Former Royal Caribbean Group executive Adam Goldstein confirmed Thursday that he has teamed up with activist investor Elliott Investment Management to push for change at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
In a column that appeared in Fortune, Goldstein wrote that Elliott has named him as a potential director for NCLH's board. The column ran under the headline, "I'm partnering with Elliott to make sure Norwegian Cruise Lines' best days are ahead."
Elliott is seeking a new board of directors at NCLH as well as a review of its executive leadership and a new business plan. The investor has built a more than 10% stake in NCLH.
Goldstein said he believes NCLH "could be doing much better" in capitalizing on the current strength of cruising.
The company has "industry-leading assets, leading the industry in investment-per-berth and featuring a premium cabin mix" yet has financially slipped behind its peers, he wrote.
"As someone who chaired the Cruise Lines International Association, representing more than 95% of the world's ocean cruise capacity, I care deeply about the cruise industry's future, and I know that Norwegian can deliver even more for its guests, its travel agent partners and its shareholders," he said.
Goldstein spent 32 years at Royal Caribbean Group, including a tenure as president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International from 2007 to 2014. He transitioned to president and COO from 2014 to 2018 and then served as vice chairman before departing the company in 2020. He currently serves as executive chairman of the software company DLT Global.