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If you have any interest in the cruise industry, the chances are you know Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service for Royal Caribbean International. Freed’s career has spanned more than four decades; after spending 29 years at Carnival Cruise Line, she moved over to Royal Caribbean International in 2008.
In her 20s, Freed’s tenacity and ambition propelled her to early success; she was a senior vice president by the time she was 36, and she was named the first female chairperson of Cruise Lines International Association in 1998. Additionally, her deep relationships within the travel advisor community have earned her industry-wide recognition and have cemented her as one of the most well-known executives in the cruise industry.
In this episode of Humans of Travel, Freed opens up about her early career and her unconventional path to landing a job at Carnival Cruise Line. She also talks about what it was like to work under the leadership of Bob Dickinson, Carnival’s former president and CEO, who was a mentor to Freed and an advocate for her throughout her career.
Listeners will also hear about Freed’s own views on mentorship (she suggests bypassing a single mentor in favor of a “board of directors”); what she loves about working in sales; and why the title on a business card can sometimes get in the way of forming valuable connections.
Finally, Freed details why she chose to “jump ship” and leave Carnival for a competing cruise line, and she shares a few highlights from her time at Royal Caribbean.
This editorial cartoon, depicting Freed jumping from a Carnival Cruise Line ship to a Royal Caribbean ship, appeared in Travel Weekly.
Credit: 2022 Travel WeeklyInside This Episode
1:00: Meet Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales and trade support and service for Royal Caribbean International.
2:25: After graduating college, did Freed ever consider a career in travel?
3:00: Freed talks about one of her first stints in the industry — an internship with Ask Mr. Foster (now CWT).
3:45: Freed reflects on her perception of cruising in her early 20s.
6:00: Freed shares what it was like when she first heard Bob Dickinson speak at a Cruise Week event.
8:00: Freed discusses her multi-month journey to landing a job at Carnival Cruise Line.
16:15: Freed discloses her own views on mentorship, and details one particularly successful mentor/mentee relationship she’s had. She also gives advice for listeners looking to build up a “board of directors.”
22:50: Freed talks about her promotion and move to Florida, and how she felt when she was asked to take on a larger role at Carnival.
26:06: Freed reflects on her decision to leave Carnival Cruise Line and join Royal Caribbean International.
Vicki Freed of Royal Caribbean International
Credit: 2022 TravelAge WestResources Mentioned In This Episode
Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options (JAFCO)
Vicki’s Coffee Talks
Reach Freed via phone: (305) 539-6031
Freed’s email: vfreed@rccl.com
About Your Host
Emma Weissmann is Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print and online magazine for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly.
TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum.
About the Show
TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences — the highs and the lows — that make them human.
