Destination & Passport Requirements

Exploring the world shouldn't be stressful, and with each of our unique destinations having different entry requirements (Identification, Visa, Vaccination Status, etc.) it can be confusing to get the right information for your passport. This is why we have pulled together all the information with the help of our partners at Smartvel to ensure you have everything you need to plan your next adventure with us.

Like with any international travel, A valid passport is essential, as it's the only accepted identification document. The passport validity must be in accordance with national requirements in the country/countries you will visit AND have a minimum of 6 months remaining validity at the end of your cruise.

To comply with clearance requirements in some destinations, we collect guests’ passports during check-in. Please be assured that your passport is kept in a secure location throughout the expedition cruise and will be returned to you at the end of your stay with us.

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme

Eligible non-European visitors to the UK will require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) starting from 8 January 2025. The ETA is mandatory for citizens of various countries, with specific start dates depending on nationality. For more information on the ETA, please visit this page. To check the requirements for your country, visit this page.

Essential Travel Advice

Smartvel Travel Tool

To ensure you are ready for your upcoming expedition cruise, our partnership with Smartvel means you can find out the specific destination requirements for you.

Click on the link below to find out what you need to do to enter the country you are sailing from.

Please Note: We are unable to accept any liability if you are denied access to a flight or entry into a country or are otherwise affected by difficulties or costs resulting from your passport not being approved or if you have not obtained the required documentation. It is your responsibility to ensure that you comply with any mandatory visa or travel documentation that is required at the time of travel.  

Updated: October 2023

Medical Screening Form 

At HX Hurtigruten Expeditions - we explore some of the world's most remote locations and as such, in many of these locations, sophisticated medical services are few and far between. Medical care at sea is limited, and often emergency sea and air services may also be inaccessible, particularly in the polar regions. It is therefore vital that you make us aware of any current or past health issues.

The Health, Safety and well-being of you our guests and on-board crew are our top priority, and we want to ensure that all our guests are fit for travel. On board all our ships, we will have a qualified physician, which have a small, limited medical facility with basic medical supplies and equipment. Still, that makes it more difficult to diagnose and treat even the simplest conditions. This often leads to missed diagnosis, worsening conditions, a greater burden of chronic disease, and in some cases, unnecessary costly medical disembarkations.

Our expeditions often explore remote regions, where sophisticated medical services are not readily available. To minimize the risks to your health, it’s vital that guests on Antarctic sailings make our medical partner, Vikand, aware of any current or past health issues via a Medical Screening Form. The form is assessed by Vikand, a maritime medical specialist.

As such we require all guests (including children) to submit and complete the Medical Screening Form before departure to Antarctica.

How to complete the Medical Screening Form?

All forms consist of two sections - Guest section and Doctor's section. Both sections need to be filled in and signed. If your own doctor refuses to sign the form, please contact an alternative doctor, or use online doctor services to fill in the form. Vikand Medicals is also offering a digital appointment service to support the Medical Screening Form process. This appointment can be booked through the Vikand portal.

The Medical Screening Form can be filled out by a doctor and by a DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) or Physician’s Assistant (PA).

People who can NOT fill out a Medical Screening Form:

Upon submitting your Medical Screening Form, you will receive an e-mail confirmation to the e-mail included within your submission form - please also check Spam / Junk Folders as they could appear here. If you still haven't received any confirmation within an hour of submitting your form, please contact Hurtigruten Customer Service, and we can get a confirmation e-mail sent to you.

If you have submitted your Medical Screening Form within 4-8 weeks from departure, you should expect to receive the results within 3 working days (if submitted more than 8 weeks out, it might take longer for results to come through). If the screening team has a doubt about the passenger's safety to join the Expedition sailing to a remote destination, an additional week might be needed to get a second opinion.

Please note: We are only accepting the Medical Screening Form available through the Vikand portal which has been specially designed for HX Hurtigruten Expedition sailings to remote destinations.

Appointments with Vikand

Vikand Medicals is also offering a digital appointment service to support the Medical Screening Form process.

The cost for an appointment with Vikand's online doctor is 165 EUR, which is to be made payable at the time of booking - Vikand accepts both Visa and Mastercard. (In case of cancellation within 24 hours from the booked time or missed appointment, there is a service fee of 50 EUR which is non-refundable.)

Once you have made your appointment booking, you will receive a confirmation e-mail, that will include all the details of the online meeting room. Here, you will meet with one of Vikand's doctors for your digital appointment.

Please Note: When you submit the Medical Screening Form, you will receive a Submission ID - which is your form's tracking ID. When uploading the Doctor's section of your medical form, or when using Vikand's digital appointment service, it is important that you use this ID to ensure both sections of the Medical Screening Form are linked together. If you don't use the Submission ID, this can delay the process and approval of your medical screening.

Vaccinations and viruses

The safety of our guests, our employees, and the communities we visit is our priority. We’ve partnered with experts in health and safety to design and implement protocols and procedures across our expedition fleet. You may require vaccinations for your expedition. Please consult your doctor for information on the vaccines you need for your expedition.  

For requirements related to COVID-19, please see here.

Yellow fever

Certain parts of South and Central America, along with our West African destinations, are located in what is classified as the “Yellow Fever endemic zones”. This means all travellers above the age of 9 months must receive the yellow fever vaccination before travelling to these regions. Please note this does not include travellers only visiting Antarctica.

The certificate for the yellow fever vaccination is only valid from 10 days after you receive the vaccination. If you have not had the vaccine in time, you may be denied entry to these areas or instructed to quarantine for up to 6 days. If such a situation occurs, Hurtigruten Expeditions cannot accept any liability.

If you need a vaccination certificate for the country you are visiting, but you are not able to have the vaccine due to medical reasons, contact a yellow fever vaccination centre or your doctor. They may provide you with an exemption certificate, which may be accepted by officials in countries that usually require a vaccination certificate.

Zika virus

Zika virus is also detected in Central and South America and Africa so we advise you to talk to your doctor to understand the risks, especially if you are trying to get or are pregnant.

Additional Information

When travelling to countries known to have a risk of yellow fever or Zika virus transmission, we also advise guests to ensure they bring suitable long-sleeved shirts and pants to wear when out on an expedition along with their own supply of insect repellent.

We also recommend seeking medical advice about yellow fever and Zika virus as it is a mandatory requirement for some areas in South and Central America as well as West Africa. You can find out more information about your destination via these links here:  

Insurance 

All guests travelling on expeditions to Alaska, Antarctica, the Northwest Passage, and Northeast Greenland, as well as on Transatlantic crossings or Grand Expedition Cruises, are required to purchase travel insurance which covers medical evacuation and repatriation. All guests travelling to the Galápagos Islands must carry health and travel insurance, as required by the government of Ecuador. 

Please consult the travel insurance provider of your choice for suggested coverage amounts, as medical evacuation costs can vary by destination.  

For all Hurtigruten expeditions, health and travel insurance is strongly recommended to protect your travel investment and to ensure that you have adequate medical and repatriation cover when away from your home country.  

All cancellations are subject to Hurtigruten’s terms and conditions. A change of voyage date after the booking has been confirmed with deposit is considered a cancellation of your original voyage date and is subject to our terms and conditions. Please purchase travel protection from an independent provider of your choice as soon as you place a deposit on your booking.