Carnival Corp. has made major changes to its global leadership team for Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and Seabourn.
Gus Antorcha, currently president of Holland America Line, was named president of Princess Cruises, effective Dec. 2, succeeding John Padgett, who is stepping away from the business in mid-February.
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With the leadership change, Beth Bodensteiner, currently senior vice president and chief commercial officer for Holland America Line, has been promoted to president of the cruise line, effective Dec. 2.
Both Antorcha and Bodensteiner will report to Josh Weinstein, chief executive of parent Carnival. (CCL)
And Mark Tamis rejoins Carnival, this time as president of Seabourn. He succeeds Natalya Leahy, who the company said was leaving for a post with another company.
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Image source: Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises has a new president
Antorcha will lead Princess Cruises, known globally as the inspiration for "The Love Boat" television show. As president, Antorcha will oversee all performance and operational aspects of the cruise line's global fleet of 16 ships sailing over 1.7 million guests annually to 330+ destinations worldwide.
Since 2020, Antorcha has been at the helm of Holland America Line, managing all areas of the award-winning cruise line.
After successfully guiding the company's return to full operations post-industry pause during the pandemic, Antorcha has led the cruise line to a number of significant milestones, including amassing the largest single booking day in Holland America history and delivering the strongest financial results in 16 years.
Prior to joining Holland America Line, Antorcha held various leadership positions with Carnival Cruise Line, including most recently serving as the cruise line's chief operating officer. He previously served as a partner and managing director for Boston Consulting Group.
"I have tremendous respect for the fantastic Princess onboard and shoreside teams and their dedication to creating memorable travel experiences, and it's a privilege to lead this remarkable brand," said Antorcha.
Holland America Line adds experienced leader
A 20-year veteran of Holland America Line, Bodensteiner will manage all aspects of the award-winning premium cruise line's business. The brand operates 11 ships sailing more than 500 cruises to more than 450 ports in 110-plus countries and territories worldwide.
Prior to being named president of Holland America, Bodensteiner served for six years as senior vice president and chief commercial officer of the line, where she directed revenue management, deployment, and customer service for the cruise line.
She also took on increasing commercial responsibilities, including Holland America Line's global sales, product marketing, pricing and planning for Alaska Land + Sea Journeys, and integrated marketing, as well as commercial activities for the company's ultra-luxury Seabourn brand.
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Among Bodensteiner's many accomplishments, she spearheaded the deployment and rollout of an advanced corporate-wide revenue management system, and helped drive Holland America's strategy targeting high-value, high-affinity guests.
The strategy enabled the cruise line to generate incremental customer demand through a variety of high-profile collaborations, entertainment offerings and immersive experiences with organizations such as Top Chef, Audible and Wheel of Fortune.
Seabourn also adds a new leader
Tamis brings more than three decades of ultra-luxury cruising and expedition travel experience to his new role as president of Seabourn. He joins the company after serving as global president of Aimbridge Hospitality, the Arlington, Texas, manager of 1,500 hotels.
Previously, Tamis led hotel and on-board operations for Royal Caribbean International; he also had served as senior vice president of guest operations for Carnival Cruise Line.
His resume also includes more than 20 years in the luxury and boutique hotel space, with brands such as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Ian Schrager Hotels.
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"The most rewarding work in my career has been my time in cruise," said Tamis. "Combining that with my passion for creating the best vacation experiences in the world is a dream come true. I look forward to joining our team members, guests and travel advisors in building on what makes Seabourn special."
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