Celebrity Cruises will soon have a new chief executive officer, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The company’s existing President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perllo, is transitioning to Vice Chair for External Affairs at Royal Caribbean Group. 

That move will take effect May 1, with Laura Hodges Bethge, current executive Vice President for shared services operations, set to become the next brand president. 

Lutoff-Perlo will continue reporting to Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty. 

“It has always been difficult for me to imagine leaving the incredible Celebrity brand, but the time is right for me to start an exciting new chapter and turn the helm over to a new leader,” said Lutoff-Perlo. “It has been my great honor to lead this brand and work alongside the phenomenal Celebrity shoreside team and crew. Together, our accomplishments have been extraordinary. I’m excited to now work closely with Jason on broader initiatives as we sail toward an even brighter future.”

Prior to joining the Celebrity brand, Hodges Bethge was the senior vice president of product development for Royal Caribbean International. 

She led the teams that helped conceptualize the Perfect Day at CocoCay private island, among other projects.  

“Now 15 ships strong, this is an exciting time for Celebrity Cruises,” said Laura Hodges Bethge. “This year alone, we’ll be welcoming Celebrity Ascent, and reaching key construction milestones in the yet-to-be-named fifth ship in the revolutionary Edge Series. I look forward to building on the incredible achievements of Lisa and this world class team, as we continue to break boundaries and chart new courses in the industry.”