Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) has appointed John W. Chidsey as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.
Chidsey, who was already a member of the NCLH Board of Directors, succeeds Harry Sommer, who stepped down from his executive roles and the board after roughly three years as CEO. Chidsey is a veteran executive known for leading major consumer brands through significant transformations.
He most recently served as the CEO of Subway from 2019 to 2024 and previously held the CEO position at Burger King Holdings. The board selected Chidsey to drive a “next phase of execution and performance improvement,” focusing on operational rigour, financial performance, and long-term shareholder value.
His appointment comes during a period of leadership turnover at NCLH and its brands (Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas). Just days after his appointment, activist investor Elliott Investment Management announced a stake in the company, calling for further changes.
Following the announcement, NCL stock fell approximately 6% as analysts at J.P. Morgan downgraded the shares to “Neutral,” citing concerns over increased promotional discounting. NCLH reaffirmed its 2025 financial guidance, expecting fourth-quarter results to align with previous forecasts.
The company is scheduled to release its full-year 2025 results on March 2, 2026. Sommer had said he expected to be in the job for ten years.
Sommer, who held the role since 2023 after serving as president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, aimed for at least a decade in the position to make defining moves for the company’s future. The board cited execution, operational rigor and performance improvement in the change, stating no disagreement on operations, policies or practices existed.
Chidsey, previously CEO of Subway Restaurants until late 2024 and earlier of Burger King, joined the NCLH board in 2025 after a prior term from 2013 to 2022. Sommer had outlined a long-term newbuild vision to 2045 in a November 2025 discussion. The company operates Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises as an S&P 500 entity.
