Princess Cruises has hired industry veteran Jim Berra to be chief marketing officer.
Berra joins Princess with nearly three decades of experience in cruise and hospitality. He will report directly to Princess Cruises president John Padgett.
Jim Berra
Berra is tasked with leading all global marketing, including brand promotion, creative development and formulating marketing strategy.
Berra last served as chief marketing and innovation officer at Invited, formerly known as ClubCorp, the largest owner of private membership clubs in the U.S.
Before Invited, Berra spent 13 years in the cruise industry. He served as senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Royal Caribbean International, overseeing advertising programs, marketing communications, social media, e-commerce and consumer marketing, leaving in late 2021.
Before Royal, Berra spent seven years at Carnival Cruise Line as its chief marketing officer. He also has held positions with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, including senior vice president of customer marketing and strategic alliances.
In the last two years, Princess has hired some new executives: Terry Thornton, senior vice president of commercial development and integration; Carmen Roig, vice president of sales; and Cal Almaguer senior vice president of sales and service strategy and operations. Almaguer left Princess in the fall.
Berra's appointment comes ahead of the Feb. 8 debut of the Sun Princess in the Mediterranean. Its sister ship, the Star Princess, is slated to debut in August 2025.