MIAMI — Oceania Cruises is reinforcing its commitment to the Canadian travel trade with an expanded, on-the-ground sales leadership team aimed at supporting agency growth across the country.

The luxury cruise line announced the appointment of Stephanie McDonald as Business Development Manager for Eastern Canada. She joins Kimberly Tobias, Business Development Manager for Western Canada, and Shirley Lew, who was recently promoted to Director of Preferred Accounts overseeing preferred agency partnerships in Canada.

The enhanced Canadian sales structure is designed to provide travel advisors with localized expertise, hands-on support and stronger collaboration opportunities as the company continues to invest in the market.

“Canada has always been a vital market for Oceania Cruises, and our commitment to the Canadian trade has never wavered,” said Nathan Hickman, Chief Sales Officer, Oceania Cruises. “These new appointments ensure our advisor partners have the support, insights, and collaboration they need to confidently grow their businesses with Oceania Cruises. Shirley, Kim, and Stephanie bring deep experience and trusted relationships that reflect how seriously we take our partnerships across Canada.”

Lew, a 12-year veteran of Oceania Cruises, brings more than three decades of experience across the hospitality and travel sectors. Prior to joining the cruise line, she held positions with Cruise Strategies Ltd., Singapore Airlines and the Thomas Cook Group in Canada. In her new role as Director of Preferred Accounts, she will oversee relationships with the company’s preferred agency partners nationwide.

In Western Canada, Tobias brings more than 30 years of experience across Canadian, U.S. and international markets. Before joining Oceania Cruises, she held sales positions with Viking in Western Canada and also spent 13 years working in the airline sector across a variety of sales disciplines. The company said Tobias is recognized for her strategic and results-oriented approach, helping agency partners identify opportunities to grow performance.

McDonald, who will support advisors in Eastern Canada, joins the company with nearly 25 years of cruise industry experience. She began her career working at sea before moving into shoreside roles, where she spent more than 15 years developing agency partnerships and supporting sales growth. Most recently, McDonald served as Business Development Manager for Canada at Celestyal Cruises and led training and development initiatives across North America.

The announcement also follows the company’s recent decision to eliminate Non-Commissionable Fares (NCFs), beginning with the inaugural 2028 season of Oceania Aurelia as well as the 2028 summer and 2028-2029 winter seasons when they open for sale in June 2026. The move is intended to ensure travel advisors benefit directly from the business growth they help generate.

Lead image caption, from l-r: Stephanie McDonald, Kim Tobias and Shirley Lew