Roberta Jacoby, a 32-year cruise industry veteran, has been named senior vice president of hotel operations for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines, the world’s largest cruise operator.
In this capacity, Jacoby oversees all hotel services aboard the line’s 22-vessel fleet, including food and beverage, casino, spa, accommodations, entertainment, shore excursions, youth programming, corporate training, crew personnel, weddings/bon voyage, and gift shops, as well as all related shoreside departments. Approximately 20,000 employees, both shipboard and shoreside, are under her direction. Jacoby reports to Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill.
Prior to being named to her new position, Jacoby served as senior vice president of air/sea operations, corporate training and the strategy office, which worked closely with various departments at Carnival on ways to enhance the “Fun Ship” vacation experience. She also previously chaired Carnival’s Quality Assurance Team which is comprised of a group of company executives who visit each ship annually to evaluate the product and meet with shipboard personnel.
Jacoby began her career with Carnival in 1977 as an air/sea reservations agent. After holding a number of positions within the department, Jacoby was named vice president of air/sea operations in 1990 and promoted to senior vice president of air/sea operations and corporate training in 2000.
“In addition to more than three decades of cruise industry experience, Roberta possesses keen insight and understanding into what makes a ‘Fun Ship’ vacation so unique, as well as ways that we can enhance our product and guests’ experience on board. Roberta’s wide-ranging skills, creativity and leadership will certainly serve her well in her new position,” Cahill said.
The air/sea department, under the direction of Vice President of Air/Sea Operations Carlos Garcia, will now report to Lynn Torrent, senior vice president of sales and guest services.
Carnival is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 18 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Canada, New England, Europe, Bermuda and South America. The line currently has two new ships scheduled for delivery between now and 2011. The first of those, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, is set to debut Sept. 21, 2009.
