MSC Group Announces Leadership Changes for North America

Image: Rubén Rodríguez (Photo Credit: MSC Group)
Image: Rubén Rodríguez (Photo Credit: MSC Group)
Sarah Kuta
by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 1:40 PM ET, Mon March 24, 2025

The cruise division of MSC Group is making some leadership changes in North America.

Rubén Rodríguez has been promoted to chief executive officer of the cruise division in North America and will now oversee both MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys.

Rodríguez will work with each brand’s respective leaders: Lynn Torrent, the president of MSC Cruises North America, and Chris Austin, the president of Explora Journeys for North and Central America.

The company had previously announced that Rodríguez would be retiring April 30.

“In his role as president of MSC Cruises USA, Ruben achieved significant business results and laid the groundwork for growth and as such he was the natural choice to take on this newly created role,” says Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the cruise division of MSC Group, said.

“We are building a new organization that will better service the needs of our trade partners and consumers, maximize the performance of the two brands with their distinct offerings and strengthen our presence in North America," Vago continued. 

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Sarah Kuta

Sarah Kuta

Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. Her work has appeared in Travel+Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, AFAR, Food&Wine, Smithsonian magazine, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Robb Report, the Toronto Star, the Denver Post and many other publications. Sarah has a degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She can be reached at [email protected]  You can follow her on social media https://www.instagram.com/kutasarah/ and https://twitter.com/SarahKuta

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