Salika Kebschull takes over as managing director of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises on January 1, 2027, succeeding Isolde Susset, who retires at year-end after 30 years with the German luxury and expedition cruise line, the company announced.

Kebschull joins the operator on November 1, 2026, and will work alongside Susset during a two-month transition period before the formal handover.

Why the succession matters for sellers

Susset has served as managing director of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and as a member of the Executive Board of TUI Cruises since 2024. TUI Cruises — the joint venture that operates the brand — is signaling continuity rather than strategic change: the deliberate overlap is designed to protect relationships with trade partners during the changeover.

Kebschull's résumé points to where the brand may push next. She has held leadership roles across sales, marketing, revenue management, distribution, e-commerce and business development in the international luxury hotel industry and tourism sales. Her previous posts include:

• General manager, Hotel München Palace
• Director of membership services, Relais & Châteaux
• Director of cruise consultancy, Sea Cloud Cruises
• Most recently, strategic advisor to international hotel projects on positioning, sales, guest experience and process optimization

That mix of luxury hospitality and distribution experience aligns with a brand that competes at the top end of the market against Silversea, Seabourn and Ponant.

What the executives said

"Isolde Susset has shaped Hapag-Lloyd Cruises over three decades with great expertise and passion, and has in particular played a decisive role in driving forward the development of our expedition segment. We are extremely grateful to her for this," said Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises.

Meier added: "In Salika Kebschull, we are gaining an experienced leader who combines expertise in the international luxury hotel industry with sales expertise and cruise experience. The joint transition phase creates the ideal conditions for a seamless handover at the start of the year."

Susset said she is grateful for the developments she shaped together with her teams and delighted to hand over responsibility to Kebschull.

Kebschull framed her mandate in brand terms. "Hapag-Lloyd Cruises stands for extraordinary travel experiences, the highest quality and a clear positioning in the luxury and expedition segments," she said.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know the teams, the ships and crews, and our partners, and to shaping the brand's future development together. The opportunity to work closely with Isolde Susset from November onwards and to benefit from her many years of experience is a particularly valuable start to my new role."

What happens next

Trade partners can expect the current commercial setup to hold through 2026. The real signal will come after January 1, 2027, when Kebschull — with her background in revenue management, e-commerce and distribution — takes full control and begins shaping how the luxury and expedition brand sells.