Oceania builds Canadian team, welcomes Stephanie McDonald as BDM

Oceania Cruises is reaffirming its commitment to the Canadian travel trade with a dedicated, on-the-ground sales leadership to support advisors across the country.

Well-known industry pro Stephanie McDonald has been newly-appointed as business development manager for Eastern Canada, joining Kimberly Tobias, business development manager for Western Canada. 

Together, they work closely with Shirley Lew, a 12-year veteran of Oceania, who was recently promoted to director of preferred accounts, overseeing the line’s preferred agency partnerships in Canada.

Collectively, the team brings decades of experience across the cruise, airline, and travel industries. 

“Canada has always been a vital market for Oceania Cruises, and our commitment to the Canadian trade has never wavered,” said Nathan Hickman, chief sales officer at Oceania. “These new appointments ensure our advisor partners have the support, insights, and collaboration they need to confidently grow their businesses with Oceania Cruises. Shirley, Kim, and Stephanie bring deep experience and trusted relationships that reflect how seriously we take our partnerships across Canada.”

READ MORE: Oceania eliminates NCFs on newly-launched sailings

As the senior member of the team, Lew brings more than 30 years of global experience across the hospitality and travel sectors. She is widely respected for her strong trade relationships and strategic, growth-oriented perspective. Prior to joining Oceania Cruises, Lew held roles with Cruise Strategies Ltd., Singapore Airlines, and the Thomas Cook Group in Canada. 

Supporting Western Canada, Tobias, which joined Oceania last year, brings more than 30 years of experience spanning Canada, the United States, and international markets. 

Known for her strategic and results-driven approach, she delivers actionable market insights that help travel partners maximize performance. Tobias previously held sales roles with Viking in Western Canada and spent 13 years in the airline industry across multiple sales disciplines.

Rounding out the team, McDonald joins with nearly 25 years of cruise industry experience. After beginning her career at sea, she transitioned shoreside, spending more than 15 years building trusted agency relationships and driving sustained sales growth. Most recently, she served as BDM for Canada at Celestyal Cruises, where she also led training and development initiatives across North America.

This comes as the line recently announced the elimination of Non-Commissionable Fares (NCFs), beginning with Oceania Aurelia’s inaugural season in 2028, as well as the 2028 Summer and 2028–29 Winter seasons when they open for sale in June 2026.

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