CELEBRITY Cruises President & Chief Executive Officer Lisa Lutoff-Perlo will transition to a role with Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) as Vice Chair External Affairs, with Laura Hodges Bethge named to succeed her.
Effective from next month, Lutoff-Perlo will report to RCG President & Chief Executive Officer Jason Liberty, with Celebrity’s Executive Vice President Shared Services Operations stepping into the cruise line’s big chair.
“Lisa has been instrumental in transforming the Celebrity Cruises brand to what it is today,” Liberty said.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Lisa for almost 18 years, and I know her expertise will be invaluable as she transitions to serve as my Vice Chair, External Affairs.”
Lutoff-Perlo said it although the departure was difficult, the time is right for her to start an exciting new chapter and turn Celebrity’s helm over to a new leader.
“It has been my great honour to lead this brand and work alongside the phenomenal Celebrity shoreside team and crew,” she said.
“I’m excited to now work closely with Jason on broader initiatives as we sail towards an even brighter future.
“Together, our accomplishments have been extraordinary.”
Lutoff-Perlo’s career with RCG began in 1985 with her first role as a District Sales Manager.
She first became a Celebrity in 2005, when she joined the cruise line as its first female Senior Vice President Hotel Operations.
In 2012, she was named for Royal Caribbean International Executive Vice President Operations, the first woman in the industry to oversee both the hotel and marine side of the cruise line.
Two years later, she returned to Celebrity as the first woman appointed to President & Chief Executive Officer of one of RCG’s cruise lines.
Under her leadership, the cruise line has welcomed four new ships, and undergone the “Celebrity Revolution”, one of the largest fleet revitalisation projects in the industry.
“From helping us introduce the revolutionary Edge Series of ships to advancing the role of women in maritime careers, Lisa has had an incredible career during her time leading Celebrity Cruises, and multiple parts of our Royal Caribbean International brand,” Liberty added.
“I would also like to congratulate Laura for her appointment as the next brand president of Celebrity.
“With her operational experience, business acumen and deep understanding of our company and the cruise industry, I know Laura is the right person to lead Celebrity Cruises to its next phases of growth.”
Hodges Bethge has been with RCG for almost 25 years, and has held senior positions in many different areas, including product development, hotel & marine operations, sales, marketing, product innovation, market development and investor relations.
“This is an exciting time for Celebrity,” she said.
“This year alone, we’ll be welcoming Celebrity Ascent, and reaching key construction milestones in the yet-to-be-named fifth ship in the revolutionary Edge Series.
“I look forward to building on the incredible achievements of Lisa and this world class team, as we continue to break boundaries and chart new courses in the industry.”
