Dir, Product Development

Journey with us!

Combine your career goals and sense of adventure by joining our incredible team of employees at Royal Caribbean Group. We are proud to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, and excellent career development opportunities, each offering unique ways to explore the world.

We are proud to be the vacation‑industry leader with global brands — including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises — the most innovative fleet and private destinations, and the best people. Together, we are dedicated to turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations for our guests.

Royal Caribbean Group’s Celebrity Marketing Team has an exciting career opportunity for a full‑time Director, Product Development, Celebrity Cruises reporting to the Vice President, Product Development.

Position Summary

The Director of Product Development (Basel) is the primary Product Development leader for River guest experiences, with additional oversight and project‑based support across Destination Experiences and select Ocean initiatives as needed. Acting as a direct extension of the Miami‑based Product Development organization, this role ensures that River onboard and destination experiences are delivered with operational excellence, brand consistency, and strict adherence to SOPs throughout their lifecycle—not only at launch, but in steady‑state operation.

This position is designated as an international expatriate assignment. The successful candidate will initially be based in Miami for a defined transition period to support onboarding and integration with the Product Development organization. After transition, the role requires relocation to Basel, Switzerland for a two‑year assignment commitment, in alignment with standard company expatriation policies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Leadership Attributes

  • River‑First Product Leader with deep ownership of River guest experience execution.

  • Operationally embedded and closely partnered with live operations teams.

  • Steward of brand intent, service standards, and SOP integrity.

  • Pragmatic problem solver capable of managing disruption while protecting guest experience quality.

• Product Oversight

  • Serve as the Product Development owner for all existing River onboard and destination experiences.

  • Ensure alignment of River experiences—land and ship—with approved concepts, brand standards, and operating procedures.

  • Act as the primary escalation point for River product execution issues.

  • Align global product intent with regional operational realities in close partnership with Miami‑based Product Development.

• Operational Excellence & SOP Delivery

  • Ensure consistent execution of SOPs across all River guest experiences.

  • Identify gaps between documented SOPs and live execution; partner with Operations to drive corrective action.

  • Embed product standards into daily service delivery and champion standardization across the River fleet.

• Experience Audit & Quality Assurance 

• • Lead ongoing audits of River experiences, including
    • Guest journey flow
    • Service delivery consistency
    • Brand alignment
    • Experience quality
  • Evaluate performance, capture insights, and feed learnings into product refinement and development work.

• Shipyard & Technical Collaboration

  • Partner with Shipyard teams on design workshops, reviews, and working sessions.

  • Participate in mock‑ups, sample reviews, and prototype walk‑throughs to validate guest experience feasibility.

  • Translate shipyard learnings into actionable product and operational refinements.

• Marine & Refurbishment Support

  • Provide Product Development guidance to Marine and Technical teams on refurbishment decisions.

  • Evaluate trade‑offs related to functionality, durability, guest impact, and brand integrity.

  • Review renovation scopes, materials, and sequencing to ensure minimal guest experience disruption.

• Entertainment, Programming & Special Events

  • Oversee River entertainment scheduling and experiential flow.

  • Lead execution for seasonal programming and special events.

  • Ensure programming aligns with brand storytelling and operational capacity.

  • Collaborate with Entertainment, Marketing, and Operations to deliver seamless experiences.

• Partnerships & Activations

  • Oversee execution of River‑focused partnerships and experiential activations.

  • Ensure third‑party experiences meet brand and service standards.

  • Support Ocean partnership initiatives as needed.

• Operational Partnership & Disruption Support

  • Serve as a Product Development consultant to Basel‑based Operations during unanticipated disruptions.

  • Support rapid decision‑making related to schedule, staffing, supply, or technical issues.

  • Recommend adjustments to protect the guest experience while ensuring operational continuity.

• Secondary / As‑Needed Scope

  • Provide targeted support for Ocean initiatives, including audits and special projects.

  • Maintain River‑first accountability while supporting cross‑brand needs.

  • Share River‑based insights and best practices where relevant.

• Launch & Transition Support

  • Support launches and pilots for new River experiences.

  • Ensure seamless transition into steady‑state operations.

  • Validate SOP and brand standard alignment before handoff.

• Governance, Reporting & Communication

  • Provide structured updates to Miami‑based Product Development leadership on:

    • River experience performance

    • Operational risks and mitigations

    • Brand and SOP compliance

  • Contribute to executive‑ready summaries, issue logs, and documentation.

  • Maintain disciplined records of decisions, deviations, and learnings.

• Executive Communication & Special Projects

  • Prepare executive‑level materials, including briefings and business cases.

  • Lead confidential initiatives and serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.

Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

• 10+ years' experience in Product Development, Guest Experience, Operations, Newbuild, Refurbishment, or Hospitality.

• Preference for internal candidates knowledgeable about brand culture and structure.

• Strongly preferred: River cruise, small‑ship, luxury hospitality, or high‑touch operational experience.

• Demonstrated experience leading live product portfolios—not solely concept development.

• Proven collaboration with Operations, Marine, Technical, and Shipyard partners.

• Experience supporting refurbishments and lifecycle improvements.

• High ownership mentality with strong cross‑functional influence.

• Exceptional judgment in fast‑moving operational environments.

• Willingness to travel extensively across River and Ocean assets.

• Ability to relocate to Basel, Switzerland for a two‑year expatriate assignment.

• Strong operational, SOP, auditing, and service‑delivery expertise.

• Strong narrative, communication, and executive‑presentation skills.

Financial / Quantitative Responsibilities

• Oversight and accountability for Celebrity River guest experiences.

• Prioritize operating and refurbishment budgets to maximize ROI.

Physical Requirements

Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities. Must be able to travel globally, conduct presentations, and work beyond standard hours as needed.

Working Conditions

This job description outlines primary responsibilities but is not exhaustive. Additional duties may be assigned. Role primarily operates in a standard office environment with travel for team‑building, training, or conferences. Flexibility in working hours may be required.

We know there's a lot to consider.

As you go through the application process, our recruiters will be glad to provide guidance and answer any additional questions. Thank you again for your interest in Royal Caribbean Group. We hope to see you onboard soon!

It is the policy of the Company to ensure equal employment and promotion opportunity to qualified candidates without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, sexuality, gender identity or expression, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Royal Caribbean Group and each of its subsidiaries prohibit and will not tolerate discrimination or harassment.