Lars Ljoen

Chief Maritime Officer
Carnival Corporation & plc

Lars is the chief maritime officer for Carnival Corporation & plc, overseeing all aspects of maritime operations for the corporation and its portfolio of world-class cruise lines. Reporting to the CEO, Lars is also responsible for driving the company’s commitment to health, environment, safety, security and strategic destination development and oversees management of the company’s owned and operated ports.

A 32-year maritime and cruise industry veteran, Lars is a trusted leader with a distinguished tenure of achievement in senior-level sea command and shore management roles. Lars assumed the role of chief maritime officer for Carnival Corporation after serving as the chief operations officer for Carnival Cruise Line since 2022 where he oversaw all aspects of Carnival’s marine operations, including nautical and technical operations, environmental compliance and safety protocols. He also led port operations, guest operations, food and beverage services, onboard revenue, entertainment, and crew and travel operations.

Prior to joining Carnival Cruise Line, Lars served in senior roles for Carnival Corporation’s Costa Group since 2015, initially as senior vice president and then executive vice president and managing director in 2016. At Costa Group, which included at the time both Costa Cruises and AIDA, he was responsible for Carnival Maritime, the marine service unit of the group, as well as fleet governance, marine projects and continuous improvement initiatives.

Previously, Lars headed the development of business strategies for Ceres Marine Terminals (NYK Ports) and was director of marine operations at Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. He began his career on supply vessels and shuttle tankers in the North Sea offshore industry.

Roles & Chronology

2025 – Present
Chief Maritime Officer, Carnival Corporation & plc
2022 – 2025
Chief Operations Officer, Carnival Cruise Line
2018 – 2022
Executive Vice President, Carnival Cruise Line
2016 – 2018
Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Carnival Maritime under Costa Group
2015 – 2016
Senior Vice President, Carnival Maritime under Costa Group
2014 – 2015
Vice President, Cruise and Roro Services, NYK Ports, NYK Group Americas
2005 – 2014
Vice President, Business Development, Ceres Terminal, NYK Group Americas
2000 – 2005
Director, Marine Operation, Royal Caribbean International
1997 – 2000
Manager, Nautical and Port Operations, Royal Caribbean International

Corporate & Charitable Leadership

Lars represents Carnival Corporation as a Board Member of Grand Bahama Shipyard Limited (GBSL), which is a world-class ship repair facility and the largest ship repair facility in the Caribbean.

Personal & Educational Background

A native of Norway, Lars earned a Bachelor of Science from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and completed the London Business School’s Senior Executive Program. He and his family reside in Miami.

Leadership

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  • Mr. Arison’s qualifications to serve on the Boards include his decades of leadership experience with Carnival Corporation & plc, as well as in-depth knowledge of our business, our history and the cruise industry, all gained through 50 years of service with our companies.
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  • Josh is president, chief executive officer and chief climate officer of Carnival Corporation & plc and leads one of the world’s largest leisure travel companies that boasts a portfolio of world-class cruise line brands including AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), Princess Cruises, and Seabourn.
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  • David is chief financial officer and chief accounting officer for Carnival Corporation & plc. In this role, he oversees accounting, planning, treasury, insurance, tax and investor relations functions, as well as casino operations, sourcing and information technology for the world’s largest cruise company. He reports to Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation & plc.
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  • Bettina leads the global human resources function for Carnival Corporation & plc and its nine global cruise line brands. In this role, she oversees a workforce of more than 160,000 global employees from 150 countries. Reporting to the CEO, Bettina is ultimately responsible for all human capital, including attracting, retaining, and rewarding talent; leading more collaborative approaches with the operating companies to optimize human resources (HR), as well as enhancing the company’s culture and leading the organization’s Wellness and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts.
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