Following on the heels of a similar announcement by Norwegian Cruise Lines this week, American Cruise Lines has changed its policy and will roll non-commissionable fees (NCFs) into its fares—and pay travel advisors commission on them.
While Norwegian’s change goes into effect in January, American Cruise Lines will make the change effective on all bookings on its US fleet made after November 1.
“We aim to do everything possible to support the businesses of all our Travel Advisors,” the company Susan Shultz-Gelino, Trade Relations VP, said in a press release announcing the change. “They are valued partners and work extremely hard on behalf of their clients. We intend to implement structures on our end that will increase advisor sales, increase commissions, and improve the overall booking experience with American Cruise Lines.”
Asked how 2023 is looking, ACL marketing director David Luxeder told TRO, “With demand for domestic river cruising at an all-time high, the 2023 season is shaping up to be our best year ever. We have several new itineraries, like our 8-Day Tennessee Rivers cruise and our 15-Day National Parks and Legendary Rivers itinerary along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Plus, our shipbuilding efforts have never been stronger. We will introduce American Serenade as the newest riverboat on the Mississippi along with the highly anticipated launch of two of our new Coastal Cats, American Eagle and American Glory.”
Meanwhile, the travel industry applauded the budding trend toward paying commissions on NCFs, (which some lines, notably new Mississippi player Viking, already have in place).
Travel advisors applauded the move, of course, saying it was long overdue and hoping all cruise lines will adopt the change.
“I welcome this…hoping this starts a trend for the other lines to look into this…its about time!” said Dream vacations franchise owner Angie Gonzalez. And Henry Dennis of Frosch noted that while Norwegian had some limits on its offer, ACL did not.
“This really is some of the best news we have heard in a long time,” said Travel Leaders Group president John Lovell. “
“The past two years have been challenging for our industry, and as we push toward recovery, this change provides even further momentum,” said David Crooks, SVP of product & operations for World Travel Holdings, the parent company of Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises.com.
ACL has ten riverboats and five coastal ships sailing the rivers in 35 states, expanding their cruise options well beyond the Mississippi and the Pacific Northwest.