Travel agents are poised for a significant shift in earnings. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has scrapped all non-commissionable fares (NCFs), making the full cruise fare commissionable from 1 May 2026.
NCFs have long frustrated agents because they sit within fares but fall outside commission. Removing them addresses that friction directly.
For travel advisors, the move means clearer income potential and fewer debates about what counts as commission. For NCL – as well as becoming the first legacy cruise line to make the move – it signals a stronger trade-first stance at the busiest selling period of the year.
According to Norwegian Cruise Line, taxes and fees remain outside commission, but the rest of the fare is now included. It applies across the fleet and global itineraries.
The move lands amid intense competition in cruising, where inclusions, bundles and price transparency are front of mind.
The policy also arrives alongside a large incentive push, including NCL’s biggest ‘Partners First Rewards’ promotion and extra training tools. These include a refreshed ‘Wave Hub’, bite-sized learning and ready-to-share marketing assets. The commissionable Free at Sea Plus package also returns.
Norwegian’s new trade incentive will see NCL line give away 1 million ‘Partners First Rewards’ (PFR) points – its biggest-ever PFR incentive.
To participate, travel partners need to:
- Complete NCL’s WAVE Quiz: Be one of the first 1,500 agents to earn 100% and win 200 PFR points
- Submit all NCL bookings made between 5 January – 31 March 2026 via NCL’s Partners First Rewards platform – the more you book, the greater your chance to win one of the 24 Major Prizes below:
o Submit 2+ NCL Bookings: go in the draw to win 10,000 PFR points (10 winners)
o Submit 4+ NCL Bookings: go in the draw to win 20,000 PFR points (10 winners)
o Submit 6+ NCL Bookings: go in the draw to win 100,000 PFR points (4 winners)
“Travel agents are the backbone of our success, and WAVE Season 2026 is all about putting them first,” NCL Director of Sales AUNZ Angela Middleton said.
“By removing NCFs and launching our biggest-ever booking incentive, we’re giving agents more ways to earn and more reasons to choose NCL. When our partners thrive, we thrive – and these initiatives are designed to make that happen.”
Agents can tune into NCL’s WAVE webinar on 14 January for the full rundown. Details and resources are available on the NCL Wave Hub.
With cruise demand surging globally, Norwegian Cruise Line believes this is the moment for travel advisors to double down on the one message that resonates when budgets tighten: value. Read more about that here.
KARRYON UNPACKS: This decision by NCL means cleaner quotes, fewer awkward “what’s commissionable?” chats and better earnings on the same booking effort. The key now is strategy. Per NCL, prioritise departures from May 2026, review your cruise pricing scripts, and align team training so everyone can clearly explain the change to clients.
