Carnival Corporation has appointed Christine Duffy as new president of Carnival Cruise Line, replacing Gerry Cahill who retired at the end of November.
Duffy is currently president and chief executive of Cruise Lines International Association (Clia), and will take on her new role on February 1.
She will report directly to Arnold Donald, Carnival Corporation chief executive.
He said: “Christine is one of the most respected and dynamic leaders in the travel industry. She brings a wealth of experience to Carnival Cruise Line that will help the cruise line continue to deliver unmatched vacation experiences to millions of guests each year.”
Duffy has more than 30 years of experience in the travel industry and started her career as a travel agent in Philadelphia at McGettigan Partners.
During her time at Clia, she has overseen the formation of a single global body to promote cruise with more than 13,000 travel agency members worldwide.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me to be part of a dynamic organisation with a long history of innovation and industry firsts,” said Duffy.
“The name Carnival is truly synonymous with cruising and I look forward to joining this talented team to continue the tradition of excellence that has made Carnival Cruise Line one of the top cruise lines in the world.”
Carnival Cruise Line operates 24 ships, making it the largest of Carnival Corporation’s nine brands.
The UK arm of Clia is meeting in Tilbury today (Wednesday) for its Cruise Forum.