Cancelled or delayed boat or ferry

Your rights

• Entitled to rebooking or a refund

  If your trip is covered by the EU rules, as a passenger, you are entitled to a refund or rebooking if your trip is cancelled or delayed by at least 90 minutes.

  You have the right to a refund or rebooking regardless of why the boat is cancelled or delayed.

  Rebooking

  If you choose to rebook, you have the right to an alternative journey free of charge at the earliest opportunity and under comparable conditions.

  Refund

  If you choose a refund, you should get your money back within seven days.

  The EU rules apply in the following cases:

  • When you travel within the EU.
  • When you travel between countries and one of the countries is a member of the EU.

  These rules also apply to Norway, Iceland and Switzerland in the same way as for all of the EU countries.

• Right to financial compensation

  If your trip is covered by the EU rules and you are affected by a delay, you may be entitled to financial compensation from the boat company. How much money you receive depends on how long the trip is delayed and how long the boat trip was planned to take.

  The EU rules apply in the following cases:

  • When you travel within the EU.
  • When you travel between countries and one of the countries is a member of the EU.

  These rules also apply to Norway, Iceland and Switzerland in the same way as for all of the EU countries.

  The compensation you can demand

  • Trips of up to four hours: If the delay is between one and two hours, you are entitled to get back 25 per cent of the ticket price. If you are delayed by more than two hours, you are entitled to get back 50 per cent of the ticket price.
  • Trips of between four and eight hours: If the delay is between two and four hours, you are entitled to get back 25 per cent of the ticket price. If you are delayed by more than four hours, you are entitled to get back 50 per cent of the ticket price.
  • Trips of between eight and 24 hours: If the delay is between three and six hours, you are entitled to get back 25 per cent of the ticket price. If you are delayed by more than six hours, you are entitled to get back 50 per cent of the ticket price.
  • Trips of more than 24 hours: If the delay is between six and 12 hours, you are entitled to get back 25 per cent of the ticket price. If you are delayed by more than 12 hours, you are entitled to get back 50 per cent of the ticket price.

  In these cases, you cannot claim any compensation

  The boat company is not obliged to pay any compensation to you if the boat was cancelled or delayed due to an extraordinary circumstance that was beyond the boat company’s control. For example, this can involve weather conditions.

  If the compensation you are entitled to is less than EUR 6, the boat company does not need to pay you the compensation.

• Right to food and lodging

  If your trip is covered by the EU rules and you are affected by a delay, you may be entitled to food and lodging from the boat company. What you can demand depends on how long the trip is delayed.

  The EU rules apply in the following cases:

  • When you travel within the EU.
  • When you travel between countries and one of the countries is a member of the EU.

  These rules also apply to Norway, Iceland and Switzerland in the same way as for all of the EU countries.

  If a trip is cancelled, you should receive food and drink from the company free of charge. What you receive should be in proportion to how long you need to wait. You can demand this on condition that it is actually possible for the boat company to offer food and drink.

  If you are delayed by so much that you have to stay overnight, the boat company should arrange lodging for you on-board the boat or on land free of charge. The company has a right to limit the cost to EUR 80 per night and needs to arrange lodging for a maximum of three nights.

  The company does not need to offer you lodging if the cancelled trip or delay is due to weather conditions.

• Compensation for damages

  If you can prove with receipts or the like that you had expenses due to the delayed or cancelled boat, you may be entitled to demand compensation for those expenses. Contact the boat company to claim compensation.

  You must be able to prove that you have actually incurred a cost and that the cost is directly related to the cancelled or delayed boat.

• Lodge a complaint with the Swedish National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN)

  If you and the organizer cannot reach an agreement, you can lodge a complaint with the Swedish National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN)

  ARN will assess your case and then recommend how your dispute should be resolved. Most companies follow ARN’s recommendations.

  A normal processing time is about 6 months.

  What does it cost to file a complaint with ARN?

  It costs 150 SEK to file a complaint with ARN. In your complaint, you can request that the organizer reimburses you for the cost if ARN rules in your favour.

  Requirements for ARN to Review Your Case

  • The company has rejected your claims or has not responded within a reasonable time.
  • The amount you and the company disagree on is higher than ARN’s value limit for the area the case concerns. You cannot include the fee for filing a complaint with ARN.
  • You file the complaint within one year from the first time you complained to the company.

  File a complaint on ARN’s website.