Richard SassoPresident and CEO, MSC Cruises USA  Richard E. Sasso, President and CEO of MSC Cruises USA, has been a popular and well-respected figure in the cruise industry for more than 35 years. After holding key positions at Costa Cruises and Chandris Cruises, Sasso joined the senior management team that launched Celebrity Cruises in 1990. He served as its president from 1995 to 2001 and was instrumental in establishing it as a top premium cruise line.
He was named to his current positions at MSC Cruises USA in 2004. Backed by one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, MSC Cruises has emerged as a fast-rising star in the European-style premium cruise market. The company's $3 billion expansion program resulted in three additions to its fleet – MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, and MSC Opera. In 1999, the National Association of Cruise Only Agencies honored Sasso as "Cruise Industry Executive of the Year," a title to which he was also named by a leading travel industry magazine the same year. He has served as Chairman of both the Cruise Lines International Association and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association. Sasso lives in Delray Beach, Florida with his wife, Carmen. |
