It’s been another busy week of executive moves in the travel industry, particularly in the cruise sector.
This week Crystal reported that its longtime CFO Donald Mason will be leaving the company as of April 1, having accepted a new role in a company outside of the cruise industry. Mason has served as CFO at Crystal since 2015, spearheading the company’s Genting Hong Kong-backed expansion from luxury ocean ships into a more all-encompassing luxury travel brand, with new elements in river, yacht and private jet travel. Crystal says that it has hired a firm to conduct a search for its next CFO.
In river cruises, this week CroisiEurope River Cruises named Michael DaCosta its general manager for North America. DaCosta, who has been with the line since 2013, had most recently worked as the company’s North America marketing manager. John McGlade will become the brand’s director of sales.
Also in the cruise space, this week Carnival Cruise Line announced the officers for the newly renovated Carnival Sunrise. Formerly the Carnival Triumph, the ship is set to make its debut in a few weeks following a complete transformation with an officer team that includes Captain Bruno Palomba, who will command the ship in drydock, and Captain Isidoro Renda, who will command the ship once it arrives in the U.S. Mauro Fabbrini will serve as the ship’s chief engineer while in drydock, with Chief Engineer Nicola Tonelli taking over once it hits the water. The cruise line has also named Caroline Bourke the ship’s hotel director; Christopher Williams as its cruise director; and Katie Romitz as its entertainment director.
In travel agency network news, this week Signature Travel Network hired Phil Cappelli from Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold as part of a broader series of changes to its marketing and preferred partnership departments. Cappelli will serve as the SVP, preferred partnerships, while a number of other Signature executives have been promoted: Karryn Christopher to EVP, marketing and preferred partnerships; Christine Conklin to VP, marketing; and Nicole Gonzales to senior director, sales and marketing.
Finally, a number of individual hotels made new leadership appointments this week:
- W Los Angeles - West Beverly Hills announced the appointment of Stephen Power as general manager.
- The reflagged BEI San Francisco hired Marc Choplick as general manager and Mimi Carter as director of sales and marketing.
- Finally, Rocco Forte Hotels named Giacomo Battafarano as the new general manager of Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte Hotel in Sicily, Italy.
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