The line has bolstered its ranks with six recruits joining during the summer, including Matt Alderton and Emma Craggs as strategic account managers and Emma Birkett as sales, planning and activation manager.

Meanwhile, Chris Barker joins Celebrity as regional sales manager, increasing the line’s current field sales team from four to five, while Zoe Edwards returns to the team as business development executive following her maternity leave. 

Catherine Burns comes onboard as trade marketing manager and Anna Penkert joins as trade marketing executive.

The appointments follow the departure of Celebrity’s long-serving EMEA chief Jo Rzymowska, who departed Royal Caribbean Group earlier this month after 18 years, and ahead of the arrival of her successor Giles Hawke on 21 August. 

Claire Stirrup, Celebrity’s senior sales director for the UK and Ireland, said it was “extremely important” the line’s sales team worked with agents “in a bespoke way to meet their needs”.

“I am delighted to welcome the new team together and to our brand, as they are equally excited to get out on the road, to harvest relationships with trade partners and agents,” said Stirrup.

In the lead up to Celebrity Apex’s ex-Southampton summer season next year – the line’s most successful programme launch for a ship in the UK market – Celebrity has unveiled a dedicated agent toolkit.

The resources feature social media assets to help agents promote 2024 itineraries and Apex-themed content, as well as a digital interactive Apex brochure.