Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that Andy Stuart, the current president and CEO, will step down from the company on 31 December.

Harry Sommer, currently Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ international president, will replace Stuart following his departure at the end of this year.

Stuart has been at NCL since 1988 and has been at the helm as president for the past three decades. Last year, he celebrated 30 years at Norwegian Cruise Line. He will remain with the company as senior advisor until 31 March 2020.

Stuart said: “I could only have dreamed about my journey at Norwegian when I joined the company in 1988 and am extremely fortunate to have witnessed firsthand the incredible evolution of this pioneering brand.

“I am honoured to have played a role in the leadership position Norwegian now holds in this incredible industry and continue to be proud of the commitment, dedication and passion of our team for delivering a best-in-class vacation experience. I have worked closely with Harry and am confident he is the right person to take the helm and continue the journey for Norwegian Cruise Line.”

Commenting on his new role, Sommer said: “Andy and I have worked closely together over the last several years and I am humbled and honoured to follow in his footsteps and lead this renowned brand.

“I look forward to working with all of our incredible partners worldwide, building off the strong position the brand holds today and charting the strategy for the next phase of Norwegian’s journey.”

President and chief executive of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Frank Del Rio said:

“Andy has accomplished everything possible in the cruise industry, including leading its most storied and innovative brand. He will leave on a high note after delivering the brand’s latest ship, Norwegian Encore, the last ship in the most successful ship class in the company’s history.

“We are extremely grateful for his leadership and contributions to Norwegian Cruise Line, our company and the cruise industry.”

Commenting on Sommer’s succession, Del Rio said that he and the board are “confident that Harry is the right person to succeed Andy” and he “looks forward to him leveraging his breadth of knowledge and extensive experience in the industry and our company to take the brand to new heights.”

Visit ncl.com for more information.