Cruise company boss receives lifetime achievement award
Carnival UK chief executive officer David Dingle has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award for more than 30 years of service to the passenger shipping industry.
The Passenger Shipping Association’s annual John Lancaster Smith Award was presented to Dingle at the PSA annual dinner in the presence of more than 450 guests.
Dingle joined P&O Cruises in 1978 after leaving Cambridge University. He became managing director in 2000.
At the time of the merger of P&O Princess Cruises Plc and the Carnival Corporation in April 2003, he became managing director of Carnival UK and was then appointed Carnival UK’s chief executive officer in June 2007 where his responsibilities covered P&O Cruises, Cunard Line, Ocean Village and Princess Cruises.
Dingle has held numerous high-profile positions within the industry including the chair of the European Cruise Council, president of The UK Chamber of Shipping and director of the Passenger Shipping Association.
He was awarded a CBE in the 2009 New Year’s Honours and this year joined the Board of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations.
William Gibbons, director of the PSA said: “David is a tireless campaigner on behalf of the cruise industry.
"He is an active participant on shipping related issues and is at the forefront in lobbying the UK Government and the European Union on behalf of the industry.
"Significant highlights while he has been at the helm of Carnival UK include the building of new ships specific to the UK market, a development dating back to David’s close involvement in the launch of Oriana in 1995.
"Since then we have seen the expansion of the P&O Cruises’ fleet and the introduction of three new Cunard ships, all of which has contributed to raising the profile of cruising, now making it a mainstream holiday choice.
"It is a great honour to present this prestigious award to David in recognition of his huge contribution to the development of passenger shipping.”
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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