ATHENS — Brandon Townsley has joined Celestyal as VP and Managing Director – North America.

Townsley’s cruise industry experience includes, most recently, Crystal Cruises where he built and led a commercial sales team and got the support of North American travel trade networks amidst the refresh of the iconic luxury cruise brand. He has also worked for NCL, Ocean Voyages, Virgin Voyages and MSC Cruises.

“Celestyal has a clear path and genuine ambition, and I am thrilled to accept the opportunity to be part of their mission. There is a clear mandate to grow and invest in the North American market, and I intend to leverage my experience and relationships to spearhead welcomed growth in North America. My intent is to position Celestyal as the leading provider of award-winning, multi-destination cruise and tour vacation experiences in Greece, Eastern Mediterranean and beyond,” said Townsley.

At Celestyal, Townsley will focus on developing and executing the cruise line’s strategic business plan for North America, repositioning the business as a tour provider of multi-destination and experience immersive itineraries.

Townsley will also be tasked with building tour packages, trade training and accelerating the distribution channels that support Celestyal’s strategic brand positioning. Townsley will report to Celestyal’s Chief Commercial Officer, Lee Haslett.

“I am delighted to welcome Brandon to my leadership team and to the Celestyal family. I am confident that with his unique blend of cruise and customer experience along with his strong business and leadership acumen, he will prove to be an invaluable asset to the team and realize the full potential of the North American market,” said Haslett.