 30 September.

“The cruises segment reported a fourth underlying EBIT of €103 million (4QFY21 €43 million loss). The improvement of €146m year-on-year is supported by the fleet returning to full operations for all three cruise brands,” the company said in a statement.

TUI Cruises, which entails Mein Schiff and Hapag- Lloyd and in which TUI has a 50% stake, achieved the second positive quarter on an EAT basis of €66m. Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises offered itineraries in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and around the world with a fleet of 12 ships. Marella Cruises, which TUI owns in full and which operates four ships on the UK market, operated itineraries across the Mediterranean.

Available passenger cruise days of 2.4 million were up 30% year-on-year. Occupancies continued their recovery during the year ranging in fourth quarter between 80% and 93% across the three cruise brands compared to 39% to 53% in the same period last year with rates improving significantly year-on-year, the company said.

Royal Caribbean Group to help Finland towards sustainable shipbuilding

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 14 December 2022 14 December 2022

Royal Caribbean Group said it has signed a maritime declaration with the Finnish government, represented by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (MEAE) and Meyer Turku Oy, to chart the way forward for innovative and sustainable shipbuilding in Finland. The commitment is set to advance innovation, strengthen competitiveness and bolster the maritime industry's ecosystem, the company said in a statement.

"Our partners in Finland have helped us deliver some of the world's most impressive and sustainable ships of their time, including our newest ship debuting in January 2024, Icon of the Seas," said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. "This new partnership sets the stage for future innovations and allows us and the maritime industry to continue pursuing sustainability at the highest level."

The declaration announces the following actions:

Preparing a roadmap for the production of climate-neutral ships in Finland. The roadmap is part of the maritime industry's green transition.
Strengthening the innovation of Meyer Turku, Royal Caribbean Group and the maritime industry.
Supporting networking to curb economic challenges, develop new solutions and secure the long-term viability of the maritime industry.
Assembling a digital demonstration of a climate-neutral ship as part of the sustainable maritime industry development program of the Ministry of Labor and Economy.
Strengthening the innovation of Meyer Turku, Royal Caribbean Group and the maritime industry.
Piloting and testing new innovations and technologies on Royal Caribbean Group ships.

This partnership also advances Royal Caribbean Group's Destination Net Zero strategy to decarbonize its operations by 2050 and its near- and medium-term targets, including reducing carbon intensity by double digits by 2025 compared to 2019 and the introduction of a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.

The declaration comes on the heels of another major milestone for Royal Caribbean. On Friday, Dec. 9, the revolutionary, new vacation, Icon of the Seas, reached its next phase of construction ahead of its iconic January 2024 debut. The new ship floated on water for the first time since the assembly began nine months ago at Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. Icon will join the company's Royal Caribbean International cruise line and its lineup of industry-leading ships, becoming the brand's most sustainable ship to date and the crown jewel of shipbuilding in the Finnish maritime industry.

"The Finnish maritime ecosystem is built on the innovativeness, expertise and skills of the thousands of leading shipbuilders at Meyer Turku, and Icon of the Seas is the latest example of what can be built here in Finland," said Mika Lintilä, Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs. "This new declaration will secure a future in which the maritime industry continues to make strides in our decarbonization goals and economic growth priorities for years to come."

The company also has agreements with the shipyard to build the unnamed second and third ships in the Icon Class for its Royal Caribbean International brand, and Mein Schiff 7, which is currently under construction for the company's TUI Cruises brand.

P&O Cruises team up with Time Out

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 14 December 2022 14 December 2022

P&O Cruises, the UK focused contemporary market unit of Carnival Corporation & plc, said Time Out is its exclusive new exploration partner becoming a prime provider of travel content across all destinations.

“The partnership will see Time Out’s expert team of journalists create bespoke content featuring the best things to do, see and eat in destination. The content will be aimed at attracting a new audience of guests who have yet to consider a cruise holiday and will also be developed to enrich the experience of existing guests. In addition, it will connect P&O Cruises with Time Out’s existing audience of avid travellers,” the company said in a statement.

The first campaign as part of this partnership taps into an emerging travel trend amongst holidaymakers wanting to travel authentically whilst not compromising on comfort. The campaign focuses on how a P&O Cruises holiday allows guests to uncover destinations authentically like a local while travelling in style. Through content created by expert journalists (launched over the next year in a phased campaign), local knowledge and high-impact imagery, it unveils the hidden gems guests can explore on a P&O Cruises holiday and will include:

A digital content hub on Time Out with features, quizzes and local guides, providing the insider secrets into P&O Cruises destinations. As part of the content, an interactive ‘Scrap the Tourist Trap’ quiz will allow travellers to build a personalised bucket list of things to do while they are in each destination.
A ‘Detour’ video series which profiles local people, from shop and restaurant owners to entertainers and reveals their personal recommendations.
A ‘Detour’ guide in print form for guests on board a P&O Cruises holiday.
Time Out & P&O Cruises email newsletters.
Time Out & P&O Cruises collaborative social amplification of the content.

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “We are delighted to launch our new exploration partnership with Time Out, which will tap into their global expertise and heritage in authentic cultural and travel experiences. Time Out’s unique and trusted content will resonate with a new audience who may never have considered a cruise holiday before but will also provide existing guests with expert advice on how to make the most of their time in destinations.”

Time Out Media’s director, strategic client partnerships, Gareth Thomas said: “We are very excited about working with P&O Cruises on a partnership that will take a long-term editorial approach. We will create content for new destinations as they come on board to enable P&O Cruises holidaymakers, both existing and new, to access the inside track on places.