The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) announced the appointment of its new Executive Committee Chairmam, Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation & plc Chairman.

He takes the reins from Kevin Sheehan, past president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Ltd., who served as FCCA Chairman for the last five years.

“I am honored and excited to again serve as the FCCA Executive Committee Chairman,” said Arison. “My past tenure showed the significance of the Committee uniting Member Line presidents, CEOs and/or chairmen to discuss operations within the Caribbean and Latin America, and I look forward to continuing this role, which has become even more crucial as cruise lines continue to expand their capacities and markets.”

“Micky’s appointment further paves the path for the Executive Committee’s future,” said Michele Paige, FCCA President. “He served as chairman for 10 years and knows the importance of keeping a constant dialogue between the cruise lines and destinations to achieve mutually beneficial arrangements. His wealth of knowledge about the industry and destinations will lead the way to successful operations for both.”

Besides his functions during Executive Committee meetings, Arison will interact with the FCCA’s members and destination partners during FCCA events. In all, his efforts will further advance the Committee’s and FCCA’s purposes: discussing cruise industry issues; building bilateral relationships with FCCA’s partner destinations’ private and public sectors; maximizing cruise passenger, cruise line and cruise line employee spending; and enhancing the destination experience and amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors.

Arison grew up in the cruise business and spent the better part of two decades learning it from the ground up. He followed his education with a two-year stint in Carnival Cruise Lines’ sales department; became reservations manager in 1974; and assumed the post of vice president of passenger traffic in 1976. After his appointment as president of Carnival in 1979 and more than a decade of successful operations, the Carnival Corporation & plc board of directors named him chairman and CEO in 1990. Last year, that role split, with Arison continuing as chairman and Arnold Donald, longtime board member, named CEO.

A wide range of international organizations has recognized Arison’s contributions to the cruise industry. He was named an “Officer of the French Legion of Honor,” by French President Jacques Chirac and awarded the Decoration of Commander, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland by the President of the Republic of Finland, as well as the insignia of “Onorificenza al Merito della Repubblica Italiana” by the president of Italy. He also received an honorary doctorate in naval architecture from the University of Genoa. In 2010, he was inducted into the Cruise Lines International Association’s Hall of Fame.