Oceania Cruises Adds Eastern Canada BDM, Promotes Lew to Director of Preferred Accounts

Culinary- and destination-focused luxury cruise line Oceania Cruises is strengthening its sales presence in Canada with the goals of deepening relationships with travel advisors, delivering hands-on partnership, and helping Canadian agencies grow their businesses through localized expertise and consistent support.

Stephanie McDonald has joined the Oceania Canada team as Business Development Manager for Eastern Canada, joining Kimberly Tobias, Business Development Manager for Western Canada. 

Together, they work closely with Shirley Lew, a 12-year veteran of Oceania Cruises, who was recently promoted to Director of Preferred Accounts, overseeing the line’s preferred agency partnerships in Canada.

Collectively, the team brings decades of experience across the cruise, airline, and travel industries, reinforcing what Oceania Cruises describes as its long-standing belief that strong advisor relationships – supported by dedicated, accessible leadership – are essential to mutual success.

“Canada has always been a vital market for Oceania Cruises, and our commitment to the Canadian trade has never wavered,” said Nathan Hickman, Chief Sales Officer, Oceania Cruises. 

“These new appointments ensure our advisor partners have the support, insights, and collaboration they need to confidently grow their businesses with Oceania Cruises. Shirley, Kim, and Stephanie bring deep experience and trusted relationships that reflect how seriously we take our partnerships across Canada.”

As the senior member of the team, Lew brings more than 30 years of global experience across the hospitality and travel sectors. She is widely respected for her strong trade relationships and strategic, growth-oriented perspective. Prior to joining Oceania Cruises, Lew held roles with Cruise Strategies Ltd., Singapore Airlines, and the Thomas Cook Group in Canada.

Supporting Western Canada, Tobias also brings more than 30 years of industry experience, spanning Canada, the United States, and international markets. Known for her strategic and results-driven approach, she delivers actionable market insights that help travel partners maximize performance. Tobias previously held sales roles with Viking in Western Canada and spent 13 years in the airline industry across multiple sales disciplines.

Rounding out the team, McDonald joins with nearly 25 years of cruise industry experience. After beginning her career at sea, she transitioned shoreside, spending more than 15 years building trusted agency relationships and driving sustained sales growth. Most recently, she served as Business Development Manager for Canada at Celestyal Cruises, where she also led training and development initiatives across North America.

The boosted sales presence in Canada comes just as Oceania announced the elimination of Non-Commissionable Fares (NCFs), beginning with Oceania Aurelia’s inaugural season in 2028, as well as the 2028 Summer and 2028–2029 Winter seasons when they open for sale in June 2026.