Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Names Salika Kebschull Managing Director as Isolde Susset Retires

October 5, 2026 — Hapag-Lloyd Cruises will get a new managing director at the turn of the year. Salika Kebschull succeeds Isolde Susset, who retires on December 31, 2026, after 30 years with the German luxury and expedition line.

Kebschull joins on November 1, 2026, and formally takes over on January 1, 2027, after a two-month handover. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is part of TUI Cruises, where Susset has also sat on the executive board since 2024.

The transition

Date	Step
November 1, 2026	Salika Kebschull joins the company
December 31, 2026	Isolde Susset retires
January 1, 2027	Kebschull becomes managing director

Kebschull comes from luxury hotels and tourism sales. She was general manager of the Hotel München Palace, director of membership services at Relais & Châteaux and director of cruise consultancy at Sea Cloud Cruises. TUI Cruises chief executive Wybcke Meier credited Susset with shaping the line “over three decades.”

Also: three-star chef returns to Europa

Separately, CruiseMapper reported on October 4 that three-Michelin-starred chef Kevin Fehling will sail on selected dates across seven Europa voyages in 2027. Fehling runs the ship’s restaurant The Globe and The Table in Hamburg. An early-booking discount on cruises departing May through September 2027 is available until October 31, 2026. The seven voyage dates were not listed.

What it means for airline travelers

No change to sailings. This is a planned leadership handover. Itineraries, ships and bookings are unaffected.
Booking deadline: If a summer 2027 Europa cruise is on your list, the early-booking discount ends October 31, 2026.
Know the product. Hapag-Lloyd’s ships are aimed mainly at German-speaking guests. Check the onboard language of a specific sailing before you book.
Interline rates: Neither report mentions travel-industry pricing.