Laura Hodges Bethge   

Laura Hodges Bethge is president of Celebrity Cruises, one of three best-in-class cruise brands owned by vacation industry leader, Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), which also includes Royal Caribbean International, and Silversea; and 50% of a joint venture operating TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Together, RCG has a global fleet of 68 ships traveling to approximately 1,000 destinations.   

Prior to her role as president, Laura has served in a variety of leadership roles during her 20+ years at Royal Caribbean Group. Most recently, she was executive vice president of shared services operations, responsible for RCG’s safety, security and environment, risk management, and crew movement teams, and before that, she was senior vice president of product development for Royal Caribbean International and led the teams conceptualizing the largest global cruise line’s groundbreaking ships, private island destinations, and new experiences introduced throughout the award-winning fleet, including the first island in the Group’s Perfect Day Island Collection – Perfect Day at CocoCay.   

 Laura’s long history with Royal Caribbean Group began in 2000 leading the fleet accessibility program for Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, and she has since held several leadership roles within various areas of the business, including hotel and marine operations, sales, marketing, product innovation and investor relations. She was also based in Shanghai as vice president of market development where she oversaw commercial operations for this strategic market.   

A Florida native, she is active in her community and serves on the board of Easterseals, a nonprofit dedicated to enriching the lives of people and families with disabilities. She also supports efforts aiding the Police Officer Assistance Trust (POAT), a nonprofit organization that assists officers and their families in times of need.   

Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and an MBA in international business and finance, from Florida International University.