Lania Rittenhouse, a highly accomplished professional with more than 15 years experience in the cruise and tourism industries, has been named vice president for product development at Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines, the world’s largest cruise operator.

 As vice president, product development, Rittenhouse oversees the development of all guest-facing product features and services and oversees long-term planning for the line’s various ship refurbishment projects.  She will also play a key role in development and design of the line’s next generation of ships.

 In an effort to enhance onboard marketing programs and brand fit through the development of strategic alliances, Chris Arnholt has moved over to the newly created position of vice president, onboard marketing, where she will create and direct onboard marketing programs to promote and communicate a variety of services, amenities and offers across multiple areas.  She will report to Gus Antorcha, senior vice president of guest commerce.  

 Arnholt, a 19-year Carnival veteran, has held a variety of marketing positions within the company and served as vice president of marketing services for eight years prior to moving into the product development area two years ago.  “We are fortunate to have someone with Chris’s extensive marketing background and her recent product development experience to lead this important new effort,” said Ruben Rodriguez, Carnival’s executive vice president of ship operations. 

 Before joining Carnival, Rittenhouse was president of LMR Global Consulting, a Fort Lauderdale-based travel and tourism management consulting company that included Carnival among its clients.  In her role with LMR, she worked closely with Carnival management in developing new guest product concepts for the Carnival Magic when it debuts next year.

 Rittenhouse also spent four years as vice president of hotel operations at Norwegian Cruise Line, with responsibilities that included a variety of ship refurbishment and product development initiatives, and nine years at Renaissance Cruises, where she held several operational posts, including vice president of cruise operations and senior director of newbuildings, delivering eight ships in a two-and-one-half-year period.  She also served as director of tourism for the Cayman Islands for two years.

 “Lania’s extensive background – which includes senior level positions both in the cruise and tourism industries – makes her the ideal candidate for this position as we develop new products and features for both new ships and our existing fleet,” said Rodriguez.  “Lania has already developed some exciting new ideas for the Carnival Magic and her creative input will be critical as we begin conceptualizing our next generation of ships,” he added.

Rittenhouse holds a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Florida and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz. Carnival Cruise Lines is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 15 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Canada, New England and Europe. 

Carnival has two new ships on order -- the 130,000-ton Carnival Magic, which is scheduled for delivery in 2011, and a sister ship set to debut in 2012.