Benny Weidacher has been named vice president of operations at TUI Cruises, taking over from Ferdinand Strohmeier who is leaving the cruise company to start as CEO at the Portuguese expedition cruise operator Mystic Cruises.

Weidacher was most recently vice president of ship operations at Pullmantur and joined TUI Cruises on July 1.

Born in Austria, he has been in the cruise industry for more than 20 years and held various management positions both on land and on board, including at Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Wybcke Meier, CEO, said: “With Benny Weidacher we are gaining an experienced cruise manager. We wish him a successful start”.

Strohmeier joined TUI Cruises as General Manager onboard of the Mein Schiff 1 in March 2011 and was involved in six successful commissions of newbuild.

“We very much regret, that Ferdinand Strohmeier is leaving us. We thank him for all the years of trustful cooperation and wish him all the best and much success in his new position as CEO of Mystic Cruises in Portugal,” added Meier..