Carnival Corporation has announced the appointment of John Padgett as president of Princess Cruises, effective immediately.

Serving as president of one of Carnival’s most iconic brands, Padgett will oversee all performance and operational functions of Princess Cruises and its global fleet of 14 ships sailing cruise guests to nearly 400 destinations around the world annually.

He will report directly to Jan Swartz, group president of Holland America Group, which includes the Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn and P&O Cruises Australia brands.

Since July 2014, Padgett has served as chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival, responsible for guest experience innovation, development, creation and operations integration.

In his new role, Padgett will also retain leadership of the corporation’s innovation unit.

Specifically for the Princess Cruises brand, Padgett has been a key player in the development and implementation of the Princess MedallionClass experience.

This includes the creation and development of the award-winning Medallion wearable device and the enabling OCEAN platform that enhances and personalises the overall cruise experience.

“John is the mastermind behind our state-of-the-art OCEAN platform and was a key player in our fleet transformation, working closely with Princess team members in virtually every area of our operation to enable the MedallionClass experience for all our guests,” said Swartz.

“John’s vision, drive and performance, combined with his commitment to providing the best guest experience in the industry, have helped position Princess for success well into the future.

“We warmly welcome John to the role and look forward to his stewardship as we navigate this fast-changing, dynamic environment.”

Commenting on his new role, Padgett said: “Carnival Corporation’s cruise brand portfolio, global fleets, destinations and, most importantly, dedicated shipboard and shoreside teams have provided an unmatched platform to drive guest-focused innovation.

“The opportunity to lead the iconic Princess brand and to help take the cruise content – including hotel, food and beverage, entertainment, merchandise and destination experiences – to new levels is an absolute honour.”

Prior to joining Carnival, Padgett worked for 18 years with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, where he spearheaded the invention, development and implementation of guest engagement innovations that include the MagicBand, FastPass+ and Disney’s Magical Express.