Star Clippers Ends Commission on Airfares

Star Clippers scrapped the 5 percent commission it was currently paying on the airfare portion of bookings for all reservations made after December 31. The tall ship cruise line said that “changing market forces” led it to follow “recent trends in the industry.”

“Today travelers seeking the most economical way to book their vacations often use frequent-flier miles or book online at very low fares,” said Larry Haugh, vice president of sales for Star Clippers. “As more of our guests book their own air, it makes it extremely difficult for us to procure air at competitive prices.”

In late September, Carnival Corp. said it would discontinue paying 5 percent commission on air fare, a move that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s brands and NCL Corp. followed.