Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) announced late Thursday, 12 February 2026, that board member John W. Chidsey would take the reins as president and CEO of the company, replacing Harry Sommer.
The move – effective immediately – is the latest in a series of abrupt management changes at NCLH and its individual cruise brands, which include Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas.
Sommer, who was appointed CEO of NCLH three years ago, previously served as CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and had been with the company for more than 30 years.
It is the latest in a long line of ousters for the popular cruise brand: NCL president and CEO David Herrera departed the company last August after taking over from Sommer in the summer of 2023.
Sommer, as head of NCLH, replaced outgoing president and CEO Frank Del Rio.
Other NCLH brands have also seen executive shuffles recently. In February 2025, Jason Montague replaced Frank A. Del Rio, Jnr, as the head of Oceania Cruises, with the latter serving barely two years in the role. Montague is also president and CEO of upscale brand Regent Seven Seas, replacing Andrea DeMarco, who also served barely two years in the role.
Chidsey, who arrives with experience heading up restaurant corporation Subway between 2019 and 2024, was part of a “strategic leadership change”, according to NCLH.
Update: According to a Wall Street Journal article from 17 February, Elliot Investment Management, an activist investor group, has gained 10 percent of shares in NCLH and is likely to push for changes that could even see former Royal Caribbean president and CEO, Adam Goldstein, join the NCLH board.
