Her Story
About Pura
Pura Aguilar is a seasoned cruise and travel industry professional with more than 25 years of experience in team management, business management, sales, marketing, and operations. She began her career in the cruise industry in 1995 after graduating from high school, initially working in reservations with Dolphin and Majesty Cruise Lines. She later joined Royal Caribbean and has built an extensive career across shipboard and shoreside operations, management, global recognition, and national accounts sales and marketing. She currently serves as Senior National Account Manager with Royal Caribbean International, where she manages strategic relationships and supports sales and marketing initiatives for national accounts.
Throughout her career, Pura has developed extensive expertise in national account management, strategic sales, marketing, relationship management, and business operations. Her previous responsibilities included managing relationships with national account partners and collaborating with Sales, Revenue Management, Marketing, Trade Support and Service, and Operations teams. She has also analyzed marketing initiatives to assess effectiveness and support business decisions involving product focus and promotional strategies. Earlier in her career, she coached, counseled, and trained a team of 37 frontline employees, helping team members develop professionally while building a strong and productive organization. Her experience working in a fast-paced and culturally diverse environment has strengthened her ability to make decisions, prioritize competing responsibilities, and perform effectively under pressure.
Pura is a proud alumna of Florida International University – College of Business, where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services. Her professional philosophy is grounded in curiosity, perseverance, strong work ethic, ownership, adaptability, and authenticity. She remains deeply passionate about the travel industry and believes in the power of vacations to create meaningful experiences and bring people together. She is also passionate about encouraging women and the next generation of professionals to remain curious, embrace change, learn from everyone around them, and stay true to who they are. For Pura, professional success is closely connected to family, motherhood, personal values, and the desire to set a positive example for her daughter.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Pura
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my passion for the travel and cruise industry, a strong work ethic, perseverance, and my willingness to continue learning and growing. I began my career in the cruise industry in 1995 and have built my experience from the ground up, progressing through reservations, operations, management, and ultimately national accounts sales and marketing.
My success has also been shaped by my commitment to taking ownership of my responsibilities and consistently delivering results. I have learned to remain adaptable, work effectively with diverse teams, make sound decisions under pressure, and maintain a strong focus on long-term goals while managing day-to-day priorities.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have received is to stay true to my values and to what I know I do best. I believe it is important to push through outside noise and imposter syndrome, particularly as women, and allow the quality of my work to speak for itself. Above all, I remind myself to always stay true to who I am.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the travel and hospitality industry is to remain curious and never underestimate anyone you work with. Be willing to learn from everyone, from senior leadership to administrative and support professionals, because every person can offer valuable knowledge and perspective.
I encourage the next generation to always keep their learning mindset, become comfortable with change, remain open-minded, and stay hungry for growth and new opportunities. A willingness to learn from others and adapt to new circumstances can make a significant difference throughout a career.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities following COVID-19 is that people have a greater appreciation for the value of vacations and the importance of taking time to reconnect, recharge, and create meaningful experiences. This creates an opportunity for the travel industry to remind people of the enrichment and memories that travel can provide.
At the same time, the industry remains vulnerable to factors outside of our control, including world events, geopolitical issues, and illnesses. One of the key challenges is learning how to navigate the noise surrounding these issues while reassuring travelers that vacations remain valuable and worthwhile.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
A strong work ethic and a sense of ownership are extremely important to me. I believe in doing my job with absolute passion and intention, taking responsibility for my work, and giving my best effort to achieve meaningful results.
Family and motherhood are also of utmost importance to me. I want to stay true to who I am while setting an example of confidence, determination, and authenticity for my daughter. Ultimately, much of what I do is motivated by my family and my desire to demonstrate the importance of working hard, believing in yourself, and remaining true to your values.
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