Adam Goldstein has been named president and chief operating officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the company announced today.

Goldstein, a 25-year company veteran, had spent the previous 12 years as president and CEO of the company’s largest cruise line, Royal Caribbean International.

“Adam has played a key role in growing Royal Caribbean International, step by step, into a global leader. In the course of doing so, he has become an impressive leader in his own right,” said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “In this new role, Adam will be able to put his broad worldview and strategic insights to use leading our varied cross-functional teams.”

As well as working with Fain on the company’s strategic direction, Goldstein’s portfolio will include Human Resources, Information Technology, Supply Chain, Corporate Communications, Safety & Environment, Government Relations, Guest Port Operations and Commercial Development. 

“We believe that it’s important for our brands to have their own personalities and business plans,” Fain said. “But it’s also important to pursue best practices, and to make sure that the insights we learn within individual lines can be applied to the entire company’s benefit. When we do that, we are a stronger business,” Fain said.

Goldstein said he was looking forward to the challenge.

“Royal Caribbean was a five-ship company when I arrived here, and today we are many times larger than that,” Goldstein said. “We now have more than 60,000 employees taking our guests to every continent of the world, as well as the most technologically advanced ships at sea. The opportunity we have is to take even greater advantage of our global scale and knowledge, while delivering the guest satisfaction that helped us grow to where we are today.”

Goldstein begins his new responsibilities immediately, Fain said. A search for a new leader for the Royal Caribbean International line is underway.  In the meantime, Goldstein will assist with transition while he also takes up his new responsibilities.

“Today’s announcement underscores the strength and stability of our company and its depth of leadership talent,” Fain said. “We believe our strategy of appealing to vacationers around the world, matched with our commitment to innovation, safety and sensible growth, positions us well for the future. I am pleased to have Adam bring his skills to bear on bringing this strategy to life.”

Goldstein joined the company in 1988, and served in a number of positions before taking the helm of Royal Caribbean International, including Senior Vice President, Total Guest Satisfaction; Senior Vice President, Marketing; and Corporate Secretary to the company’s Board of Directors.

Goldstein is a member of the Washington-based Energy Security Leadership Council. He served on the board of the Travel Industry Association of America (now the U.S. Travel Association) from 1993 to 2012, and is a member of the advisory board for Our Kids, which is engaged in foster care and related services for Florida youth.

Goldstein graduated with honors from Princeton University. He also has a law degree from Harvard University and an MBA with distinction from the French business school INSEAD. Goldstein and his wife have two children and live in Coral Gables, FL.