Lisa Lutoff-Perlo - Former CEO Of Celebrity Cruises On Courage, Dreaming Big, & Making Waves

Building Excellence with Bailey Miles

#196: Lisa Lutoff-Perlo is the former CEO of Celebrity Cruises. She is a recognized global business powerhouse and recipient of numerous awards including the South Florida Business Journal and Forbes Travel Guide Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Most recently, Lisa served as President & CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Miami Host Committee, where she led the strategy, fundraising, fan activations, and operations for the seven Miami matches of this globally significant event. During her time in this role, her dedication to excellence and innovation helped position Miami—a world-renowned sports and entertainment destination—as a standout host city for the matches and a city that expects over 700,000 visitors and close to two billion dollars in economic impact during the tournament.

Prior to her role with FIFA, Lisa spent 40 years in progressive leadership positions at the Royal Caribbean Group where she made history as the first woman to serve as President and CEO of one of the company’s multibillion-dollar subsidiaries, Celebrity Cruises (2014–2023). During her tenure as CEO of Celebrity she redefined the luxury cruise industry with groundbreaking ship designs, innovative services, and a commitment to leadership.

She also transformed the financial performance of the Brand to historic levels. Before leaving the Royal Caribbean Group, she held the role of Vice Chairman, External Affairs for the Royal Caribbean Group, where she strengthened industry partnerships and advanced company strategy across its global portfolio of three Brands.

A trailblazer in the global hospitality industry, Lisa has received numerous accolades for business transformation, leadership, and now serves on corporate Boards as Chairwoman of the Board of the Hornblower Group, where she oversees the strategic direction of this industry leader in transportation and experiential travel, the Board of Directors for Fortune 500 company AutoNation (NYSE: AN), the Advisory Board of AHC Group, and the Board of Directors of Amerant Bank (NYSE: AMTB).

Lisa shares her inspiring journey and leadership insights in her best-selling book, Making Waves: A Woman’s Rise to the Top Using Smarts, Heart, and Courage and through numerous public speaking engagements.

For more on Lisa visit her website at lisalutoffperlo.com as well as all social platforms.

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