Carnival Corporation has made major changes to its global leadership team for Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and Seabourn.
Gus Antorcha, currently president of Holland America Line, has been named president of Princess Cruises, effective Dec. 2, 2024, replacing John Padgett, who is stepping away from the business in mid-February 2025.
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With the leadership change, Beth Bodensteiner, currently senior vice president and chief commercial officer for Holland America Line, has been promoted to president of the cruise line, effective Dec. 2, 2024.
Both Antorcha and Bodensteiner will report to Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation.
Bodensteiner will also have executive responsibility for the company’s ultra-luxury Seabourn cruise line as the brand welcomes Mark Tamis back to Carnival Corporation as its new president replacing Natalya Leahy, who is leaving the company.
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Princess Cruises just welcomed Sun Princess, a new ship to its fleet.
Image source: Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises has a new president
Antorcha will lead Princess Cruises, known globally as the inspiration for “The Love Boat” television show. As president, Antorcha will oversee all performance and operational aspects of the cruise line’s global fleet of 16 ships sailing over 1.7 million guests annually to 330+ destinations around the world.
Since 2020, Antorcha has been at the helm of Holland America Line, managing all areas of the award-winning cruise line. After successfully guiding the company’s return to full operations post-industry pause, Antorcha has led the cruise line to achieve a number of significant milestones, including amassing the largest single booking day in Holland America history and delivering the strongest financial results in 16 years.
Prior to joining Holland America Line, Antorcha held various leadership positions with Carnival Cruise Line, including most recently serving as the cruise line’s chief operating officer. He previously served as a partner and managing director for Boston Consulting Group.
“I have tremendous respect for the fantastic Princess onboard and shoreside teams and their dedication to creating memorable travel experiences, and it’s a privilege to lead this remarkable brand,” said Antorcha.
Holland America Line adds experienced leader
A 20-year veteran of Holland America Line, Bodensteiner will manage all aspects of the award-winning, premium cruise line’s business including its fleet of 11 ships sailing more than 500 cruises to over 450 ports in 110-plus countries and territories around the world.
Prior to being named HAL president, Bodensteiner served for six years as senior vice president and chief commercial officer of Holland America Line, where she directed revenue management, deployment, and customer service for the cruise line. She also took on increasing commercial responsibilities, including Holland America Line’s global sales, product marketing, pricing and planning for Alaska Land + Sea Journeys, and integrated marketing, as well as commercial activities for the company’s ultra-luxury Seabourn brand.
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Among Bodensteiner’s many accomplishments, she spearheaded the deployment and rollout of an advanced corporate-wide revenue management system, and helped drive Holland America’s strategy targeting high-value, high-affinity guests, enabling the cruise line to generate incremental customer demand through a variety of high-profile collaborations, entertainment offerings and immersive experiences with organizations such as Top Chef, Audible, and Wheel of Fortune.
Seabourn also adds a new leader
Tamis brings more than three decades of ultra-luxury cruising and expedition travel experience to his new role as president of Seabourn. He joins the company after serving as global president, Aimbridge Hospitality, leading the business and operations for its 1,500 hotels.
Previously Tamis led hotel and onboard operations for Royal Caribbean International and served as senior vice president of guest operations for Carnival Cruise Line. He also worked for more than 20 years in the luxury and boutique hotel space with brands such as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Ian Schrager Hotels.
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“The most rewarding work in my career has been my time in cruise,” said Tamis. “Combining that with my passion for creating the best vacation experiences in the world is a dream come true. I look forward to joining our team members, guests and travel advisors in building on what makes Seabourn special.”
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