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| Royal Caribbean will soon have a corporate office located in Paris, France. |
In response to increasing local demand and as part of the company’s international growth strategy, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will open a corporate office in Paris, France, in mid-July 2011. Leading the office will be Managing Director Frederic Martinez, who joins the company after an extensive international career in marketing, commercial and management roles for American Express and Air France-KLM.
Martinez, a graduate from Sciences-Po Paris, ESSEC Business School, and who also holds a Ph.D from Sorbonne University, formerly served as the Vice President for Large Market Europe at American Express in Paris. He was also the Marketing Director for the Americas, Managing Director for Venezuela, and Director of Global Business for Air France-KLM—he speaks six languages.
The new corporate office is located on Blvd. Haussmann in Paris’ central business district. It will have employees in sales, marketing and commercial operations for the company’s three distinct cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. Until now, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operated in France via an international representative office, Latitude Sud. Royal Caribbean will integrate the Latitude Sud employees, and Robiha Deloubrière, the former head of Latitude Sud, will become the new Commercial Director for France.
All Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. brands offer itineraries calling at numerous French ports. Azamara Club Cruises, the boutique brand that offers immersive experiences through more late-night departures and overnight stays, calls at ports along the French Riviera, including St. Tropez, Nice, Toulon, as well as Marseilles, Bordeaux, Belle Isle, Sete, St. Jean De Luz and Sanary Sur Mer. Celebrity Cruise’s Solstice class ships—Eclipse, Solstice and Equinox—call at Nice and Toulon.
In 2012, Royal Caribbean International will offer new sailings from three French ports—Toulon, Marseille and LeHavre, and will also provide transfers to Genoa, Italy. The European deployment is adding numerous departures and overall, Royal Caribbean International is adding 23 ports in seven additional countries to its European schedule.
With less than 1 percent of the French population having taken a cruise, the cruise company believes there is huge market potential to be uncovered.
“With the increasing popularity of the company’s brands, this office will respond to the French market’s needs,” explained Martinez. “We’re going to be working on our superior products, enhancing onboard products, and ensuring we’re the easiest cruise line company to do business with.”
Visit www.royalcaribbean.com.