Which expedition cruise lines protect your money if they go bust?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 9 November 2026
These 12 expedition cruise lines name a scheme, bond, insurer, trust account or licence that protects guest payments if they fail on their own websites, read 9 November 2026. Each card gives what the line says about it, with the ship, voyage, length, price or number where it names one, then why to choose it, what to ask for and the limits it publishes.
Which expedition cruise lines protect your money if they go bust?
12 expedition cruise lines in the Uncompromised Travel table say on their own websites that they name a scheme, bond, insurer, trust account or licence that protects guest payments if they fail; Quark Expeditions, Natural World Safaris and Aurora Expeditions have the most Google reviews under the line's own name.
Adventure Canada
- Best for
- Canadian Arctic and Greenland small-ship expeditions
- Money protection
- Says it keeps all customer deposits in Client Trust Accounts, audited annually by a CPA and inspected by TICO auditors (TICO Registration Number 4001400/5002 1860).
- Why choose them
- Began in 1987, when brothers Matthew and Bill Swan and friend David Freeze started taking travellers to "off the map" destinations. Google: 4.9 out of 5 from 29 reviews. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a dedicated solo cabin, a shared cabin or roommate matching on select expeditions.
- Not the fit if
- you cannot climb the external gangway stairs to transfer between the ship and the Zodiacs.
- Published price
- From $8,995 USD per person based on double occupancy, Heart of the Arctic, 2 to 14 August 2027. Read 9 November 2026.
- Website
- adventurecanada.com
Aurora Expeditions
- Best for
- Small-ship polar voyages with solo cabins
- Money protection
- Places all voyage deposits in a separate trust account, the Aurora Passenger Trust, under its Deposit Protection Program.
- Why choose them
- Publishes an Expedition Team-to-expeditioner ratio of 1:7. Google: 4.4 out of 5 from 107 reviews. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for one of the 10 dedicated solo cabins with no single supplement on the Greg Mortimer or Sylvia Earle.
- Not the fit if
- you may need to cancel late: from 120 days before departure the cancellation fee is 100% of the full ticket price.
- Published price
- Spirit of Antarctica, 11 days, from USD $15,436 per person twin share (was $19,295), December 2026 and 2027 seasons. Read 9 November 2026.
Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris
- Best for
- Wildlife photography trips to South Georgia
- Money protection
- Registered as California Seller of Travel #2063050-40 and a participant in the Travel Consumer Restitution Corporation (TCRC), with all payments deposited into a trust account under California law.
- Why choose them
- Says it provides on average one leader per six clients. Google: 4.9 out of 5 from 36 reviews. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for the South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula itinerary for November 10 to 30, 2027, which sets out its cancellation terms.
- Not the fit if
- you do not want to buy evacuation cover: it requires about $250,000 of emergency evacuation insurance for its Antarctic and Arctic expeditions.
- Enquiry
- cheesemans.com/contact
Cookson Adventures
- Best for
- Private superyacht expeditions planned from scratch
- Money protection
- Says it is a tour operator registered with the Civil Aviation Authority and provides financial protection under the ATOL scheme (licence 12608) on certain bookings, such as flight-inclusive packages booked in the UK.
- Why choose them
- Founded in 2009 by polar explorer Henry Cookson, it designs every trip as a private journey for one group. Google: 4.7 out of 5 from 13 reviews. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a Private Client Manager to design a private yacht expedition, with helicopters, submersible dives or a professional photographer built in.
- Not the fit if
- your budget is under £150,000: it typically works with a minimum spend of £150,000 per journey.
- Website
- cooksonadventures.com
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
- Best for
- Bilingual PC6 expedition ships, pole to pole
- Money protection
- Its contracting company TUI Cruises GmbH holds insolvency cover with Deutscher Reisesicherungsfonds GmbH for European customers; UK bookings are protected by ABTOT under its ATOL Franchise (ATOL number 12926).
- Why choose them
- Its three HANSEATIC expedition ships, commissioned in May and October 2019 and May 2021, have PC6, which it says is the highest ice class for passenger ships.
- Ask for
- Ask for the cruises on its offers list where there is no or only a small surcharge for single occupancy of the cabin or suite.
- Not the fit if
- you use a wheelchair: guests who depend on one cannot travel in the Zodiacs.
- Published price
- From €13,640 per person, South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula, 14 days from Ushuaia on HANSEATIC inspiration, 07 Jan 2028 (early booking discount until 28 Feb 2027). Read 9 November 2026.
- Website
- hl-cruises.com
Heritage Expeditions
- Best for
- Ross Sea and Subantarctic expeditions
- Money protection
- Says the title in any deposit paid is held by Heritage Security Ltd on behalf of Heritage Expeditions (2018) Ltd under a customer deposit agreement.
- Why choose them
- Aims to keep a guide-to-client ratio of 1:12 on its expeditions.
- Ask for
- Ask for the 17 December 2026 Galapagos of the Southern Ocean voyage, which has a wildlife photography workshop with Nikon Ambassador Rachel Bigsby.
- Not the fit if
- you need a refundable deposit: the 25% deposit is non-refundable and on Antarctica voyages the full fare is lost within 120 days of departure.
- Published price
- From US$10,900 per person (reduced from US$13,500), Antarctic Peninsula Expedition Cruise incl. South Shetland Islands on Heritage Discoverer, departures from 22 November 2027. Read 9 November 2026.
Lindblad Expeditions
- Best for
- Expedition cruises with National Geographic experts
- Money protection
- Says it provides a full refund to the original form of payment under the US Federal Maritime Commission passenger vessel financial responsibility rule (46 C.F.R. Part 540). It is a registered California Seller of Travel, #2151120.
- Why choose them
- Says its staff-to-guest ratio is no more than 1-to-16. Google: 4.6 out of 5 from 84 reviews; Trustpilot: 3.2 out of 5 from 6 reviews, newest 4 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for the Share Guarantee, which matches solo guests willing to share with another solo guest of the same gender at the double-occupancy rate.
- Not the fit if
- your plans may change: cancelling 119 to 90 days before departure costs 50% of the trip cost and 89 days or less costs 100%.
- Website
- expeditions.com
Natural World Safaris
- Best for
- Specialist-led wildlife voyages on partner ships
- Money protection
- Says UK and EU clients are covered automatically by ATOL or Trust My Travel, with the invoice stating which; clients outside the UK and EU can buy Trust My Travel cover for a small additional fee.
- Why choose them
- Has been planning wildlife travel since 2005 and has expertise across 40+ countries. Google: 4.9 out of 5 from 139 reviews; Trustpilot (whole company): 4.8 out of 5 from 88 reviews, newest 7 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for the Svalbard Wildlife Safari, an intimate ship charter focused on polar bears, with its dates and price in writing.
- Not the fit if
- you might cancel within 89 days of departure: 100% of the entire cost is then payable.
- Published price
- From $12,000 per person (US$), Classic Antarctica Adventure on Sea Spirit, 28 Nov to 09 Dec 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Website
- naturalworldsafaris.com
Noble Caledonia
- Best for
- Small-ship voyages for mature travellers
- Money protection
- Protects UK residents' bookings that include air travel under its Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL), with an ATOL certificate; UK bookings without air travel are protected through its bond with ABTA.
- Why choose them
- Established in 1991, it owns MS Island Sky and MS Hebridean Sky, which carry 118 guests each. Trustpilot (whole company): 2.2 out of 5 from 24 reviews, newest 2 June 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for sole use of a twin cabin and the solo travellers' evening it hosts on board when numbers allow.
- Not the fit if
- you are travelling with children: it says travelling with children is not recommended and most of its ships have a minimum age of 15-18.
- Published price
- From £9,995 per person (special offer), Falklands in Focus, 14 nights on MS Island Sky, departing 5 January 2027. Read 9 November 2026.
Quark Expeditions
- Best for
- Polar-only voyages with helicopter options
- Money protection
- Says it is a member of the United States Tour Operators Association and fully covered by its Consumer Protection Plan, with money posted with the USTOA to reimburse advance payments if it goes bankrupt or ceases business.
- Why choose them
- Ultramarine carries two twin-engine helicopters and 20 quick-launching Zodiacs. Google: 4.8 out of 5 from 604 reviews; Trustpilot: 4.9 out of 5 from 578 reviews, newest 8 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for the Antarctic Express fly-cruise options if you would rather fly the Drake Passage than sail it both ways.
- Not the fit if
- you want to pay late: the full balance is due 150 days before Day 1 and bookings made inside that window are paid in full.
- Published price
- from $13,551 USD per person, Greenland to Newfoundland, 14 days on Ultramarine from Reykjavík, departures September 2027 to September 2028. Read 9 November 2026.
- Website
- quarkexpeditions.com
Scenic
- Best for
- All-inclusive polar yachts with helicopters
- Money protection
- Says flight-inclusive holidays are protected by ATOL (ATOL Number 9294) when indicated at booking.
- Why choose them
- Scenic Eclipse takes a maximum of 228 adult-only guests, 200 in Antarctica and the High Arctic, with an almost 1:1 crew to guest ratio.
- Ask for
- Ask for the fare on select voyages that includes a 30-minute helicopter flightseeing experience in Antarctica.
- Not the fit if
- you travel with children: Scenic Eclipse sails with adult-only guests.
- Published price
- From £16,573 per person, two sharing the lowest priced cabin, Antarctica in Depth, 13 days from Buenos Aires, 2028/2029 season. Read 9 November 2026.
Swan Hellenic
- Best for
- Cultural expedition cruises on three ships
- Money protection
- Says Swan Hellenic Travel has taken out insolvency bonding with ACTA (Cyprus) for all cruise-only bookings and flight-inclusive cruise packages to secure deposits and full payments.
- Why choose them
- SH Minerva and SH Vega carry 152 guests each and SH Diana 192. Trustpilot: 4.6 out of 5 from 179 reviews, newest 28 October 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask which departures waive the single supplement for solo travellers.
- Not the fit if
- you might cancel within 60 days of departure: 100% of the cruise package price is charged.
- Website
- swanhellenic.com
Which of these show a dated price on this page?
8 of the 12 cards show a price for a voyage, with its currency and a date or season. Cookson Adventures and Lindblad Expeditions publish fares on their own websites without a date or currency on the pages read, so no figure is shown for them. Ask every line for a written quote with the departure date and what it includes.
- Adventure Canada
- Aurora Expeditions
- Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
- Heritage Expeditions
- Natural World Safaris
- Noble Caledonia
- Quark Expeditions
- Scenic
Who to contact first
Start with the 5 lines on this page that publish both a voyage price and their cancellation terms on their own websites, then add any other card that fits your dates and the voyage you want.
What to ask each one to set out in writing:
- What the fare includes, line by line: flights, hotel nights before and after, drinks, gratuities, excursions, kayaking or camping, parka and boots.
- The ship: passengers on board, ice class where it matters, the cabin and whether anything on board costs extra.
- The deposit, when the balance is due, what you lose if you cancel and what happens if ice or weather changes the route.
- Which scheme or licence protects your money, the travel insurance you need and the medical cover it must include.
Expedition cruise money protection: the questions people ask
What should I ask an expedition cruise line before booking?
What the fare includes, line by line; how many passengers the ship carries and how many go ashore at once; the deposit and what you lose if you cancel; the travel insurance and medical cover it requires; and which scheme protects your money.
Can I book with these lines directly?
Yes. Each card links the line's own website or enquiry page; ask for a written quote that lists what the fare includes and the cancellation scale.
Do these lines all sell the same kind of voyage?
No. Each card names the voyage, ship or offer the line's own website gives; ship sizes, lengths, routes and prices differ, so compare the cards before you ask for quotes.
Do I need travel insurance for an expedition cruise?
11 of the 12 lines set out on their own websites what insurance they ask for; many polar voyages require cover for medical evacuation. Ask each line for the cover it requires before you buy a policy.
Which of these have the most Google reviews?
Quark Expeditions, Natural World Safaris and Aurora Expeditions, in that order. A count says how many people reviewed a line, not whether it fits your voyage; each card gives the rating and count, read 9 November 2026.
Which of these have Trustpilot profiles?
5 of the 12: Lindblad Expeditions, Natural World Safaris, Noble Caledonia, Quark Expeditions and Swan Hellenic. Each card gives the TrustScore, the review count and the newest review date, read 9 November 2026.
Which of these publish their cancellation terms?
8 of the 12: Adventure Canada, Aurora Expeditions, Cookson Adventures, Heritage Expeditions, Lindblad Expeditions, Natural World Safaris, Quark Expeditions and Swan Hellenic. Ask each for the full scale in writing before you pay a deposit.
Where can I check these facts myself?
Each card links the pages of the line's own website its lines were read from, with the date they were read.
How were these lines chosen?
Each one is in the Uncompromised Travel expedition cruise lines table, built from the expedition cruise lines ChatGPT names most often. On its own website it names a scheme, bond, insurer, trust account or licence that protects guest payments if it fails. A line is on the page because its published facts fit the question, never because it paid.
Is any company on this page paying to be here?
No. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel; none paid to be on it.
Read next
Built to answer the question in the main heading. What is shown: what each line published on its own website, read on 9 November 2026, with links to the pages read, with its Google and Trustpilot figures where the listing carries the line's own name, from the Uncompromised Travel expedition cruise lines table. Cards are in alphabetical order. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel. How this site earns · How we work.