Carnival Corporation has overnight announced a number of moves within its global leadership team, including the departure of Natalya Leahy, President of Seabourn.Beth Bodensteiner, currently Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Holland America Line, has been promoted to President, effective 2 December 2024. She will also have executive responsibility of Carnival’s ultra-luxury cruise brand, Seabourn.Concurrently, Mark Tamis has been named as the new President of Seabourn replacing Leahy. Leahy rose through the ranks at Carnival Corporation, serving in various capacities including as CFO of Holland America Line and Seabourn, then taking on the role of Chief Operations Officer for the former Holland America Group. Leahy was appointed Seabourn President in March 2023.“We wish her good luck in the new position she has accepted outside of the company, and we are appreciative of all her contributions during her time with us,” Carnival said in a statement.
Gus Antorcha, the current President of Holland America Line, has been named president of Princess Cruises, also effective 2 December 2024, replacing John Padgett, who is stepping away from the business in mid-February 2025.Both Antorcha and Bodensteiner will report to Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc.“Gus and Beth are proven leaders who reflect the talent and capabilities of our organisation and who have a deep knowledge of our industry, our business, and what drives our success,” said Weinstein. “Under their leadership, I have no doubt that Princess, Holland America and Seabourn will remain well-positioned for a bright future, and we look forward to the next chapter for these two world-class brands and their ongoing success.”Weinstein added, “I would also like to thank John for more than a decade of service and innovation, including developing and launching Princess MedallionClass®, which revamped the Princess guest experience and set a new standard for service and personalization in the cruise industry and for travel and hospitality overall, as well as returning the Princess brand to its rightful iconic status within the cruise industry. John’s dedication and impact have been significant. We wish him all the best.”
“It’s been an exciting journey,” Padgett said, “and I look forward to watching the continued success of The Love Boat with love, respect and admiration for the brand and all the shoreside and shipboard team members.”
Bodensteiner background
A 20-year veteran of Holland America Line, as President 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.Previously, Bodensteiner served for six years as SVP and COO of Holland America Line where she directed revenue management, deployment and customer service for the cruise line, while taking 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.
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 organisations such as Top Chef, Audible, and Wheel of Fortune.“After advocating for this amazing company for 20 years, I could not be prouder to take on the role of President,” Bodensteiner said. “This is a tremendous opportunity to work together with my trusted leadership team to continue building on our rich history of helping millions of guests explore the world with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to each destination.”
Tamis background
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 SVP 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.“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.”
