Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced the senior officer team that will lead the Seven Seas Prestige, the inaugural vessel in its new Prestige Class.
The ship is set to enter service at the end of the year, with its maiden cruise scheduled for December 13.
Led by Captain Luksa Kristovic, the seven senior officers with more than 150 combined years of maritime and hospitality expertise will guide 630 crew members.
“Seven Seas Prestige represents Regent’s next chapter in our relentless Pursuit of Perfection, and we are proud to place her in the hands of a team with the experience and passion to bring that promise to life,” said Wesley D’Silva, resident of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
“Captain Kristovic and his fellow officers embody the standards of excellence, care and attention to detail that define the Regent experience. We could not be more confident in this team as they lead Seven Seas Prestige into service and set a new standard of ultra-luxury cruising.”
To mark the announcement, Captain Kristovic filmed a special message from the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy, updating guests on the ship’s progress and reflecting on what it means to command the newest vessel in the fleet.
“It is an immense honor to be named Captain of Seven Seas Prestige and lead such an exceptional team as we prepare to introduce Regent’s first new ship class in 10 years,” said Captain Kristovic.
“From her all-new suite categories and beautifully designed public spaces to new dining experiences that will further elevate life on board, Seven Seas Prestige represents an exciting new era for Regent.”
Seven Seas Prestige’s Senior Officer Team:
Captain Luksa Kristovic
After completing his Master’s in Maritime Navigation and Business in 1999, Dubrovnik, Croatia native Kristovic joined his first ship as a cadet on a bulk carrier before moving into the cruise industry in 2003 and becoming a captain 10 years later.
General Manager Stéphane Carriou
Carriou was born near St. Malo, France, and trained at one of the country’s top-ranked culinary schools for hotel management. He joined Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2017, where he helped launch the Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Grandeur as Food & Beverage Director before being promoted to General Manager.
Chief Engineer Germain Bouvet
Bouvet has spent more than 26 years with Regent Seven Seas Cruises. He trained at the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime in Nantes, France, earning a dual qualification as both Captain and Chief Engineer.
Before joining Regent, he worked as a Principal Surveyor with Bureau Veritas in Saint-Nazaire, where in 1999 he became closely involved in the construction of the Seven Seas Mariner.
Over the following two decades, he served as Chief Engineer across the fleet and now oversees the technical construction of the Seven Seas Prestige at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera.
Senior Executive Chef Michael Meyepa
Chef Meyepa’s career began with Sun International Hotels across the Comoros Islands, The Palace Hotel and Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town.
In 2002, he moved to life at sea aboard The World of ResidenSea, rising to Executive Chef in 2006.
Staff Captain Alexander Tiniakov
A graduate of Odessa National Maritime Academy, Tiniakov began his career aboard ferries before joining Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2011 as a Deck Cadet aboard the Seven Seas Navigator.
Since then, he has held a variety of bridge and leadership positions, contributed to the launch teams of the Seven Seas Explorer and Seven Seas Splendor, and was promoted to Staff Captain in 2021.
He most recently served aboard the Seven Seas Grandeur.
Cruise Director Dru Pavlov
Born in Ottawa and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Pavlov studied theatre at the University of British Columbia.
He began his cruising career as a DJ in 1999 and was promoted to Cruise Director in 2002. He joined Regent Seven Seas Cruises in February 2022.
Food and Beverage Director Alin Aricescu
Aricescu hails from the harbor city of Constanța, Romania, where his career at sea began in 2001. He joined Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2010 as Head Waiter.
