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| Manfred Ursprunger of Costa Cruises |
Last week was a big week for moves within the cruise industry, most notably by Dan Hanrahan, president and CEO, Celebrity Cruises (www.cruisingpower.com), resigning from his post to take a new job as CEO of Regis.
Other cruise notables making waves with personnel moves?
Well-known in the agency community, Manfred Ursprunger, executive vice president of fleet operations, Costa Cruises, has moved to an unspecified position within the line as his post was eliminated.
Ursprunger has been on the hot seat since Costa Concordia’s accident in January 2012, although the line has denied any connection between the position shift and the Italian government’s ongoing accident investigation.
The line told the Seatrade Insider publication that the position was eliminated but that Ursprunger will remain with the line. He’ll report to Gianni Onorato, Costa’s president, and his new role will be outlined during the continuing reorganization process, Costa said.
Agents can read Seatrade's update here: www.seatrade-insider.com/News/News-Headlines/Costa-evp-Ursprunger-reassigned-to-undefined-role.html
A leisure and cruise industry veteran, Ursprunger previously served as served as director of hotel and food and beverage operations for Crystal Cruises, vice president of hotel operations and services for Costa Cruises, senior vice president of total guest satisfaction for Celebrity Cruises, president and CEO of Renaissance Cruises, consultant for Holland America Line and Silversea Cruises, as well as senior vice president of operations for Norwegian Cruise Lines, NCL America and Orient Lines. He also was the CEO of a hotel group in Dubai.
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| Ken Muscat |
Elsewhere in the cruise industry, Ken Muscat, vice president of onboard revenue, Royal Caribbean International (www.cruisingpower.com) left the firm after many years. Starting in summer 2013, he plans to join MSC Cruises USA as senior vice president of sales and marketing.
In his new post at MSC, Muscat will report to Rick Sasso, MSC Cruises USA's president and CEO.
Previously, Muscat served as Royal Caribbean’s vice president of consumer outreach and was well known to North American agents as the line’s vice president of sales. He also held other positions within the line.
Muscat was part of the internal team that helped launch “Get Out There,” the highly successful advertising campaign that branded Royal Caribbean as an active, soft adventure and family-friendly line. Television commercials showed cruisers on rock climbing walls and zip lines, participating in waterfall climbing and kayaking, and enjoying nightlife and other active adventures while cruising.
During his tenure with Royal Caribbean, Muscat also became known for his online radio show, “Why Not Talk Cruise with Ken Muskat?”
Separately, Windstar Cruises (www.windstarcruises.com) announced that Amanda Graham joined the company as director of public relations, reporting to Joe Duckett, vice president of marketing.
Most recently, Graham served as manager of media and public relations for Norwegian Cruise Line (www.ncl.com).