Christine Duffy

Christine Duffy is president of Carnival Cruise Line, the “World’s Most Popular Cruise Line™,” and the flagship brand of Miami-based global cruise industry leader Carnival Corp., the world’s largest leisure travel company. As president, she leads Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet of 29 ships that homeport in North America, Europe and Australia. Together, they sail nearly six million guests annually, visit 200 destinations in more than 60 countries, and employ more than 51,000 people who hail from 120 nations around the globe. In 2023, Carnival achieved the distinction of being the first cruise line to welcome 100 million guests.

Christine joined Carnival as its president in 2015 and has led a period of growth and innovation which will continue into the next decade. Most recently, Carnival acquired five ships since 2022, fully integrated P&O Cruises Australia’s operations into Carnival in 2025, and now has five additional new ships on order, including a fourth and fifth Excel class ship debuting in 2027 and 2028, and a new ship class with vessels set to launch in 2029, 2031 and 2033. Christine also oversaw the development and launch of Celebration Key, Carnival’s exclusive destination in The Bahamas, that opened in July 2025 and is directing the expansion of two additional destinations: RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay in The Bahamas and Isla Tropicale in Honduras.

Christine joined the cruise industry in 2011 when she was named president and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). While at CLIA, she elevated the industry’s profile before consumers, regulators, industry stakeholders and the media; led the adoption of the Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights to enhance the industry’s commitment to passenger safety, comfort and care; managed the industry response to several high-profile crises; and consolidated a network of 15 cruise industry organizations into one global association.

Prior to CLIA, Christine spent 10 years at Maritz Travel Company, the world’s largest corporate meeting, events and incentive travel company, where she served six years as president and CEO. In this capacity, she worked directly with a variety of Fortune 500 corporations in the automotive, pharmaceutical, financial services and technology sectors. She began her career as a travel agent in her hometown of Philadelphia, working her way up to become president of McGettigan Travel.

Christine is a recognized leader across the travel industry. In 2023, she was re-appointed by the Secretary of Commerce to a second term on the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. From 2020 to 2022, Christine served as chair of the U.S. Travel Association, the leading advocacy and trade organization representing the travel industry. In 2024, she received CLIA’s Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the cruise industry and was named to the Forbes 50 Over 50 List in the Lifestyle category. She has also been honored by the U.S. Coast Guard, St. Louis University and the Convention Industry Council, among others, and was a member of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference class of 2018, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious public liaison program for the Department of Defense.

Christine continues to be a strong supporter of women’s leadership in the travel industry, leading initiatives that delivered research and programs to help women advance their careers. She was named by Women Leading Travel & Hospitality as one of its top women in travel and hospitality and is also a member of The Committee of 200, an organization of the world’s most successful women business leaders that supports, celebrates and advances women's leadership. She was recognized by Moves magazine as a 2016 Power Women recipient for her work in serving as a role model for future generations of young women.

She is a member of the board of Herschend Family Entertainment, the nation’s largest family-owned operator of themed attractions, including Dollywood and Branson’s Silver Dollar City.

She sits on the Professional Advisory Board of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital of which Carnival Cruise Line is the official celebration partner.