Carnival Corp. has made significant changes to the leadership of three of its major North American brands, appointing new presidents at Princess Cruises, Holland America Line (HAL), and Seabourn Cruises. The reshuffle, which includes promotions from within the company, has drawn a generally positive response from the trade, though some industry insiders are speculating that the moves may signal a shift towards cost-cutting measures.
Gus Antorcha, who has been with Carnival Corp. for several years, was appointed president of Princess Cruises on December 2. Antorcha previously served as president of HAL since 2020. His appointment marks a major leadership change for Princess, Carnival’s second-largest North American brand. Anthony Hamawy, president of Cruise.com, expressed confidence in Antorcha’s ability to succeed at Princess. “Gus will do a great job no matter what cruise line he’s running,” Hamawy stated.
Antorcha succeeds John Padgett, who led Princess since 2021. Padgett, known for his role in developing Princess’s Medallion technology, will assist with the leadership transition before departing in mid-February.
Taking over at HAL is Beth Bodensteiner, a 20-year veteran of the brand who previously served as senior vice president and COO. Bodensteiner will also oversee Seabourn Cruises, as the two brands combined their sales forces earlier this year. Her promotion has been met with approval from many travel advisors, with Alex Sharpe, president of Signature Travel Network, noting that Bodensteiner is “a known commodity” with a strong team behind her.
Meanwhile, Mark Tamis was appointed president of Seabourn on December 2. Tamis, a former senior vice president at Carnival Cruise Line, brings a wealth of hospitality experience to the luxury cruise line, having previously led hotel operations at Royal Caribbean International and served as a global vice president at Aimbridge Hospitality. Tamis replaces Natalya Leahy, who has left Carnival Corp. for another opportunity.
Despite the positive reception to these appointments, some travel advisors are interpreting the reshuffling as an indication that Carnival Corp. may be focusing on yield growth and cost reduction. The company, while recovering from the financial impact of the pandemic, still carries a substantial long-term debt of $26.6 billion.
Geoff Cox, vice president of sales and marketing for KHM Travel Group, noted that the leadership changes seem to reflect a shift toward financial priorities. “If I were them, I would be promoting folks that have a proven track record of impacting those numbers,” Cox said, referring to the shift in leadership from guest experience-focused leaders like Padgett to finance-savvy figures like Antorcha.
Angela Hughes, owner of Trips and Ships Travel, expressed concerns that these changes could lead to more direct-to-consumer marketing and a greater emphasis on operational efficiency. “I think with the change of leadership, we always fear more direct-to-consumer marketing and focus might occur when there are cutbacks like this,” Hughes said, adding that it could result in increased training demands for travel advisors.
As Carnival Corp. moves forward with these leadership transitions, industry watchers will be closely monitoring the impact on the company’s long-term strategy and its relationships with travel advisors.
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