Most of the time, situations like canceling a cruise vacation happen during a high-stress moment. And when you are struggling to find the safest and fastest options, every passing hour works against you.
Now, we know that the most critical factor right now is time. So without wasting it, let's jump into this simple and practical guide that decodes the Hurtigruten cancellation policy, refund timelines, penalty tiers, travel insurance options, and Future Cruise Credits.
Hurtigruten and HX Hurtigruten Expeditions operate distinct cruise products with different booking terms.
Coastal Express is Hurtigruten's Norway coastal service, running between Bergen and Kirkenes. HX Expeditions offers expedition cruises to destinations such as Antarctica, Greenland and the Galapagos.
It is not assumed that the same cancellation policy would apply to both operators. All cancellation fees and payment conditions may vary depending on the product, departure date, booking market, and terms and conditions of your booking.
Please read your booking confirmation and the relevant official conditions before canceling:
Please see the cancellation conditions for any flights, hotels, excursions or other third party arrangements as these may be different from the main tour. There may be different refund policies for some components.
The cancellation fee charged will usually vary according to how far in advance you cancel your cruise. Hurtigruten has a cancellation schedule for the bookings listed on its official refunds and cancellations page.
Hurtigruten's published schedule shows the following cancellation fees for the respective bookings. Please verify with your confirmation and applicable terms before using these figures. Official cancellation policy.
|
Days before departure |
Cancellation fee (% of applicable fare) |
Remaining amount before other deductions |
|
90 days or more |
25% |
75% |
|
60–89 days |
40% |
60% |
|
28–59 days |
70% |
30% |
|
14–27 days |
90% |
10% |
|
Fewer than 14 days |
100% |
0% |
These are the published fee schedule - not a guaranteed quotation of refunds for all bookings. The final amount will be subject to the terms in force, the amount paid and any other charges which are not refundable.
Please note: HX Expeditions has its own booking conditions. Don't assume the cancellation schedule for Hurtigruten is applicable to an expedition with HX.
To control cancellations and to keep a record of the cancellation request please follow these steps:
Find your booking reference, names of your passengers and confirmation email and payment records. Check your booking terms and conditions to see what the cancellation deadline is and if there are any cancellation fees.
Please use the contact form or cancellation procedure provided for your booking to contact Hurtigruten. If you took a travel agent's booking, please reach out to the agent for support.
Hurtigruten advises customers to reach out to their booking department prior to their journey. There is a published contact email, which is book@hurtigruten.com.
Inquire about the method of cancellation and when it will go into effect. Please note that not canceling via phone is not enough.
Inquire about the refundable amount and see if there's a Future Cruise Credit available, depending on your specific cruise. Don't assume that the credit is available in lieu of a cash refund.
Get a breakdown in writing of the cost of cancellation and what is left.
Retain the cancellation confirmation with the date it was received, the appropriate fees, and the amount reimbursed.
If you have to contact Hurtigruten, your travel agent or your insurance company in the future, this documentation can assist you.
If you have travel insurance, check your policy and contact the insurance company immediately. Inquire about cancellation fees and provide proof of cancellation.
Don't expect reimbursement of all cancelation fees. The degree of coverage will vary based on the policy, the reason for cancellation and exclusions.
The amount of time required for a refund is determined by the specific conditions of the cancellation, the type of payment made and the conditions of the booking.
If you cancel prior to departure, Hurtigruten will refund any unspent balance back to the original payment method, on the terms of the agreement. Customers paid using bank transfer will receive a call to arrange a refund.
On its published cancellation FAQ, the company doesn't mention one single processing period. Please do not assume a number of business days unless confirmed by Hurtigruten for your booking.
If you are waiting for a refund:
Refunds are processed in accordance with the laws, says Hurtigruten. Processing times may vary from actual.
Contact the travel agent or third party website that you reserved your travel through and explain how you will cancel the travel and the refund procedure.
Payment procedure and refund are as per the terms and booking arrangement. If the agent or cruise company will take care of the refunds, ask them what they will do after they receive them and get a written answer.
A Future Cruise Credit (FCC) may be offered for some promotions that are offered and/or for other bookings that may be made. It enables an eligible traveller to put a credit on a future booking based on the terms of the credit.
Before you sign up for an FCC, check to make sure:
These symptoms may change. Not all Future Cruise Credit will be valid for the same period of time or the same restrictions.
If there is a refund in cash, be sure to compare the written credit terms.
Travel insurance might be able to lessen the financial blow of canceling a Hurtigruten cruise. But the amount of reimbursement will vary according to the coverage you took out and why you cancelled.
Standard cancellation insurance
If you cancel your trip for a covered reason (such as unexpected illness or injury) under the policy, then you may receive reimbursement for eligible, non-refundable travel costs under the cancellation cover. Some policies may also provide coverage for family emergencies.
Prior to filing a claim, review the policy's exclusions, excess, eligibility and documentation provisions.
Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR)
Some insurers have an optional Cancel For Any Reason coverage. This may result in some reimbursement if you cancel on a reason that you would normally not have been able to cancel due to.
Eligibility, reimbursement percentages, purchase deadlines and cancellation notice requirements are different for each policy. Beware, not all insurance plans offer CFAR and not all CFAR plans provide a complete reimbursement.
When your cancellation is potentially covered, you should come prepared with the following documents:
Follow insurance company instructions to file the claim and retain copies of all correspondence.
Please check the Terms as they may vary for different bookings before canceling. There are a number of things which can impact your recovery.
Before you take a step to to cancel your Hurtigruten Cruise, be sure to tick off terms and conditions for booking, cancellation policies, and fees. Upon receipt of booking confirmation check and contact Hurtigruten and/or your travel agent. Ask for a written notice of a cancellation, a breakdown of fees, and details of any refunds to be received.
If you do have travel insurance, you should find out if your reason for cancellation is covered. Be sure to review the limitations of any Future Cruise Credit offered with the cash refund, if available, before you accept.
These are the steps you can take to avoid assuming your way to a high cost travel decision and understand your options.