The Rise of Empathy & Intuition in Women's Cruise Leadership

With 40 years shaping the travel industry, Dondra Ritzenthaler is a visionary leader known for elevating premium cruise experiences, pioneering travel advisor programs, and driving impactful diversity and community initiatives. Her passion combines business excellence with meaningful philanthropy and mentorship.

In an insightful interaction with Global Woman Leader Magazine. Dondra shares her insights on how the post-pandemic luxury cruise landscape is shaping women leaders’ roles, emphasizing immersive, guest-focused experiences and the rise of empathetic, collaborative leadership in travel innovation.

How has the evolving luxury cruise landscape post-pandemic reshaped the expectations of women leaders in travel regarding experiences such as Azamara offers?

The Covid 19 pandemic changed the world for many of us, but for those of us working in the cruise sector we witnessed guests craving deeper connections, not just with the places they travelled to but with themselves and each other. And at Azamara Cruises that shift perfectly resonated with our DNA. Many woman leaders I know naturally understand that luxury isn’t about the thread count of the bedding or champagne brands; its more about transformative moments, and as result at Azamara Cruises we have designed experiences where our guests can truly unpack, both emotionally and physically. Our longer stays and immersive shore excisions reflect this evolution. Today’s travellers don’t just want to visit Rome – they want to cook with an Italian Nonna and understand her stories.  This expectation for authenticity and depth has elevated women’s intuitive approach to hospitality making our more empathetic leadership style not just valued but central to our sector’s success.

In a traditionally male-dominated maritime sector, how are intimate, high-touch travel experiences influencing the emergence of feminine leadership values at the executive level?

Our guests who travel with us on our intimate ships—just 700 guests —crave the more personal connections our captains and crew naturally provide. This intimacy demands a balanced leadership that prioritises emotional intelligence over traditional command-and-control structures.  When I work alongside our teams of chefs, entertainers, onshore excursion teams, we're not just managing logistics—we're orchestrating emotional journeys, and a great deal of this comes from my female colleagues who bring so much to the table in terms of intuition and empathy, helping to deliver what modern travellers truly seek: authentic human connection.

Maritime was traditionally a male-dominated industry but certainly over the last few decades it has experienced a notable shift as increasing numbers of women enter and advance within the sector with many male colleagues now actively championing gender diversity and inclusion. These male allies are playing a crucial role in fostering supportive workplace cultures and advocating for equal opportunities across all levels of cruise operations. Their commitment to creating an inclusive environment has helped pave the way for women to thrive in roles ranging from ship operations and engineering to hospitality management and executive leadership, which is contributing to a more balanced and collaborative industry landscape.

With consumer demand leaning into authentic, slow-travel experiences, how are women leaders uniquely positioned to influence innovation in designing culturally immersive journeys?

I fundamentally believe that women leaders possess an innate understanding that travel should touch the soul, not just check boxes.  For us at Azamara this can be evidenced though our AzAmazing Evenings which aren't simply performances for tourists—but deeper cultural exchanges. Our diverse and inclusive team across our business naturally approach destination design like nurturing relationships: with patience, curiosity, and deep listening. We spend time with local artisans, understanding their craft's emotional significance, then weave these authentic stories into our guests' journeys. Our longer port stays—often overnight—reflect this philosophy.

I find that women leaders excel at creating space for meaningful encounters because we understand that transformation happens in quiet moments—over shared meals, through unexpected conversations, in the pause between experiences where real connection blooms.

How can organizations in the travel industry create decision-making ecosystems where women's leadership styles naturally thrive?

The most successful travel companies recognise that financial success and emotional connection aren't competing priorities. Women leaders thrive in environments that value long-term relationship building over short-term metrics. As a business instead of only tracking revenue per guest, we monitor emotional engagement, repeat sailing rates and authentic cultural partnerships. And the decisions we make include diverse voices—from our housekeeping teams who know guests' personal preferences to our local guides who understand destination nuances. Our guests become ambassadors, who share their experiences of travelling with us, and this approach generates sustainable growth because it's built on genuine connection rather than transactional exchanges.

In building emotionally intelligent teams, how do you see the role of women leaders evolving in shaping the sensory and emotional arc of travel experiences?

Women leaders are great architects of emotional journeys; they understand that memories come from travel experiences that are built through sensory layers—the scent of spices in a Moroccan market to the sound of waves against a ship's hull. At Azamara, our teams closely to ensure every touchpoint considers the guest's emotional state. Our crew training emphasizes reading nonverbal cues, understanding cultural sensitivities, and creating space for spontaneous moments. I find that women excel at building teams that operate like extended families—showing care and intuition.  As a team at Azamara we are evolving beyond traditional hospitality roles, we are becoming emotional curators who understand that a well-timed conversation with our bartender might be more valuable than any shore excursion. This evolution positions women leaders as essential architects of transformative travel, designing experiences that linger in hearts, long after guests return home.

What's your message for the next generation of women aiming to lead in industries where vision, space for pause, and cultural depth are redefining success?

My message would be to trust your instincts—they're your greatest navigation tools. In an industry increasingly valuing authentic connection over superficial luxury, your natural inclination toward empathy, collaboration and deep listening isn't just an asset—it's vital.  At Azamara, our success stems from understanding that modern travellers seek transformation, not just transportation. And remember that an ability to see beyond spreadsheets to human stories is revolutionary. The future belongs to leaders who understand that business success and human connection aren't opposing forces. Be patient with your growth, surround yourself with mentors who celebrate your authentic leadership style, and never underestimate the power of intuition in boardroom decisions. The cruise industry needs vision, a voice and the unique ability to create experiences that touch souls.