Complete Cruise Solution head of sales Mark Pilkington has resigned and will leave the company later this year.
He has held the top sales role for the umbrella sales arm of P&O Cruises, Cunard Line and Princess Cruises for four years and has been with the company for a decade.
Pilkington is leaving to join another travel company, believed not to be a cruise line.
His boss Giles Hawke, sales and customer service director for Carnival UK, alluding to last year’s CSS commission cut, said: “This is a decision Mark has taken for his career – it has no reflection on the significant changes we have put in place over the last year.
“As a business we have a good relationship with agents. I don’t think that relationship will fall down as a result of Mark leaving.”
Pilkington’s role includes responsibility for a 50-strong sales team and a £10 million annual budget.
He is due to leave in the summer after working his notice period.
Hawke said Pilkington’s four hour daily commute between London and Carnival UK’s head office in Southampton was a contributory factor.
He added that a replacement would be sought “but I’m not sure if it would be in a similar role”.
Pilkington started at Princess Cruises in a commercial role before joining the sales department as sales planning manager in 2004 and was promoted to head of sales in 2008.
“Mark will remain with the company for the next few months to ensure the CCS sales team is poised for continued success,” said Hawke. “I would like to take this opportunity to wish him every success in the future and thank him for his contribution to our success over the last ten years.”