Following the opening, the participating Presidents, CEOs and/or Chairmen took center stage. Micky Arison; Michael Bayley, President & CEO, Royal Caribbean International; Christine Duffy, President, Carnival Cruise Line; Tom McAlpin, President & CEO, Virgin Voyages; Jason Montague, President & CEO, Regent Seven Seas Cruises; Frank Del Rio, President & CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.; Ruben Rodriguez, President, MSC Cruises USA; Harry Sommer, President & CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line; and Jan Swartz, Group President, Holland America Group joined the moderators, Michele Paige and FCCA Senior Vice President Adam Ceserano for ‘View from the Top.’ “To gather here in person is a remarkable moment, and if these 15 months have proven anything, it’s the resilience of the
“THE PENT-UP DEMAND IS REAL.” –FRANK DEL RIO, PRESIDENT & CEO, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HOLDINGS LTD.
cruise industry and the extended network of partnerships that we have,” told Swartz. The time has also shown “how this industry has come together in the past year to solve these problems,” according to McAlpin. “It’s important to understand that we
wouldn’t be here without the vaccines,” said Arison, encouraging the audience to get and support others being vaccinated. “That’s the only way we’ll get back.” Bayley agreed on the importance of the vaccines. “What we do know is we’re all heading in the right direction because of the vaccines. As an industry, we’ve committed to have all of our crew fully vaccinated, and directionally, many of the brands have announced we’re sailing either fully vaccinated or the vast majority vaccinated [because of children sailing]. “There is no country on earth that has a vaccinated population even close. There is no business in any country on the planet that has a fully vaccinated guest and crew.” For Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings,
SECOND QUARTER 2021 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 11
