Hurtigruten has kicked off the 2026 Wave Season with a suite of enhanced trade-only incentives and consumer savings, signaling a strategic push to empower travel advisors while driving bookings for its core products across Norway and beyond.
The cruise line’s latest promotion includes a monthly exclusive 50% trade-only discount, renewed each month for travel advisors, paired with strong client-facing discounts of up to 30% on select voyages. Hurtigruten has also revived its popular “Sell 3, Sail Free” promotion, which rewards agents with complimentary cruises for meeting booking targets.
Trade and Consumer Deals: Dual Focus for 2026 Wave Season
Wave Season — traditionally a period of peak cruise bookings from January through March — is shaping up to be especially competitive in 2026. Hurtigruten’s approach blends travel advisor incentives with traveler savings, reflecting the brand’s view that empowered agents help drive higher conversion and loyalty.
Under the refreshed program:
- Monthly Exclusive 50% Trade-Only Discount: Travel advisors can access half-price offers on select Hurtigruten departures — made available at the start of each month during the Wave Season period.
- Up to 30% Off for Clients: Guests can enjoy reduced fares on Hurtigruten’s two core concepts — Original and Signature voyages — across Norway and beyond. These discounts apply to sailings booked by March 1, 2026, on selected 2026 departures.
- Sell 3, Sail Free: Travel advisors securing three qualifying cabin bookings by March 1, 2026, for voyages through the end of 2026 can earn a free cruise of their own, redeemable before year-end.
This combined structure is designed to incentivize both immediate conversions and sustained selling activity throughout the Wave Season window.
Expanded Offers Backed by Broader Wave Savings
The Wave Season push comes as Hurtigruten continues to expand capacity in Northern Europe, recently adding additional sailings across the Nordic region for 2026 to meet rising demand for immersive, cold-climate itineraries.
Hurtigruten’s Wave Season campaign aligns with a wider industry trend of robust incentives this year. Alongside its trade-only discounts, consumer-facing promotions in markets such as Germany, Sweden, and the UK emphasize up to 30% savings on Norwegian coastal voyages, indicating strong global interest in northbound cruising itineraries.
The focus on both trade and traveler offers positions Hurtigruten to capture bookings well in advance of peak expedition and Northern Lights seasons, where demand historically surges.
Why It Matters
Hurtigruten’s strategy this Wave Season marks a clear evolution from standard consumer-only promotions to a hybrid model that rewards travel advisors alongside guests. With cruise lines increasingly competing for early-season sales, trade-focused deals like the monthly 50% discount and the “Sell 3, Sail Free” incentive create differentiated value that agents can leverage in their pitches.
The emphasis on Signature and Original voyage savings also solidifies Hurtigruten’s appeal as both a traditional coastal and expedition-style brand — offering experiences that range from Norway’s iconic fjord and Arctic regions to refined, inclusive cruising formats.
As Wave Season continues, agents and travelers alike will be watching closely to see how these combined incentives influence booking trends and competitive positioning across the cruise industry.
