Docekal’s appointment comes as part of a larger restructure – which the group says will allow it to achieve its "ambitious" future growth plans.

He joins the Scenic Group with more than 30 years of industry experience, with his most recent role as vice president of deployment for Crystal Cruises where he oversaw the Crystal Yacht and Expedition Cruises brands. Prior to this, he held senior positions at Azamara Club Cruises and Seadream Yacht Club.

Alongside the hiring of Docekal, the Scenic Group also announced the internal promotion of Sadler to vice president of river product.

Having joined the group in 2014 as part of the initial Emerald Waterways start-up team, Sadler will move to oversee all river product on behalf of both Emerald Cruises and Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours. Sadler will be reporting to Rob Voss, Scenic Group’s chief operating officer.

Voss said: "Claudius joins us at a very exciting time, as we continue to focus on growth in global markets and our unwavering delivery of first-class guest experiences across our cruising portfolio.

"Elisabeth has been instrumental in the development of the Emerald Cruises brand showcasing best-in-class product development. Her passion and knowledge for river cruising ensures we will continue to innovate and stay ahead of the competition."

To further support its growth plans – with Scenic Eclipse II and Emerald Sakara joining the fleet next year – the group has also appointed Bert Goebel as vice president of hotel operations, ocean.

Goebel joins the business from Crown and Champa Resort Hotel Group in the Maldives and has hotel operations experience working for various cruise lines such as Oceania, Regent and Aida.