Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy’s contributions to cruise travel were recognized with the Cruise Lines International Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024.
Duffy was honoured at the 2024 CLIA Hall of Fame Cruise Industry Awards, where she was inducted into CLIA’s Hall of Fame and introduced by Josh Weinstein, president, chief executive officer and chief climate officer of Carnival Corporation & plc.
Duffy leads more than 48,000 Carnival Cruise Line team members who deliver cruises to more than 5.5 million guests each year. In a statement, Carnival said she is at the helm of all operations across Carnival’s fleet of 27 ships sailing from 14 U.S. homeports and two homeports in Australia, where she also oversees the operations of three ships that sail for P&O Cruises Australia.
“I’ve felt my whole life that travel is the industry for me and while I may have missed the height requirement when I applied to become a flight attendant early in my career, I’m delighted and grateful that my work in the cruise industry has taken me to heights I never imagined,” said Duffy. “I share this honor with my Carnival family and remind everyone in our industry that our work has great impact and contributes to what are often the most memorable moments in people’s lives. Our industry generates tens of billions of dollars of economic activity and innovation every year, and we have great momentum that makes me very optimistic for our future.”
According to Carnival, she’s currently focused on the development of the cruise line’s new exclusive destination, Celebration Key, which opens in July 2025.
Under Duffy’s leadership, Carnival became the first major U.S. cruise line to have its entire fleet back in operations after the industry-wide pause related to the COVID pandemic. Part of that restart coincided with Carnival’s implementation of Liquefied Natural Gas, with Carnival’s Mardi Gras becoming the first LNG-powered cruise ship in North America – as well as the first rollercoaster at sea.
Her tenure also includes several major milestones in the company’s history, including the year-long celebration of its 50th birthday in 2022 and the moment it welcomed its 100 millionth guest on board in 2023.
As the cruise line’s first female president, she has served in this role since 2015 while simultaneously advocating for the entire cruise industry. This includes being appointed by the Secretary of Commerce to the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and serving as chair of the U.S. Travel Association, the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry, from 2020 to 2022.
She joined Carnival after a successful tenure as the first female president and CEO of CLIA.
Duffy also spent 10 years at Maritz Travel Company, where she became the company’s first woman president and CEO. While leading Maritz, she played an important role with industry leaders and U.S. travel during the financial crisis of 2008, raising awareness about the importance of business travel and solidifying support in Washington. Her leadership led to a number of initiatives, including the first-ever public/private partnership to promote international travel to the U.S., creating what is known today as Brand USA.
Throughout her career, Duffy has been a strong supporter of women’s leadership in the travel industry, leading initiatives that delivered research and programs to help women advance their careers.
