Azamara Adds Cruise Industry Veteran Michelle Lardizabal as Chief Sales Officer
by Daniel McCarthy /
Azamara this week announced that Michelle Lardizabal, the former SVP and CSO at MSC Cruises and the former associate vice president of global sales at Royal Caribbean, is joining the boutique cruise line as its new chief sales officer.
Lardizabal will now be tasked with leading the line’s North America sales organization alongside Katie Gerhard, AVP of Sales, East; Lori Goldspiel, AVP of Sales, West, and National Accounts; Kevin Regan, AVP of Global Charters and Incentives.
In total, Lardiozabal has more than 35 years of travel industry experience, including most recently with MSC. Prior to that, she had served as vice president of U.S. sales for Club Med and vice president of sales for tour operator City Wonders Ltd.
She had previously spent five years with Royal Caribbean, including as director of sales for the mid-Atlantic region and then as associated vice president of global sales and distribution.
“With her wealth of knowledge in tourism, cruising and retail, Michelle is the ideal candidate to lead Azamara’s sales team as we continue to grow as an independent cruise company, and continue to better serve our valued travel partners,” said Carol Cabezas, President of Azamara. “Her passion for travel will propel us forward as we further our commitment to connecting people to people, people to cultures, and traveling deeper to the heart of destinations around the world.”