Carnival CEO Gerry Cahill to retire

Gerry Cahill, the CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines, is to retire from the company after 20 years of service.

Mr Cahill has headed Carnival’s biggest brand since 2007, launching four new ships including the Dream  class, which includes Carnival Dream, Magic and Breeze.

However, his recent tenure has been marred by events including the systems failure that left Carnival Triumph without power for four days.

He will step down on 30 November.

“Gerry has been instrumental in taking Carnival Cruise Lines to new heights as one of the preeminent brands in the cruise industry,” said Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation. “He and his team have delivered new innovations to cruising while growing the business year after year.”

Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation added: “I can’t thank Gerry enough for his tireless efforts both as CFO of Carnival Corporation and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines.

“While we would always feel his retiring is premature, we understand and support his decision. His leadership and passion, along with his honest and frank views will be missed, and we will always have a deep appreciation for Gerry’s tremendous contributions to Carnival Corporation.”

It is understood that no replacement for Cahill has yet been lined up.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to lead Carnival Cruise Lines for the past seven years and to work for this great company for 20 years,” said Mr Cahill.

“Deciding when to retire is not easy, especially when you love what you do. I feel the time is good for me personally and the company and brand are in a good place. Our employees are the finest, most dedicated people I know, and the thing I will miss most in my retirement is the opportunity to come to the office each day and work with such talented individuals.”