Popular Silversea Cruises Exec Moves to Celebrity Cruises
by Dori Saltzman /Silversea Cruises’ Katina Athanasiou is moving to Celebrity Cruises as vice president of sales, the Americas, beginning January 3. In her new role, she will drive the sales strategy across trade booking channels in the Americas, including Field Sales, National Accounts, Inside Sales, LATAM Sales, Sales Communication, Training & Development, and Sales Support. Taking her place at the head of trade sales at Silversea will be the line’s current vice president of field sales Joe Leon.
“Katina has a proven track record in the travel and hospitality industry, and she really understands how to drive business in the Americas,” said Dondra Ritzenthaler, senior vice president of sales, the Americas at Celebrity Cruises. “Her experience and knowledge will be an invaluable asset as our fleet grows and offers a variety of options to sail to every continent.”
Athanasiou has more than 20 years of experience in the cruise industry, having most recently served as senior vice president of sales at Silversea Cruises. Prior to that, she served as chief sales officer for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, among a variety of other sales management roles for the line’s brands.
Silversea’s Trade Sales Team Reorg
With Athanasiou’s move to Celebrity, Silversea has shuffled its U.S.-based trade sales team, promoting long time vice president of field sales Joe Leon to the role of head of trade sales. In his new roles, he will oversee Silversea’s national accounts team, field sales team, and expedition sales team.
“The travel advisor community is the lifeblood of Silversea’s success and we are proud to count on the expertise of one of the industry’s strongest trade sales teams, who serves them,” said Mark Conroy, Silversea’s managing director for the Americas.
Members of the trade sales team include Christian Sierralta, vice president of national accounts; Rachel Woodward, senior director of field sales; Karl Kannstadter, senior director of expedition sales; and Marcus Kenny, director of business development and agency sales for the Americas.
