ASTA & Partners Applaud NCL’s No-NCF Stance, Calls for Their Elimination

Together with leading travel industry partners, The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) has issued a joint industry statement applauding Norwegian Cruise Line’s decision to eliminate non-commissionable fares (NCFs). 

The statement, signed by leading names and companies from the travel advisor community, consortia, networks and agency leadership, also calls on the broader travel industry to examine their own fare structures to maximize fairness and transparency.

ASTA says the statement represents a rare and significant show of alignment across the travel advisor spectrum, underscoring a shared commitment to transparency, fairness and sustainable advisor compensation. For decades, the advisor organization says, NCFs have eroded effective commission rates and obscured true earnings for travel advisors, creating frustration and confusion across the marketplace.

“Non-commissionable fares have been one of the most persistent and opaque challenges facing travel advisors,” said Zane Kerby, President and CEO of ASTA. 

“Norwegian Cruise Line’s decision reflects a growing recognition of the value advisors bring to the distribution ecosystem and the need for compensation models that are straightforward and equitable. This is the kind of leadership that moves the industry forward, and ASTA is proud to help unify voices calling for meaningful change.”

The elimination of NCFs by Norwegian Cruise Line places it alongside a small group of cruise lines that have adopted fully commissionable fare structures.

“This joint statement matters because it gives our members something they rarely see at this scale: unity,” said Michael Schottey, Vice President of Membership, Marketing and Communications at ASTA. 

“When advisors, agencies and industry leaders speak together, it sends a clear message that fair compensation and transparency are not niche concerns; they are foundational to a healthy travel marketplace.”

As part of this ongoing dialogue, ASTA will host a live virtual industry town hall on Friday, January 16 at 1:00 p.m. ET, featuring John Chernesky, Senior Vice President, North American Sales for Norwegian Cruise Line. 

Hosted by Schottey, the town hall will explore what the elimination of NCFs means for travel advisors, how the new fare structure will work and what advisors can expect moving forward. A live Q&A will give advisors the opportunity to ask questions directly.

Registration details are available here.