ASTA, Travel Consortia & Host Leaders Applaud Cruise Lines with No NCFs

In an unusual move led by the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), the larger travel agency industry came together this week to applaud cruise lines that operate without any non-commissionable fares (NCFs) – a small group that now includes Norwegian Cruise Line.

“The practice of NCFs has long been a barrier to fair and transparent compensation for travel advisors,” a joint statement says. “Removing NCFs entirely reflects a trend toward more equitable and transparent commission models industry-wide, honoring the full scope of the work advisors do in service of shared clientele.”

ASTA and the statement’s 33 signatories applauded NCL for “is decision to permanently eliminate all Non-Commissionable Fares (NCFs) and make the entire cruise fare (excluding taxes and fees) commissionable to travel advisors for sailings departing May 1, 2026, and beyond.”

They added that this places NCL alongside Viking, Virgin Voyages, and Explora Journeys as the only ocean-going cruise lines that do not include NCFs in their fare structures.

They further called on “all cruise lines and travel suppliers” to examine their own compensation policies “with an eye toward transparency, fairness, and mutual success,” calling the elimination of NCFS “an opportunity for the industry to build more equitable commercial relationships that reflect the indispensable value travel advisors bring…”

ASTA played a central role in convening the signatories behind the statement, including senior leaders from Avoya Travel, Signature Travel Network, MAST, Expedia Cruises, Travel Leaders Network, Omega World Travel, Cruise Planners, Ensemble Travel Group, Uniglobe Travel Group, TRAVELSAVERS Nexion, Brownell Travel, Envoyage, Global Travel Collection, OASIS Travel Network, and Virtuoso, among many, many others.

“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.”

“This joint statement matters because it gives our members something they rarely see at this scale: unity,” added 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.”