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Frank Del Rio, the former president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, has sued the company, its operating subsidiary NCL (Bahamas) Ltd. and four former directors, alleging they reneged on an oral promise to pay him an additional $8 million in consulting fees.
The complaint, filed May 5 in the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade County, names NCLH, NCL and former directors Russell Galbut, Harry Curtis, Mary Landry and Stella David.
It brings claims for fraud in the inducement, promissory estoppel, negligent misrepresentation and civil conspiracy, and demands a jury trial.
According to the complaint, Del Rio and Galbut, then chairman of the NCLH board, negotiated an early retirement in late 2022 under which Del Rio would step down as president and CEO and serve as a consultant for four and a half years at $1 million per quarter. a total of $18 million.
Del Rio alleged the negotiations began onboard the Norwegian Prima in Venice during a pre-launch board inspection trip and continued at an informal board gathering in Galbut's suite onboard the ship in Iceland.
The complaint claimed the board approved the 4.5-year arrangement, but that the written Transition, Release and Consulting Agreement presented to Del Rio covered only two and a half years and $10 million. Del Rio alleged he was told NCLH could not present the larger figure to shareholders following a series of say-on-pay vote failures, and that the directors assured him the company would honor the remaining two years through a later amendment or by other means.
Del Rio said he relied on those assurances and signed the agreement, stepping down on June 30, 2023. He served as a consultant through 2025 and received $1 million per quarter for 10 consecutive quarters, according to the filing.
The dispute came to a head, the complaint stated, when Del Rio did not receive an expected payment on February 15, 2026.
He emailed David, by then NCLH's board chair, and exchanged messages over the following days. On March 2, 2026, Del Rio received a letter from NCLH's attorneys stating the agreement had not been extended beyond December 31, 2025 and that the company considered the matter closed.
The complaint also alleged that NCLH's 2024 proxy statement misrepresented Del Rio's consulting role to shareholders, claiming the company described drawing on his advice and industry connections when, the filing said, NCLH never actually sought his counsel.
Del Rio is seeking compensatory damages, with the complaint stating the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000.
He is represented by Shook, Hardy & Bacon and the Pagliery Law Firm.
NCLH had not publicly responded to the complaint as of the filing date. The directors named have all since left the board; NCLH appointed John Chidsey as president and CEO in February 2026.
Fuente: cruise industry news
