Warren Titus, who many consider the founder of modern luxury cruising, died on Sunday in Marin County, California. He was 94.
Titus founded Royal Viking Line in 1973, and was the founding president of Seabourn Cruise Line in 1987.
He was also a key figure in establishing CLIA. He believed that passenger shipping should have a single organization to promote cruising and educate travel agents to market and sell cruises effectively.
"This man was an icon of elegance," said Larry Pimentel, CEO of Azamara Cruises and a former colleague of Titus' at both Royal Viking and Seabourn. "The up-market passenger shipping experience today is rooted and birthed by this titan of elegance and style. Royal Viking was Royal because of Warren's demeanor. Seabourn was unique because he set the style."
A native of Anacortes, Washington, Titus had a decades-long career in passenger shipping. After a stint in the Marine Corps, Titus worked for a shipping agency that handled passenger vessels calling in Hawaii. He was president of North American operations for the Peninsular & Oriental Steamship Navigation Co. in San Francisco in the 1960s.
He later became the president of American President Line.
Titus is survived by his wife, Janice Farrar. The couple lived in Sausalito, Calif.