Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings made $491 million last quarter and raised its 2026 outlook Thursday. CFO Mark Kempa is leaving, and cruise prices for 2027 are already climbing.
Norwegian Cruise Line had a better summer than it expected, and its money guy is heading for the exit.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings reported its third-quarter results early Thursday, Oct. 29. It owns Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Revenue came in at $2.9 billion, and net income was $491 million, up from $419 million a year ago.
In the same breath, the company said Chief Financial Officer Mark Kempa is stepping down. Chief Strategy Officer Meghan Montana takes over on Jan. 1, 2027.
How did Norwegian Cruise Line do in the third quarter?
Better than it told Wall Street to expect. Adjusted earnings came to $1.12 a share, well ahead of the company’s own guidance of 90 cents. Adjusted EBITDA hit $937 million, $63 million more than it projected in July.
The company credited “stronger-than-expected close-in demand and onboard spend.” In plain English: people booked late, and once they were on the ship, they spent.
The stock jumped more than 5% before the market opened Thursday, Investing.com reported.
Why is Norwegian’s CFO Mark Kempa leaving?
The company didn’t give a reason beyond calling it a transition. Kempa has been with Norwegian since 1999 and will stay on as an adviser through June 2027.
“Mark has been a stalwart leader for Norwegian since 1999, guiding the business through our IPO and the acquisition of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises,” CEO John W. Chidsey said in the announcement, as published by Cruise Industry News. He added that Kempa’s “financial leadership was instrumental in ensuring the Company’s survival during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Montana joined the company in January 2026 after years in finance at American Airlines. “I am honored to take on this role at this important stage of NCLH’s turnaround,” she said.
Are Norwegian cruise prices going up in 2027?
That’s the part cruisers will feel. The company says its prices for 2027 sailings are running ahead of where they were at this point last year.
It also expects net yield to grow 1% to 2% next year. That’s the industry’s measure of how much a line takes in per passenger, per day. This year, that number is expected to fall about 4.4%.
Part of the plan is what Norwegian calls “base-loading.” Instead of starting with high fares and slashing them late, it wants more competitive prices earlier in the booking window, according to its July earnings report.
So the last-minute fire sale may get rarer. If you like a Norwegian itinerary for 2027, booking earlier may be the safer bet.
“As we implement the next phase of our turnaround, we are focused on sharpening Norwegian Cruise Line’s brand positioning, improving marketing effectiveness and taking a more disciplined approach to revenue management,” Chidsey said.
What is Great Tides Waterpark at Great Stirrup Cay?
It’s Norwegian’s big swing at families. The nearly six-acre waterpark opened in early September at Great Stirrup Cay, the line’s private island in the Bahamas.
The company says the expanded island, including Great Tides, should help drive demand. Here’s Norwegian’s official look at the waterpark:
Is Norwegian Cruise Line in trouble?
Trouble is a strong word. The company is mid-turnaround, and it says so itself. Its booked position for the next 12 months “remains below its optimal range,” though it improved a bit since summer.
It also carries $15.1 billion in total debt. Kempa said the company has “no significant debt maturities until 2029.”
The company raised its full-year 2026 forecast to about $2.55 billion in adjusted EBITDA and about $1.70 in adjusted earnings per share. It also says it found about $100 million in yearly savings, partly from changes to guest and crew air travel and promotions.
What new Norwegian ships are coming?
The next big one for families is Norwegian Aura. It sets sail May 21, 2027, on a seven-day Mediterranean cruise from Trieste, Italy, then moves to Miami in June 2027, according to Norwegian. The line says it will have the most slides on any Norwegian ship, plus a kids’ aqua park and a ropes course.
On the other side of the ledger, the company finished selling Oceania Sirena, which keeps sailing under a charter through spring 2028, and agreed to sell Oceania Insignia, with delivery to the buyer expected in September 2027.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
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Hat Tips:
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (Oct. 29, 2026), third-quarter results and CFO announcement, as published by Cruise Industry News
Investing.com (Oct. 29, 2026), early stock move
CruiseNews.io (Aug. 5, 2026), base-loading strategy from July earnings
Norwegian Cruise Line (April 16, 2026), Norwegian Aura details
Norwegian Cruise Line on YouTube, Great Tides Waterpark video
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