New CLIA president and CEO to speak at Seatrade Cruise Global

Charles ‘Bud’ Darr, the new president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), will take part in the ‘State of the Global Cruise Industry’ keynote session on 7 April at Seatrade Cruise Global 2025. He will be joined by Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group; Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings; Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the cruise division at MSC Group; and Josh Weinstein, president, CEO and chief climate officer at Carnival Corporation. 

These executives will discuss an array of topics affecting the cruise industry including, but not limited to: opportunities and challenges, supply and demand, reaching new markets, the orderbook, product innovation and the role of artificial intelligence and infrastructure investments including how private destinations are reshaping Caribbean deployment. It’s also hoped they will share their predictions on what cruising will look like in another 40 years from now. 

From left: Charles ‘Bud’ Darr, Jason Liberty, Harry Sommer, Pierfrancesco Vago and Josh Weinstein will take part in the ‘State of the Global Cruise Industry’ keynote session at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami, Florida, on 7 April

Seatrade Cruise Global, which will take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Florida from 7 to 10 April, will bring together the global cruise community for its 40th anniversary edition. This year’s theme is ‘milestones’ so organisers hope to encourage cruise lines and industry partners to reflect on four decades of evolution while looking ahead to the future of cruising. The event will feature 80 conference sessions and 225 speakers over the four days. 

“As we celebrate 40 years of Seatrade Cruise Global, this year’s conference will be our most dynamic yet, bringing together industry leaders to explore the key milestones shaping the future of cruising,” said Chiara Giorgi, global brand director at Seatrade Cruise. “From evolving guest expectations to groundbreaking innovations and sustainability efforts, we’re curating discussions that will inspire, challenge, and drive the industry forward. We can’t wait to welcome the global cruise community to Miami for this landmark edition.” 

The full conference programme for the event is available on the Seatrade Cruise Global website, where you can also register to attend the event.