Executive Cruises (International)

What Executive Cruises (International) does

Executive Cruises (International) Ltd. is a Maltese-headquartered wholesale cruise distribution intermediary founded in 1993 (originally as Executive Holidays). The company operates exclusively as a Business-to-Business channel partner, serving as the International Representative (exclusive agent) in Malta for Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara, and as the General Sales Representative for Royal Caribbean International across Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Its commercial function is to translate cruise-line inventory into bookings through a network of thousands of travel agencies and tour operators across five European markets; the company does not sell directly to consumers. Revenue is generated via commissions on cruise bookings routed through this agency channel. The firm is 50% owned by SMS Group Ltd, a diversified Maltese conglomerate with origins dating to 1860, and is led by country managers and business development partners recruited from Royal Caribbean Group, Costa Crociere, Silversea Cruises, and Club Méditerranée.

Name

Executive Cruises (International)

Legal name

Executive Cruises Ltd.

Website

https://executivecruises.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Executive Cruises (International) is a Maltese wholesale cruise distribution intermediary that serves as exclusive International Representative for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara in Malta, and General Sales Representative for Royal Caribbean across Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cruise Distribution Services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (561510)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Cruise Consolidators & Wholesale Cruise Sellers (THAKAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cruise Travel Agencies & Specialist Cruise Consultants (THAEAFAB)

Keywords

• Cruise distribution services
• Cruise sales representation
• General sales agent
• Travel trade wholesale
• Cruise brand representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Valletta

HQ country

Malta

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Cruise Distribution and Sales Representation: Executive Cruises operates as a wholesale General Sales Agent and International Representative for cruise lines (Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara). The company earns revenue through commission arrangements with cruise line partners, distributing their products to a network of thousands of travel agencies across Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Malta.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Executive Cruises is a wholesale B2B cruise distribution specialist acting as the exclusive International Representative in Malta and General Sales Representative in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara. The company sells cruise products and provides sales, marketing, training, and commercial support to a network of thousands of travel agencies and tour operators across those five European markets.

Product overview

Executive Cruises is a wholesale premium cruise travel specialist established in 1993. The company operates as a multi-brand cruise distribution platform representing three major cruise lines—Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara—across five European markets (Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Malta). The company functions as a General Sales Agent (GSA) and International Representative, distributing cruise products through a network of thousands of travel agencies, providing sales, marketing support, and commercial services to the travel trade sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Royal Caribbean International Distribution and Representation
• Celebrity Cruises Distribution and Representation
• Azamara Distribution and Representation

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Royal Caribbean International (DACH Region)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022Royal Caribbean International appointed Executive Cruises as Passenger Sales Representatives (GSA for retail and wholesale travel trade) for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 2022, expanding the partnership from the Italy market.
• Royal Caribbean International (Italy)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020Royal Caribbean International appointed Executive Cruises as Passenger Sales Representative (GSA for retail and wholesale travel trade) for Italy in 2020 for sales, marketing activities, and commercial support to national travel agencies.
• Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara (Malta)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2005Executive was appointed International Representatives (exclusive agents) for Malta for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Azamara in 2005. SMS Group Ltd acquired 50% of the Company that same year.
• Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises (Malta)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1997Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises appointed Executive Holidays as one of its three Preferred Partners in Malta in 1997, marking the beginning of the cruise representation business.
• Club Méditerranée (Club Med)minorOthersMaria Mai, Head of Business Development for DACH, previously served as Sales Director taking over the sales team for Germany at Club Méditerranée before returning to Executive Cruises in January 2023.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• TUI Group: Europe's largest integrated travel and tourism group, operating TUI Cruises and AIDA Cruises and distributing cruise products through thousands of retail travel agencies across the same European geographies where Executive Cruises operates — a much larger broad-incumbent comparator in cruise distribution.
• DER Touristik: Major European tour operator (part of REWE Group) distributing cruise products through its own retail travel agency network across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other European markets — a broad-incumbent comparator for B2B cruise distribution.
• AIDA Cruises: Germany's leading cruise brand (Carnival Corporation), operating a German-market-focused sales and distribution organization — comparable as a cruise line principal that has internalized much of the GSA-style role Executive Cruises plays for other brands.
• MSC Cruises: Major privately-held European cruise line operating direct sales offices across Mediterranean and European source markets — a potential principal for Executive Cruises' GSA model and comparable as a cruise-line-led distribution competitor.
• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises: Premium German cruise line (TUI Group affiliate) operating in the same premium European segment as Celebrity and Azamara — comparable as a cruise-line principal using European travel trade distribution analogous to Executive Cruises' GSA mandate.
• Costa Cruises: Italian-headquartered ocean cruise line (Carnival Corporation) that operates its own regional sales offices and works with sales representatives in European source markets — comparable as a cruise line principal that uses a GSA distribution model analogous to Executive Cruises' role.
• Schauinsland-Reisen: Large German tour operator with significant cruise distribution through thousands of partner travel agencies in the DACH region — comparable as a major DACH B2B cruise distribution channel.
• TUI Cruises: Premium cruise joint venture between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Group — operates 'Mein Schiff' fleet and distributes through TUI's own travel agency network in DACH, making it both a competitor for cruise trade share and a brand-affiliated comparator (sister to RCL Group brands).

Direct peers

• Intercruises: Intercruises provides ground handling, port services, and destination services to cruise lines globally, including sales representation support — making it the closest direct peer in the cruise distribution and shore services ecosystem serving European source markets.

Others

• nicko cruises: German river and ocean cruise tour operator (referenced in Executive Cruises management backgrounds) — adjacent cruise-line principal that distributes through German travel agencies via similar B2B channels to those Executive Cruises services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Executive-Cruises-105819356249937
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/executive-cruises-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Executive Cruises (International)