We occasionally talk about a sea-change within the cruise industry but this time we mean it. In the past two years, three of the four cruise companies have turned over their top jobs.

Royal Caribbean Group chairman and CEO Richard Fain stepped down as CEO as of January 2022, after serving in that role since the late 1980s. He was replaced by Jason Liberty, the company’s CFO. In mid-2022, Carnival Corp. chairman and CEO Arnold Donald announced that he would step down, to be replaced by Josh Weinstein, the company’s chief operating officer. And just last month, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings chairman and CEO Frank Del Rio said he would step down this summer and that Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Harry Sommer would step up into the "sea-suite." (We should note that, as of now, the fourth company, MSC Cruises, is still helmed by Pierfrancesco Vago.)

Cruise editor Andrea Zelinski looks at the changing of the guard in this week’s Focus on Cruise cover story. And on this episode, with Signature Travel Group CEO Alex Sharpe, we explore the changeover a little more and get of the sense of the people behind and ahead of the industry’s trajectory.

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by G Adventures www.gadventures.com

Related reports:

Focus on cruise: Changing the guard https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Focus-on-Cruise-Changing-of-the-guard

On the record: A Q&A with Carnival Corp. CEO Josh Weinstein https://www.travelweekly.com/On-The-Record/Carnival-Corp-Josh-Weinstein

Travel advisors expect a smooth transition at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Travel-advisors-expect-smooth-leadership-transition-NCLH

Arnold Donald, retiring from Carnival, reflects on changing cruise culture https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Retiring-Arnold-Donald-reflects

Travel advisors praise Richard Fain for his commitment https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Advisors-praise-Fain-as-he-departs-Royal-Caribbean

Richard Fain's Covid-era video from March 2020: https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Richard-Fain-addresses-agents-Get-ready-for-better-times-ahead

Alex Sharpe https://join.sigtn.com/about-signature/our-executive-team/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.