Marc Kazlauskas appointed President of Norwegian Cruise Line from January 2026

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has announced the appointment of Marc Kazlauskas as President of its flagship brand Norwegian Cruise Line, with his tenure set to begin on January 19th, 2026.

The appointment comes as the company continues to advance its fleet expansion and brand development plans.

Kazlauskas joins Norwegian Cruise Line with more than 30 years of senior leadership experience across the global travel industry, spanning sales, operations, and innovation.

Most recently, he served as chief executive officer of Avoya Travel, one of the largest travel companies in the United States, where he led a travel platform and host agency operating at scale across multiple distribution channels.

Prior to his role at Avoya Travel, Kazlauskas held senior leadership positions at FROSCH, where he served as President, and at Chase Travel Group, a JP Morgan Chase company, where he was Managing Director.

According to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, his background includes a strong track record in driving commercial performance, improving customer experience, and overseeing large-scale modernisation initiatives.

“Marc is a proven leader with deep commercial expertise and an unwavering commitment to the guest experience,” said Harry Sommer, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. “His appointment comes at a pivotal time for the Norwegian Cruise Line brand as we continue to see healthy demand for cruise, execute on our newbuild programme and make significant progress on major initiatives, including enhancements to our private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay. Marc will be instrumental in further advancing the brand’s long-term performance and growth.”

Kazlauskas said he was looking forward to taking on the role at Norwegian Cruise Line following a period of strong trading and operational momentum for the brand. “I am honored to join Norwegian Cruise Line at such an exciting moment,” he said.

“The momentum already underway sets NCL up for continued success, and I look forward to building on the company’s strong performance alongside its incredible team,” he added. “With robust booking trends, the upcoming debut of Norwegian Luna, as well as the company’s strong pipeline of newbuilds through 2036 and major enhancements to Great Stirrup Cay, the company is well positioned for future success.”

The appointment takes place as Norwegian Cruise Line continues to progress its long-term fleet strategy, including the introduction of new ships and infrastructure investments, while navigating a period of sustained demand across key cruise markets.

Kazlauskas’ arrival is expected to bring continuity from the wider travel sector into the brand’s leadership as it enters its next phase of development.