Norwegian Cruise Line's gift to travel advisors this holiday season? Doing away with the noncommissionable portions of fares (NCFs).
The cruise line announced that it is eliminating all NCFs beginning Dec. 26 for cruises departing May 1 and afterward. It said the change will be permanent.
NCL had experimented with eliminating NCFs in 2023, though the program did not apply to all bookings and advisors had to submit a marketing plan to qualify. It ended the program in early 2024 after saying it hadn't received enough of a business boost.
The decision to eliminate NCFs altogether almost two years later is intended to ensure "advisors are fully rewarded for the value they bring to their clients and to NCL," said John Chernesky, senior vice president of sales for North America.
It also announced last week that it has reintroduced the Free at Sea Plus package, for which advisors can earn commissions.