David Herrera, the president of Norwegian Cruise Line, has left the company.
Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, will take over Herrera’s day-to-day duties on an interim basis until a replacement can be found.
“David Herrera has been a dedicated member of our leadership team, and we are grateful for his decade of contributions to NCL’s growth and success,” Sommer said in a statement shared with TravelPulse. “We wish him the very best in his next chapter.”
Sommer added: “I am excited to work closer with the team at NCL to capitalize on the many opportunities ahead as we embark on our search for the next leader who will guide the brand into the future.”
The company revealed the news in an August 20 filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). According to the document, Herrera departed the company on August 20 as “part of a strategic leadership change.”
The company says it will conduct a “robust search” for his successor and has hired a leading executive search firm.
Herrera has been the brand’s president since the spring of 2023. Before that, he served as chief consumer sales and marketing officer for the cruise line since 2021.
He has held various leadership positions since joining the company in 2012, including senior vice president of finance, strategy and consumer research for Norwegian Cruise Line; senior vice president of corporate development and strategy Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings; president of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings China; senior vice president of strategy and business development for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings; and senior advisor to the chairman and CEO of Prestige Cruise Holdings.
Before joining the cruise industry, Herrera was the founder of the private investment firm Eastside Financial Group. Earlier in his career, he was a vice president at Sanford C. Bernstein and an investment banker at Goldman, Sachs & Co. Herrera also served in the National Guard in Florida, Texas and New York
“Aligned with our continued strategic evolution and focus on our Charting the Course Strategy and 2026 targets, NCL is entering a transformative chapter in its nearly 60-year history that will elevate the guest experience even further,” Sommer said in the statement. “Marked by seven next-generation ships on order, major enhancements underway at Great Stirrup Cay, the greatest private island in the Caribbean and an expanded Caribbean presence, the brand is well-positioned for meaningful growth.”
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