Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has named travel industry veteran Marc Kazlauskas as its new President.
The appointment becomes effective on January 19. He joins the company with more than 30 years of senior leadership experience across sales, operations, and innovation in the global travel industry.
Mr Kazlauskas most recently served as CEO of Avoya Travel, one of the largest travel companies in the US and a leading travel platform and host agency.
Prior to this, he served as President of FROSCH and Managing Director of Chase Travel Group, a JP Morgan Chase company, one of the world’s leading travel companies with more than $11 billion in sales and a global footprint, where he led large teams, managed multi-billion-dollar operations and oversaw key partnerships across airlines, tour operators and cruise lines.
He has a strong proven track record in driving commercial performance, customer-experience enhancements and major modernization initiatives that align with Norwegian’s continued focus on disciplined pricing, operational efficiency and elevated guest offerings.
“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 program 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.”
“I am honoured to join Norwegian Cruise Line at such an exciting moment,” said Marc Kazlauskas, incoming president at Norwegian Cruise Line. “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. 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. As I step into this new role, I’m deeply grateful for my time at Avoya Travel and the remarkable people who’ve helped shape my journey leading to this exciting next chapter.”
Before Mr Kazlauskas’ time at Avoya and FROSCH/Chase Travel Group, he held leadership roles at Insight Vacations, where he oversaw US operations and drove triple-digit revenue and profit growth, and at Tauck World Discovery, where he led worldwide sales.
He began his travel-industry career at Orient Cruise Line, previously part of the Norwegian Cruise Line portfolio. He is a former member of the Board of Directors for Signature Travel Network and has served on advisory boards for major global airlines and travel companies.
