Carnival UK chief executive David Dingle has been awarded a CBE in this year’s New Year’s Honours list for services to the shipping industry.
Dingle started his career at P&O Cruises in 1978 after leaving Cambridge University and in June 2007 was made chief executive of parent company Carnival UK.
In his current role he oversees P&O Cruises, Cunard Line, Ocean Village and has responsibility for the UK sales and marketing of Princess Cruises as well as P&O Cruises Australia.
During his career Dingle has been responsible for expanding the P&O Cruises fleet, with the addition of Oceana, Arcadia, Artemis and Ventura, and also established the Ocean Village brand to capture new to cruise customers. He recently announced the decision to transfer the two Ocean Village ships to P&O Cruises Australia by the end of 2010 because of the cost of fuel and the potential for increased profit in the growing Australia market despite the success of the brand in the UK market.
During his career Dingle has held a variety of commercial roles within the company and became P&O Cruises managing director when the company was bought by US cruise giant Carnival in 2000. He became managing director of Carnival UK when P&O Princess Cruises merged with the Carnival Corporation in April 2003.
Dingle was also instrumental in setting up the European Cruise Council, becoming chairman in April 2007, and became president of the UK Chamber of Shipping in March 2007. He has also served as a director of ABTA and of the Passenger Shipping Association.
Holidaybreak joint managing director Nick Cust was also honoured in the New Year list when he was awarded an OBE for services to the tourism industry. Cust joined Superbreak Mini Holidays in 1985 and moved to the main board of Holidaybreak in 1997.
He has also been a board member for both the English Tourism Council and the England Marketing Advisory Board and now sits on the board of VisitEngland.