Regent Seven Seas Cruises has named the seven senior leaders who will take its new luxury ship Seven Seas Prestige into service.
Captain Luksa Kristovic will command the vessel, supported by general manager Stéphane Carriou, chief engineer Germain Bouvet, staff captain Alexander Tiniakov, senior executive chef Michael Meyepa, cruise director Dru Pavlov and food and beverage director Alin Aricescu.
Together, the team brings more than 150 years of maritime, hospitality, culinary and entertainment experience. Its members will lead approximately 630 crew serving 822 passengers aboard the first ship in Regent's new Prestige Class.
Captain Luksa Kristovic
Captain Kristovic grew up in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and completed a master's degree in maritime navigation and business in 1999.
He began his career as a cadet aboard a bulk carrier before moving into the cruise industry in 2003. He became a captain ten years later and now brings 27 years at sea to the new appointment.
Kristovic described being selected to command Seven Seas Prestige as an immense honour. He said the ship's new suites, public areas and dining experiences would begin an exciting new period for Regent.
General manager Stéphane Carriou
Stéphane Carriou was born near St Malo in France and trained in hotel management at a leading French culinary school before beginning his career at sea at the age of 24.
He joined Regent in 2017 and helped introduce both Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Grandeur as food and beverage director. That experience of launching two recent Regent ships will now support his work as general manager aboard the first Prestige-class vessel.
Chief engineer Germain Bouvet
Germain Bouvet has spent more than 26 years with Regent. He trained at the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime in Nantes and qualified as both a captain and chief engineer.
Before joining the cruise line, Bouvet worked for marine classification society Bureau Veritas. He became involved in the construction of Seven Seas Mariner in 1999 and subsequently served as chief engineer across Regent's fleet.
He is already closely connected with the newest ship, overseeing its technical construction at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard in Italy.
Staff captain Alexander Tiniakov
Alexander Tiniakov graduated from Odessa National Maritime Academy and worked aboard ferries before joining Regent as a deck cadet on Seven Seas Navigator in 2011.
He contributed to the launch teams for Seven Seas Explorer and Seven Seas Splendor, was promoted to staff captain in 2021 and most recently served aboard Seven Seas Grandeur.
Senior executive chef Michael Meyepa
Michael Meyepa will lead the ship's culinary team. His career began with Sun International Hotels, including properties in the Comoros Islands and South Africa.
In 2002 he went to sea aboard The World, then known as The World of ResidenSea, and rose to executive chef in 2006.
That background gives the appointment an interesting connection with another distinctive luxury vessel. Meyepa has experience of delivering high-end dining for a residential community as well as meeting the operational demands of a ship travelling internationally.
Cruise director Dru Pavlov
Canadian Dru Pavlov studied theatre at the University of British Columbia before entering the cruise industry as a DJ in 1999. He became a cruise director in 2002 and joined Regent in February 2022.
Pavlov has worked aboard 28 ships and travelled across all seven continents during a career spanning 27 years at sea.
Food and beverage director Alin Aricescu
Alin Aricescu comes from the Romanian port city of Constanța and began working at sea in 2001.
He joined Regent as a head waiter in 2010 and has progressed through its hospitality operation over the subsequent 16 years. He will work closely with Carriou and Meyepa to establish the new ship's restaurants, bars and service standards.
A new class for Regent
Seven Seas Prestige is scheduled to enter service with a maiden voyage on 13 December 2026. She will be Regent's first new class of ship in ten years.
The vessel will accommodate 822 guests and offer 12 suite categories, all with private balconies. Its design is intended to provide unusually generous passenger space, supported by the high ratio of 630 crew to guests.
The ship introduces new accommodation, public spaces and restaurants while building on the design direction established by Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Grandeur.
Wesley D'Silva, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, said the appointed officers represented the experience, care and attention to detail expected from the brand.
The leadership announcement moves the project beyond renderings and construction milestones by identifying the people responsible for bringing the finished ship to life. Their immediate task will be to turn a new vessel, a large international crew and Regent's service expectations into a functioning luxury hotel at sea.