Katina Athanasiou-Soy’s cruise industry career follows an interesting path, weaving across several different brands, including Norwegian Cruise Line and Silversea, before most recently landing her as senior vice president of sales and services for the Americas at Celebrity Cruises.
We sat down with Athanasiou-Soy to gain her perspective on the role, travel advisor partnerships and what’s new with Celebrity Cruises.
What has it been like overseeing Celebrity Cruises, after your previous roles at other cruise lines?
It’s where I was meant to be, and it feels like home. Celebrity Cruises delivers an elevated, premium vacation experience for guests, uniquely offering the intimate feel and thoughtful service of small ships, with the variety and excitement of bigger ones. Our crew and shoreside teams are dedicated to elevating every detail beyond guest expectations.
I love hearing guest stories about how “that special crew member” went above and beyond to create an unexpected moment of delight which becomes dinner table conversation for years to come. The focus and importance placed on guest experience drew me to the brand.
How does your unique perspective drive your sales approach at Celebrity?
I’m fortunate to lead a highly tenured sales team at Celebrity that has established successful partnerships across the market. Therefore, my focus centers on supporting the team to build on these already-established incredible partnerships. I work with them on a one-to-one personalized level, just as our team takes a personalized approach with partners.
I’m fortunate to lead a highly tenured sales team at Celebrity who have established successful partnerships across the market.
Elevated hospitality is in Celebrity’s DNA. This extends beyond how we make guests feel onboard, to our internal operations and the way we engage with travel partners and broader business stakeholders. Our service-oriented ethos drives our continued success.
Why is now the right time for advisors to be selling Celebrity to their customers?
There are so many amazing things going on at Celebrity. From a deployment perspective, for the first-time ever, our Edge Series ships are positioned in our four most popular regions — Alaska, Europe, the Caribbean and Australia. Plus, in April we began calling on Perfect Day at CocoCay, the No. 1 destination in [parent company] Royal Caribbean Group, which has generated overwhelming positive travel partner and guest feedback.
On the horizon, Celebrity Xcel is set to make her debut in November 2025 in the Caribbean and will sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offering guests seven-night itineraries.
How does the Galapagos fleet and expedition product fit into the equation, currently?
We’ve brought guests on life-changing expeditions to the Galapagos Islands for more than 20 years. Through our incredible partnership with the Government of Ecuador, the Government Council of Galapagos and the Galapagos National Park, we will continue delivering these adventures for years to come.
Celebrity Flora was purposely built to sail in this archipelago. From her stargazing platform, outdoor glamping experience and all-suite accommodations, Flora offers a truly transformational sailing experience in the region.
We also continue to operate Celebrity Xploration and Celebrity Xpedition through December 2024.
What is on the horizon for Celebrity Cruises, with Celebrity Xcel and beyond?
We’ve been listening carefully to guest feedback and will be delivering even more of what guests love about the Celebrity cruising experience on Celebrity Xcel. While we can't disclose too many details just yet, we can reveal that Celebrity Xcel will introduce seven new experiences that live up to her name in every way.
Celebrity Xcel will also feature the industry's first tri-fuel engine, meaning the engine can run on biofuels, methanol and traditional marine fuels. This innovative feature is part of our decades-long commitment to sustainability under Royal Caribbean Group’s SEA the Future platform.
What do you foresee for the cruise industry at large in the coming years?
With cruising representing just 2% of the broader vacation industry, there's a tremendous opportunity for growth. As consumer spending continues to shift toward experiences, our ambition is to keep delivering the best premium vacation while advancing sustainable solutions for the future. This presents a great opportunity for travel advisors to deliver sought-after experiences for their clients, while continuing to secure value-packed vacation options, which cruising provides.
With cruising representing just 2% of the broader vacation industry, there's a tremendous opportunity for growth.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the agent community at this time?
We are incredibly grateful for our travel partners’ support and all that they do for their customers. They are a vital part of our business, and as genuine partners, we are committed to supporting the growth and development of the travel advisor community.
In addition to partnering closely with Cruise Lines International Association and the American Society of Travel Advisors under The Celebrity Commitment, we’re continuing to invest in tools and technology that make Celebrity easy to do business with and support advisor learning and development. Our goal is to empower travel advisors by bringing the strength and support of the Celebrity brand to their business, extending their marketing reach and helping grow their business.
