Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle
Sponsored By ALG
Sponsored By ALG

How to Create a Marketing Plan that Qualifies for NCL’s NCF Commissions

by Dori Saltzman / November 08, 2022
norwegian getaway cruise ship departing from new york city with skyline in background

Last week Norwegian Cruise Line announced it will begin paying travel advisors commission on non-commissionable fares starting next year. To qualify, advisors must submit a marketing plan showing how they intend to increase their market share of NCL bookings.

(While Norwegian Cruise Line is the largest cruise operators to go without NCFs, it is not the first. Virgin Voyages, Viking and Explora Journeys have no NCF fares.)

To help advisors take advantage of the opportunity and support Norwegian Cruise Line’s move, Travel Market Report reached out to Norwegian to get clarity on exactly what they’re looking in an agency’s marketing plan.

Two Vital Components
According to NCL, the NCF marketing plan must contain information on the incremental marketing activity that travel agencies intend to invest in and operate in 2023, along with the next booking percentage increase (in Q1 2023 over Q3 2022) that they agency is committing to.

In order to determine both these requirements, agencies must first determine how many Norwegian Cruise Line bookings they made, specifically in the third quarter of this year. From there, the next step is to figure out how much more they feel they can do.

What kind of volume can the agency handle? Can they take on new bookings or do they need to switch some of the volume of bookings they’re already doing with other lines to Norwegian Cruise Line? Can the agency afford to take on a new Independent Contractor or employee to handle more volume?

Once, agencies have decided, number one, how many NCL bookings they can take on, they need to decide what percentage increase they will commit to.

From there, it’s all about what are they going to do to get there.

This second piece is critical to the marketing plan NCL wants to see from advisors.

“Include details such as timing, marketing activity (email, social media, etc.),” writes NCL in a FAQ about the new policy.

In other words, advisors need to include information about the specific tactics they plan to use to achieve their sales goal.

Will they do an NCL-specific cruise night? Will they do weekly or monthly NCL-focused email blasts? Can the agency increase NCL bookings by building a large group and then promoting that?

When deciding which marketing activities to include, use what’s worked for you in the past.

Do you know you get bookings from social media posts? Create a social media strategy focused on NCL.

Have email blasts resulted in bookings? Put a focus on that in your marketing plan.

Have you gotten bookings after a presentation at the Chamber of Commerce? Schedule one in your marketing plan.

If you don’t know what’s worked for you in the past, this is a great time to dig into your data and see where your business comes from.

The more specific agencies and advisors can be with their marketing plan, the better.

It's not enough to say vaguely you intend to do social media to promote Norwegian Cruise Line or that you'll do a webinar or Facebook Live. Specificity, along with a calendar of planned out activies, will allow agencies to follow through on their marketing plans.

Specificity also demonstrates to Norwegian that you've put time and thought to your marketing plan and not just thrown a few ideas down on paper.

Keep in mind, even though the percentage increase the agency is committing to is for Q1 of 2023, NCL wants to see a marketing plan for all of 2023. The timeline of marketing activities and timelines should be broken down by quarter.

Example Timeline
To give advisors an idea of what this second piece should look like, we’ve included a sample below.

Q1

  • Second week of January – Facebook Live with BDM discussing Norwegian Prima and Free at Sea. Plan to invite 100, with expectations of about 50 attending.
  • Twice a month (January-March) – Instagram & FB Reels highlighting the destinations Norwegian Cruise Line visits and the excursions offered -- theme will be "Want to Cure the Winter Blues"
  • February 14th – Romance-focused social media posts and e-mail focused on romantic cruising with NCL
  • Once per month email blast with booking incentive (either a current NCL offer or free bottle of wine with all bookings)
  • Targeted email each quarter to all past NCL clients with special booking incentive (TBD)

Consortia-member agencies can also look to their consortia’s marketing department for help in creating a marketing plan that meets Norwegians’ criteria. (Hosted travel advisors do not need to create a marketing plan; it will be done at the host agency level.)

TMR Resources
Here are some Travel Market Report resources you can use to help determine which marketing activities you want to invest in.

  • How to Sprinkle the Oprah Genius into Your Marketing Plan
  • A Guide to Marketing for Travel Advisors
  • Legacy Travel Drives Sales Leads with Video Marketing
  • How to Use Local Radio to Build a Group Booking
  • MasterAdvisor 59: Using TikTok for Your Travel Business
  • MasterAdvisor 56: How Travel Advisors Can Use Instagram Reels
  47
  0
Related Articles
Travel Agency Community Responds to Frank Del Rio Retirement
Norwegian Cruise Line Reverses Decision on Muster Drills
NCL Holdings' Frank Del Rio to Retire, Replacement Announced
NCL Gets "Almost Everyone" to Sign up for New Commission Payment Program
Cruise Lines Return to Traditional Muster Drills
Norwegian Cruise Line Brings Back COVID-19 Requirements
Norwegian Cruise Line Trims Stateroom Cleaning Service
Norwegian Cruise Line Bumps Automatic Gratuities for All Passengers
Norwegian Cruise Line Reports Record Sales
Norwegian’s ASTA Donation Is Aimed at Growing Travel’s Most Important Distribution System

MOST VIEWED

  1. Why Travel Advisors Need to Learn to Say No to New Business
  2. U.S. Passport Renewal Processing Time Now 8 to 11 Weeks
  3. U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse
  4. Government of Canada Updates Its Mexico Travel Advisory
  5. European Union Delays Launch of ETIAS Until At Least 2024
  6. Here’s What the U.S. and Canada Are Saying About Travel and Crime in Mexico

MOST EMAILED

  1. U.S. Passport Renewal Processing Time Now 8 to 11 Weeks
  2. U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse
  3. Why Travel Advisors Need to Learn to Say No to New Business
  4. European Union Delays Launch of ETIAS Until At Least 2024
  5. Travelers Believe That Working With Advisors Is Only Way to Get a True Luxury Experience
  6. 9 Travel-Advisor Friendly Paris Boutique Hotels to Know About
TMR THIS WEEK
Sponsored by Explora Journeys
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=78f79d51-15c7-ed11-b00b-005056a8720b&Width=350&Height&250

All About Culinary Immersion at Sea

Travel advisors can help their foodie clients enjoy true immersion experiences by booking them on culinary-focused cruises.

Read More...
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Norwegian Cruise Line Reverses Decision on Muster Drills
Norwegian Cruise Line Reverses Decision on Muster Drills

E-musters are back on NCL ships starting in April. 

Read...
Viking Launches New Travel Advisor Training Program
Viking Launches New Travel Advisor Training Program

The four-module program provides advisors with all the tools they need to promote Viking, as well as opportunities for exclusive benefits. 

Read...
NCL Holdings' Frank Del Rio to Retire, Replacement Announced
NCL Holdings' Frank Del Rio to Retire, Replacement Announced

After more than 30 years in the cruise industry, Frank J. Del Rio will retire at the end of June 2023.

Read...
Celebrity Cruises Adds Two Preview Sailings for Celebrity Ascent
Celebrity Cruises Adds Two Preview Sailings for Celebrity Ascent

Celebrity Ascent will debut slightly earlier than scheduled.

Read...
Silversea Cruises to Introduce New Suite Categories on Silver Endeavour
Silversea Cruises to Introduce New Suite Categories on Silver Endeavour

When Silver Endeavour emerges from its upcoming refurbishment it will boast 10 new guest suites in two new suite categories.

Read...
Seabourn Sells Odyssey to Japan’s MOL Group
Seabourn Sells Odyssey to Japan’s MOL Group

Seabourn is trimming its fleet size.

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/6H8IyPkZetc/0.jpg
Video: Why This Travel Agent Doesn't Book AirBnb
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Well-Being Travel |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy