Mark Tamis, a 22-year travel industry veteran, has been named senior vice president – guest operations at Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines.
In this newly created position, Tamis oversees the core areas of hotel operations and services for the line’s 22-vessel fleet, including dining, housekeeping, entertainment and guest services.
Tamis assumes his new role on October 12, and reports to Ruben Rodriguez, Carnival’s executive vice president of ship operations.
“Mark has run some of the finest hotels in the country where he gained extensive knowledge in all aspects of hotel operations and services. His wide-ranging management experience brings an exciting and innovative approach to this new position, both in terms of our existing fleet and our two ships currently under construction,” Rodriguez said.
Prior to joining Carnival, Tamis served as chief operating officer of The Setai Hotels and Resorts where he played a key role in the brand’s worldwide expansion efforts. He also served as area vice president for Ian Schrager Hotels, which later became Morgans Hotel Group, overseeing the operations of well-known hotels such as the Delano, Shore Club and Mondrian South Beach. He later was named executive vice president for New York-based Ian Schrager Company.
After graduating from Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration, where he earned a bachelor of science degree, Tamis began his career with Four Seasons Hotels. During his 14–year tenure there, he earned awards and accolades as a senior-level manager, including the prestigious AAA 5 Diamond Award at properties in Newport Beach and Santa Barbara, Calif., and Nevis, West Indies.
He is actively involved in a wide range of civic and community service organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters and Special Olympics. Married with three children, Tamis and his daughter Isabella founded www.dadsforgiving.org, an organization that encourages fathers to volunteer with their children to benefit their communities.
Carnival is the most popular cruise line in the world with 22 “Fun Ships” operating voyages from three to 16 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Europe, Bermuda and the Panama Canal.
The line currently has two new 130,000-ton ships on order – Carnival Magic, set to debut in Europe May 1, 2011, and Carnival Breeze, scheduled to enter service in spring 2012.
