Nineteen-year cruise industry veteran Gary J. Gerbino will join Seabourn Cruise Line effective January 15, 2007, as vice president of marketing, a new position created following the line`s recent agreement to…
Nineteen-year cruise industry veteran Gary J. Gerbino will join Seabourn Cruise Line effective January 15, 2007, as vice president of marketing, a new position created following the line`s recent agreement to build two new, ultra luxury ships, for delivery in spring 2009 and 2010.
Gerbino`s broad industry experience covers ships carrying 250 to as many as 2,620 passengers, and includes marketing and public relations initiatives for three highly successful new-ship launches.
As vice president of marketing for Seabourn, Gerbino will be responsible for all consumer and trade marketing efforts for the Americas, including promotional events, advertising, direct mail, collateral development, e-marketing and internet presence. Additionally, he will oversee public relations and revenue management activities.
Most recently, Gerbino served as vice president at M. Silver Associates, where he directed external communications for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the largest travel industry organization in United States. Gerbino was recruited by M. Silver in 2001 to lead the agency`s launch of Cunard Line`s luxury liner Queen Mary 2.
Prior to that, he was part of the executive team that founded Orient Lines in 1993, launching both the Marco Polo and Crown Odyssey cruise ships. As director of marketing for eight years, Gerbino supervised all marketing and public relations functions, as well as the line`s enrichment, clergy, gentlemen host, and loyalty programs. Previously he served as manager of public relations for Ocean, Pearl and Paquet, premium cruise lines that, like Orient, operated mid-sized vessels on worldwide itineraries.
According to Pamela C. Conover, Seabourn`s president and chief executive officer, Gary was instrumental in the successful launching of Queen Mary 2. She continued, I have every confidence that his vast destination orientation, cruise marketing background and demonstrated public relations expertise will prove invaluable as a key member of the Seabourn executive team.
Seabourn`s yachts are without question the benchmark against which all other cruise ships are measured, said Gerbino. I am very proud to join this ultra luxury line during such an exciting and critical phase in its evolution.
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