Item 1. Business

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Item 1. Business

History and Development of the Company

Norwegian commenced operations from Miami in 1966, launching the modern cruise industry by offering weekly departures from Miami to the Caribbean. In February 2011, NCLH, a Bermuda limited company, was formed with the issuance to the Sponsors of, in aggregate, 10,000 ordinary shares, with a par value of $0.001 per share. In January 2013, NCLH completed its IPO and the ordinary shares of NCLC, which were owned entirely by the Sponsors, were exchanged for the ordinary shares of NCLH, and NCLH became the owner of 100% of the ordinary shares and parent company of NCLC (the “Corporate Reorganization”). At the same time, NCLH contributed $460.0 million to NCLC and the historical financial statements of NCLC became those of NCLH. The Corporate Reorganization was affected solely for the purpose of reorganizing our corporate structure. As a result of the Secondary Equity Offerings, as of December 2018, the Sponsors no longer owned the ordinary shares they held in NCLH.

In November 2014, we completed the Acquisition of Prestige. We believe that the combination of Norwegian and Prestige creates a cruise operating company with a rich product portfolio and strong market presence.

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Additional Information

Our registered offices are located at Walkers Corporate (Bermuda) Limited, Park Place, 3rd Floor, 55 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda. Our principal executive offices are located at 7665 Corporate Center Drive, Miami, Florida 33126. Daniel S. Farkas, the Company’s Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary, is our agent for service of process at our principal executive offices.

Our Company

Business Overview

We are a leading global cruise company which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands. As of December 31, 2019, we had 27 ships with approximately 58,400 Berths and had orders for 10 additional ships through 2027, subject to certain conditions.

Seven Seas Splendor was delivered in January 2020. We have one additional Explorer Class Ship on order for delivery in the fall of 2023. We have two Allura Class Ships on order for delivery in the winter of 2022 and spring of 2025. Project Leonardo will introduce an additional six ships with expected delivery dates from 2022 through 2027. These additions to our fleet will increase our total Berths to approximately 82,000.

Our brands offer itineraries to worldwide destinations including Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Africa, Canada, Bermuda, Caribbean, Alaska and Hawaii. Norwegian’s U.S.-flagged ship, Pride of America, provides the industry’s only entirely inter-island itinerary in Hawaii.

All of our brands offer an assortment of features, amenities and activities, including a variety of accommodations, multiple dining venues, bars and lounges, spa, casino and retail shopping areas and numerous entertainment choices. All brands also offer a selection of shore excursions at each port of call as well as hotel packages for stays before or after a voyage.

Our Fleet

The following table presents information about our ships and their primary areas of operation based on current and future itineraries, which are subject to change.

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Ship (1)Year BuiltPrimary Areas of Operation
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Norwegian​​​
Norwegian Encore​2019​Alaska, Bermuda, Canada & New England, Caribbean​
Norwegian Bliss​2018​Alaska, Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico-Pacific​
Norwegian Joy​2017​Alaska, Bermuda, Canada & New England, Caribbean, Central America, Mexico-Pacific​
Norwegian Escape​2015​Caribbean, Europe​
Norwegian Getaway​2014​Bahamas, Caribbean, Europe​
Norwegian Breakaway​2013​Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada & New England, Caribbean​
Norwegian Epic​2010​Caribbean, Europe​
Norwegian Gem​2007​Bermuda, Canada & New England, Caribbean, Mexico-Pacific​
Norwegian Jade​2006​Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Europe​
Norwegian Pearl​2006​Bahamas, Canada & New England, Caribbean, Europe,​
Norwegian Jewel​2005​Alaska, Australia & New Zealand, Hawaii, South Pacific​
Pride of America​2005​Hawaii​
Norwegian Dawn​2002​Asia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean, Europe​
Norwegian Star​2001​Europe, South America​
Norwegian Sun​2001​Alaska, Bahamas, Caribbean, Central America​
Norwegian Sky​1999​Bahamas, Caribbean​
Norwegian Spirit​1998​Africa, Asia, Europe​
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Oceania Cruises​​​​
Oceania Riviera​2012​Caribbean, Europe​
Oceania Marina​2011​Europe, South America​
Oceania Nautica​2000​Africa, Asia, Europe​
Oceania Sirena​1999​Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Europe​
Oceania Regatta​1998​Alaska, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Central America, South Pacific​
Oceania Insignia​1998​Africa, Alaska, Asia, Bermuda, Canada & New England, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico-Pacific, South America, South Pacific​
Regent
Seven Seas Splendor (2)​2020​Caribbean, Central America, Europe​
Seven Seas Explorer​2016​Alaska, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Caribbean, Europe​
Seven Seas Voyager​2003​Africa, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Europe, South America​
Seven Seas Mariner​2001​Alaska, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Caribbean, Europe, South America​
Seven Seas Navigator​1999​Australia & New Zealand, Canada & New England, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Hawaii, South America, South Pacific​
(1)The table above does not include an additional 9 ships on order.
(2)Seven Seas Splendor was delivered in January 2020.

Our Mission and Competitive Strengths

Our core mission is to provide exceptional vacation experiences delivered by passionate team members committed to world-class hospitality and innovation. We believe that the following business strengths support our overall strategy to deliver on our mission:

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Rich Stateroom Mix

The Norwegian, Oceania Cruises and Regent fleets offer an attractive mix of staterooms, suites and villas. Norwegian’s accommodations include the groundbreaking Studio staterooms designed for solo travelers centered around the Studio Lounge, a private lounge area solely for Studio guests, as well as ocean views, balconies and connecting accommodations to meet the needs of all types of cruisers. Norwegian’s suites range from two-bedroom family suites to penthouses and owner suites, as well as three-bedroom Garden Villas measuring up to 6,694 square feet. In addition, 11 of Norwegian’s ships offer The Haven, a key-card access enclave on the upper decks with luxurious suite accommodations, exclusive amenities, and 24/7 butler and concierge service. The Haven suites surround a private courtyard with pool, hot tubs, sundeck, fitness center and steam rooms. On board Norwegian Epic, the Breakaway Class Ships and the Breakaway Plus Class Ships, The Haven also includes a private lounge and fine dining restaurant.

The spacious and elegant accommodations on Oceania Cruises’ six award-winning ships, the 684-Berth Regatta, Insignia, Sirena and Nautica, and the 1,250-Berth Marina and Riviera, range from 143-square foot inside staterooms to opulent 2,030-square foot owner suites. The Regent fleet is comprised of five ships. Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Mariner, Seven Seas Explorer and Seven Seas Splendor feature all-suite, all-balcony accommodations, and a majority of the accommodations on Seven Seas Navigator include balconies. The two newest ships in the Regent fleet, Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Explorer, also feature the Regent Suite, a 4,443 square-foot luxurious suite accommodation that includes an in-suite spa retreat, a 1,300 square-foot wraparound veranda, and a glass-enclosed solarium sitting area.

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High-Quality Service

The Norwegian, Oceania Cruises and Regent brands all offer a high level of onboard service. We collaborate amongst the brands to provide an enhanced guest experience. Norwegian offers guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ideal cruise vacation on their schedule with no set dining times, a variety of entertainment options and no formal dress codes. Oceania Cruises and Regent are known for their quality of service, including some of the highest crew-to-guest ratios in the industry and a staff trained to deliver personalized and attentive service.

Diverse Selection of Premium Itineraries

We continually look to enhance our already broad range of premium itineraries. Our fleet has a worldwide deployment, offering voyages ranging from three days to a 180-day around-the-world cruise. Our vessels call on several ports in Scandinavia, Russia, the Mediterranean, the Greek Isles, Alaska, Canada and New England, Asia, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, Africa, India, South America, the Panama Canal and the Caribbean. We have also developed destinations to enhance the shore experience for our guests. In 2016, we introduced Harvest Caye in Southern Belize. The destination features Belize’s only cruise ship pier, an expansive seven-acre white sand beach, 15,000 sq. ft. pool with swim up bar, multiple dining options and a nature center with wildlife experiences plus adventure tours. We were the first cruise line to offer calls to a private destination at Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas.

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Strong Cash Flow

We believe our business model will generate a significant amount of cash flow with high revenue visibility. All three of our brands afford the ability to pre-sell tickets, receive customer deposits and sell onboard activities in advance with long lead times ahead of sailing. In terms of newbuild capital expenditures, the cash flow impact is mitigated as we have obtained export credit financing for the ships which is expected to fund approximately 80% of the contract price of each ship expected to be delivered through 2027, subject to certain conditions.

Highly Experienced Team

Our senior management team is comprised of executives with extensive experience in the cruise, travel, leisure and hospitality-related industries. See “Information about our Executive Officers” below.

Our Business Strategies

Driving Demand

We seek to attract vacationers to our products and services in several ways, including:

●delivering an enhanced, value-added vacation experience to our guests relative to other vacation alternatives;
●creating diverse and unique itineraries in new and existing markets;
●utilizing effective marketing and sales initiatives with a market-to-fill strategy; and
●strengthening our global footprint.

Our value-added-vacation product, itinerary diversification, marketing and sales initiatives and the strengthening of our global footprint contribute to driving increased revenues for our fleet. Our market-to-fill strategy maintains pricing integrity by offering both the best price early in the booking cycle and value-added promotions when necessary to mitigate the need to compromise on price.

Our destination management team reviews deployments across the fleet, either repositioning ships to new destinations or fine-tuning itineraries, with the goal of diversifying our deployment and creating product scarcity which, in turn, leads to higher pricing.

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We also seek to increase demand through effective marketing campaigns across various channels such as branding campaigns on nationwide television, robust and varied digital campaigns or targeted mail campaigns aimed at supporting seasonal deployments. Our sales forces are also drivers of demand, particularly in terms of educating travel advisors on our products and services in order to better sell to potential vacationers.

Lastly, our international efforts are aimed at strengthening our global footprint by increasing brand awareness across the globe which allows us to diversify our guest sourcing. We maintain numerous sales offices which support sales and marketing efforts in various markets outside of North America including the United Kingdom, Europe, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, India, Japan and Singapore.

Maximize Revenue

We focus on growing revenue through various initiatives aimed at increasing ticket prices and Occupancy Percentages as well as onboard spending to drive higher overall revenue. Our specific initiatives include:

Strategic Relationships. We have strategic relationships with travel advisors and tour operators who commit to purchasing a certain level of inventory with long lead times.

Bundling Strategy. The Norwegian brand offers guests the choice of a more inclusive, value-add product offering on certain sailings and in certain stateroom selections by allowing guests to choose from multiple amenities.

Casino Player Strategy. We have non-exclusive arrangements with casino partners worldwide whereby loyal gaming guests are offered cruise reward certificates redeemable for cruises. Through property sponsored events and joint marketing programs, we have the opportunity to market cruises to these guests. These arrangements with casino partners have the dual benefit of filling open inventory and reaching guests expected to generate above average onboard revenue through the casino and other onboard spending.

Itinerary Optimization. We manage our ships’ deployments to promote better breadth of itineraries, sell cruises further in advance and maximize profitability.

Ship Refurbishments. We have invested in revitalizations to our ships which provides an enhanced product that we believe delivers higher guest satisfaction and, in turn, higher pricing.

Initiatives to Suppress Costs

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We continue to leverage the combined purchasing power of our three brands to further reduce costs throughout the organization. This initiative is bolstered by our Supply Chain and Logistics Management function which supports our three brands as well as our corporate and international offices.

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Our new ships are designed to enhance energy efficiency and we have several initiatives in place to improve efficiency on our existing fleet. Some of these initiatives include LED lighting upgrades, waste heat recovery, new hull coatings and itinerary optimization.

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Enhanced Product Offering and Guest Experience

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We believe our brands deliver a strong product offering and superb guest experience. Norwegian’s ships offer up to 28 dining options, a diverse range of accommodations and what we believe is the widest array of entertainment at sea. Oceania Cruises’ award-winning onboard dining, with multiple open seating dining venues, is a central highlight of its cruise experience. Regent’s all-inclusive offering includes air transportation, shore excursions, pre-cruise hotel stays (for concierge level and above), specialty restaurants, premium spirits and fine wines, gratuities, Wi-Fi and other amenities. We continually look for ways to enhance the already strong product offering and guest experience on board our three brands and in the destinations in which we call. We do so through ship refurbishments, enhancements to dining and entertainment offerings, expansion of immersive shore excursion offerings and more.

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Measured Fleet Expansion

Norwegian Encore was delivered in October 2019. This ship is the largest in our fleet at approximately 169,000 Gross Tons. With approximately 4,000 Berths, she is similar in design to Norwegian Bliss and includes additional innovative features. Project Leonardo consists of six ships on order for the Norwegian brand with expected delivery dates through 2027, subject to certain conditions. Each of the six Project Leonardo ships are approximately 140,000 Gross Tons and 3,300 Berths. For the Regent brand, Seven Seas Splendor was delivered in January 2020. We have an order for one additional Explorer Class Ship to be delivered in 2023. Each of the Explorer Class Ships will be approximately 55,000 Gross Tons and 750 Berths. For the Oceania Cruises brand, we have orders for two Allura Class Ships to be delivered in 2022 and 2025. Each of the Allura Class Ships will be approximately 67,000 Gross Tons and 1,200 Berths.

We believe these new ships will allow us to continue expanding the reach of our brands, positioning us for accelerated growth and providing an optimized return on invested capital. We have obtained export credit financing which is expected to fund approximately 80% of the contract price of each ship expected to be delivered through 2027, subject to certain conditions.

Expand and Strengthen Our Product Distribution Channels

As part of our growth strategy, we continually look for ways to deepen and expand our sales channels.

The retail/travel advisor channel represents the majority of our ticket sales. Our travel partner base is comprised of an extensive network of approximately 23,000 independent travel advisors worldwide. We have made substantial investments with improvements in booking technologies, transparent pricing strategies, effective marketing tools, improved communication and cooperative marketing initiatives to enhance and facilitate the ability of travel advisors to market and sell our products. We have expanded sales teams who work closely with our travel advisor partners on maximizing their marketing and sales effectiveness across all three of our brands. Our focused account management is designed to create solutions catered to the individual retailer through product and sales training. This education creates a deeper understanding of all our product offerings.

We continue to invest in our brands by enhancing websites, mobile applications and passenger services departments including our personal cruise consultants, who offer personalized service throughout the process of designing cruise vacations for our guests. We have also enhanced our capabilities to enable guests to customize their vacation experience with certain onboard product offerings. We also have an onboard cruise sales channel where guests can book their next cruise or purchase cruise certificates to apply to their next cruise while vacationing on our ships.

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Our meetings, incentives and charters channel focuses on full ship charters as well as corporate meetings and incentive travel. These sales often have very long lead times and can fill a significant portion of the ship’s capacity, or even an entire sailing, in one transaction. Sixthman, a subsidiary company specializing in developing and delivering music-oriented charters, provides a market that enables travel advisors to sell high-quality music experiences at sea to guests.

Itineraries

We offer cruise itineraries ranging from a few days to 180-days calling on worldwide locations, including destinations in Scandinavia, Russia, the Mediterranean, the Greek Isles, Alaska, Canada and New England, Asia, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, Africa, India, South America, the Panama Canal and the Caribbean. We have developed, and are continuing to develop, innovative itineraries to position our ships in new and niche markets as well as in the mainstream markets throughout the world.

We believe that these destination-focused itineraries, complemented by a comprehensive shore excursion program (which is included in the all-inclusive fare for cruises on the Regent ships), differentiate our brands from many of our competitors. We call on varied destinations, many of which include overnight stays in port, allowing guests to have more in-depth experiences than would otherwise be possible in only a single day port call.

For some of our longer itineraries, we strive to maximize profitability by selling segments of the longer itineraries as shorter cruises (i.e., which last 7 to 20 days) in order to capture more time-constrained customers. We believe the deployment flexibility created by the use of longer itineraries translates off-peak seasons into more profitable portions of longer cruises.

Passenger Ticket Revenue

We offer our guests a wide variety of cruise fare options when booking a cruise. Our cruise ticket prices generally include cruise fare and a wide variety of onboard activities and amenities, meals, entertainment and port fees and taxes. In some instances, cruise ticket prices include round-trip airfare to and from the port of embarkation, complimentary beverages, unlimited shore excursions, free internet, pre-cruise hotel packages, and on some of the exotic itineraries pre or post land packages. Prices vary depending on the particular cruise itinerary, stateroom category selected and the time of year that the voyage takes place.

Onboard and Other Revenue

All three brands generate onboard and other revenue for additional products and services which are not included in the cruise fare, including casino operations, certain food and beverage, shore excursions, gift shop purchases, spa services, photo services, Wi-Fi services and other similar items. Food and beverage, casino operations, photo services and shore excursions are generally managed directly by us while retail shops, spa services, art auctions and internet services may be managed through contracts with third-party concessionaires. These contracts generally entitle us to a percentage of the gross sales derived from these concessions. Norwegian’s ticket prices typically include cruise accommodations, meals in certain dining facilities and many onboard activities such as entertainment, pool-side activities and various sports programs. To maximize onboard revenue, all three brands use various cross-marketing and promotional tools which are supported by point-of-sale systems permitting “cashless” transactions for the sale of these products and services. Oceania Cruises’ ticket prices may include air transportation and certain other amenities. Regent’s ticket prices typically include air transportation, unlimited shore excursions, a pre-cruise hotel night stay (for concierge level and above), premium wines and top shelf liquors, specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi and gratuities.

Onboard and other revenue accounted for 30%, 30% and 31% of our consolidated revenue in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Revenue Management Practices

Our revenue management function performs extensive analyses in order to determine booking history and uses trends by sailing, stateroom category, travel partner, market segment, itinerary and distribution channel in order to optimize cruise ticket revenue. We utilize a market-to-fill strategy to encourage guests to book earlier which extends our booking window and drives higher pricing. Our targeted and high-frequency marketing campaigns communicate a message of a value-packed cruise offering. We emphasize communication to keep the travel advisors engaged and informed and utilize call centers to drive high potential targeted customers and increase the effectiveness of these targeted marketing programs. This marketing strategy assists in maximizing the revenue potential from each customer contact generated. We believe these strategies and other initiatives executed by our distribution channels will drive sustainable growth in the number of guests carried and in Net Yields achieved.

Seasonality

Our revenue is seasonal and based on the demand for cruises. Historically, the seasonality of the North American cruise industry generally results in the greatest demand for cruises during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer months. This predictable seasonality in demand has resulted in fluctuations by quarter in our revenue and results of operations. The seasonality of our results is increased due to ships being taken out of service for regularly scheduled Dry-docks, which we typically schedule during non-peak demand periods.

Competition

Our primary competition includes operators such as Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc, which owns and operates Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line, among others, and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., which owns and operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises and Silversea Cruises among others, as well as other cruise lines such as MSC Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises and Virgin Voyages. In addition, we compete with land-based vacation alternatives, such as hotels and resorts, vacation ownership properties, casinos, and tourist destinations throughout the world.

Sales of cruises and onboard offerings are subject to consumer discretionary spending levels and may be influenced by geopolitical events and economic conditions.

Marketing Strategy

Our marketing teams work to enhance brand awareness and consideration of our products and services among consumers and travel partners with the ultimate goal of driving sales. We utilize a multi-channel strategy that may include a combination of print, television, radio, website/e-commerce, direct mail, social media, mobile and e-mail campaigns, partnerships, customer loyalty initiatives, market research, and business-to-business events.

Building customer loyalty among our past guests is an important element of our marketing strategy. We believe that attending to the needs and motivations of our past guests creates a cost-effective means of attracting business, particularly to our new ships and itineraries, because past guests are familiar with our brands, products and services and often return to cruise with us. We continue to optimize our customer databases and targeting capabilities to further enhance our communications with our past guests who receive e-mail, direct mail and brochures with informative destination and product information and promotional amenities. Our marketing mix includes a balance of initiatives that both allow us to build our brand awareness to attract new-to-brand customers, while also focusing on more targeted marketing communications aimed at retaining our current guest base. Continued investments in our websites is also key not only to driving interest and bookings, but also to ensuring the optimal pre-cruise planning experience offering guests the ability to shop, reserve and purchase a breadth of onboard products and services. We have a strong communications stream that provides customized pre-cruise information to help guests maximize their cruise experience as well as a series of communications to welcome them home and ultimately engage them in booking another cruise.

Travel advisors are crucial to our marketing and distribution efforts. We provide robust marketing support and enhanced tools for our travel advisor partners through a variety of programs. Our travel partners can benefit from our online travel partner education programs that include a wide variety of courses about our ships, itineraries and other best-selling practices. Advisors can also easily customize a multitude of consumer marketing materials for their use in promoting our products through our online platform.

Guest feedback is also a critically important element in the development of our overall marketing and business strategies. We regularly initiate guest feedback studies among both travel partners and consumers to assess the impact of various programs and/or to solicit information that helps shape future direction.

Ship Operations and Cruise Infrastructure

Ship Maintenance and Logistics

Sophisticated and efficient maintenance and operations systems support the technical superiority and modern look of our fleet. In addition to routine repairs and maintenance performed on an ongoing basis and in accordance with applicable requirements, each of our ships is generally taken out of service, approximately every 24 to 60 months, for a period of one or more weeks for scheduled maintenance work, repairs and improvements performed in Dry-dock. Dry-dock interval is a statutory requirement controlled under IMO requirements reflected in chapters of the International Convention of the Safety of Life at Seas (“SOLAS”) and to some extent the International Load Lines Convention. Under these regulations, it is required that a passenger ship Dry-dock once in five years (depending on age of vessel) or twice in five years (depending on flag state and age of vessel) and the maximum interval between each Dry-dock cannot exceed three years (depending on flag state and age of vessel). However, most of our international ships qualify under a special exemption provided by the Bahamas and/or Marshall Islands (flag state), as applicable, after meeting certain criteria set forth by the ship’s flag state to Dry-dock once every five years. To the extent practical, each ship’s crew, catering and hotel staff remain with the ship during the Dry-dock period and assist in performing repair and maintenance work. Accordingly, Dry-dock work is typically performed during non-peak demand periods to minimize the adverse effect on revenue that results from ships being out of service. Dry-docks are typically scheduled in spring or autumn and depend on shipyard availability. We take this opportunity to upgrade the vessels in all areas of both guest-facing services and innovative compliance technology.

Suppliers

Our largest capital expenditures are for ship construction and acquisition. Our largest operating expenditures are for payroll and related (including our contract with a third party who provides certain crew services), fuel, food and beverage, advertising and marketing and travel advisor services. Most of the supplies that we require are available from numerous sources at competitive prices. In addition, due to the large quantities that we purchase, we can obtain favorable prices for many of our supplies. Our purchases are denominated primarily in U.S. dollars. Payment terms granted by the suppliers are generally customary terms for the cruise industry.

Crew and Staff

Best-in-class guest service levels are paramount in the markets in which we operate, where travelers have discriminating tastes and high expectations for service quality. We have dedicated increasing attention and resources to ensure that our service offerings on all of our ships meet the demands of our guests. Among other initiatives, we have implemented rigorous onboard training programs, with a focus on career development. We believe that our dedication to anticipating and meeting our guests’ every need differentiates our operations and fosters close relationships between our guests and crew, helping to build customer loyalty.

We place the utmost importance on the safety of our guests and crew. We operate all of our vessels to meet and exceed the requirements of SOLAS and International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention (“ISM Code”), the international safety standards which govern the cruise industry. Crew members are trained in the Company’s stringent safety protocols, participating in regular safety trainings, exercises and drills onboard every one of our ships to familiarize themselves and become proficient with the safety equipment onboard.

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Our captains and chief engineers are experienced seafarers. Our bridge and technical officers regularly undergo rigorous operations training such as leadership, navigation, stability, statutory and environmental regulatory compliance. To support our deck and engine officers while at sea, we have bridge and engine resource management protocols in place, dictating specific standard operating procedures. Our bridge teams conduct a voyage planning process prior to sailing, where the upcoming itinerary is reviewed and discussed by the captain and bridge team prior to departure and in preparation for arrival. In addition, all of our ships employ state-of-the-art navigational equipment and technology to ensure that our bridge teams have accurate data regarding the planned itinerary.

Prior to every cruise setting sail, we hold a mandatory safety drill for all guests during which important safety information is reviewed and demonstrated. We also show a safety video which runs continuously on the stateroom televisions. Our fleet is equipped with modern navigational control and fire prevention and control systems. We have developed a Safety Management System (“SMS”), which establishes policies, procedures, training, qualification, quality, compliance, audit and self-improvement standards. SMS also provides real-time reports and information to support the fleet and risk management decisions. Through these systems, our senior managers, as well as ship management, can focus on consistent, high quality operation of the fleet. Our SMS is approved and audited regularly by our classification society, Lloyds Register, and it also undergoes regular internal audits as well as periodic inspections by the U.S. Coast Guard, flag state and other port and state authorities.

Insurance

We maintain insurance on the hull and machinery of our ships, which are maintained in amounts related to the estimated market value of each ship. The coverage for each of the hull and machinery policies is maintained with syndicates of insurance underwriters from the European and U.S. insurance markets.

In addition to the insurance coverage on the hull and machinery of our ships, we seek to maintain comprehensive insurance coverage and believe that our current coverage is at appropriate levels to protect against most of the accident-related risks involved in the conduct of our business. The insurance we carry includes:

●Protection and indemnity insurance (coverage for passenger, crew and third-party liabilities), including insurance against risk of pollution liabilities;
●War risk insurance, including terrorist risk insurance. The terms of our war risk policies include provisions where underwriters can give seven days’ notice to the insured that the policies will be cancelled in the event of a change of risk which is typical for policies in the marine industry. Upon any proposed cancellation the insurer shall, before expiry of the seven day period, submit new terms; and
●Insurance for our shoreside property, cybersecurity, directors and officers, general liability risks and other insurance coverages.

Our insurance coverage, including those noted above, is subject to certain limitations, exclusions and deductible levels.

Trademarks and Tradenames

Under the Norwegian brand, we own a number of registered trademarks relating to, among other things, the names “NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE” and “FEEL FREE,” the names of our ships (except where trademark applications for these have been filed and are pending), incentive programs and specialty services rendered on our ships and specialty accommodations such as “THE HAVEN BY NORWEGIAN.” In addition, we own registered trademarks relating to the “FREESTYLE” family of names, including, “FREESTYLE CRUISING,” “FREESTYLE DINING” and “FREESTYLE VACATION.” We believe that these trademarks are widely recognized throughout North America, Europe and other areas of the world and have considerable value.

Under the Oceania Cruises brand, we own a number of registered trademarks relating to, among other things, the names “OCEANIA CRUISES” and its logo, “REGATTA,” “INSIGNIA,” and “YOUR WORLD. YOUR WAY.”

Under the Regent brand, we own registered trademarks relating to, among other things, the names “SEVEN SEAS CRUISES” and “AN UNRIVALED EXPERIENCE” as well as the names of our ships (except where trademark applications have been filed and are pending).

We also claim common law rights in trademarks and tradenames used in conjunction with our ships, incentive programs, customer loyalty program and specialty services rendered onboard our ships for each of our brands.

The Regent ships have been operating under the Regent brand since 2006. We entered into a trademark license agreement with Regent Hospitality Worldwide, Inc., which we amended in February 2011, granting us the right to use the “Regent” brand family of marks. The amended trademark license agreement allows Regent to use the Regent tradename, in conjunction with cruises, in perpetuity, subject to the terms and conditions in the agreement.

Regulatory Issues

Registration of Our Ships

Nineteen of the ships that we currently operate are registered in the Bahamas. One of our ships, Pride of America, is a U.S.-flagged ship. Eight of our ships are registered in the Marshall Islands. Our ships registered in the Bahamas and the Marshall Islands are inspected at least annually pursuant to Bahamian and Marshall Islands requirements and are subject to International laws and regulations and to various U.S. federal regulatory agencies, including, but not limited to, the U.S. Public Health Service and the U.S. Coast Guard. Our U.S.-registered ship is subject to laws and regulations of the U.S. federal government, including, but not limited to, the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Department of Labor. The international, national, state and local laws, regulations, treaties and other legal requirements applicable to our operations change regularly, depending on the itineraries of our ships and the ports and countries visited.

Our ships are subject to inspection by the port regulatory authorities in the various countries that they visit. Such inspections include verification of compliance with the maritime safety, security, environmental, customs, immigration, health and labor regulations applicable to each port as well as with international requirements.

Environmental Protection

Our ships are subject to various international, national, state and local laws and regulations relating to environmental protection, including those that govern air emissions, waste discharge, waste water management and disposal, and use and disposal of hazardous substances such as chemicals, solvents and paints. Under such laws and regulations, we are prohibited from discharging certain materials, such as petrochemicals and plastics, into waterways, and we must adhere to various water and air quality-related requirements.

With regard to air quality requirements, the International Maritime Organization’s (“IMO”) convention entitled Prevention of Pollution from Ships (“MARPOL”) has set a global limit on fuel sulfur content of 0.5% beginning January 2020. Various compliance methods, such as the use of alternative fuels, or exhaust gas cleaning systems that reduce an equivalent amount of sulfur emissions, may be utilized.

MARPOL also requires stricter limitations on sulfur emissions within designated Emission Control Areas (“ECAs”), which include the Baltic Sea, the North Sea/English Channel, North American waters and the U.S. Caribbean Sea. Ships operating in these waters are required to use fuel with a sulfur content of no more than 0.1% or use approved alternative emission reduction methods. ECAs have also been established to limit emissions of oxides of nitrogen from newly built ships. Additional ECAs may also be established in the future, with areas around Norway, Japan, and the Mediterranean Sea being considered.

Ballast water discharges are governed by the MARPOL Ballast Water Management Convention, which came into force in 2017 (“The Convention”), and which governs the discharge of ballast water from ships. Ballast water, which is seawater held onboard ships and used for stabilization, may contain a variety of marine species. The Convention is designed to regulate the treatment and discharge of ballast water to avoid the transfer of marine species to new, different,

or potentially unsuitable environments. Applicable vessels sailing in specific itineraries have also been upgraded with ballast water treatment systems to further prevent the spread of invasive species.

MARPOL also sets forth requirements for discharges of garbage, oil and sewage from ships, including regulations regarding the ships’ equipment and systems for the control of such discharges, and the provision of port reception facilities for sewage handling. Ships are generally prohibited from discharging sewage into the sea within a specified distance from the nearest land. Governments are required to ensure the provision of adequate reception facilities at ports and terminals for the reception of sewage, without causing delay to ships. Ships are generally required to be equipped with either approved sewage treatment plants, disinfecting systems or sewage holding tanks.

Recently adopted amendments to MARPOL will make the Baltic Sea a “Special Area” where sewage discharges from passenger ships will be prohibited. Stricter discharge restrictions went into effect for new passenger ships in 2019, and for existing passenger ships starting in 2021.

These requirements may impact our operations unless suitable port waste facilities are available, or new technologies for onboard waste treatment are developed. Accordingly, the cost of complying with these requirements is not determinable at this time.

In the U.S., the Clean Water Act of 1972, and other laws and regulations, provide the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the U.S. Coast Guard with the authority to regulate commercial vessels’ incidental discharges of ballast water, bilge water, gray water, anti-fouling paints and other substances during normal operations while a vessel is in inland waters, within three nautical miles of land, and in designated federally-protected waters. The U.S. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) program, authorized by the Clean Water Act, was established to reduce pollution within U.S. territorial waters. For our affected ships, all of the NPDES requirements are set forth in the EPA’s Vessel General Permit (“VGP”). The VGP establishes effluent limits for 26 specific discharge streams incidental to the normal operation of a vessel. In addition to these discharge- and vessel-specific requirements, the VGP includes requirements for inspections, monitoring, reporting and recordkeeping.

The Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, which implements certain elements of MARPOL in the U.S., provides for potentially severe civil and criminal penalties related to ship-generated pollution for incidents in U.S. waters within three nautical miles of land and, in some cases, within the 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (“EEZ”).

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA 90”) provides for strict liability for water pollution caused by the discharge of oil in the 200-nautical mile EEZ of the U.S., subject to defined monetary limits. OPA 90 requires that in order for us to operate in U.S. waters, we must have Certificates of Financial Responsibility (“COFR”) from the U.S. Coast Guard for each ship. Our continued OPA 90 certification signifies our ability to meet the requirements for related OPA 90 liability in the event of an oil spill or release of a hazardous substance.

Many coastal U.S. states have also enacted environmental regulations that impose strict liability for removal costs and damages resulting from a discharge of oil or a release of a hazardous substance. These laws may be more stringent than U.S. federal law and, in some cases, the laws have no statutory limits of liability. Among the most stringent requirements are those set by the State of Alaska, which has enacted legislation that prohibits certain discharges in designated state waters and requires that certain discharges be monitored to verify compliance with the established standards. The legislation also provides that repeat violators of the regulations could be prohibited from operating in Alaskan waters.

The European Union (“EU”) has also adopted a substantial and diverse range of environmental measures aimed at maintaining or improving the quality of the environment. To support the implementation and enforcement of European environmental legislation, the EU has adopted directives on environmental liability and enforcement as well as a recommendation providing for minimum criteria for environmental inspections.

With regard to air emissions from seagoing ships, the EU requires the use of low sulfur (less than 0.1%) marine gas oil in EU ports. Passenger ships on regular service to EU ports (and not operating in an ECA) are required to use fuels containing a maximum sulfur content of 1.5%. The EU has set January 2020 as the compliance date for the 0.5% fuel sulfur limit within their jurisdictional waters.

In addition to the existing legal requirements, we are committed to helping to preserve the environment, because a clean, unspoiled environment is a key element that attracts guests to our ships. Furthermore, NCL (Bahamas) Ltd. and NCL America LLC are certified under the International Organization for Standardization’s 14001 Standard. This voluntary standard sets requirements for establishment and implementation of a comprehensive environmental management system which we have adopted for our operations. Currently we operate under an Environmental Management System that is incorporated into the Company’s SMS and promote environmental awareness among our stakeholders both through our Sail & Sustain program and annual Stewardship Report.

If we violate or fail to comply with environmental laws, regulations or treaties, we could be fined or otherwise sanctioned by regulators. We have made, and will continue to make, capital and other expenditures to comply with changing environmental laws, regulations and treaties. Any fines or other sanctions for violation or failure to comply with environmental requirements or any expenditures required to comply with environmental requirements could have a material adverse effect on our business, operations, cash flow or financial condition.

Permits for Glacier Bay, Alaska

In connection with certain Alaska cruise operations, we rely on concession permits from the U.S. National Park Service to operate our ships in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. We currently hold a concession permit allowing for 41 calls annually through September 30, 2029.

Passenger Well-Being

In the U.S., we must meet the U.S. Public Health Service’s requirements, which include vessel ratings by inspectors from the Vessel Sanitation Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) and the FDA. We rate at the top of the range of CDC and FDA scores achieved by the major cruise lines. In addition, the cruise industry and the U.S. Public Health Service have agreed on regulations for food, water and hygiene, aimed at proactively protecting the health of travelers and preventing illness transmission to U.S. ports.

Security and Safety

The IMO has adopted safety standards as part of the SOLAS convention, which apply to all of our ships. SOLAS establishes requirements for vessel design, structural features, construction methods and materials, refurbishment standards, life-saving equipment, fire protection and detection, safe management and operation and security in order to help ensure the safety and security of our guests and crew. All of our crew undergo regular security and safety training exercises that meet all international and national maritime regulations.

SOLAS requires that all cruise ships are certified as having safety procedures that comply with the requirements of the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention (“ISM Code”). All of our ships are certified as to compliance with the ISM Code. Each such certificate is granted for a five-year period and is subject to periodic verification.

The SOLAS requirements are amended and extended by the IMO from time to time. For example, the International Port and Ship Facility Code (“ISPS Code”) was adopted by the IMO in December 2002 with the goal of strengthening maritime security by placing new requirements on governments, port authorities and shipping companies.

Amendments to SOLAS required that ships constructed in accordance with pre-1974 SOLAS requirements install automatic sprinkler systems. IMO adopted an amendment to SOLAS which requires partial bulkheads on stateroom balconies to be of non-combustible construction. The SOLAS regulation implemented Long-Range Identification and Tracking. All of our ships are in compliance with the requirements of SOLAS as amended and/or as applicable to the keel-laying date.

In addition to the requirements of the ISPS Code, the U.S. Congress enacted the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (“MTSA”) which implements a number of security measures at ports in the U.S. including measures that apply to ships registered outside the U.S. while docking at ports in the U.S. The U.S. Coast Guard has published MTSA regulations that require a security plan for every ship entering the territorial waters of the U.S., provide for identification

requirements for ships entering such waters and establish various procedures for the identification of crew members on such ships. The Transportation Workers Identification Credential is a U.S. requirement for accessibility into and onto U.S. ports and U.S.-flagged ships.

Maritime-Labor

In 2006, the International Labor Organization (“ILO”), an agency of the United Nations that develops and oversees international labor standards, adopted a new Consolidated Maritime Labor Convention (“MLC 2006”). MLC 2006 contains a comprehensive set of global standards based on those that are already found in 68 maritime labor Conventions and Recommendations adopted by the ILO since 1920. MLC 2006 includes a broad range of requirements, such as a broader definition of a seafarer, minimum age of seafarers, medical certificates, recruitment practices, training, repatriation, food, recreational facilities, health and welfare, hours of work and rest, accommodations, wages and entitlements. MLC 2006 added requirements not previously in effect, in the areas of occupational safety and health. MLC 2006 became effective in certain countries commencing August 2013. The Standard of Training Certification and Watch Keeping for Seafarers, as amended (“STCW”), establishes minimum standards relating to training, certification and watch-keeping for our seafarers.

Financial Requirements

The Federal Maritime Commission (“FMC”) requires evidence of financial responsibility for those offering transportation on passenger ships operating out of U.S. ports to indemnify passengers in the event of non-performance of the transportation. Accordingly, each of our three brands are required to maintain a $32.0 million third-party performance guarantee in respect of liabilities for non-performance of transportation and other obligations to passengers. The guarantee requirements are subject to additional consumer price index-based adjustments. Also, our brands have a legal requirement to maintain security guarantees based on cruise business originated from the U.K., and certain jurisdictions require us to establish financial responsibility to meet liability in the event of non-performance of our obligations to passengers from those jurisdictions. As of December 31, 2019, we have in place approximately British Pound Sterling 41.5 million of security guarantees for our brands as well as a consumer protection policy covering up to €110.0 million.

From time to time, various other regulatory and legislative changes have been or may in the future be proposed that may have an effect on our operations in the U.S. and the cruise industry in general.

For information regarding risks associated with our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, see Part I Item 1A-Risk Factors in this annual report on Form 10-K, including the risk factor titled “We are subject to complex laws and regulations, including environmental, health and safety, labor, data privacy and protection and maritime laws and regulations, which could adversely affect our operations and any changes in the current laws and regulations could lead to increased costs or decreased revenue.”

Taxation

U.S. Income Taxation

The following discussion is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), U.S. Treasury regulations, administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below.

Exemption of International Shipping Income under Section 883 of the Code

Under Section 883 of the Code (“Section 883”) and the related regulations, a foreign corporation will be exempt from U.S. federal income taxation on its U.S.-source income derived from the international operation of ships (“shipping income”) if: (a) it is organized in a qualified foreign country, which is one that grants an “equivalent exemption” from tax to corporations organized in the U.S. in respect of each category of shipping income for which exemption is being

claimed under Section 883; and (b) either: (1) more than 50% of the value of its stock is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by qualified shareholders, which includes individuals who are “residents” of a qualified foreign country; (2) one or more classes of its stock representing, in the aggregate, more than 50% of the combined voting power and value of all classes of its stock are “primarily and regularly traded on one or more established securities markets” in a qualified foreign country or in the U.S. (the “publicly traded test”); or (3) it is a “controlled foreign corporation” (a “CFC”) for more than half of the taxable year and more than 50% of its stock is owned by qualified U.S. persons for more than half of the taxable year (the “CFC test”). In addition, U.S. Treasury Regulations require a foreign corporation and certain of its direct and indirect shareholders to satisfy detailed substantiation and reporting requirements.

NCLH is incorporated in Bermuda, a qualified foreign country which grants an equivalent exemption, and NCLH meets the publicly traded test because its ordinary shares were primarily and regularly traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market (the “Nasdaq”) until December 18, 2017, and since December 19, 2017, have been primarily and regularly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). Both the Nasdaq and the NYSE are considered to be established securities markets in the U.S. Therefore, we believe that NCLH qualifies for the benefits of Section 883.

We believe and have taken the position that substantially all of NCLH’s income, including the income of its ship-owning subsidiaries, is properly categorized as shipping income, and that we do not have a material amount of non-qualifying income. It is possible, however, that the IRS interpretation of shipping income could differ from ours and that a much larger percentage of our income does not qualify (or will not qualify) as shipping income. Moreover, the exemption for shipping income is only available for years in which we will satisfy complex tests under Section 883. There are factual circumstances beyond our control, including changes in the direct and indirect owners of NCLH’s ordinary shares, which could cause NCLH or its subsidiaries to lose the benefit of the exemption under Section 883. Further, any changes in our operations could significantly increase our exposure to taxation on shipping income, and we can give no assurances on this matter.

Under certain circumstances, changes in the identity, residence or holdings of NCLH’s direct or indirect shareholders could cause NCLH’s ordinary shares not to be regularly traded on an established securities market within the meaning of the regulations under Section 883. Therefore, as a precautionary matter, NCLH has provided protections in its bye-laws to reduce the risk of such changes impacting our ability to meet the publicly traded test by prohibiting any person from owning, directly, indirectly or constructively, more than 4.9% of NCLH’s ordinary shares unless such ownership is approved by NCLH’s Board of Directors (the “4.9% limit”). Any outstanding shares held in excess of the 4.9% limit will be transferred to and held in a trust.

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, Regent and its non-U.S. subsidiaries are disregarded as entities separate from their immediate foreign parent and Oceania Cruises was treated as a corporation until December 31, 2017, and a disregarded entity as of January 1, 2018. For 2019, 2018 and 2017, both Regent and Oceania Cruises relied on NCLH’s ability to meet the requirements necessary to qualify for the benefits of Section 883 as discussed above.

Taxation of International Shipping Income Where Section 883 of the Code is Inapplicable

Unless exempt from U.S. federal income taxation, a foreign corporation is subject to U.S. federal income tax in respect of its “shipping income” that is derived from sources within the U.S. If we fail to qualify for the exemption under Section 883 in respect of our U.S.-sourced shipping income, or if the provision was repealed, then we will be subject to taxation in the U.S. on such income.

Generally, “shipping income” is any income that is derived from the use of vessels, from the hiring or leasing of vessels for use on a time, voyage or bareboat charter basis or from the performance of services directly related to those uses. For these purposes, shipping income attributable to transportation that begins or ends, but that does not both begin and end, in the U.S., which we refer to as “U.S.- source shipping income,” will be considered to be 50% derived from sources within the U.S.

If we do not qualify for exemption under Section 883, or if the provision was repealed, then any U.S.-sourced shipping income or any other income that is considered to be effectively connected income would be subject to U.S. federal corporate income taxation on a net basis (generally at a 21% rate) and state and local taxes, and our effectively

connected earnings and profits may also be subject to an additional branch profits tax of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies (the “Net Tax Regime”). Our U.S. source shipping income is considered effectively connected income if we have, or are considered to have, a fixed place of business in the U.S. involved in the earning of U.S. source shipping income, and substantially all of our U.S. source shipping income is attributable to regularly scheduled transportation, such as the operation of a vessel that follows a published schedule with repeated sailings at regular intervals between the same points for voyages that begin or end in the U.S.

If we do not have a fixed place of business in the U.S. or substantially all of our income is not derived from regularly scheduled transportation, the income will generally not be considered to be effectively connected income. In that case, we would be subject to a special 4% tax on our U.S. source shipping income (the “4% Tax Regime”).

Other United States Taxation

U.S. Treasury Regulations list several items of income which are not considered to be incidental to the international operation of ships and, to the extent derived from U.S. sources, are subject to U.S. federal income taxes under the Net Tax Regime discussed above. Income items considered non-incidental to the international operation of ships include income from the sale of single-day cruises, shore excursions, air and other transportation, and pre- and post-cruise land packages. We believe that substantially all of our income currently derived from the international operation of ships is shipping income.

Income from U.S.-flagged Operation under the NCL America

Income derived from our U.S.-flagged operation generally will be subject to U.S. corporate income taxes both at the federal and state levels. We expect that such income will not be subject to U.S. branch profits tax nor a U.S. dividend withholding tax under the U.S.-U.K. Income Tax Treaty.

U.K. Income Taxation

NCLH and NCLC are tax residents of the U.K. and are subject to normal U.K. corporation tax.

U.S. Taxation of Gain on Sale of Vessels

Gains from the sale of vessels should generally also be exempt from tax under Section 883 provided NCLH qualifies for exemption from tax under Section 883 in respect of our shipping income. If, however, our gain does not qualify for exemption under Section 883, or if the provision was repealed, then such gain could be subject to either the Net Tax Regime or the 4% Tax Regime.

Certain State, Local and Non-U.S. Tax Matters

We may be subject to state, local and non-U.S. income or non-income taxes in various jurisdictions, including those in which we transact business, own property or reside. We may be required to file tax returns in some or all of those jurisdictions. Our state, local or non-U.S. tax treatment may not conform to the U.S. federal income tax treatment discussed above. We may be required to pay non-U.S. taxes on dispositions of foreign property, or operations involving foreign property may give rise to non-U.S. income or other tax liabilities in amounts that could be substantial.

Changes in Tax Laws

The various tax regimes to which we are currently subject result in a relatively low effective tax rate on our worldwide income. These tax regimes, however, are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. For example, legislation has been proposed in the past that would eliminate the benefits of the exemption from U.S. federal income tax under Section 883 and subject all or a portion of our shipping income to taxation in the U.S. Moreover, we may become subject to new tax regimes and may be unable to take advantage of favorable tax provisions afforded by current or future law including exemption of branch profits and dividend withholding taxes under the U.S.-U.K. Income Tax Treaty on income derived in respect of our U.S.-flagged operation.

Employees

As of December 31, 2019, we employed approximately 4,000 employees worldwide in our shoreside operations and approximately 32,000 shipboard employees. Regent and Oceania Cruises’ ships also utilize a third party to provide additional hotel and restaurant employees onboard. We refer you to “Risk Factors—Our inability to recruit or retain qualified personnel or the loss of key personnel or employee relations issues may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations” for more information regarding our relationships with union employees and our collective bargaining agreements that are currently in place.

Ports and Facilities

We own a private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay, which we utilize as a port-of-call on certain itineraries. We also operate a cruise destination in Belize, Harvest Caye, which we introduced in November 2016. We have agreed to develop, in conjunction with PortMiami, a new terminal, which will be our primary facility at the port. In addition, we have entered into various agreements relating to port or berthing rights for our ships, which include the following:

●an agreement with the Government of Bermuda whereby we are permitted weekly calls in Bermuda through 2028 from Boston and New York.
●contracts for the Port of New Orleans, PortMiami, Port Canaveral, Manhattan Cruise Terminal, A.J. Juneau Dock, Ogden Point Cruise Ship Terminal in Victoria, BC, Puerto Costa Maya, Port of Roatan, Puerto Plata, and various Hawaiian ports pursuant to which we receive preferential Berths to the exclusion of other vessels for certain specified days of the week at the terminals.
●a concession permit with the U.S. National Park Service whereby our ships are permitted to call on Glacier Bay during each summer cruise season through September 30, 2029.
●an agreement with the British Virgin Islands Port Authority granting priority berthing rights for a 15-year term through April 2032 with options to extend the agreement for two additional five-year terms.
●an agreement with the West Indian Company Limited granting priority berthing rights in St. Thomas for a 10-year term through September 2026 with an option to extend the agreement for an additional five years.
●an agreement with the Port of Seattle for a 15-year lease through October 2030 with an option to extend the agreement for an additional five years.
●an agreement with the Huna Totem Corporation to develop a second pier in Icy Strait Point, Alaska, which includes preferential berthing rights.
●a 30-year preferential berthing agreement with Ward Cove Dock Group, LLC, which allows for construction of a new double ship pier in Ward Cove, Ketchikan, Alaska. The pier will be built to simultaneously accommodate two of Norwegian Cruise Line’s 4,000 passenger Breakaway Plus Class Ships and is expected to be ready for the summer 2020 season.

Available Information

We file annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

We also maintain an Internet site at http://www.nclhltdinvestor.com. We will, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file or furnish our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and amendments to those reports, if applicable, make available such reports free of charge on our

website. Our website also contains other items of interest to our investors, including, but not limited to, investor events, press and earnings releases and sustainability initiatives. Our website and the information contained therein or connected thereto are not incorporated into this annual report on Form 10-K.

Information about our Executive Officers

The following table sets forth certain information regarding NCLH’s executive officers as of February 17, 2020.

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NameAgePosition
Frank J. Del Rio65Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
Mark A. Kempa48Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Robert Binder55Vice Chairman Oceania Cruises and Regent, President and Chief Executive Officer, Oceania Cruises brand
Jason M. Montague46President and Chief Executive Officer, Regent brand
Harry Sommer52President and Chief Executive Officer, Norwegian brand
Daniel S. Farkas51Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary
T. Robin Lindsay62Executive Vice President, Vessel Operations
Faye L. Ashby48Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer

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All the executive officers listed above hold their offices at the pleasure of our Board of Directors, subject to rights under any applicable employment agreements. There are no family relationships between or among any directors and executive officers.

Frank J. Del Rio has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of NCLH since January 2015 and became a director of NCLH in August 2015. Mr. Del Rio has been responsible for the successful integration of NCLH and Prestige and oversees the financial, operational and strategic performance of the Norwegian, Regent and Oceania Cruises brands. Mr. Del Rio founded Oceania Cruises in October 2002 and served as Chief Executive Officer of Prestige or its predecessor from October 2002 through September 2016. Mr. Del Rio was instrumental in the growth of Oceania Cruises and Regent. Prior to founding Oceania Cruises, Mr. Del Rio played a vital role in the development of Renaissance Cruises, serving as Co-Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1993 to April 2001. Mr. Del Rio holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Florida and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive license).

Mark A. Kempa has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since August 2018. Prior to that, he served as Interim Chief Financial Officer from March 2018 to August 2018 and as NCLH’s Senior Vice President, Finance, from November 2014 to August 2018. From September 2008 to November 2014, he served as Vice President, Corporate and Capital Planning, and was an instrumental figure in the completion of NCLH’s IPO in 2013. From January 2007 to August 2008, he served as Director, Corporate and Capital Planning. From January 2003 to December 2006, he served as Director, Newbuild Cost and Control. In this role, he spent almost three years representing the financial interests of the Company’s expansive newbuild program while positioned overseas in Germany. From May 1998 to December 2002, he served in various roles in accounting and internal audit. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Kempa served as the Assistant Controller for International Voyager Media, a travel portfolio company. Mr. Kempa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Barry University.

Robert J. Binder has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Oceania Cruises brand since September 2016 and as Vice Chairman, Oceania Cruises and Regent since May 2015. He served as President of International Operations from February 2015 until May 2015. Prior to the Acquisition of Prestige in November 2014, Mr. Binder served as the Vice Chairman of Prestige since May 2011 and as President of Prestige since January 2008, where he oversaw the global expansion of the Prestige brands and was responsible for sales, marketing and branding efforts internationally. Mr. Binder is co-founder of Oceania Cruises and previously served as President of Oceania Cruises. Before launching Oceania Cruises, Mr. Binder was the President of Meadowoods Consulting, which provided consulting services to the financial and travel services industries. From 1992 to 2001, he held several executive posts in the cruise industry. Mr. Binder also held senior management positions at JP Morgan Chase, where he was a Strategic Planning

Officer, and at Renaissance Cruises, where he was Vice President of Sales. Mr. Binder earned master’s degrees in both Finance and Marketing from Cornell University and did his undergraduate studies at Purdue University.

Jason M. Montague has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Regent brand since September 2016. In this role, he is responsible for financial and day-to-day operations of the Regent brand. Previously, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer for the Oceania Cruises and Regent brands from December 2014 until September 2016, where he successfully oversaw the launch of Sirena for the Oceania Cruises brand and the Seven Seas Explorer for the Regent brand. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Integration Officer for NCLH during the Acquisition of Prestige. Before the acquisition by NCLH, he served as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President for Prestige, from September 2010 until November 2014. During his 12-year tenure at Prestige, Mr. Montague helped build the business plan for the launch of Oceania Cruises in 2002, including oversight for the purchase of its initial three R-class vessels, was involved with the equity investment by Apollo Global Management, LLC and acquisition of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and drove financing and delivery of Oceania Cruises’ newbuilds, Marina and Riviera. Mr. Montague served as Oceania Cruises’ Vice President and Treasurer from 2004 to 2007 and Senior Vice President of Finance from 2008 to 2010. Prior to joining Oceania Cruises, Mr. Montague operated a successful consulting practice focused on strategic planning and development of small to medium-sized companies. Previously, he held the position of Vice President, Finance for Alton Entertainment Corporation, a brand equity marketer that was majority owned by the Interpublic Group of Companies. Mr. Montague holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Miami.

Harry Sommer has served as President and Chief Executive Officer, Norwegian Cruise Line, since January 2020 and was President, International, from January 2019 to January 2020. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President, International Business Development from May 2015 to January 2019. From February 2015 until May 2015, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Integration Officer for NCLH. Mr. Sommer previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Prestige from October 2013 until February 2015, Senior Vice President, Finance, and Chief Information Officer of Prestige from September 2011 until October 2013 and Senior Vice President, Accounting, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller of Prestige from August 2009 until August 2011. Prior to joining Prestige, Mr. Sommer was the co-founder and President of Luxury Cruise Center, a high-end travel agency and prior to that, held various marketing and finance roles at Renaissance Cruises. Mr. Sommer holds an M.B.A. from Pace University and a B.B.A. from Baruch College.

Daniel S. Farkas has served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of NCLH since January 2019. He has also served as Assistant Secretary of the Company since 2013. Since Mr. Farkas joined the Company in January 2004, he has held the positions of Secretary from 2010 to 2013, Senior Vice President and General Counsel from 2008 through 2018, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel from 2005 to 2008, and Assistant General Counsel from 2004 to 2005 and was instrumental in the Company’s IPO and the Acquisition of Prestige. Mr. Farkas was formerly a partner in the Miami offices of the law firm Mase and Gassenheimer specializing in maritime litigation. Before that he was an Assistant State Attorney for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Farkas currently serves as Chairman of the board of directors of the Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation and on the board of directors of the Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association Limited. Mr. Farkas earned a B.A., cum laude, in English and American Literature from Brandeis University and a J.D. from the University of Miami.

T. Robin Lindsay has served as Executive Vice President, Vessel Operations, for NCLH since January 2015. From November 2014 until January 2015, Mr. Lindsay served as Executive Vice President, Newbuild, for Prestige. Prior to the Acquisition of Prestige, he served as the Executive Vice President of Vessel Operations for Prestige from January 2008 until November 2014 and Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations from February 2003 until January 2008 and oversaw all marine, technical and hotel operations. Mr. Lindsay was instrumental in the extensive refurbishment and launch of Oceania Cruises’ Regatta, Insignia and Nautica and the development of the Marina and Riviera. Mr. Lindsay possesses a substantial amount of experience in the cruise industry and has overseen the design and construction of many of the industry’s most acclaimed cruise ships. Prior to joining Oceania Cruises in 2003, Mr. Lindsay was the Senior Vice President of Vessel Operations at Silversea Cruises and, prior to that, Vice President of Operations at Radisson Seven Seas Cruises. Mr. Lindsay earned his B.S. degree from Louisiana Tech University.

Faye L. Ashby has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of NCLH since February 2016. She joined NCLH as Controller in November 2014 after the Acquisition of Prestige and served in that position until February 2016. From January 2012 to November 2014, Ms. Ashby served as Controller for Prestige, where she managed and developed the Accounting and External Financial Reporting teams. From March 2010 to December 2011, Ms. Ashby held the position of Senior Director of Financial Reporting with Prestige, where she started the Financial Reporting Department and was responsible for the preparation of annual financial statements, coordination of external audits and researching technical accounting issues. Before joining Prestige, Ms. Ashby was a Senior Manager at the international public accounting firm of Deloitte. She has an M.B.A. and B.B.A. with concentrations in accounting from the University of Miami and is a Certified Public Accountant in Florida.

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