Norwegian Cruise Line Names Lee Applbaum Chief Marketing Officer

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has named Lee D. Applbaum chief marketing officer, effective July 6, 2026, the company announced June 29. Applbaum will lead global marketing, including brand strategy, guest engagement and demand generation, for a line that operates 21 ships and sails to nearly 350 destinations.

The appointment puts an executive from spirits, private aviation, retail and consumer packaged goods into a senior role as NCL works through fleet and destination investments, including seven ships on order through 2037. NCL did not identify a predecessor in the announcement.

Marc Kazlauskas, president of Norwegian Cruise Line, called Applbaum “a visionary marketing leader” and said his mix of creativity and data-driven work would help the line “generate high yielding demand.”

Applbaum previously served as global chief marketing officer at Patrón Spirits International and later Bacardi, where his remit included the Tequila Patrón portfolio and later Grey Goose. NCL said he oversaw marketing and innovation work across more than 150 countries before co-founding a private spirits-brand venture.

He also served as a board advisor and later chief marketing officer at Wheels Up, the on-demand private aviation company, where NCL said he played a role in the company’s 2021 public listing. Earlier in his career, he held marketing leadership posts across retail and consumer packaged goods brands.

“I look forward to working alongside this talented team to further elevate the brand, deepen guest connections and loyalty for NCL,” Applbaum said, adding that he also wants to build a culture focused on “creativity, collaboration and demand for the brand.”

The hire comes after BNP Paribas analyst Xian Siew maintained a Neutral rating on Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and cited leadership changes, including the search for a CMO, as one of several execution concerns. Siew also pointed to pricing decisions, open-jaw European itineraries and booking-management questions, and said a broader turnaround may not fully materialize until the second half of 2027.

One of Applbaum’s named priorities is Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Berry Islands about 50 miles north of Nassau. The destination gained a two-ship pier on Dec. 28, 2025, after previously relying on tender access. Great Tides Waterpark, a nearly six-acre addition planned with 19 waterslides, an 800-foot river attraction, cliff jumps and a children’s splash area, is expected to open on schedule in September, Siew said.

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