FRANK J. DEL RIO

PRESIDENT & CEO, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HOLDINGS, MIAMI

A 25-year cruise industry veteran, Del Rio has been at the head of eight companies. Born in Cuba, Del Rio emigrated to the U.S. in 1961 at age 7. When the family arrived in the U.S., they lived in Connecticut but eventually settled in Miami. After deciding to follow in the footsteps of his father, an accountant for Coca-Cola, Del Rio enrolled in the accounting program at the University of Florida and became a CPA.

Del Rio got his first job at a Fort Lauderdale cruise company that went bankrupt. After spending two years out of work, he was given the opportunity through the French government to start a cruise company. Oceania Cruises was established in January 2002 with three small ships. Under Del Rio’s leadership, the cruise line grew to a dominant player in the upscale cruise market with six ships totaling 5,300 berths.

As president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Del Rio leads the operations of Norwegian Cruise Line and Regent Seven Seas Cruises as well as Oceania Cruises. Under his leadership, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has expanded its fleet, strengthened its global footprint and introduced the company’s latest island destination, Harvest Caye in Belize.