Hurtigruten deposits

Anyone else have problems with deposit refunds from Hurtigruten? I think I have been scamed:(

Anyone else have problems with deposit refunds from Hurtigruten? I think I have been scamed:(

If you will give more details of how your deposit was not refunded per the contract schedule, it would help to determine if you are owed money or if it was properly held as forfeiture. (when did you book, when is the sail date, did you pay a 20% deposit, or more, when did you cancel and how was it done)

Yes, we do need more details. Other than they were a bit slow in processing the paperwork, we've not had any problems with them, but we have followed their procedures and timelines when requesting something.

We booked and paid deposit of 20% on July 29,2011 ($1316 for the two of us) The brochure's terms and conditions said cancellation before 90 days of trip was no fee. Due to ilness we had to cancel so on May 3 2012 we cancelled for the August 15 package tour that included hotel in Oslo and train to Bergen for August 16 sailing on Hurtigruten's Midatsol. Our booking agent said we had booked thru her travel agency (which the brochure said to do) and they did not do refunds. That was NEVER mentioned in our contract which came on a Hurtigruten letterhead or any other correspondance until we cancelled.

Her final correspondence said "We are unable to offer any refund on deposits all correspondence shows that we are a UK based company and all price's quoted have been quoted in Brithish pounds . Booking conditions are also on our website for all passengers to view." Sure enough-it said no refund of deposit.!!

We booked and paid deposit of 20% on July 29,2011 ($1316 for the two of us) The brochure's terms and conditions said cancellation before 90 days of trip was no fee. Due to ilness we had to cancel so on May 3 2012 we cancelled for the August 15 package tour that included hotel in Oslo and train to Bergen for August 16 sailing on Hurtigruten's Midatsol. Our booking agent said we had booked thru her travel agency (which the brochure said to do) and they did not do refunds. That was NEVER mentioned in our contract which came on a Hurtigruten letterhead or any other correspondance until we cancelled.

 

Her final correspondence said "We are unable to offer any refund on deposits all correspondence shows that we are a UK based company and all price's quoted have been quoted in Brithish pounds . Booking conditions are also on our website for all passengers to view." Sure enough-it said no refund of deposit.!!

Take it up with your Credit Card Company. They have the horsepower to work miracles.

Side point: Does Hurtigruten refund your money to the travel agency?

Our booking agent said we had booked thru her travel agency (which the brochure said to do) and they did not do refunds. That was NEVER mentioned in our contract which came on a Hurtigruten letterhead or any other correspondance until we cancelled.

 

Her final correspondence said "We are unable to offer any refund on deposits all correspondence shows that we are a UK based company and all price's quoted have been quoted in Brithish pounds . Booking conditions are also on our website for all passengers to view." Sure enough-it said no refund of deposit.!!

This sounds as if your travel agency is "scaming" you rather than Hurtigruten?

What I don't understand is, where did you book? In the US (as that's where you seem to be from and you state you paid in $) or in the UK?

The UK booking conditions state:

60 or more days - Retention of deposit

42–59 days - 30%

28–41 days - 60%

14–27 days - 90%

Less than 14 days - 100%

While the US booking conditions state:

More than 90 days before - No fee

90-61 days before - Fee corresponding with the deposit paid

42-60 days before - 30%

28-41 days before - 60%

14-27 days before - 90%

Less than 14 days before - 100%

If you indeed booked with an UK based ta, under UK booking conditions... it appears that you might indeed have lost your deposit.

Sounds to me like it's the agency that is scamming you, not Hurtigruten. Indeed, take it up with your credit card company, and you might also contact Hurtigruten directly, and see what their response is.

Sounds to me like it's the agency that is scamming you, not Hurtigruten. Indeed, take it up with your credit card company, and you might also contact Hurtigruten directly, and see what their response is.

No one is getting scammed. Every cruise line that I can think of has the same or similar cancellation/refund policies for cruises booked through UK agencies or booked directly with the UK division of the cruise line. For example, this is from RCI UK:

http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/_images/UKTCJan11_tcm16-6056.pdf

5 days or less 100%

6 to 14 days 90%

15 - 28 days 75%

29 - 56 days 50%

57 days or more Deposit only (£150 per person)

I have no idea why this person booked his cruise through a UK agency but he did. The UK agency has no option but to conform to RCI UK's cancellation/refund policies. And by making the booking he agreed to these policies.

If he did have to cancel for a medical reason and purchased travel insurance his loss would have been covered. He didn't.

Yes, he has lost his deposit but no, he's not being scammed.