CruiseBusiness.com CruiseBusiness.com REVIEWING CRUISE BUSINESS GLOBALLY Magazine SPRING 2022 OCEAN VICTORY The Ocean Victory is the third In?nityclass newbuild from China Merchants Heavy Industry for SunStone Ships, delivered in October 2021.The vessel commenced cruise operations in Antarctica with Albatros Expeditions in November and will continue in Alaska with American Queen Voyages during the summer season. SunStone’s goal has been to marry European design with Chinese shipbuilding ef?ciency. The 8,181 gross ton Ocean Victory can accommodate 186 guests. The ship is classi?ed by Bureau Veritas, Ice Class PC6, Polar Category B. Rethinking Baltic itineraries Cruise ferry performance improves kansi spring 2022.indd 1 kansi spring 2022.indd 1 19.4.2022 8.00 19.4.2022 8.00
Interior Design, Equipment and Technology for the Cruise & Ferry Industry CREATING DREAMS As the cruise markets recover gradually, the industry’s players keep on investing to meet new demands and requirements. Seize the unique opportunity to present your ideas to the decision-makers of the world’s leading cruise and ferry lines, shipyards as well as architecture and interior design studios – live and in person at the area at Book your stand now limited spaces available 3-4-5.indd 2 3-4-5.indd 2 20.5.2022 15.03 20.5.2022 15.03
CONTENTS – SPRING 2022 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 5 P h o to cr ed it : T ei jo N ie m el ä 10 Upfront 16 Rethinking Baltic itineraries 18 Sodamin adds Princess to portfolio 22 Cruise ferry performance in North Europe improves 26 Wonder of the Seas – biggest Oasis ship yet 28 Wonder of the Seas – superlative air-handling by Koja Marine 30 Decarbonization faces technical and financial challenges 34 Atlas part of a new wave of luxury expedition 37 SeaKing sees sunnier days 38 Viking Glory – building an advanced ship in Asia 41 ALMACO outfitted catering and accommodation areas for Viking Glory 42 Sikafloor Marine Deco Systems on Viking Glory MORE CONTENT CAN BE FOUND FROM OUR WEBSITE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS Azamara Onward was officially named in Monte Carlo on May 2. It is a fourth ship in Azamara fleet 3-4-5.indd 3 3-4-5.indd 3 20.5.2022 15.03 20.5.2022 15.03
VIKING’S FLEET OF SMALL SHIPS FEATURE THE MOST AL FRESCO DINING OF ANY CRUISE LINE. 6-7-8-9.indd 3 6-7-8-9.indd 3 19.5.2022 11.19 19.5.2022 11.19
Editor Teijo Niemelä Publisher Cruise Media LLC Chief Content Officer Carolyn Spencer Brown Copy Editor M.T. Schwartzman Art Director Julle Järvinen COMPANY ADDRESS Cruise Media LLC 209 N Queen Street Chestertown, MD 21620 USA Telephone +1-609-751-2344 E-mail cruisemediallc[a]gmail.com SALES OFFICE FINLAND ChrisGo Consulting Pahtankatu 10 as 10 FIN-21200 Raisio, Finland Telephone +358-440-159 554 E-mail christer.gorschelnik[a]kolumbus.? SALES OFFICE USA Teijo Niemelä 209 N Queen Street Chestertown, MD 21620 USA Telephone +1-609-751-2344 cruisemediallc[a]gmail.com FEATURED CONTRIBUTOR Carolyn Spencer Brown, the longtime award-winning Editor-in-Chief of Cruise Critic, is Chief Content Officer of Cruise Media LLC. In that role, she oversees the company’s branded content projects for cruise lines, business to business clients and ports and destinations. PRINTED IN FINLAND – PUNAMUSTA OY, HELSINKI CruiseBusiness.com Magazine 8 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 S o far in 2022, we have celebrated inaugurals and christenings for a number of new ships – ceremonies that were halted during the Covid-19 pandemic. All these brand-new cruise ships entering service had been commissioned from the shipyards prior to the health crisis, and in many cases their introductions have taken place months or sometimes years after the planned deliveries. One of the most important naming ceremonies we have attended this year was on May 2, when Azamara named its newly refurbished Azamara Onward during a festive event in Monte Carlo. The 30,277 gross ton and 688-guest ship is a second-hand acquisition for the company, which expanded its capacity by a whopping one third. What makes this major step important is that Azamara was acquired by Sycamore Partners – an investment fund and newcomer to the cruise market – from Royal Caribbean Group for $201 million last year in the middle of the pandemic. While all of Azamara’s four ships are nearly identical, the only way for the company to expand and make the brand interesting for further investors would be to commission newbuilds next. In another encouraging move, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, whose ?rst ship the Evrima has been delayed multiple times (and at presstime was expected to start cruising in 2022), ordered two much larger luxury vessels from the French yard Chantiers de l’Atlantique in mid-March. The new luxury cruise brand is backed by Oaktree Capital Management, another newcomer to the cruise business. While we have also seen a lot of new capacity entering the contemporary market this spring, such as the Wonder of the Seas (the EDITOR’S COMMENTARY world’s largest cruise ship), the Celebrity Beyond and the Discovery Princess, the sweet spot in the industry – at least for now – is in the luxury and luxury-light segments. As an example, Viking continues to expand in multiple markets: In the winter, it introduced its ?rstever expedition vessel, the Viking Octantis. In March, it named eight new river vessels in Paris and Amsterdam, and the Viking Mississippi is expected to begin operating on domestic U.S. river cruises this summer. On top of that, additional Viking ocean vessels will be introduced during the coming weeks and years. Meanwhile, American Queen Voyages has introduced its ?rst ship in Alaska, the Ocean Victory, which is featured on our front cover. The expedition ship is on a long-term charter from the largest expedition tonnage provider, SunStone Ships. The company is in the process of ordering up to ten vessels in the new Boundless-class, which will be larger than the In?nity-class ships that SunStone has been building in China. A sia, especially China, was one of the success stories of the industry until the pandemic. While many Asian countries are still in lockdown and have limited travel, cruise lines have moved their tonnage to other markets. The largest casualty of the pandemic was Genting Hong Kong, and many of its ships have been put up for auction. The founder and owner of Genting Hong Kong, the Lim family of Malaysia, is planning a comeback in Singapore. A new cruise line, Resorts World Cruises, has been registered and is expected to begin operations this summer. Resorts World is a well-known brand with integrated resorts in Asia and North America. Teijo Niemelä HOW TO FOLLOW US twitter.com/cruisebusiness facebook.com/CruiseBusinessUSA instagram.com/niemelateijo CRUISE SHOWS RESILIENCE BY ATTRACTING NEW INVESTORS 6-7-8-9.indd 4 6-7-8-9.indd 4 19.5.2022 11.19 19.5.2022 11.19
UPFRONT 10 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 Carnival Cruise Line marked half a century since its maiden voyage from PortMiami with a celebration on March 11 aboard the Carnival Conquest. Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy was joined by Carnival Corp. Chairman Micky Arison and Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald (pictured); U.S. Representatives Frederica Wilson and Vern Buchanan; Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava; Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez; Miami industry and community leaders; as well as Carnival leadership. MSC Cruises signed a multi-year contract with Formula 1 to become the Official Cruise Partner of Formula 1.The aim is to bring some of MSC's most technologically advanced ships portside during select Grand Prix weekends, enabling MSC to complement the high-end experience of Formula 1 and drive global visibility for its brand. The agreement was celebrated at the Bahrain Grand Prix in March with MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali. Officials from Italian shipyard Fincantieri and MSC Group gathered at Monfalcone on February 24 in a traditional coin ceremony marking a construction milestone for the first Explora Journeys newbuild, to be named the Explora 1. Explora Journeys is a new luxury brand that has ordered four 64,000 gross ton and 461-suite vessels from the yard. The Explora 1 will enter service in May 2023. 10-15.indd 2 10-15.indd 2 12.5.2022 11.41 12.5.2022 11.41
UPFRONT UPFRONT Working together towards shared goals 10-15.indd 3 10-15.indd 3 12.5.2022 11.41 12.5.2022 11.41
UPFRONT 12 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 Celebrity Cruises celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8, having achieved 32% female bridge officers in an industry where less than 2% of mariners are women. Captain Kate McCue, together with her officers, joined the celebrations at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, where the new Celebrity Beyond was being prepared for delivery. Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lutoff-Perlo was joined by Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty and Captain Kate McCue as they officially took ownership of the 140,600 gross ton and 3,260-passenger Celebrity Beyond from Chantiers de l’Atlantique on April 6. Joining in the momentous occasion were other Celebrity Cruises executives, shipyard officials including General Manager Laurent Castaing and the Beyond’s 1,400 crew members from over 60 different countries. 10-15.indd 4 10-15.indd 4 12.5.2022 11.41 12.5.2022 11.41
14 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 Construction on Royal Caribbean International’s next generation, LNG-powered Icon of the Seas reached a new milestone in April. A keel-laying ceremony took place at Finnish shipyard Meyer Turku to celebrate progress on the revolutionary cruise ship. Silversea Cruises named its 10th ship, the Silver Dawn, in a lavish gala in Lisbon, Portugal, on March 31. The launch of the 40,700 gross ton and 596-guest Silver Dawn – the cruise line’s third new ship to debut in nine months – also marked the debut of Otium, travel’s most indulgent new wellness program. The duties of godmother were carried out by media personality Nilou Motamed. UPFRONT 10-15.indd 6 10-15.indd 6 12.5.2022 11.41 12.5.2022 11.41
Viking named eight new river cruise ships on March 16 in an event carried out simultaneously in Paris and Rotterdam. Four ships – the Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid and Viking Skaga – were built specifically to navigate the Seine River and bring guests to the heart of Paris, just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower. All the newbuilds had been delivered in 2020-2021 by German Neptun Yard – part of the Meyer Group – but due to the pandemic, the ships welcomed their first guests only this year. In a surprise move, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Chantiers de l’Atlantique announced a contract to construct two LNG-powered super yachts. The 456-passenger Ilma and Luminara are expected to be delivered in 2024 and 2025, respectively, while the company’s first newbuild, the much-delayed Evrima, is expected to start operating this summer. RitzCalton Yacht Collection is backed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. Pictured in Paris announcing the deal in March are, from left, Douglas Prothero, CEO of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Laurent Castaing, General Manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique. UPFRONT CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 15 10-15.indd 7 10-15.indd 7 12.5.2022 11.41 12.5.2022 11.41
16 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 M embers of Cruise Europe and democracies worldwide have unequivocally condemned Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine. This military aggression against an independent and peaceful nation is having a catastrophic effect on the innocent population, as well as the whole of Europe, including those countries bordering the Baltic Sea. The con?ict is already causing changes that will make the world a different place. Chairman of Cruise Europe, Michael McCarthy, comments: “The cruise tourism industry, while exiting from a two-year pandemic, has suddenly been hit by another global disaster and will be vulnerable to periods of highly disruptive economic impacts in the context of rising fuel prices, inflation, wages and interest rates. The current sanctions on Russia are unprecedented Cruise Europe members are adapting as Russia’s war on Ukraine upsets Baltic itineraries and is having a ripple effect throughout the region. By Susan Parker DESTINATIONS RETHINKING BALTIC ITINERARIES and look likely to intensify, meaning higher energy costs and diminished security of oil and gas supply in Europe and a delay in global emission reduction. The resultant contraction will affect consumer confidence, spending and fear of travel in the vulnerable sectors such as tourism, luxury goods, discretionary spend and manufacturing.” Sirle Arro, Head of Marketing & Communication, Port of Tallinn, adds: “The areas where we can see added burden are war refugees, energy, cybersecurity as well as internal security, tourism and the wider economy as such. Democratic countries and responsible companies have decided not to do business with Russia – including cruise lines, which have, one after another, announced that they will not be visiting St. Petersburg. This will have a direct impact on the 16-17 .indd 2 16-17 .indd 2 5.5.2022 8.34 5.5.2022 8.34
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 17 itineraries of their ships and respectively on ports and destinations. Some of the destinations will win and some will lose. I am afraid that the ports in the northern and eastern part of the Baltic Sea will be negatively impacted.” Altered itineraries Indeed, cruise brands including Viking, Norwegian Cruise Line, Windstar Cruises and MSC Cruises have moved away from and/or altered itineraries in the Baltic Sea as a result of the war. The source-market nationality of passengers onboard the ships will be driving those changes. “It is inevitable that we will see more cancellations from the lines with larger vessels that carry American/Canadian guests, as the desire to travel to Europe decreases, particularly from passengers that decide last minute,” McCarthy says. For the brands that continue to sail in the region but will no longer be calling fjords and has been redeployed from the Baltic Sea.” Looking towards the summer season, McCarthy says: “Cruise Europe and Cruise Baltic remain very positive about their wonderful area which was proved last season when Baltic Cruises were very attractive [despite the lack of St. Petersburg as a call]. Working in partnership with the cruise lines, we are positive that we can communicate a clear and creative message for the Baltic. As the war in Ukraine continues, there is currently no direct military threat to the other countries in the Baltic Sea region, which are supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. What is happening in Ukraine touches many residents in the Baltic countries, with their close personal and historical cultural ties.” Anxiety and worry Ports in the Baltic hold a very important place in the membership of Cruise Europe but, as McCarthy, says, “It is understandable that this terrible war is causing anxiety and worry for all of us in the Cruise Europe family. We are regretful that our friendly relationship with colleagues in St. Petersburg has been temporarily suspended, but it is important that we remain focused, continue our everyday work and stand together, because it is inevitable that we will need to build bridges into the future.” The association is clear in its determination to provide the cruise lines with all the tools needed to maintain itineraries in the Baltic region. McCarthy concludes by saying, “We are still hopeful that we will see many cruise ships and many cruise guests in our beautiful destinations of the Baltic Sea region and in other Cruise Europe destinations, including those in Atlantic Europe and UK & Ireland.” FOOTNOTE: As this issue of CruiseBusiness.com Magazine goes to press, it is clear that Baltic ports are experiencing daily schedule changes, both gains and losses. Tallinn, for example, now has 194 calls scheduled compared to the 350 booked prior to the beginning of the conflict. at St. Petersburg, there are likely to be opportunities for less-visited and smaller destinations. Marketing messages will need to be changed, however, as traditionally this iconic Russian city has been the unique selling point of Baltic cruises. During the pandemic, when St. Petersburg was closed to cruise ship calls due to Covid restrictions, cruise lines had already been forced to look further afield and found that Baltic Sea cruises had more to offer, it being a diverse and versatile destination offering unique experiences and a huge variety of countries, cities, attractions, cultures and ports. Ports such as Saaremaa Harbour, Visby, Wismar, Sassnitz and Bornholm are finding themselves more in demand. Visby for example is expecting to receive 100 more calls than originally planned, explains Henrik Ahlqvist, Head of Cruise & Ferries, Copenhagen Malmo Port. On the subject of nationalities, he refers back to the 2021 season when many Germans cruised in the region, believing that the same may prove true for 2022. There is some concern, however, that these smaller destinations will struggle to find sufficient numbers of guides and buses to cater to the expected increase in demand for shore excursions – particularly given the pandemic, which has caused some people to find alternative employment. The need for cruise lines and destinations to work closely together on this will be vital to ensure passenger satisfaction. The crisis is having a ripple effect in Norway, too, explains Jens Skrede, Managing Director Cruise Europe, “I know that the lines work hard every day to move the ships from the Baltic to other regions. Some ports, like Oslo, have more than 30 extra bookings after the war started, and many of the fjord ports here in Norway have lots of requests. Ports like Geiranger and Flam have also had extra bookings this season from MSC Grandiosa, a new and eco-friendly ship that can call into the World Heritage Norwegian ports, including Ålesund have gained business in the expense of some Baltic ports 16-17 .indd 3 16-17 .indd 3 5.5.2022 8.34 5.5.2022 8.34
18 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 INTERVIEW SODAMIN ADDS PRINCESS TO PORTFOLIO Few individuals working in the cruise industry have the depth and breadth of maritime experience of Rudi Sodamin. What began as “a child’s dream to see and explore the world, food and culture” has evolved into a lifelong career spanning most of the major cruise lines. Among his many achievements, his name now graces eponymous restaurants on the ships of Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line. We caught up with Rudi on a sea day off the coast of Baja California, aboard the inaugural sailing of the Discovery Princess, where he told CruiseBusiness.com Magazine’s David Swanson about his new role at Princess Cruises. CruiseBusiness.com Magazine: Tell me how you became a chef? Rudi Sodamin: I grew up in Austria in a family of 11 children. My father passed away when I was still very young, and my mother was a chef. As you can imagine, we all had to chip in to help my mother. I started working as a chef when I was just 15 years old, becoming an executive chef at the age of 22. My career has involved a fair amount of hard work. It was always my dream to travel the world, but I certainly had no idea that I would soon be leading a culinary brigade of hundreds of chefs. I worked in the United States, France and Switzerland before I joined the [Cunard Line] Vistafjord, where I rose quickly through the ranks to become Executive Chef when I was just 23 years old. I opened my own restaurants – Amadeus in Stamford, Connecticut, and Atlantis in Greenwich, Connecticut – which were very successful, and I published my first cookbook at age 24, The Cruise Ship Cookbook – Elegant Meals With Cunard. CBM: What attracted you to the sea environment? Sodamin: The sea was not the only attraction to me. It was also the culinary environment, where I was able to work with people of many cultures and backgrounds from around the world. I enjoyed the never-ending challenges and opportunities, where I could use my creativity, vison and wisdom. The crew sleeps onboard, too, and I very much enjoy that life. It has always been exciting to me and full of unknown Rudi Sodamin at his Sel De Mer restaurant 18-21.indd 2 18-21.indd 2 5.5.2022 8.36 5.5.2022 8.36
CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 19 adventures, sights and sounds. I love to work with people, to communicate and to guide them so that they will be successful and achieve their professional goals. It fulfills me to see the cooks and chefs who have worked with me move on to manage their own departments successfully. Cooking onboard is more challenging than cooking on land. There are many more variables and an onboard cook will learn versatility. Today, executive chefs leading huge brigades hardly have time to cook. They are busy managing people, budgets and handling personnel conflicts. This is one of the reasons that I always lead by example, ensuring that each dish is cooked and photographed by myself so that each chef can produce a successful and unforgettable culinary product. CBM: How did your time with Cunard and Royal Caribbean shape your development as a Master Chef? Sodamin: At Cunard Line, I loved the British traditions, and I believe I changed the perception of dining, on what was then the world’s most famous ocean liner, the Queen Elizabeth 2. At 26, I took over the culinary helm on this magnificent vessel, and today I think, “My goodness! How did I manage what I did then – changing old, outdated English fare into a product that earned culinary respect and global attention?” Let me say, it was not easy. It involved hard work, long hours building a team of hundreds of European chefs. I changed menus, started meal counts and had many industry firsts. I was the first to bring women into the kitchen and the dining room. I learned early in my young age that the most important people are the ones who work with you. I was always blessed with culinary vision and creativity, and I successfully managed many a corporate stew, which I found myself in often. At Royal Caribbean, I worked to launch nine newbuilds and created 26 food concepts in seven years. I was driven by my vision to ensure that Royal Caribbean was recognized as a culinary game changer – new restaurant concepts, new island buffet designs and the successful attraction of a global culinary crew from 50 nations. I was proud and forward thinking. The challenge was the corporate culture, working seven years for five supervisors, each with a different agenda. These were complex ingredients. I used my kitchen wisdom to ensure that we stayed on course – I spearheaded the first cruise line test kitchen and promoted the first female executive chefs. CBM: What was the mandate when you joined Holland America Line in 2005? How has HAL’s cuisine evolved since then? Sodamin: I was hired to revitalize and refresh the culinary offering at Holland America brand. Looking back, it was not an easy task, coming from Royal Caribbean where I was years ahead. I was stepping back into a time zone where culinary had been stuck for years. There was no leadership and various competing directions at Holland America. My aim was to pull all the loose ends together into a successful and formative plan. I organized menu workshops, meetings, test kitchens and systems, which all contributed directly to today’s success. The results were immediately visible in improved guest satisfaction, reduced costs due to better systems, by building the first culinary training centers in the industry in Asia and the attraction of chefs who still are with me today. Working on the newbuilds Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam, I had the opportunity to put my food print on several efforts, including the creation of the buffet island, with its first attached kitchen at Holland America Line, the Dutch Café. I am proud to have established the Culinary Art Centers, the award-winning Tamarind Restaurant and, most proud of all, to have my first name-branded restaurants onboard Holland America, Rudi’s Sel de Mer. I have to mention, I was able to mentor and guide all the Culinary Corporate Chefs, and we have a tremendous amount of respect for each other. I am also very detail oriented when it comes to presentation and table culture, where I direct and prepare each dish with the team, and then photograph each dish myself. In this way, I am ensured our product will be presented in it best way possible with the best ingredients available. CBM: In addition to Rudi’s Sel de Mer, which debuted in 2016, Carnival Cruise Line asked you to develop a restaurant for its newest ship. Tell me how the concepts differ? Sodamin: Rudi’s Seagrill on Carnival Mardi Gras is Mediterranean inspired; Rudi’s Sel del Mer is French. What ties them together is the whimsical food faces. Each restaurant has its own design and focuses on different elements of food, presentation and theme. The artwork at Rudi’s Seagrill features “Shoaling Fish” – fused glass installations by Jo Downs, with walls that are flaked Rudi Sodamin working with a galley team 18-21.indd 3 18-21.indd 3 5.5.2022 8.36 5.5.2022 8.36
20 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 with streaming glass fishes in a blueish design. The restaurant is Carnival’s first seafood restaurant. Its seafood is freshly sourced and has received great reviews as a top free-standing restaurant onboard Mardi Gras. The china includes fun-shaped seafood items such as crab shells and porcelain sea urchins, which creates a sensational presentation. Rudi’s Sel de Mer – literally, salt of the seas – is a modern French seafood brasserie on Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam, featuring the flavors of the Cote d’Azur. The centerpiece is a mural painted by my son, Magnus Sodamin, a Miami-based artist. The baseplates are my creations, produced by Bernardaud, a French porcelain company. On all the other Holland America ships, Rudi’s Sel de Mer is offered as a pop-up menu one night, using the steakhouse. CBM: In January, you joined Princess Cruises as its first Head of Culinary Arts. What is the mandate for you here? Sodamin: The mandate for Princess is to use my vast culinary vision and operational experience, my knowhow and my leadership to bring energy and motivation to the brand. Together, our teams will unlock the full potential of the brand – upgrading the food offering, its quality and the execution of the final product. I am enjoying working with John Padgett, the Princess Cruises President and his creative team – he is a true visionary. I am excited to assist in building a strong, sustainable culinary arts infrastructure that will be highly recognizable and distinctive in the premium global brand market. CBM: You now straddle three separate cruise lines. How do you keep what you offer distinct for Carnival and Princess, without watering down the value you have for the Holland America brand? Sodamin: A brilliant question. My association with Carnival is with Rudi’s Seagrill only, where I am extremely proud to have a Rudi’s restaurant onboard Mardi Gras and the upcoming Carnival Celebration. There is no intention of watering down the Holland America brand. On the contrary, my leadership will lead to improvement and more innovation for both brands, not less. From both a shareholder value perspective and from a business standpoint, my experience is value-enabling, allowing a maximum of exchange in talents and efficiencies between both brands. Being asked by Jan Swartz to take on Princess was not a difficult decision, as I give 120% of my soul and heart in what I do. I am doing it to help the leadership of both brands, and most importantly, to assist the over 9,000 cooks who deserve a better culinary culture, direction and leadership for their future. The end result is a delighted guest, who values the unique and consistent culinary experience of each brand. My role will actually enhance the distinctions in each brand, allowing the brands to be differentiated in many ways. Each guest has a different expectation of the culinary experience, and I want each culinary program to be distinct but use synergies to make it even better. I strongly believe we can execute my vision in a more costeffective way. Parts of our culinary program are homogenous across brands, while other parts are very different. We have the opportunity to improve the structure to know where to be differentiated and when to be homogenized, to ensure the culinary product is maximized. My goal is to provide ways to correctly identify growth opportunities and to enable us to share lessons, procedures and insights between the brands faster and more effectively across the Holland America Group in real time. Most important of all: We will improve the quality of our food and grow culinary talent across all brands. CBM: Aboard the ships, how have menus and preparations for the main dining room and Lido Market evolved since the pandemic arrived? Sodamin: No one could have predicted this very difficult, horrifying, helpless, devastating situation. For the hospitality industry, the uncertainty has been the worst. It is a paralyzing existence for many people, myself included. I now realize that life can change overnight and pull the rug out from under everything. As a culinary team, we have had conversations to revisit our shared experiences, and we are still in the process of moving on. Food costs have increased, and logistics and sourcing challenges are a concern for all of us. We have gone back to the drawing board and revisited our culinary offering as a whole, and I have held several menu workshops, along with the Director of Culinary and the Traveling Executive Chefs. The menus have been fine-tuned, and we have added new dishes. We have the flexibility to adapt to changes as necessary, and we have Rudi’s Seagrill is the first seafood restaurant on a Carnival 18-21.indd 4 18-21.indd 4 5.5.2022 8.36 5.5.2022 8.36