The following winners were announced in seven categories: Rebekka Gale, Cruise 118, (Cruise Agent Sales Rising Star); Alex Loizou, Mundy Cruising, (Cruise Agent Marketing Rising Star); Ami Fargher, GoCruise, (Cruise Agent Management Rising Star); Rebekah Keeler, ABP Southampton (Ports & Destinations Rising Star); Katie Brickell, Holland America Line & Seabourn (Cruise Line Sales Rising Star); Lauren Burrill, Royal Caribbean International, (Cruise Line Marketing Rising Star); and Paul Tavener, Viking Cruises (Cruise Line Management Rising Star).
Two of these were also bestowed with overall winner titles. These were Rebekka Gale, Cruise 118 (Cruise Agent) and Paul Tavener, Viking Cruises (Cruise Line).
A shortlist of 25 finalists attended today’s lunch with the Rising Stars cruise line partners, headline sponsor Royal Caribbean International, Saga Holidays, Oceania Cruises and Uniworld.
Stuart Leven, managing director, Royal Caribbean International, said: “If you are a Rising Star you should not be playing it safe. You have to take risks: be creative, be bold and be single-minded in what you want to achieve. It’s an extremely exciting time for the cruise industry, with the best of hardware currently being built. It is critical we invest in our future leaders to recognise the opportunities ahead, which is why we’re supporting, and happy to judge, Rising Stars.”
Cruise Trade News group editor Katherine Lawrey added: “This is the first year that we have undertaken a search to highlight the brightest and best talent in the cruise industry, and we have been really impressed with the calibre of cruise professionals, who were nominated by colleagues or who put themselves forward. It’s our absolute pleasure to see them honoured in this way, and we look forward to following their careers as they will undoubtedly go from strength to strength.”
Discover the winners