FIU forms cruise industry advisory board
Executives from eight cruise companies will guide workforce development and research efforts at the university’s Cruise Excellence Center.
Florida International University has formed a Cruise Executive Advisory Board within the Cruise Excellence Center at its Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. The initiative is intended to connect academic programs with industry needs, prepare students for cruise careers and address demand for shipboard and shoreside workers.
The board comprises Carnival Corp. CEO David Bernstein; Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley; Norwegian Cruise Line President Marc Kazlauskas; MSC Cruises Executive Vice President of Operations Neil Palomba; Disney Cruise Line Senior Vice President and General Manager Tracy Wilson; Aman at Sea President and CEO Jonathan Wilson; Windstar Cruises President Christopher Prelog; and Ponant Explorations CEO, Americas, Samuel Chamberlain. FIU reported that the represented companies account for 85% of the cruise industry’s lower-berth capacity.
The board selected talent and workforce development and relevant industry research as its initial priorities. It also established working groups focused on Talent and Workforce Development and Research and Business Intelligence. Carnival Corp. Chief Human Resources Officer Bettina Deynes will lead the talent group, coordinating with FIU academics and cruise line human resources professionals. The full advisory board plans to meet three times each year, with its working groups reporting to members.