A major leadership move was announced by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) this morning. The company appointed Jason Montague as chief luxury officer, a new executive role for the company. Most notably, he'll serve as the top brand leader for both ultra-luxury Regent Seven Seas Cruises and upper premium Oceania Cruises as they both move forward with a multibillion-dollar fleet expansion. Frank A. Del Rio, Oceania's president, will now report to Montague, while Andrea De Marco will step down from her role as Regent Seven Seas' president. NCLH credited her for "creating a new brand strategy that lays the foundation for a banner 2025."
Harry Sommer, NCLH's president and CEO, says: "With over 20 years of expertise in luxury hospitality and a strong track record of driving excellence, Jason brings exceptional strategic expertise to our company and to our executive team. Having already led Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises in the past, Jason is uniquely positioned to shape their future." Before this appointment, Montague served as a special advisor to NCLH for two years after leading the Regent Seven Seas brand as president/CEO until 2022. Before that, he served as president/COO for both the upscale brands.
As the cruise industry enters Wave Season, Travel Agent outlines Virgin Voyages' new offerings, ports of call and upcoming ship, as well as details about Sea Cloud Cruises' "Catch the Early Wave" promotion. In addition to releasing pricing deals, cruise lines are also enticing travelers to book with new voyage or land options. For instance, upscale Azamara unveiled its 2026-2027 winter season, which includes, for the first time, voyages in Europe during the winter season, while AmaWaterways is offering guests free land packages on hundreds of sailings.
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Handwashing to prevent the spread of infections continues to be important when traveling, whether by land or sea. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just released its 2024 report about gastrointestinal infections on board cruise ships. Sixteen different outbreaks were reported last year; 14 of those were attributed to norovirus, one to salmonella and one to e coli. The CDC identifies an outbreak as when 3 percent or more of passengers or crew are reporting symptoms of GI illness to the ship's medical staff.
Travel Agent recently sailed on the new Disney Treasure in December, and here's our look at some of the new spaces aboard including The Haunted Mansion and Plaza de Coco. In addition, we stayed in No. 8604, an accessible deluxe family ocean-view stateroom with veranda. We also utilized a rented electric scooter aboard and will provide some details about that experience, as well.
On the executive front, cruise industry veteran Gordon Dirker has joined Cruise Norway as senior vice president and general manager, according to Seatrade Cruise News. Based in the firm's Seattle office, he'll report to Espen Fjermeros, the company's founder and president. Cruise Norway specializes in global expedition cruising. Dirker is well-known to advisors from his former roles at Celestyal Cruises, Hurtigruten and The Travel Corporation.
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