TUI Cruises announced the appointment of Kuzey Esener as its new director of communications effective August 1.

Esener, who previously led Corporate Media Relations at TUI Group, will now oversee communications for the Mein Schiff and Hapag Lloyd Cruises fleets.

In his new role, Esener will maintain ties with TUI Group and its global communications team during his transition to the Hamburg joint venture. Reporting directly to Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises GmbH, Esener fills the position left vacant by the departure of former Director of Communications, Godja Sönnichsen.

“We warmly welcome Kuzey Esener to TUI Cruises,” said Meier. “ With his extensive experience and deep understanding of the communications landscape, he will play a crucial role in further strengthening our brand and taking our corporate communications to the next level. Kuzey already knows the cruise business well and has already successfully supported major projects such as the integration of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises into the joint venture or various christenings on the TUI Group side. I am convinced that he will make a major contribution to our success.”

Thomas Ellerbeck, member of the Group Executive Committee of the TUI Group, added: “I am very pleased that Kuzey Esener is now taking the next step in his career and will take over as Director of Communications and head of communications for our successful joint venture TUI Cruises in Hamburg on August 1, 2024. He is a very experienced media professional with whom I have worked very closely since 2008 and who has successfully managed many important projects in TUI Corporate Affairs Leadership. This includes in particular business and financial communications on the stock exchanges in Germany and England.

“TUI Cruises will have 12 ships, including the Mein Schiff 7, from June and is one of the most modern and successful cruise shipping companies. He is taking on an exciting management role in a dynamic industry and in a joint venture that is extremely important for us at TUI.”