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Here are the 5 best cruise insurance plans

Cruise insurance can cover many situations, but you need to shop around to find the best coverage..

A cruise is an ideal vacation for anyone who likes the all-inclusive concept , where you pay one price and have just about everything taken care of, from accommodations to meals and activities. But they also aren't always cheap and a lot of things can go wrong. You could have a flight delay that causes you to miss your departure or be unable to sail because of a sickness. In these situations, cruise insurance can reimburse you for prepaid and non-refundable expenses.

CNBC Select analyzed 19 cruise insurance companies and selected the best plans for various situations. (See  our methodology  for more information on how we chose the best cruise insurance plans.)

Best cruise insurance

• Best for cruise-specific plan: Nationwide Travel Insurance
• Best for affordable coverage : AXA Travel Insurance
• Best for adventure excursions: World Nomads
• Best for pre-existing conditions: Seven Corners Travel Insurance
• Best for cancel-for-any-reason coverage: Travel Guard Travel Insurance

Best for cruise-specific plan

Nationwide travel insurance.

The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote

Policy highlights

Nationwide's wide coverage for travel insurance allows many different types of travelers to find coverage that fits their needs. Three levels of cruise insurance coverage gives extra options to cruise passengers.

24/7 assistance available

• 10-day review period on cruise insurance policies to make sure the plan meets your needs (not available in NY or WA)
• Most basic cruise plan doesn't offer CFAR coverage

Who’s this for? Nationwide is a top choice for many travelers due to its variety of cruise-specific coverage. The insurer offers three three tiers of cruise insurance, but its standard Universal Cruise Plan should meet many needs.

Standout benefit: Nationwide's cruise-specific plans can cover things like emergency accidents, sicknesses, itinerary changes, mechanical breakdowns and other trip interruptions or on-ship disruptions. The company also offers a 10-day review period on its cruise policies (not available in NY or WA), giving you extra time to look over the policy and ensure it’s a good fit. 

[ Jump to more details ]

Best for affordable coverage

Axa assistance usa travel insurance.

AXA Assistance USA offers several travel insurance policies that include travel interruption, trip cancellation, and the option of cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage.

• Three tiers of plans available
• Highly rated for financial strength
• Cancel for any reason only available on highest-tier coverage

Who’s this for? Budget-conscious cruisers should consider AXA . In our research, AXA's Silver Plan stood out as the top budget plan for its mix of affordable premiums and essential coverage. CNBC Select also named AXA one of the best overall travel insurance providers .

Standout benefit: AXA's Silver Plan includes the standard coverage you need to protect yourself from delays and cancellations, as well as employment layoff coverage. This benefit reimburses you for prepaid and nonrefundable travel costs if you cancel because of involuntary layoff or you are terminated from your job. You only need to have been at your current employer for one continuous year to qualify, which is generous compared to other plans that require at least three continuous years of employment for this coverage — if it's even included at all.

Best for adventure excursions

World nomads travel insurance.

World Nomads offers travel insurance for all sorts of travelers, from families to solo adventure travelers. Policies are underwritten by Nationwide and offer strong coverage of emergency accident and illness situations, as well as emergency evacuation scenarios.

• Affordable coverage for many travelers
• Coverage for adventure activities like scuba diving, bungee jumping and more
• Lower trip cancellation limits than other travel insurance we reviewed

Who’s this for? World Nomads offers insurance underwritten by Nationwide , geared specifically toward thrill-seekers. The World Nomads Explorer Plan covers over 200 adventure activities and sports. With this plan, you can take part in just about any excursion without fear of negating your coverage .

Standout benefit: The World Nomads Explorer Plan covers baggage and personal items for loss, theft or damage for up to $3,000 and $1,500 per item. Sporting equipment is included in this coverage, so you can bring your golf clubs along on your cruise without worry.

Best for pre-existing conditions

Seven corners travel insurance.

Policies provide missed and delayed tour/cruise connection coverage. Cancel for any reason coverage and pre-existing conditions waiver are also available if you buy your plan within the specified time. ***CFAR and IFAR are subject to certain eligibility criteria and are not available in all states

• High coverage limits available
• Offers group insurance (10+ people)
• Covers Covid-19 illness
• Pre-existing conditions waiver not available for the Economy plan
• Cancel for any reason not available for the Economy plan

Who’s this for? Seven Corners offers a standard Trip Protection Economy plan and a more premium Trip Protection Elite plan. The Seven Corners Trip Protection Elite plan stands out for offering generous coverage limits and an add-on option for cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage, which both pair well with its pre-existing conditions waiver.

Standout benefit: This plan's pre-existing conditions waiver for medical coverage applies to plans purchased within 20 days of booking and paying your initial trip deposit. That's a generous window compared to some plans which can require you to purchase insurance within seven to 14 days. If you don't purchase your coverage within the waiver window, this plan only considers conditions existing within the previous 60 days, whereas other plans may look back up to 120 days.

Best for cancel for any reason coverage 

Travel guard® travel insurance.

Travel Guard offers a variety of plans to suit travel ranging from road trips to long cruises. For air travelers, Travel Guard can help assist with tracking baggage or covering lost or delayed baggage.

• A variety of plans are available to help cover different types of trips
• Not all products are available for purchase online

Who’s this for? AIG's Travel Guard Preferred plan comes with a wide range of coverages and a variety of useful add-ons for an extra fee such as pet coverage , wedding coverage and cancel for any reason coverage (CFAR).

Standout benefit: The optional CFAR insurance for this plan begins at 12:01 a.m. on the day after you pay for coverage and ends two days before departure (or when the travel is canceled). This benefit reimburses up to 50% of the trip cost (up to $25,000 maximum), which includes reimbursement for:

• 50% of change fees
• 50% of cancellation penalties for unused travel
• 50% of award travel redeposit fees

More on our top cruise insurance plans 

Nationwide universal cruise plan.

Nationwide's standard Universal Cruise Plan will be more than sufficient for many cruisers. It offers strong coverage for many different scenarios, but if you're seeking higher levels of coverage or are taking a long cruise, you can opt for the Choice Cruise Plan, or the Luxury Cruise Plan, which offers the highest level of benefits.

Trip cancellation and interruption

The full trip cost (100%) is covered for both cancellations and interruptions. This includes canceling because of a Covid-19 illness .

Covered delays of six hours or more (or at least three hours for missed connections) are eligible for reimbursement of:

• Up to $500 per day
• $500 maximum

Medical coverage and evacuation and repatriation

• $75,000 in emergency accident and sickness coverage
• $250,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage
• $750 in emergency dental treatment coverage

Pre-existing conditions

No coverage for pre-existing conditions that fall within 60 days of your policy's start date.

Notable perks

All of Nationwide's cruise plans, including the Universal Cruise Plan, include cancel for work reason coverage, meaning you may be covered if you need to cancel because of work-related issues, as well as coverage for extension of the school operating session. The Universal Cruise Plan also provides coverage for delayed and lost baggage, which begins to kick in after delays of eight hours or more, as well as coverage for trip delays of three hours or more for missed connections or other trip delays of six hours or more. You can also get reimbursed if your trip is canceled or interrupted because of terrorism (foreign or domestic) or financial default of the travel provider (14-day waiting period applies). Itinerary changes that cause you to miss a pre-paid excursion are covered by up to $250.

[ Return to summary ]

AXA Silver Plan

AXA offers three insurance plans, with the Silver Plan being the most affordable. The Gold Plan has most of the same types of coverage with higher reimbursement limits. Meanwhile, the Platinum Plan is for anyone who prefers premium benefits, such as cancel-for-any-reason coverage.

The full trip cost (100%) is covered for both cancellations and interruptions. This includes canceling because of a Covid-19 illness.

After a 12-hour delay or more, you're eligible for:

• Up to $100 per day
• Primary medical coverage of $25,000 per (covers Covid-19)
• Evacuation and repatriation coverage of $100,000 per person

No coverage for pre-existing conditions that fall within this policy's 60-day look-back period.

AXA's Silver Plan comes with coverage for delayed and lost baggage, including $200 per person for covered delays of 24 hours or more and $750 per person ($150 per item) for lost baggage and items. You can also get reimbursed if your trip is canceled or interrupted because of terrorism (foreign only) or financial default of the travel provider (10-day waiting period applies). If a hurricane or bad weather causes your travel provider to cease services for at least 48 hours, you can be reimbursed for up to the full trip cancellation/interruption coverage. Notably, you must purchase the coverage before a storm is named.

World Nomads Explorer Plan

The Explorer Plan is World Nomads' premium travel insurance plan and covers a longer list of activities than the Standard Plan. You can review the list of covered activities here and decide if the more affordable Standard Plan works for you.

Covered up to the trip cost with a $10,000 maximum.

Covered delays of six hours or more are eligible for reimbursement of:

• Up to $250 per day
• $3,000 maximum
• $100,000 in emergency accident and sickness coverage
• $500,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage

No coverage for pre-existing conditions that fall within 90 days of your policy's start date.

This plan includes $35,000 in rental car damage coverage (where it's valid) due to collision, theft or a natural disaster. And an accidental death and dismemberment benefit of $10,000. When your baggage is delayed for more than 12 hours, you can be reimbursed up to $150 a day ($750 maximum) for any necessary personal items you purchase.

Seven Corners Trip Protection Elite

The Seven Corners Trip Protection Elite plan has generous coverage limits for evacuation and repatriation and accident and sickness. Seven Corners Travel Insurance plans also cover Covid-related illnesses.

Trip cancellations are covered for 100% of the trip cost and interruptions are covered for 150% of the trip cost.

Trip delays of six hours or more can qualify for reimbursement of:

• Up to $300 per day
• $1,500 maximum
• $250,000 in emergency accident and sickness coverage
• $1,000,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage
• $750 in emergency dental coverage

Pre-existing conditions are covered if you purchase coverage within 20 days of making your initial trip deposit. If you don't qualify for the pre-existing conditions waiver, there is no emergency medical coverage for conditions existing within 60 days of your policy's start date.

This plan covers baggage delays of more than 12 hours for up to $600 and covers lost, damaged or stolen bags or personal items for up to $300 per item ($2,500 maximum). It also has missed cruise connection coverage of $150 per day for accommodations and meals ($1,500 maximum).

AIG Travel Guard Preferred

The CFAR coverage is available as an upgrade on Travel Guard's Preferred and Deluxe plans. If you don't need this optional upgrade, you could save money on your premium with Travel Guard's Essential plan.

Trip cancellations are covered for 100% of the trip cost (up to a max of $150,000) and trip interruptions are covered for 150% of the trip cost (up to a max of $225,000).

Trip delays of five hours or more can qualify for reimbursement of:

• Up to $200 per day
• $800 maximum
• $50,000 in emergency medical coverage
• $500 in emergency dental coverage

A pre-existing conditions waiver applies when you purchase coverage within 15 days of the initial trip deposit.

With this plan, you'll have coverage for lost, stolen or damaged baggage or travel documents for up to $1,000. You also receive baggage delay reimbursement for delays of more than 12 hours with a coverage limit of up to $250 per day ($300 maximum). If you miss a connection, you can be reimbursed up to $1,000 for unused prepaid or nonrefundable travel you missed and transportation expenses to rejoin your trip.

When should I buy insurance for a cruise?

It's usually best to purchase cruise insurance shortly after booking. This lets you take advantage of the protections sooner and qualify for certain benefits such as pre-existing condition waivers.

Is there a difference between travel insurance and cruise insurance?

Travel insurance typically covers cruises and other types of travel, whereas cruise insurance is designed to specifically protect you while cruising or getting to your cruise.

Does cruise insurance cover missed ports?

Cruise insurance may cover missed connections, but it's important to read your policy before you purchase it. Each policy has different limits on how much you'll be reimbursed and what exactly you'll be reimbursed for.

Bottom line

Cruise insurance plans protect you in all sorts of situations when something goes wrong while you're cruising. You can be covered for emergency medical expenses, trip delays, trip cancellations or interruptions and more. Shop around and compare providers to find the best cruise insurance policy for you.

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every cruise insurance   review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of travel insurance   products .  While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See  our methodology  for more information on how we choose the best cruise insurance plans.

Our methodology 

To determine the best cruise insurance plans,  CNBC Select  analyzed the offerings of 19 insurance companies and compared them based on various factors. These included the maximum coverage limits, optional coverages, types of coverage, premiums and what the policies cover. We also considered financial strength ratings from AM Best and Better Business Bureau ratings for customer satisfaction.

We based premium costs on a sample cruise with the following details (when applicable):

• 40-year-old male
• Living in New York, New York
• Sailing for seven days in April
• Total trip cost: $2,800
• Destination: Mexico
• Flying to the port of departure

Sample quotes assumed that payments were made on the date of quoting.

Note that the premiums and policy structures advertised for cruise insurance companies are subject to fluctuate in accordance with the company's policies.

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Cruise travel insurance: What it covers and why you need it

What does cruise travel insurance cover? And does it pay to buy cruise travel insurance?

The answer is not always clear-cut, as we'll discuss in this guide. But consider this: It's not always smooth seas when it comes to cruising. Even the best-laid plans for a cruise vacation can sometimes be thrown off course by an unexpected event.

You might need to cancel a cruise in advance due to the sudden onset of an illness, such as COVID-19 or the flu. Or, maybe you fall ill during the cruise and need emergency medical attention. Maybe your flight to your ship gets canceled, and you miss the vessel's departure. Or your ship is late arriving in port at the end of a voyage, and you miss your flight home.

In all of these situations, you might benefit from having cruise travel insurance — keyword "might."

Cruise insurance policies vary widely, and not every policy covers every type of mishap. That's why it always pays to read the fine print in a travel insurance policy before you purchase it to know what you're getting in advance.

It's also why you should read this introduction to everything you need to know about cruise insurance. It has many details, but the next time something unexpected happens on your cruise vacation, you'll be glad to be educated and covered by a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

What does travel insurance cover when you cruise?

The typical cruise insurance policy covers a wide range of circumstances that can go wrong in conjunction with a vacation at sea — both before and during the sailing.

For starters, policies often will reimburse you for the cost of canceling a cruise due to a last-minute crisis. They will also often cover costs related to an interruption of a cruise (maybe your ship breaks down, requiring you to fly home mid-voyage ). These two elements are known as trip-cancellation and trip-interruption insurance, and they are bundled into a typical travel insurance policy.

Some policies will also cover out-of-pocket costs related to a flight delay or cancellation that results in you missing your cruise departure (for instance, the cost of catching up to the ship at its next port). Expenses related to baggage delays and loss are often covered as well.

But perhaps most importantly, many travel insurance policies will cover medical expenses you incur while on a cruise. Some will even cover the cost of evacuating from a foreign destination if you are in the midst of a medical crisis.

Travel insurance giant Allianz Global Assistance reports that 53% of all cruise-related "billing reasons" for claims are because of illness for the insured person, while 14% are for an injury. Another 8% are for the illness of a family member, 4% for the death of a family member and 4% for the illness of a traveling companion, among other reasons.

Those percentages include illness and accidents that happen to cruisers just before a trip, making travel impossible. But, in many cases, such claims result from illness and injuries that occur during voyages.

"People often take risks during vacation that they might not take back home, whether riding a jet ski, zipping around on a motorized scooter in a city they don't know well or hiking unfamiliar terrain," James Page, senior vice president and chief administration officer of AIG Travel, told TPG .

Some policies also cover the financial default of a travel provider. In such cases, if your cruise line goes out of business before you sail, you could get all — or at least some — of your money back.

Cruise travel insurance policies don't cover everything. For instance, standard travel insurers generally will not reimburse you for the cost of a cruise you cancel due to worries about an outbreak of an illness. That's true even if a U.S. government agency such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues a recommendation that you don't cruise due to an illness outbreak, as it did during the COVID-19 pandemic .

If you want the ultimate flexibility to cancel for such a reason or any other, you'll want to look into a more expensive cancel for any reason travel insurance upgrade.

Related: Avoiding outbreaks isn't covered by most travel insurance policies

Where to find a cruise travel insurance policy

You can buy a travel insurance policy directly from your cruise line when booking your trip or through your travel agent (if you're using one, which often is a good idea when booking a cruise). You also can go directly to a third-party travel insurance provider or a travel-insurance aggregator site, such as InsureMyTrip or TravelInsurance . Your credit card might even give you some travel protections.

Here's what you need to know about each type of cruise travel insurance.

Third-party insurance companies

Third-party insurance companies that specialize in writing travel insurance include AIG Travel, Allianz Travel Insurance, Travelex Insurance and American Express Travel Insurance.

One reason to use a travel agent or a travel aggregator: They can help you find a policy that offers added coverage specific to cruising.

Related: The Points Guy's guide to the best travel insurance companies

"Many plans now offer benefits that will specifically appeal to cruise travelers, such as missed connection, missed port-of-call and cruise disablement coverage," Stan Sandberg, cofounder of TravelInsurance.com, said.

Missed connection coverage reimburses cruisers for a set dollar amount if they need to rebook travel to catch up with their cruise at the next port. Missed port-of-call coverage pays a benefit if the cruise ship misses a scheduled port of call due to weather, a natural disaster or a mechanical breakdown.

Cruise disablement coverage pays a benefit if the traveler is confined on a ship for more than five hours without power, food, water or restrooms.

As noted, policies vary widely. It's a good idea to compare plans and make sure the one you buy has the elements that are most important to you. One size doesn't fit all.

Credit cards with travel benefits

Some premium credit cards offer valuable travel protections comparable to what you might get from a standard travel insurance plan. For example, the travel insurance provided when you pay for travel with select cards can reimburse you for expenses if your baggage is damaged, you're stranded overnight due to a flight delay or cancellation, or you have to return home to handle a family medical emergency.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card, for example, offers trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, emergency medical coverage and even medical evacuation coverage , among other benefits. And yes, cruise lines are considered common carriers just like airlines.

If you're planning to rely on a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or The Platinum Card® from American Express * (among others) for travel insurance, just be sure to recheck your card's benefits and limits carefully against regular travel insurance. You must pay for at least part — and sometimes all — of the trip with that credit card to take advantage of its protections.

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises

Find out if your credit card protection includes travel accident insurance or covers preexisting medical conditions, and figure out when it will pay you back. Other questions to ask: What are the coverage limits? Will you have to pay for a foreign hospital bill upfront and then seek reimbursement later?

Cruise lines

Cruise lines often ask consumers booking a cruise to buy the line's own protection at the time of purchase. If specifics about the coverage are lacking, always ask the line for details in advance, review coverage perks and limits; then, compare those to one or two independent travel insurance policies or your credit card's insurance benefits.

Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line

Cruise line travel insurance policies sometimes have quirks. Many cruise companies will only offer a travel voucher or credit for future use in the event of a covered cancellation, not an outright refund.

Also, financial default may not be a covered event in a cruise line-sold policy, but it's typically covered with plans from third-party travel insurance companies.

Cruise line policies also can be more restrictive.

"Cruise line insurance seems to have become better and has more widespread coverage than in the past, but it typically won't cover air or pre- and post-travel [arrangements] unless those elements are purchased through [the line]," said Debra Kerper, a Cruise Planners travel adviser from Carrollton, Texas, who books travel and sells private insurance. "This is when private insurance coverage becomes so very important."

How much does cruise insurance cost?

Expect to pay anywhere from 4% to 8% of your total prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses for a travel insurance policy. That's a wide range, we know, but it reflects the wide range of products out there.

You'll also find some basic plans that cost even less than 4% of your trip expenses, while some super-premium plans that cover just about any conceivable issue can cost as much as 12% of your trip expenses.

Related: What's included in your cruise fare?

All reputable insurance companies will offer a "free-look period" during which you can receive a 100% refund on your premium. This allows you to review the policy you've selected and return it for any reason within the period allotted — usually for a small administration fee of less than $10.

Under normal circumstances, you don't need to purchase a so-called "cancel for any reason" add-on to your cruise travel insurance policy unless you really need the flexibility. The upgrades are significantly more expensive.

You can receive a quote and purchase a policy online in minutes with any credit card. Although you may think travel insurance should code as "travel" when paid on a credit card and thus be eligible for bonus points on certain cards, that isn't always the case. Your points earnings will depend on the individual underwriter's merchant code. When in doubt, expect the purchase to fall under the insurance category for earnings.

Should I buy travel insurance for a cruise?

Whether you buy travel insurance is a personal decision that will depend on many factors. Would you be willing to absorb the loss of canceling a cruise on short notice due to an illness or accident? Could you afford an evacuation flight from a far-off port if you suddenly became seriously ill? Only you can answer those sorts of questions.

Here are some things to consider as you make that decision.

You might not be covered by regular medical insurance while cruising

If you're a U.S. citizen traveling internationally (which will be the case for most cruises), you may find that most private medical insurance plans in the U.S. won't cover you.

Additionally, Original Medicare only covers people traveling outside U.S. borders in limited circumstances.

While certain Medicare Supplement Plans do have some foreign emergency medical benefits, not all do. Be sure to talk to your Medical Supplemental Plan provider to see if you're covered, what's covered, what the limits are and how the bill is paid.

Also note that, in some countries (particularly those in Central and South America), travelers may not be discharged from a hospital until their bill is paid in full.

Related: Trip wrecked: 7 ways to prepare for any kind of travel disaster

Plus, if you have a medical incident overseas, you could find yourself stuck in a shared hospital room without air conditioning or a private bathroom. The level of care may not be what you expect.

"For people traveling internationally, it's crucial to know beforehand where to go for any treatment … and how they're going to pay for that treatment," Page said.

Getting evacuated for a medical condition is expensive

Most airlines won't accept seriously ill passengers, those carrying bulky medical equipment or those requiring a full medical team.

Even a low-cost weekend getaway on a cruise to the Bahamas out of Miami can turn costly if you suffer a serious accident or illness requiring medical treatment or an emergency medical evacuation.

Related: Do cruise ships have doctors, nurses, medical centers or hospitals?

Being flown back to the U.S. from a far-flung overseas location in a private, medically equipped aircraft, with a professional medical team on board, can run between $70,000 and $180,000, according to Mike Hallman, president and CEO of Medjet, a medical transport membership company.

"Domestic transports, which we cover as well, can cost upwards of $30,000," Hallman said.

Without proof of medical evacuation coverage, foreign providers will also want that money upfront. Hallman said that regular travel insurance will typically get you to an acceptable overseas hospital and even to a higher-level care facility if "medically necessary." Alternatively, medical evacuation coverage means you can fly home to your own hospital, doctors and family — without claim forms, cost caps on transports or surprise bills.

The tandem approach — buying both travel insurance and a separate medevac transport membership — is a good option, Hallman said.

"We always recommend travel insurance, as it covers trip interruption, which is important, as well as medical coverage for the hospital and treatment costs," he said. "We pick up where they leave off."

You can't predict the weather

Cruising is a great way to explore multiple destinations in one trip. But it's good to remember that unexpected delays, interruptions or cancellations due to weather can happen during cruises, particularly during hurricane seasons in places such as the Caribbean and Asia (where hurricanes are called typhoons).

During a typical hurricane season (June 1 to Nov. 30), Allianz pays about 6,000 claims from customers whose travel plans in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and southeastern U.S. are affected by the storms, according to a spokesperson for Allianz Global Assistance USA.

If you're hoping to insure against a storm-related disaster, it's good to buy travel insurance as early as possible. Once a storm or hurricane is named, it's too late to buy travel insurance to cover it.

Of course, cruise lines will move ships away from a weather threat. When the port lineup is adjusted or the cruise shortened, the company will offer the guest an onboard credit, onboard gift or future cruise credit rather than any refund. It depends on the circumstances of that specific voyage. You won't be able to make a claim on your cruise travel insurance policy just for a minor itinerary change .

Related: Everything you need to know about cruising during hurricane season

Costs can mount quickly when things go wrong

Even if the cruise line does provide a full or partial refund or cruise credit for an itinerary change or some other interruption, travelers could have to swallow the cost of other travel elements not purchased through the line. That could include nonrefundable flights , prepaid resort or hotel nights, nonrefundable tour fees and more.

Travel insurance can cover those, plus help with flight delays or cancellations, baggage loss or theft.

If a winter storm causes you to miss your flight to where the ship is boarding , "travel insurance could help you get to the next port to join the cruise, so you don't miss your entire trip," Page said.

In fact, 13% of "billing reasons" for claims to Allianz are for common carrier delays (such as a flight delay), while weather and natural disaster-related claims account for about 3%.

The government probably won't bail you out

While cruise ships have medical facilities, they're usually not equipped to treat serious illnesses. If you experience a serious medical problem on a vessel, you may have to get off the ship in a foreign port to seek treatment at a hospital. In such a case, if you don't have medical evacuation insurance, you may then find yourself stranded in that port awaiting a medical evacuation.

Don't expect Uncle Sam to step in and help foot the bill.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs clearly states the importance of buying travel insurance.

"The U.S. government does not provide medical insurance for U.S. citizens overseas," the bureau says on the website. "We do not pay medical bills. You should purchase insurance before you travel."

You may need more assistance than you think

If you're injured or become severely ill during a cruise, especially in a foreign country, it may be difficult to access help without the assistance of trained professionals that comes with many insurance plans.

Many travel insurance companies provide around-the-clock assistance with locating overseas clinics and pharmacies, getting to a doctor or hospital, refilling lost or depleted prescriptions, assisting with up-front payments to hospitals, and arranging flight changes so you can get home.

Travel insurance companies also can arrange for an air ambulance, a nurse escort, oxygen and a lie-flat seat on a flight home if your medical condition warrants it.

You want to be careful if you have preexisting conditions

When you cruise, it's important to be fully covered, which means having comprehensive medical coverage that includes any preexisting conditions. Otherwise, if you head into a doctor's office overseas, have any tests completed, or visit an urgent care center or emergency room, you might not be covered.

Here, timing is extremely important. Cruisers seeking coverage of preexisting conditions, as well as cancel for any reason insurance, generally must book within seven to 21 days of the first payment they make for a trip. The timing varies by insurer.

Bottom line

Cruise insurance isn't for every traveler — or even for every sailing. It's not inexpensive. However, it can bring a lot of peace of mind if you're about to head out to sea. Do your homework, compare plans and always assess the risks.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
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• 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
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Should I Buy Cruise Insurance? Complete Guide to Coverage

A step-by-step guide to cruise insurance, what it covers, and if you need it..

Note:   Cruzely.com nor the author is an insurance professional. Be sure to review any policy and ask your insurance company any questions you might have.

We are an affiliate of InsureMyTrip, linked below. We receive a small commission if you buy travel insurance through the links included in this article, at no cost to you.

Most people don’t like to think about the bad things that can happen when you are on vacation. But the truth is that accidents, cancellations, theft and other mishaps can occur, even while you’re on your dream trip. For example:

• You get sick after eating the local food, leading to two days in the hospital.
• You get pickpocketed in a crowded market, and the thief takes your passport.
• You miss a connecting flight, meaning you have to unexpectedly pay full price for a hotel room until you can reach your destination.

The list is endless of what could happen. But they all share one major theme. They can ruin your vacation and potentially cost you hundreds — if not thousands — of dollars. These mishaps can be compounded when you are on a cruise. With a cruise ship’s tight schedule, any delays could cause you to miss the boat. Of course, that means having to purchase lodging, transportation, meals, and more while you try to make arrangements to get back home.

Worst yet, medical emergencies aboard a cruise can rack up serious bills. What happens if a major illness hits while the ship is in the middle of the ocean? While cruise ships do have doctors to administer first aid, the expenses of emergency transport for serious emergencies can be astronomical.

It’s for these reasons that cruise insurance has become a major interest among passengers. To be absolutely clear, the vast majority of cruises go off without a hitch. Still, there is something to be said for having a little peace of mind and not having to worry just in case something does go wrong.

Travel & cruise insurance is made exactly for that purpose. By purchasing this coverage you are covered for a wide range of events (many detailed below) that could otherwise cost you significant money without insurance.

Of course, in exchange for that coverage you have to pay a premium — money out of your pocket for a service that you might not ever use. That leads to a big question: Should you buy cruise insurance? Is it worth it?

To decide if it’s the right choice for you, we’ve researched all the ins and outs of cruise insurance to help you out…

( See how affordable travel insurance can be. Get a free quote from InsureMyTrip. )

What does cruise insurance cover?

Every policy is slightly different; there is no set requirement of what is covered. That’s why its important to review the terms of any plan you purchase. That said, you’ll find most cruise insurance covers the same basic things. Here are the major items that you’ll want to make sure your policy covers.

Trip Cancellation – The most basic coverage with cruise insurance, trip cancellation protection allows you to get your money back that you’ve paid for your trip if you cancel for specific, predetermined reasons . This coverage doesn’t allow you to get repaid if you just decide to cancel because you don’t want to go (though there are policies that can do that).

The specific reasons will be laid out in your policy. In general, they fall into several major groups:

• Major illness or injury to you, traveling companion, or family member
• Death of you, traveling companion, or family member
• Birth of child
• Traffic accident
• Divorce (from traveling companion)
• Being fired/laid off
• Travel delays

Trip Interruption – Similar to trip cancellation, this coverage pays you for an interruption for specific reasons like the ones mentioned above after your trip has already started or when travel is delayed. In addition to being reimbursed for the remainder of what you’ve paid for your cruise, you’ll often also be reimbursed for expenses like flight and hotel to get back home.

Emergency Medical – If you’re worried about getting sick or injured while on your cruise, then know that most plans offer emergency medical coverage. This is exactly as it sounds. It provides medical insurance for serious illness or injury. Many plans also offer some dental coverage.

Emergency Evacuation – Nearly every plan will have some sort of emergency evacuation coverage. This is coverage to get the person to the most appropriate medical treatment (often as defined by the insurance company). So if you break your leg while on an excursion in Mexico and have to be transported to a larger city for the correct care, then your expenses are covered. Emergency evacuation coverage also can pay for you to get you home if you are in a medical facility away from home.

Lost/Stolen Luggage – Most of the time lost or stolen luggage isn’t so much about the money as the pain of having to replace everything. Even so, cruise insurance should provide some reimbursement expense for your loss, taking some of the sting out of losing your bags. Understand that most times this coverage has special limits for things like laptops or electronics that may not fully replace the lost item.

Pre-Existing Condition Coverage – Most of us know that insurance is hesitant to cover pre-existing conditions. Travel insurance can offer pre-existing condition coverage in certain circumstances (but not always!), which is especially helpful if believe you’ll need some sort of coverage while in a foreign country for an on-going illness. If this is important to you, make sure you double check the specific policy, which will make it very clear if pre-existing conditions are covered or not.

What doesn’t cruise insurance cover?

Cruise insurance actually covers more things and offers more benefits than just what is listed above. But it doesn’t cover everything and policies are pretty specific about what they will and won’t pay.

The most notable exception is that you can’t just cancel your cruise for any reason and get reimbursed for any money you lose . Instead, the only way the policy will pay is if you cancel for one of the specific reasons cited in your policy for cancelling your cruise. Keep in mind these reasons you are allowed to cancel may be more than what’s listed above.

You also won’t be compensated for inconveniences on your trip. For instance, if your trip doesn’t go as planned, but you don’t suffer an actual loss, then you won’t be able to make a claim. If it pours rain an entire day that you are in port and you can’t even get off the ship, your travel insurance won’t cover the loss of a day of vacation. Weather is not covered unless it causes an actual interruption to the cruise.

Also, it’s important to understand that your benefits are less any refunds you might receive otherwise. So if your cruise is cancelled and the cruise line refunds your fare, you won’t be able to claim the cruise fare as a loss.

Addendums to coverage

Some policies allow you to add coverage to your insurance that allow more flexibility and benefits.

The most popular addendum is known as “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage . This addendum allows you to cancel your trip and receive reimbursement, no matter why.

So if you simply decide that you don’t want to get out of bed the morning of your cruise and call the whole trip off (not sure why you would do such a thing!), then you can cancel and get your money back.

One important thing to note is that these policies rarely give 100% of your entire trip fare back. It usually ranges from 50-75%. Still, considering that you get nothing back if you cancel for a non-covered reason, this additional coverage is often worth the cost.

Many cruise travel insurance policies will also offer an addendum for rental car coverage. Obviously most cruise passengers won’t opt for this coverage since it’s rare to rent a car given that you are in port only for a day at a time.

What about insurance sold by cruise lines?

When buying a cruise, you’ll be offered an option to purchase insurance from the cruise line. This coverage takes on many different names. You might have seen one of the following if you’ve already bought your cruise:

• Carnival Vacation Protection
• Royal Caribbean Travel Protection
• Princess Vacation Protection
• Norwegian Cruise Line Booksafe Travel Protection Plan
• Celebrity CruiseCare Travel Insurance Program

These plans are quite popular because of their ability to be sold right alongside the cruise, which means they are convenient to buy. However, that doesn’t automatically make them a good purchase.

While convenient, these plans can often offer much lower coverage rates than traditional travel insurance, for a similar price. So while traditional travel insurance might offer $50,000 in medical coverage, a cruise line might only offer $25,000.

The one advantage that cruise line plans have is that they typically offer cancel for any reason coverage included. Royal Caribbean’s plan, for example, will reimburse you 90% of what you’ve paid for your cruise if you cancel for any reason. Just know that the refund is applied as a future cruise credit — not a cash payment as you’d get with the coverage from a traditional travel insurer.

For these reasons, we suggest sticking with traditional travel insurance from a third-party instead of the policies offered by cruise lines. But any coverage is better than no coverage.

What time period does the insurance cover?

While you should check with your specific insurance policy, they usually go into effect at midnight of the day after you purchase them. They then stay in effect until you return home from your trip.

Example: You buy cruise insurance at 6 p.m. on December 1 for a cruise that departs December 20 and returns December 27. Your coverage would be from in effect from midnight on December 2 until you return home from your cruise.

How do I Buy Cruise Insurance?

As mentioned earlier, if you are buying through the cruise line, you can purchase coverage at the same time that purchase your trip. You can also purchase at a later date by visiting the links below.

For third-party travel insurance, you can get a free quote and purchase directly through the provider. We’ve listed the major companies and their websites here:

Generali: https://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/ Travelex Insurance: http://www.travelexinsurance.com/ AXA Travel Insurance: https://www.axatravelinsurance.com/

For most people, however, we suggest looking at a site like InsureMyTrip.com . This site searches many companies at once to find the right insurance for you and your trip and bring you all your choices. Whether you are looking for affordability or the best coverage, all your options are laid out for you.

You can get a free quote here , see how much coverage might cost, and see everything it covers.

When should I buy cruise insurance?

The best time to buy is as soon as you’ve purchased your cruise. This allows you all the cancellation benefits immediately should something come up between the time you purchase and the time you actually travel.

One thing to note is that you can’t purchase after you already have an event that will lead to a loss. For example, say you get hurt in an accident that means you won’t be able to go on your vacation. You can’t purchase insurance and then try to be reimbursed for your trip. This is insurance fraud and the company won’t provide reimbursement.

How much does it cost?

Ah, the most important question. After all, every type of insurance is basically a bet between you and the insurance company whether something will happen on your trip.

Prices will vary based on company, trip length, cost, who is being covered, and the sort of coverage you choose. Most companies also offer different levels of plan that have different limits and thus, higher or lower prices.

As a general rule of thumb, traditional cruise insurance offered by a third-party will run about 5%-7.5% of your trip cost . So for a $5,000 trip, expect to pay around $250-$375 for coverage. That can vary widely, however.

Should I buy cruise insurance?

If you want to have some peace of mind on your trip, then yes. However, the vast majority of cruise passengers will never use their insurance.

The problem is that for issues that do come up, the expenses can be large and unknown. For instance, there is no price list of having to be evacuated medically from a cruise ship. The cruise insurance offers valuable peace of mind.

If you do decide to purchase, we highly suggest that you shop around for prices and also read your plan carefully (comparing two or three of the most well-known providers). And while every cruise line strongly recommends purchasing some sort of insurance for your cruise, we don’t recommend purchasing insurance offered through them, as traditional plans can offer better coverage for a similar price.

Get a free quote at the link below

Again, for cruise travel insurance, we suggest looking at a site like InsureMyTrip.com . This site searches many companies at once to find the right insurance for you and your trip and bring you all your choices. Whether you are looking for affordability or the best coverage, all your options are laid out for you.

Disclaimer: Cruzely.com is an affiliate with the travel insurers mentioned in the article above. We receive a small commission if you get a quote or purchase through the links included in this article at no extra cost to you.

Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)

Read next: park & cruise hotels for every port in america, popular: 107 best cruise tips, secrets, tricks, and freebies, related articles more from author, are you ready for the cruise muster drill here’s what to know…, what’s the earliest you should schedule a flight after a cruise, everything to know about interior cruise cabins (read before booking), here’s when new cruise ships are worth the higher fares, 8 things definitely worth it on a cruise…and 3 places to save your money, when is a balcony cabin worth it on a cruise.

If a cruise is not leaving Australian waters, a passport is not needed. Will your private health insurance / medicare still be applicable on a domestic cruise?

Not familiar with Australian insurance rules. I’d suggest contacting the cruise line.

I believe Medicare doesn’t cover you overseas. That is why we get it

do you have insurace for canadians travelling on a cruise fro new york to bermuda

Any travel insurer should be able to cover you. You can go to a site like InsureMyTrip.com or AIG Travel Guard to see your options.

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Travel insurance

Best cruise travel insurance plans of July 2024

Amy Fontinelle

Heidi Gollub

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 2:50 p.m. UTC June 7, 2024

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WorldTrips offers the best cruise travel insurance , according to our analysis. If you’re shopping for travel insurance for a cruise, use this guide to compare the cost and coverage of top-scoring plans.

Editor’s Note: This article contains updated information from a previously published  story .

Best cruise travel insurance companies

Axa assistance usa, travel insured, trawick international.

• USI Affinity

Why trust our travel insurance experts

Our team of experts evaluates hundreds of insurance products and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best product for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.

• 1,517 coverage details evaluated.
• 280 rates reviewed.
• 5 levels of fact-checking.

Travel insurance quotes comparison

Top-rated cruise travel insurance plans of 2024.

Top-scoring plan

Covers covid, medical & evacuation limits per person, what you should know.

WorldTrips’ Atlas Journey Explore offers solid cruise travel insurance coverage for a low price. With this plan, you’ll get $750,000 in emergency evacuation benefits and $150,000 in primary emergency medical coverage. 

The more expensive Atlas Journey Elevate also earns our rating of the best cruise travel insurance — for a little extra, you can get $250,000 in primary medical coverage and $1 million in emergency evacuation benefits with this plan.

Pros and cons

• Primary emergency medical benefits.
• $1,000 missed connection coverage after 3 hours.
• $1,500 in lost baggage or personal items per person.
• Offers pre-existing conditions exclusion waiver if terms are met.
• No “interruption for any reason” upgrade available.
• No non-medical evacuation coverage.

If you’re worried that missed connections could disrupt your cruise, it’s worth considering TravelSafe for its excellent missed connection benefit.

• Best-in-class $2,500 per person in missed connection coverage after 3 hours.
• Top-notch medical evacuation coverage of $1 million.
• Superior baggage loss limit of $2,500 per person.
• Hurricane and weather delay coverage applies after 12 hours.
• Travel delay benefit of $150 per day is on the low side.

AXA Assistance USA’s Platinum offers $1 million in emergency medical evacuation coverage, $250,000 in emergency medical coverage and has a high per-person limit for baggage and personal items loss.

• Good emergency medical coverage of $250,000.
• Best-in-class lost baggage coverage of $3,000 per person.
• Very good missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person after a 3-hour delay.
• Much pricier CFAR coverage than competitors.
• Hurricane and weather delay coverage applies after a 48-hour waiting period.
• Travel delay and baggage delay coverages have a 12-hour waiting period.

Travel Insured Worldwide Trip Protector travel insurance offers $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage per person and $150,000 in non-medical evacuation per person. It also has primary coverage for travel medical insurance benefits.

• One of the cheapest cruise travel insurance plans in our rating.
• Provides a rare $150,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• Very good 75% “interruption for any reason” upgrade available.
• Generous travel delay benefit of $200 per day ($1,500 max) after 3 hours.
• Missed connection coverage kicks in after 3 hours.
• Hurricane and weather delay coverage applies after just 6 hours.
• Baggage loss coverage of $1,000 is lower than most of our top-scoring plans.
• Optional “interruption for any reason” coverage begins 72 hours after your trip starts, not 48.
• Missed connection coverage caps out at $500 and is limited to cruises and tours.

Trawick International’s Safe Travels First Class policy offers top-notch medical evacuation coverage of $1 million, but its emergency medical benefit is secondary coverage. This means you’ll need to file any medical claims with your health insurance provider first.

• $1,000 missed connection coverage for cruises and tours after 3 hours.
• $2,000 in lost baggage per person.
• Emergency medical coverage is secondary.
• Hurricane and weather delay coverage only applies after a 48-hour waiting period.

Nationwide’s Cruise Luxury travel insurance plan provides excellent coverage for missed cruise and tour connections: $2,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay. It’s also one of the lower-priced plans among our top picks.

• $25,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• Great missed connection coverage of $2,500 per person after a 3-hour delay.
• Excellent baggage and personal item loss coverage of $2,500 per person.
• Optional “interruption for any reason” upgrade only covers $1,000.
• Emergency medical benefit is secondary coverage.
• Hurricane and weather delay coverage applies after 24 hours, rather than 6 or 12.

USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services

USI’s Ruby plan offers well-balanced coverage that meets our standards for emergency medical and evacuation coverage. It’s also one of our more expensive top-scoring plans.

• Good emergency medical coverage of $250,000 per person.
• Very good medical evacuation coverage of $500,000.
• Baggage loss coverage of $1,000 is lower than most top-scoring plans.
• One of the higher-priced options among our top-rated plans.
• Missed connection coverage caps out at $750 and is limited to cruises and tours.
• Hurricane and weather delay coverage applies after 48 hours.

Best cruise insurance plans of 2024

Via Compare Coverage’s website

Methodology

Our insurance experts reviewed 40 aspects of 37 travel insurance plans to find the best cruise insurance.

We only scored plans that cover COVID-related cancellation and medical expenses, and plans that offer missed connection coverage.

The benefits we scored out of a possible 100 points include:

• Cost: 50 points. We scored the average cost for each travel insurance policy — not including “cancel for any reason” coverage — for a variety of international trips and traveler profiles.
• Medical expenses: 10 points. Travel insurance plans that offer travel medical expense benefits of $250,000 or more per person were given the highest amount of points.
• Medical evacuation: 10 points. Travel insurance plans with emergency medical evacuation benefits of $500,000 or more per person were given the highest number of points.
• Missed connection coverage: 15 points. Plans with higher reimbursement levels for missed connections scored more points.
• CFAR reimbursement level of trip cost: 5 points. Policies providing 75% reimbursement were awarded full points.
• Trip interruption: 5 points. Travel insurance plans with trip interruption reimbursement of 150% or more were given points.
• Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: 5 points. Travel insurance plans that cover pre-existing medical conditions if the policy is purchased within the required timeline received points.

What is cruise insurance and how does it work?

Cruise insurance is another name for travel insurance . If the trip you’re planning is a cruise, you might be looking for cruise insurance — but you’re really just looking for a comprehensive travel insurance policy with strong benefits for the potential problems that could mess up your cruising plans.

Cruise insurance works by reimbursing you for a certain percentage or dollar amount of the nonrefundable prepaid travel costs you lose if you experience a problem covered by your plan. 

You can buy travel insurance through a cruise line, but experts warn this may be a mistake . The coverage provided may not be as comprehensive as travel insurance you can buy separately from a third-party provider, such as those in our best cruise travel insurance rating.

What is covered by cruise insurance?

Cruise travel insurance plans bundle together several types of coverage. Here are types of coverage you might care about most when you’re planning a cruise.

Trip cancellation insurance

Trip cancellation insurance reimburses you for 100% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses when you decide not to travel for a reason your policy covers. Covered reasons vary by plan and the list can be extensive. It typically includes things like the death of a family member, illness or injury and natural disasters, to name a few.

“Cancel for any reason” (CFAR)

“Cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage typically reimburses you for up to 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses when you decide not to travel for a reason your policy doesn’t cover, such as having a vague sense of uneasiness that makes you want to stay home. 

This optional upgrade can increase the cost of your policy by 40% to 90%. It gives you increased flexibility with your travel plans, but only up to a point. You’ll need to cancel your trip at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure to file a successful CFAR claim. 

Trip interruption insurance

This coverage reimburses you for as much as 150% of your prepaid, unused, nonrefundable trip expenses (sometimes even more) if you need to change your plans after departure for a reason your policy covers. Maybe you get sick at your destination and can’t enjoy the last two days of your itinerary and have to change your flight. Or maybe you need to cut your trip short because your teenager was in a car accident. Trip interruption insurance can cover the cost of a last-minute, one-way economy ticket to get you home. 

“Interruption for any reason” (IFAR)

IFAR is an optional upgrade that only some travel insurance plans offer. This coverage reimburses you for up to 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses when you change your travel plans after departure for a reason your policy normally wouldn’t cover. It also covers the cost of a last-minute flight home. Adding IFAR to your policy can increase the cost of your travel insurance by 3% to 10%.

Emergency medical expense

Travel medical insurance covers the cost of non-routine health care if you get sick, including contracting COVID-19, or being injured on your trip, up to your policy limit. It usually has no deductible. 

When shopping for travel insurance, pay attention to whether the travel medical coverage is primary or secondary — if your U.S. health insurance won’t cover you outside of the country, it would be best to have primary coverage. 

Pre-existing conditions exclusion waiver

Most travel insurance excludes pre-existing conditions from coverage unless you meet certain conditions and qualify for a waiver. A pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver allows your emergency medical expense coverage to pay for treatment related to conditions you’ve been treated for in the months leading up to your trip.

To get pre-existing condition coverage, you’ll usually need to buy travel insurance within 14 to 30 days of making your first trip deposit, insure the full value of your trip and be medically able to travel.

Emergency medical evacuation

This covers the cost of emergency medical transportation to the nearest facility that can provide adequate care for your illness or injury. 

Emergency medical evacuation insurance can pay to get you back to the United States if you’re abroad and can’t get the treatment you need there. It can also pay for a friend or family member to fly to you and stay with you if you’re receiving emergency care away from home.

Missed connections

Missed connections coverage reimburses you for additional costs to catch up with your itinerary after a transportation delay caused by weather, strikes, natural disasters or other covered problems. 

This coverage applies to transportation by common carriers such as airlines, buses and trains. It refunds parts of your trip that you miss because of a common carrier delay.

Baggage and personal items loss 

Baggage loss travel insurance reimburses you for lost, damaged or stolen personal items up to your policy limit. Look for caps per person, per item and per specific item. 

Items will be reimbursed at their depreciated value and baggage loss coverage is typically secondary, which means you’ll have to file a claim with your common carrier — such as the airline that lost your bag — or homeowners insurance first. 

Baggage delay

Baggage delay coverage reimburses you for items you need to buy to tide you over until your bag arrives, up to the policy limit. This coverage kicks in after a delay of a certain number of hours, usually three to 12. Look for a policy with a short waiting period and high daily and per-person limits. 

Travel delay

Travel delay insurance reimburses you for additional expenses such as meals, transportation and lodging you incur because of an unforeseen travel delay. The delay must last a certain number of hours before this coverage applies. Look for a policy with a short waiting period. 

Do I need cruise insurance?

Cruise travel insurance is a good idea if you’ve spent more on a cruise than you can afford to lose. This coverage protects you financially from unforeseen events that can disrupt your plans, both before and during your cruise. 

Travel insurance for cruises can provide coverage for a number of problems, including hurricane disruptions and medical emergencies at sea that may require you to be evacuated from the ship or port.

How to shop for the best cruise insurance

To choose the best cruise travel insurance for you, take a look at what coverage you have through the credit card you paid for your trip with, your health insurance and your homeowners insurance . See if this coverage adequately protects you financially from all the risks you’re concerned about. For example, Medicare is unlikely to cover you abroad.

Compare the types of coverage you have to what standalone trip insurance policies offer. Travel insurance is likely to be more comprehensive and might cover an important risk that hadn’t occurred to you.

“You’ll want to make sure that your policy includes both cancellation and interruption coverage as well as coverage for what we call post-departure problems,” said Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at travel insurance provider Allianz Partners USA. “Those can be as simple as lost or delayed baggage or as complex as serious medical emergencies. You’ll also want to check that your level of coverage of benefits is appropriate for your trip.”

How much does cruise travel insurance cost?

The average cost of cruise insurance is 5% to 6% of the value of your cruise vacation , which should include the cost of all prepaid, nonrefundable expenses such as flights and excursions. 

How much you’ll pay for a cruise insurance plan will depend on factors such as:

• The coverage amounts.
• The value of your trip. 
• The length of your trip.
• The age of the travelers in your group. 

The cost of cruise insurance can vary greatly by company and plan, so it’s a good idea to compare plans before buying. 

Average cost of cruise travel insurance policies 

Our team of insurance experts compared cruise insurance rates for a variety of international trips and traveler profiles. These are the average costs of cruise insurance by plan. 

Via Compare Coverage's website

Average cruise travel insurance costs are based on rates for seven international trips with a variety of traveler ages and destinations, without “cancel for any reason” coverage. Note that plans have different levels of benefits, which can account for price differences.

Travel smart and save: Cheap travel insurance options.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Yes, you can get travel insurance after booking a cruise. But it’s best not to put off this purchase.

“There are a handful of benefits that come with purchasing a travel insurance policy right after making an initial trip payment, with the major perk being maximizing the coverage period,” said James Clark, a spokesperson for the travel-insurance comparison site Squaremouth, which is also the company behind Cat 70 and Tin Leg travel insurance. 

“When a travel insurance policy is purchased, it goes into effect at midnight of the next day,” Clark said. “This means that the longer travelers have the policy, the longer they have protection in the event that problems arise leading up to their trip.”

If you don’t have travel insurance and cancel your cruise, you might be eligible for a refund. It depends on the terms of your agreement with the cruise line. 

A typical cruise refund policy might entitle you to a full refund if you cancel far enough in advance — which might mean 90 days or more before your departure date. If you want to cancel within 14 days of departure, you might not be able to get any refund at all. And if you cancel somewhere in between 14 and 90 days, you might get a partial refund.

You should be able to find the information you need in your booking confirmation email (if you’ve already booked your trip) or on the cruise ship’s website. If you booked your cruise through a travel agent, ask your agent about the refund policy that applies to your trip.

For the most flexibility to cancel your cruise, look into “cancel for any reason” travel insurance .

More: Should you buy travel insurance through a cruise line?

Yes, your credit card may provide some travel insurance for a cruise. However, the coverage might be limited. For example, your credit card may not provide any medical coverage.

“Cruise travelers should look for a product that offers high coverage limits for trip cancellations and for medical emergencies,” Durazo said. “In the unlikely case that you become seriously ill or injured far from home, you’ll also need enough emergency medical transportation coverage to get you safely to an appropriate medical facility, even on an air ambulance if necessary.”

Compare the trip insurance that’s included with your credit card with standalone travel insurance policies . Standalone policies tend to be more comprehensive and offer more coverage. You’ll pay for these benefits, of course, but the cost may be worth it. You won’t know unless you compare your options.

It’s best to do this comparison before booking your trip or as soon as possible after booking. Certain aspects of standalone travel insurance policies only apply when you buy the policy far enough in advance of your departure date.

Our top-scoring cruise travel insurance plans do not have a deductible for any type of coverage, including travel medical insurance .

To learn whether there are deductibles for a specific cruise insurance plan you are considering, ask for a sample policy to review before making a purchase. Then, just to make sure you have the coverage you want, review your actual insurance contract issued directly to you by the carrier as soon as you buy the policy.

“Don’t hesitate to call your insurance provider if you have questions about your policy,” Durazo said. “You should have up to 15 days to adjust your policy, exchange it for a different product or even cancel it for a full refund.”

If there is any conflict between what an insurance provider tells you and what your contract says, the contract is what you should rely on.

Important cruise-specific travel insurance coverages to look for include:

• Emergency medical. Squaremouth recommends at least $100,000 in travel medical benefits.
• Emergency medical evacuation. Squaremouth recommends at least $250,000 in emergency medical evacuation benefits.
• COVID-19. All of the insurers in our best cruise insurance rating offer medical coverage for COVID.
• Missed connection. All of the companies in our best cruise insurance rating offer missed connection benefits. TravelSafe Classic and Nationwide Cruise Luxury each offer $2,500 per person after a three-hour delay.

Cruise insurance typically covers hurricanes, as long as the storm is not named until after you buy the policy, making it an “unforeseen” event.

Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse you if bad weather at home or at your destination prevents you from taking your trip.

Cruise insurance will cover the cost of prepaid, nonrefundable shore excursions, as long as you include them in the value of the trip you are insuring.

Your travel insurance can cover any prepaid cruise expenses that are nonrefundable, including food and beverage packages and onboard entertainment.

More cruise insurance resources

• Travel medical insurance
• Emergency medical evacuation travel insurance
• What does travel insurance cover?
• “Cancel for any reason” travel insurance  
• Average cost of travel insurance

Editor’s Note:   This article contains updated information from previously published stories:

• Coronavirus: Royal Caribbean pauses operations globally, major cruise lines suspend US ships
• Taking a Carnival cruise from Florida but don’t want to get vaccinated? Buy travel insurance
• Want to cruise from Florida but don’t want to get a COVID vaccine? Royal Caribbean says buy travel insurance
• When will it be safe to cruise again? These signs that will help you decide when to sail
• Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages, Disney, Carnival cancel additional sailings amid COVID-19 pandemic

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Amy Fontinelle has more than 15 years of experience helping people make informed decisions about their money, whether they’re refinancing a mortgage, buying insurance or choosing a credit card. As a freelance writer trained in journalism and specializing in personal finance, Amy digs into the details to explain the products and strategies that can help (or hurt) people seeking greater financial security and wealth. Her work has been published by Forbes Advisor, Capital One, MassMutual, Investopedia and many other outlets.

Heidi Gollub is the USA TODAY Blueprint managing editor of insurance. She was previously lead editor of insurance at Forbes Advisor and led the insurance team at U.S. News & World Report as assistant managing editor of 360 Reviews. Heidi has an MBA from Emporia State University and is a licensed property and casualty insurance expert.

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Cruise Travel Insurance: Do You REALLY Need It?

Setting off on a cruise adventure is exciting, but it’s smart to think about the “what ifs.” Have you considered getting cruise travel insurance?

It might seem like just another step in your trip planning, but it’s actually a key part of making sure your vacation sails smoothly, no matter what comes up.

Cruise insurance can cover a lot of unexpected problems, like if you have to cancel your trip suddenly, miss your connection, lose your bags, face a medical issue, or even if you’re stuck at port longer than expected.

Having this insurance means you can relax and enjoy your journey with the comfort of knowing you’re protected.

It’s important to look at what could go wrong and decide how much coverage you need. This way, you can pick the right plan that fits just right for your cruise vacation.

Table of Contents

What Is Cruise Travel Insurance?

Cruise travel insurance is a specific type of travel coverage designed to cater to the unique needs of cruise travelers.

Your regular health or travel insurance might not cover all the potential issues you could encounter on a cruise ship or during international port stops.

Cruise insurance policies can include a blend of several types of coverage:

• Trip Cancellation: You’ll be reimbursed for pre-paid, non-refundable expenses if you need to cancel your trip for a covered reason.
• Trip Interruption: If your cruise is unexpectedly cut short, you can get compensation for the lost portion of the trip and sometimes for extra costs of returning home.
• Medical Expenses: This covers the cost of medical treatment for illness or injuries sustained on the cruise.
• Emergency Evacuation: In case you need to be evacuated from the ship for medical reasons, this ensures you’re covered for the expenses.

Benefits of Cruise Travel Insurance

Investing in cruise travel insurance is highly recommended and here’s why:

• Peace of Mind: Knowing that unexpected events, from bad weather to medical emergencies, won’t spell disaster for your holiday finances can allow you to relax and enjoy your trip.
• Financial Protection: In the case of cancellations or interruptions, you can safeguard against significant financial loss. With the high cost of cruises, this can be particularly valuable.
• Medical Security: Should you require medical attention on board or at a port, your insurance can buffer you against the high costs that might not be covered by your regular health insurance, especially if you’re in international waters or countries.

Selecting the right cruise travel insurance policy means reading the fine print and understanding the specifics of what is covered.

Always check the exclusions and limitations to ensure that your policy fits your personal needs and the nature of your trip.

Do You Need Cruise Travel Insurance?

Yes, you should definitely consider getting cruise travel insurance for your sea adventures. Even though we all hope not to use it, cruise insurance acts as a vital safety net.

It covers unexpected incidents that could otherwise upset your plans, such as flight delays, illness, or lost luggage.

Regular travel insurance might not cover specific problems that can happen on a cruise, like missing a port of call or facing a medical emergency on board.

Cruise travel insurance is not mandatory, but it gives you peace of mind. Knowing you’re protected allows you to fully relax and enjoy your journey, free from worry about potential disruptions. It’s a small investment that can give you peace of mind.

What Does Cruise Insurance Cover?

Here’s what typical cruise insurance generally covers:

• Medical Coverage : If you need medical help for sickness or injuries during your cruise, your policy usually provides emergency medical assistance. However, coverage for pre-existing conditions might require additional terms.
• Trip Cancellation : This coverage reimburses you for pre-paid, non-refundable expenses if you have to cancel your cruise due to unexpected issues like illness or severe weather.
• Trip Interruption : Should you need to return home suddenly due to emergencies or sudden travel restrictions, this part of your policy helps cover the lost portions of your trip and any extra costs for urgent travel arrangements.
• Luggage and Baggage Protection : If your belongings are lost or damaged, your policy will likely help cover the costs, easing the frustration and financial burden.
• Emergency Evacuation : In severe cases requiring you to leave the ship urgently, such as a medical emergency, your insurance should cover these costs. This includes medical evacuations if detailed in your policy.
• Missing the Ship : If you’re late and miss the ship’s departure, cruise insurance typically covers the expenses of catching up to the ship at the next port.

Be aware that most cruise insurance policies do not cover extreme sports like parasailing or bungee jumping, and you may need additional coverage for these activities.

Activities like rock climbing and zip lining offered by the cruise might be covered, but always check your specific policy details.

It’s vital to review your insurance plan thoroughly to ensure you understand all the protections you have for a worry-free cruise.

How Much Does Cruise Insurance Cost?

The cost of cruise insurance can vary widely depending on several factors such as the length of your cruise, the destinations you’ll visit, the cost of the trip, and your age.

Generally, you can expect to pay about 4% to 10% of your total trip cost for cruise insurance.

For example, if your cruise costs $2,000, cruise insurance could be anywhere from $80 to $200.

It’s also important to consider that higher coverage limits and additional coverage options, like for pre-existing conditions or extreme sports, may increase the premium.

To get the best rate, it’s a good idea to compare quotes from different insurance providers.

What’s the Difference Between Travel Insurance Offered by a Cruise Line and Cruise Insurance?

The main difference between travel insurance offered by a cruise line and a standard cruise insurance policy you might purchase through an independent insurance company lies in the extent of coverage and flexibility.

Cruise line insurance tends to be more convenient as it can be booked directly with your cruise package, often making it seem like a straightforward choice.

However, it generally provides more limited coverage and can be less comprehensive compared to policies available through third-party insurers.

For instance, cruise line insurance might offer lower reimbursement rates for trip cancellations and may not include certain benefits like Cancel For Any Reason coverage or extensive medical insurance.

On the other hand, third-party cruise insurance usually offers a wider range of coverage options and higher limits.

These policies can be customized to include broader protections, such as higher medical coverage, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and more generous cancellation terms.

This makes independent insurance a potentially better choice for travelers looking for more thorough coverage and flexibility to tailor their policy to their specific needs.

Do I Need Travel Medical Insurance For My Cruise?

Yes, it’s highly advisable to have travel medical insurance for your cruise. While on a cruise, accessing medical care can be costly, especially if you need specialized treatment or have to be evacuated to a hospital.

Most standard health insurance plans may not cover medical expenses incurred outside your home country, or they may offer limited coverage.

Travel medical insurance can help cover these costs, including medical emergencies, consultations, and even medical evacuation if necessary.

This ensures you’re not faced with significant out-of-pocket expenses should you need medical attention while at sea or in a foreign port.

Does Regular Medical Insurance Cover You While Cruising?

Regular medical insurance often provides limited or no coverage for medical expenses incurred outside of your home country, which includes being on a cruise.

Additionally, even within your country, many standard health plans may not cover medical services onboard a cruise ship, as these services are typically considered out-of-network.

This can lead to significant out-of-pocket expenses if you require medical attention during your cruise.

Therefore, purchasing travel medical insurance that specifically includes coverage for cruises can be crucial to ensure you’re adequately protected while traveling.

Does Cruise Insurance Cover Hurricanes?

Yes, cruise insurance generally covers disruptions caused by hurricanes, but the coverage specifics can depend on the timing and the terms of your policy.

If a hurricane impacts your cruise itinerary, such as causing a delay, cancellation, or necessary itinerary change, your insurance can help cover the associated costs.

However, it’s important to purchase the insurance well before a storm is forecasted or named, as most policies will not cover hurricane-related claims if the policy is bought after a storm has already been predicted or has become a known threat.

This kind of coverage helps protect your investment in situations where severe weather affects your planned departure or the cruise route itself.

Details of Coverage

The right policy can cover unforeseen incidents, from cancellations to medical emergencies, but not all policies are created equal…

Trip Cancellation and Interruption

Your cruise travel insurance typically includes trip cancellation and interruption coverage . This protects you if you have to cancel your cruise last-minute due to an emergency, such as a sudden illness or a family bereavement.

If you have to cut your cruise short and return home early, interruption coverage can help reimburse the lost portion of your trip, as well as any additional costs for last-minute travel arrangements.

• Cancellation: If you cancel your trip for a covered reason before departure, you can get a refund for non-refundable, pre-paid expenses.
• Interruption: If you need to return home early, you might be compensated for the unused part of your cruise and extra transportation costs.

Medical Coverage

You’ll want to be sure that your insurance policy includes medical coverage for accidents or illnesses.

This aspect of the coverage can alleviate the financial stress if you need medical attention onboard or at a port of call.

• Onboard Medical Issues: Coverage for doctor visits and medical treatments you may need while on the ship.
• Port of Call Medical Needs: Similar coverage applies for medical services in the countries you visit.

Evacuation and Repatriation

In an emergency situation where you need to be evacuated from the ship or repatriated back to your home country, evacuation and repatriation coverage can be essential.

It can cover the expenses of medical evacuation by air or sea and repatriation of remains in the case of a fatality.

• Medical Evacuation: Can cover the potentially high costs of emergency transport, such as a medical flight.
• Repatriation: Assistance with return travel arrangements due to serious illness or in the event of a death.

Baggage and Personal Effects

Should your belongings be lost, stolen, or damaged during your cruise, baggage and personal effects coverage helps you replace or repair them.

• Lost/Stolen Items: Reimbursement for the value of lost or stolen items.
• Damaged Items: Coverage to repair or replace items damaged on your trip.

Delays and Missed Connections

Lastly, delays and missed connections coverage assists you financially if your travel is delayed, causing you to miss a cruise departure or a connecting flight.

• Travel Delays: Compensation for additional accommodation and food expenses if your trip is delayed.
• Missed Connections: Helps cover the cost of catching up to your cruise or arranging alternative transportation.

Make sure to review your policy’s details for specific covered reasons and the documentation needed to support a claim.

Additional Benefit

Adventure sports coverage.

If your cruise vacation has a side of adrenaline, Adventure Sports Coverage can be your best mate. Should you decide to go scuba diving or windsurfing, it’s a safety net that catches you financially if an accident occurs. Here’s a quick look:

• Scuba Diving (up to certain depths)
• Windsurfing
• Parasailing
• Medical Expenses : If you get injured, your policy can cover the medical bills.
• Evacuation Costs : In severe cases, emergency evacuation may be needed, and that’s covered too.

Remember , to have this box ticked, you need to confirm its inclusion as it’s not a standard feature in all policies.

Cancel for Any Reason Add-On

Life is unpredictable, and sometimes you need to cancel your trip unexpectedly. That’s where the Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) Add-On steps in.

This flexible option offers you the liberty to back out from your cruise for any reason and still recoup a significant part of your investment. Take note of the specifics:

• Reimbursement : Typically, you can recover 50-75% of your non-refundable trip costs.
• Deadline : You usually have to add this perk within a set time window after making your first trip deposit.

Adding CFAR allows you to stay in control, giving peace of mind that your bases are covered, no matter what life throws at you. But make sure you understand the eligibility criteria and restrictions before you add it to your policy.

• Essential Protection : Cruise insurance is crucial for handling unexpected issues like cancellations, medical emergencies, or lost luggage.
• Comprehensive Coverage : Policies generally include trip cancellation and interruption, medical expenses, emergency evacuation, baggage protection, and coverage for missing the ship.
• Specialized for Cruises : Unlike regular travel insurance, cruise-specific policies cater to the unique needs of cruise trips, including specific coverage for activities and scenarios related to cruises.
• Cost of Insurance : The price of cruise insurance typically ranges from 4% to 10% of your trip’s total cost, influenced by various factors including trip length, destination, and the traveler’s age.
• Comparison with Cruise Line Insurance : Insurance offered by cruise lines is more convenient but often less comprehensive than third-party policies, which offer broader coverage and higher limits.
• Medical and Emergency Needs : It’s highly recommended to have travel medical insurance as regular health plans may not cover medical care on cruises, especially in international waters or foreign ports.
• Hurricane Coverage : Policies usually cover hurricane-related changes if the insurance is purchased before the storm is forecasted.
• Flexibility and Peace of Mind : Investing in cruise travel insurance can provide financial protection and peace of mind, allowing you to fully enjoy your cruise experience.

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The Guide to Cruise Travel Insurance

Ramsey is a freelance travel journalist covering business travel, loyalty programs and luxury travel. His work has appeared in Travel+Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Reader's Digest, AFAR, BBC Worldwide, USA Today, Frommers.com, Fodors.com, Business Traveler, Fortune, Airways, TravelAge West, MSN.com, Bustle.com and AAA magazines. As someone who flies more than 450,000 miles per year and has been to 173 countries, he is well-versed in the intricacies of credit cards and how to maximize the associated perks and services.

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Table of Contents

Look to your credit cards, first

What to consider if you buy a separate cruise travel insurance policy, what cruise travel insurance doesn't cover, how to shop cruise travel insurance options, is cruise travel insurance necessary.

Travel insurance can save you when you’re in a pinch, and cruises are especially important to protect. Whether you experience a flight delay, your car breaks down or you get sick, having a backup plan that will cover the cost of your trip, or at least help you get there without extra expense, can be essential. It’s recommended to arrive one day before the departure of your cruise to allow for any delays because if you arrive late to the departure point, the ship may have already left.

If you find yourself stranded at the pier long after your cruise has left, or aren't able to get to the pier at all, cruise travel insurance can help. These are some of the best travel insurance options for cruises.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Many credit cards provide sufficient travel protection that can help you in the event of a delay or cancellation. It can even help if you arrive on time, but your bags do not. Other travel protections include helping if you need medical attention or evacuation during your trip, as well as insurance for a rental car if you decide to drive in one of the ports you visit.

Some of the popular credit card options that provide ample protections include:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card . Terms apply.

United℠ Explorer Card .

You'll need to review the policy before the trip to decide if you need to purchase additional coverage.

» Learn more: What to know before buying travel insurance

If you don't have a credit card with coverage or you want to add more protection, it is wise to buy insurance as soon as possible after booking the cruise. Some companies require that you buy cruise insurance within two weeks of making the initial deposit, particularly if you're hoping for pre-existing medical coverage.

The longer you wait to buy cruise insurance, the higher the price may become.

Also, your own health insurance may not cover cruise travel or medical attention onboard a ship. Often, some personal insurance plans do not protect passengers once they have sailed more than six hours from any U.S. port. This may come as a surprise for those who thought they were protected, which is why it can be wise to purchase additional coverage for a cruise.

Since medical treatment on a ship may be more expensive, and evacuation at sea may require a helicopter or small boat, having emergency coverage can be essential.

If you’re still deciding on additional protection, consider these factors:

Destination: Is it remote or far from an airport or medical facility? How difficult will it be for you to find medical care or leave the ship?

Length of stay: How long will you be traveling? If it's only a few days, the probability that you will need coverage is less than if the trip were longer or farther from home.

Credit card protections: Read the fine print of your credit card benefits. If you used that card to pay for your travel, you may already have protection in the event of trip delay or cancellation, missing or lost luggage, medical reasons or weather issues.

Personal liability: Will you be engaging in activities that may make you responsible for someone else’s injury? Will you be renting a car or participating in activities like boating, biking or motorized water sports? If you may be held liable for someone else’s injury, insurance can help protect you.

As important as knowing how you will be protected, it is also paramount to know what is not included.

For example, if any injury or health issue is alcohol-related, it may not be covered. You might also want to know if natural disasters like a hurricane, terrorist incidents or bankruptcy by the cruise line are also covered. Sometimes, there are specific carve-outs for such situations.

Another important factor to consider is COVID-19 protection , as not all insurance plans include it. You will want to consider what happens if you get sick before the sailing or onboard since you may have to find accommodation if you are not able to travel for a period of time.

Some cruise insurance policies will cover itinerary changes. This means if you have your heart set on visiting a particular place, but it gets cut from the itinerary (a common occurrence due to weather conditions), you would receive some form of compensation. Not all plans include this, and for certain trips with a popular port (like visiting Alexandria, Egypt, to drive to the Pyramids), it may be wise to check if you are covered.

» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?

There are many providers of travel insurance, and often, cruise companies will recommend a partner when making a reservation. Those are often best since the cruise line has a history of working with that company and has considered the intricacies of the various ports its ships are visiting. Still, policies vary.

If you want to buy a policy beyond what is already offered by your credit card, start with an aggregator site like Insure My Trip that compares several policies based on the criteria you choose. How long will you be gone? Where are you going? Do you have any pre-existing conditions? All of these things can affect the price of a policy that you purchase.

There are other respected insurance options like Travel Guard , which has policies specifically geared toward cruise trips. SafeCruise from VisitorsCoverage is another plan that is designed for cruise travel, and it includes an upgrade for a partial Cancel For Any Reason reimbursement.

Deciding if you want to protect your trip probably depends on your budget. If you can afford a worst-case scenario without protection, then maybe you won’t need to purchase travel insurance for cruises.

But for most travelers, having a backup plan in case anything goes wrong makes the trip that much more enjoyable.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

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Cruise Travel Insurance – Why You Need it and How to Get It: (Step by Step Illustrated Guide)

If you are taking a cruise you may be wondering if you need travel insurance. I have been on multiple cruises and always purchase travel insurance for the reasons mentioned in this post.

If you’re looking for quick recommendations, these are the websites explained in detail in this post (these are comparison websites so will show you multiple quotes):

US Recommendation: Aardy – (Both Pre Existing and No Pre Existing Conditions) UK Recommendations: Compare Your Cruise Insurance – (Both Pre Existing and No Pre Existing Conditions)

In this post we will look at:

• Why you need travel insurance for a cruise
• What you need to be included in your travel insurance policy
• How to find and book a policy to suit your budget and needs – step by step guides to buying insurance in the USA and UK with pre existing health conditions (and no conditions).

Do You Need Travel Insurance For a Cruise?

All guests taking a cruise need to purchase a travel insurance policy before taking the cruise. Many cruise lines will not allow guests to embark without a valid policy. Travel insurance is a cruise requirement regardless of nationality, cruise location or any other factor.

Travel insurance policies vary dramatically in price and inclusions, it’s important to find the right policy to suit your needs and budget.

Why do You Need Travel Insurance for a Cruise?

If you are considering a cruise close to home, for example, you are from the US and taking a cruise to the Caribbean or from the UK and taking a cruise around Britain you may be wondering why travel insurance is necessary.

The main reason why you need travel insurance for a cruise is because of the high costs of medical care on cruise ships and the risk of needing to be transported to land. If an accident did happen at sea the medical expenses can be astronomical.

If a cruise ship has to be diverted or a helicopter used to take a guest to land this can easily reach hundreds of thousands of pounds. If a guest didn’t have travel insurance they would be liable for this amount and the expenses could easily bankrupt a family.

If you are from a country that has a national health service, or if you have a health insurance policy in a country like the USA this is usually not valid when on the ship. There may be a few exceptions, but generally speaking, you will not be covered.

What Happens if You Don’t Have Travel Insurance For a Cruise?

If you take a cruise without having travel insurance you risk losing your cruise fare, paying huge medical expenses, being unable to return to your home country, and much more.

In some situations, it could be argued that if the person in question had travel insurance they may not have died when they did. One such situation is the case of Bruce who suffered a heart attack on a Carnival cruise in 2019 and died when he was unable to get back to the United States.

To learn about Bruce’s story and that of other passengers who didn’t have travel insurance or had incorrect travel insurance, check out this post:

5 Cruise Nightmares Caused by Not Having The Correct Travel Insurance (Real-Life Examples)

What does Cruise Travel Insurance Cover?

Cruise travel insurance covers medical expenses, repatriation, and costs incurred from cancellations. Cruise travel insurance can include cabin confinement and missed port cover if purchased at an additional cost.

Some of the most important inclusions are as follows:

Cancellations

The majority of travel insurance policies cover cancellations. If your cruise was cancelled by the cruise line they would refund your fare but other things such as travel costs, hotels, car parking, etc would not be covered. Travel insurance would allow you to claim refunds on expenses such as these.

This is particularly important since the coronavirus outbreak as cruise cancellations happen more often.

Lost or Damaged Luggage

If your luggage is damaged on the ship or during your journey many travel insurance policies will cover replacement items or will refund you the costs.

This cover may also help you if your passport was lost and you incurred costs because of this.

Cabin Confinement

Many travel insurance policies will include what is called ‘cabin confinement’ cover. This means that guests would receive a set amount of money per day if they were confined to their cabins due to illness.

This illness would need to be recognized by the onboard medical center and is designed to make up for any loss of enjoyment.

I’m sure the majority of people would prefer to be out enjoying their cruise but this can be a welcome surprise for guests who do fall sick when cruising.

Port Cancellation

Port cancellation cover is usually an add-on to cover that comes at an extra cost. If you have port cancellation cover in a policy and for any reason, a scheduled port stop is canceled you may be able to claim a fixed amount per port.

It is never nice to have a port canceled but unfortunately, this is a very common occurrence. I would say around a quarter of the cruises that I have been on have had some sort of itinerary change or cancellation.

Common reasons for itinerary changes/cancellations include:

• Weather (bad weather may cause a cruise ship to skip a port or substitute another)
• Political Unrest
• Ports Full (believe it or not this does happen)

To learn more about how to claim for a port cancellation, check out this post: Do You Get Compensation For Missed Cruise Ports?

Medical Expenses

All travel insurance policies will include medical expenses. Each policy usually has a maximum amount that it will cover in regards to medical expenses but this is often into the millions of pounds.

Your medical expenses will be paid by your travel insurance but in some situations, the guest may be required to pay the expenses and then claim them back after the cruise.

This tends to happen in the case of minor injuries with major injury claims being sorted with the travel insurer directly.

Cruise ships do have medical centers and doctors on board. To learn more about where you can buy medicine on cruises, and how much you can expect to pay, check out this post: Cruise Ships Don’t Have Full Pharmacies on Board – Here’s What They Have .

What Are The Main Types of Cruise Travel Insurance?

Annual policies.

For guests that cruise frequently, an annual policy is usually a good option. This is what I usually go for as I travel multiple times per year.

It’s important to remember that if you do select this policy you will need to select the countries that you will visit on ALL cruises when purchasing.

I would recommend purchasing worldwide cover with no exclusions as you may not know in advance where you plan to travel to. If you purchased an annual policy for Europe then booked a trip to Australia, you would not be covered.

One-Trip Policies

For guests who only travel once or twice a year a one-trip policy is usually the best option.

When buying a one-trip policy you will be asked to fill in your travel dates, some information about yourself, and which countries you will be visiting.

This is the most common form of travel insurance.

Things to Remember When Buying Cruise Travel Insurance

Always purchase ‘cruise cover’.

The most important thing that you need to remember is to buy a policy that includes cruise cover. This is often an add-on or a box that you need to tick when purchasing travel insurance. Without this addition, you would not be covered for any expenses during the trip.

Many websites will ask you if you need cruise cover at the start of the quoting process. Do not forget this step!

The above is explained in more detail in the instructions later in this post.

Declare Existing Medical Conditions

The most common reason why insurance requests are denied is because of undeclared medical expenses. All illnesses, ongoing tests, and past conditions must be declared.

It is MUCH better to mention more than less, if you are unsure whether a medication or medical issue is worth mentioning, do it.

It isn’t uncommon for travel insurance policies to have a list of ‘allowed’ medical problems that don’t have to be declared such as high blood pressure. This will vary by company.

Examples of passengers who didn’t correctly disclose medical conditions (and as a result invalidated their insurance) can be found on this post: 5 Cruise Nightmares Caused by Not Having The Correct Travel Insurance (Real-Life Examples)

When Should You Buy Travel Insurance For a Cruise?

Travel insurance for a cruise should be bought as soon as the cruise is booked. The travel insurance comes into effect as soon as it is purchased. This means that if the cruise was canceled it would be covered by travel insurance.

The price of travel insurance doesn’t get cheaper closer to the sailing date so there really is no reason to put of purchasing insurance.

How to Buy Travel Insurance For a Cruise

When purchasing travel insurance I always recommend using a price comparison website. This allows you to type in your details once but you get multiple quotes from different companies.

Without using a comparison website you would have to type in your details to multiple websites to compare quotes. This would be time-consuming and I doubt that anybody would try as many sites as a comparison site can do instantly.

US Recommendation: Aardy – (Both Pre Existing and No Pre Existing Conditions)

Uk recommendations: compare your cruise insurance – (both pre existing and no pre existing conditions).

Using the websites above you are also able to save your quotes so you can come back later or repurchase cover at a later date. It’s completely free to use and only takes a couple of minutes.

How to Get Travel Insurance (US) – Step by Step Guide (Both Pre Existing and No Pre Existing Conditions)

Step 1 – get a new quote.

To start click here and then click ‘cruise’.

Step 2 – Get a New QuickQuote

Enter the details of your trip into this box on the right then hit ‘Plans and Prices’. The good thing about using comparison sites is that when you have entered your details the website will compare different providers without you having to retype your details.

Step 3 – View Plans

The website will provide you a list of policies that you can purchase. If you’d like these to be emailed to you hit the ’email my quote’ button. Aardy recommends a plan based on reviews and coverage.

In this case, we have 26 policies to choose from.

Step 4 – Compare Plans

By selecting multiple plans the website will show these side by side for you to compare. This makes it easier to look at the differences, for example the first policy is the most expensive but has a LOT more medical insurance cover than the rest.

Step 5 – Purchase a Plan

When you’ve decided on a plan the Aardy website will ask you for more information. You’ll be able to see which company the policy is through on the right.

N ote: If you’re from the US and use another website to purchase your travel insurance make sure you are purchasing cruise-specific cover by clicking the ‘cruise cover’ button. On the Aardy website, because you are specifically filling in your details for a cruise quote, there is no box to tick.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition there is another step that you need to look at when purchasing a policy from Aardy.

Pre Existing Medical Problems

If you have any pre-existing medical problems these need to be disclosed to the travel insurance company. Generally speaking, pre-existing medical problems are defined as (US definition, the UK and other countries tend to look further back):

• A condition that you’ve recieved a recommendation for a test, examination or medical treatment for within the last 60/90 days.
• A condition that you’ve taken a prescription medicine for within the last 60/90 days.

Some travel insurers have a longer ‘look back’ period which means they will look at how medical conditions have changed or developed in a period longer than 60 days.

If you have had a serious health problem like cancer, even if this was years ago, you’ll probably still need to declare it.

There are many medical problems that don’t need to be disclosed when purchasing cruise travel insurance, below are a few examples:

Acne, Many allergies, Bell’s Palsy, Bunions, Cataracts, Gastric Reflux.

When purchasing a travel insurance policy that requires a pre-existing medical condition to be disclosed the travel insurer will usually provide an ‘exclusion waver’. This basically means that they won’t cover any medical costs associated with this problem.

How to Get Cruise Travel Insurance in the US For Pre Existing Medical Conditions – Step by Step Guide

Step 6 – extra step for pre existing medical conditions.

If you are from the US and have pre-existing medical conditions follow the steps above until you have quotes displayed.

Purchasing a travel insurance policy for pre-existing medical conditions is different in the US from most other countries. In most other countries, like the UK and Australia, specific medical conditions have to be disclosed before purchasing the policy.

In the US this isn’t the case. Thanks to Brandon at Aardy who helped me to understand this one.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition you want to look for a policy that has a look back waiver.

The lookback period, as mentioned above is the time in which the company will look back at any medical problems you may have. The waiver effectively means that the policy will not look back at your medical history and as long as you are medically fit to travel, you will be covered for all pre-existing medical conditions.

Be aware though, this is only the case if you book the policy within the time-sensitive period, which is how long after booking the trip you book the insurance.

“If they purchase within the Time Sensitive Period, they would be covered as long as they are medically fit for travel at the time the insurance is purchased. If they miss the 10-21 day window, we do have a couple of policies that offer pre-existing condition coverage if they purchase on or before their final trip payment date. Those policies are the IMG Travel LX and the Trawick Voyager. brandon – Aardy

If you are in doubt, speak to the nice people at Aardy. They have a live chatbox where they will answer any questions and you can phone them too.

How to Get Travel Insurance (UK) Pre Existing and No Pre Existing Conditions – Step by Step Guide

To start click here and then click ‘get a quote’.

Step 2 – Decide on a Cover Type

After clicking get a new quote you’ll be sent to a page where you have to decide if you would like an annual policy or a one-trip policy.

For the purposes of this, I will be selecting a one-trip policy but if you do think you’ll be traveling multiple times per year, it may be worth doing an annual quote.

You can always do both quotes.

Step 3 – Enter Your Cruise Details

The next thing that you’ll be asked is for details of your cruise. Enter your cruise line and cruise ship.

Pick your cruise from the list and the website will automatically work out which countries you are going to. Magic!

Because it asks you about your cruise line it’ll make sure you have enough cover in all of the policies that come up.

Note: You can add extra destinations if you are also doing some travelling not on the cruise.

If you are planning on having a few days on land pre or post cruise you can add those by adding the dates below.

I often fly out and spend a couple of days in a port pre-cruise, so this would cover that.

Step 4 – Enter Your Details

After entering details about your trip you’ll be asked for details about yourself. This includes:

• How many people are travelling
• What are their dates of birth
• What are their names
• Do any of the people on the policy have any pre-existing medical conditions

After this, you’ll be asked to enter your email address and then you’ll receive quotes from multiple companies.

How to Get Travel Insurance (UK) With Pre Existing Medical Conditions – EXTRA STEP

Step 5 – only required for pre-existing medical conditions.

Tick the boxes which relate to your medical situation.

There are lots of medical issues that don’t require anymore information and don’t actually increase your quote price but it’s always better to add things than to not.

Depending on the condition, there will be different questions to answer. When you are done press ‘ADD’. You can add as many as you need to.

Step 6 – Compare Quotes and Purchase

The website will compare the quotes and show you policies that fit your needs.

Every policy will have enough medical cover as required by the cruise line that you are travelling with.

What to Look Out For in Travel Insurance Quotes

Make sure the policy matches the minimum requirements of the cruise line.

If you have used Compare Your Cruise Insurance as shown above, this won’t be a problem, but if you are looking at policies outside of the website, you should be aware of this.

Many cruise lines will have their own minimum travel insurance requirements. For example, P&O cruises currently require cover of at least 2 million for medical expenses and repatriation.

When booking a cruise the cruise line will inform you of this.

The majority of the quotes provided to me, shown below, did include the 2 million pounds medical cover needed for a P&O cruise however one policy provided by boots only had 1 million pounds worth of medical cover.

This is below P&O’s mandatory minimum and as a result, you would not be allowed to board the cruise with this cover.

P&O have said that they will be checking travel insurance at the terminal so it’s important to make sure that you meet the cruise lines requirements.

Make Sure You’re Happy With The Excess Amounts

All travel insurance policies will have an excess amount attached to the policy. This is the amount that you have to pay before the insurance will kick in and pay the rest. Travel insurance policies with lower excesses usually cost a little more.

These three policies below have a £50 excess compared to the cheaper policies with a higher excess.

Check the Defaqto Rating

The Defaqto rating is a rating that provides a review of the quality of a product on a 1-5 star basis.

When choosing a travel insurance policy I usually look for the cheapest policy that has a 4* defacto rating, meets all the cruise lines minimum requirements, and has an excess that I am happy with.

Purchasing Travel Insurance from The Cruise Line or a Travel Agent

The majority of cruise lines and travel agents will be able to offer travel insurance directly. They usually partner with one company and are able to quote on this basis.

Although this is often a very easy way to get travel insurance it can be considerably more expensive than doing a comparison. The benefit of booking through a cruise line however is that you know that the cover you’ve chosen meets all of the requirements requested by the cruise line.

When booking a cruise you’ll usually be asked by the cruise line if you’d like to add travel insurance at the point of booking.

My personal preference is to use a comparison website as mentioned above because this gives me control and allows me to find a policy that fits both my needs AND my budget. I usually buy an annual policy and this is easy through a comparison website.

It Happened on my British Isles Cruise

A couple of years ago I took a British Isles cruise with Princess, which was absolutely amazing. During the cruise a man on the ship became unwell and the ship had to divert in order to disembark him.

A helicopter was not used but an emergency boat came to collect him from the cruise ship to avoid the cruise ship having to be docked. I’m not sure about the exact cost but I can imagine that it was not cheap. When you think about the cost of the diversion, the extra boat, and the people involved in getting him to safety, it could have been very expensive. I hope that he had travel insurance (and was okay)!

If you are taking a cruise, you NEED travel insurance. The costs of medical care and repatriation should an accident occur could be huge.

Asides from this there are a number of other benefits provided by travel insurance such as cancellation cover.

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Compare Cruise Travel Insurance

Compare cruise insurance quotes from our panel of leading UK providers.

Compare our trusted providers

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Purchase the best policy for you, and you'll be covered for your cruise!

The right cruise cover for you

When selecting the ideal policy for your cruise getaway, ensuring you have the right coverage is crucial. Explore further details below to make an informed decision tailored to your needs.

Single Cruise Insurance

A single trip cruise policy will provide you with travel insurance for specified dates. Find out more about this type of policy and benefits, and let Compare Your Cruise Insurance help you find the right cover for your holiday.

Annual Cruise Insurance

Learn more about the benefits of comparing an annual multi-trip cruise travel insurance policy from Compare Your Cruise Insurance to protect your upcoming holidays for 12 months.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, it's important to make sure you get the right cover. Our specialist cruise insurance panel can help you compare quotes for over 2,000 different conditions. Find out more.

What does cruise insurance cover?

Cruise travel insurance is an extension to normal travel insurance. When included on a policy, cruise cover can provide a wealth of additional benefits, which have been tailor-made to meet the unique requirements of setting sail on a cruise.

• Emergency Medical Expenses: Coverage for medical expenses or emergency medical treatments in the event of a medical emergency.
• Repatriation: Handles the expenses associated with bringing you back home following a medical emergency.
• Cancellation Cover: Protection for canceling your cruise in case of an incident or event covered by your policy.
• Lost or stolen baggage: Protection in the event of loss, damage, or theft of your baggage or personal belongings during your cruise.
• Cabin Confinement: Compensation for missed parts of your cruise if confined to your cabin due to illness on board.
• Missed Port: Compensation if the captain has to alter the itinerary, resulting in a missed port.
• Missed Excursions: Covers the costs of any pre-booked excursions you can't go on due to cabin confinement.
• Cruise Interruption: Cover for your travel and accommodation expenses to reach your next port should you require hospital treatment on land.

Not Covered

• Undeclared Conditions: It is important to declare all pre-existing medical conditions when purchasing insurance for your cruise. You will not be covered for medical expenses that relate to a pre-existing condition you have not declared.
• Purchasing After Departure : You must purchase your travel insurance before you depart for your cruise.
• Travelling Against Advice: You are unlikely to have any cover if you decide to travel against any travel advisories by the government.
• Changing Your Mind: Your travel insurance does not provide coverage if you decide you no longer wish to go.
• Missed Flights: Your travel insurance provider will not cover missed flights due to lateness or failure to clear security on time.
• Under The Influence:  Claims for an accident or incident that occurs while you are under the influence of alcohol.

It's important to read your policy wording for a full list of exclusions.

Cruise News & Guides

Dive into our latest cruise articles or snag some inspiration from our handy guides to add a splash of excitement to your maritime adventures!

Navigating Illness or Accidents on a Cruise Holiday

Explore our guide for crucial tips on handling accidents or illnesses during a cruise, ensuring your journey remains safe and enjoyable.

Fly Or No Fly Cruise

Need help choosing between fly and no-fly cruises? We look at the pros and cons of both option, helping you to make the right option for your next cruise.

Family Fun on Deck

Discover how to enjoy a memorable and safe family cruise. Learn practical tips for children's safety, and choosing the right travel insurance to cover.

Holiday Relaxation on a Cruise

Find relaxation on your next cruise with our guide. Discover the perks of mindfulness by the ocean, and how to capture serene moments for lasting memories.

Cruising In Style

Maximise your cruise vacation experience with our guide on what to pack for onboard events, and why travel insurance is essential for your wardrobe.

Do You Need Cruise Travel Insurance

Discover why travel insurance is crucial for both first-time cruisers and seasoned seafarers. Uncover key considerations in choosing cruise holiday insurance in our blog post, ensuring you're well-prepared for your next nautical adventure.

Cruise Insurance Jargon Buster

Navigating the often confusing terms and language in policy documents, our guide ensures you understand what you're purchasing. Explore cruise travel insurance with confidence, ensuring the protection you expect, whether for medical treatment or last-minute cancellations.

Gadget Insurance Explained

Safeguard your valuable electronic devices from theft or loss during your cruise by adding gadget insurance to your travel insurance policy. Explore what gadget insurance entails and how it ensures peace of mind.

Benefits of Cruise Insurance

Embark on a voyage through cruise travel insurance with our comprehensive guide. Discover the key benefits that ensure protection and peace of mind on your next cruise adventure!

Cruise Budget Tips

Explore budget-friendly tips for planning a cruise without compromising on the delightful extras. We reveal savvy saving strategies to ensure an affordable yet enjoyable cruise holiday.

Ultimate Cruise Packing List

To help you out before boarding that cruise ship, let's talk through everything you'll need for a blissful trip so you can start planning and look forward to a smooth trip!

Navigating Ship Life

Whether it's an ocean voyage or a river cruise, our expert advice will help you embark on your maiden cruise with confidence! Read on for the ultimate guide to smooth sailing as a cruise newbie.

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Best Cruise Travel Insurance of July 2024

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A cruise vacation can take much of the stress out of planning a vacation. With a pre-set itinerary on the high seas, you don't have to worry about how you're getting to your destination and what you're going to do there. However, an unexpected emergency can take the wind out of your sails and money out of your travel budget. So you'll want to ensure you have the best cruise insurance plan that won't leave you high and dry in an emergency.

Best Cruise Insurance Plans of 2024 Summary

• Best overall: Nationwide Travel Insurance
• Best for affordability: AXA Assistance USA
• Best for seniors: Seven Corners Travel Insurance
• Best for expensive trips: HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance
• Best for exotic locations: World Nomads Travel Insurance

Top Cruise Travel Insurance Company Comparison

While booking a cruise takes off much of the pressure when coming up with itineraries, your trip can still encounter several hitches, which is where cruise travel comes in. The best cruise travel insurance will have high coverage limits on emergency medical evacuations, as sea to land evacuations can be expensive. They'll offer coverage for baggage delay, trip interruption, and it might be a good idea to have some adventure sports coverage if you plan on participating in any outdoor activities like snorkeling or scuba diving. 

Here are our picks for the best cruise travel insurance companies in 2024.

Best Cruise Insurance Overall

Nationwide travel insurance.

Nationwide is a long-standing and reputable brand within the insurance marketplace that offers cruise insurance plans with solid coverage and reasonable rates.

It has three cruise insurance options: Universal, Choice, and Luxury. The Nationwide Choice plan, for example, offers $100,000 in emergency medical coverage and $500,000 in emergency medical evacuation coverage.

The right plan for you depends on your budget and coverage needs. But each plan offers cruise-specific coverages like ship-based mechanical breakdowns, coverage for missed prepaid excursions if your cruise itinerary changes, and covered service disruptions aboard the cruise ship.

Read our Nationwide Travel Insurance review .

Best Cruise Insurance for Affordability

Axa assistance usa.

AXA offers three comprehensive coverage plans: Gold, Silver, and Platinum. Each of these plans offers coverage for issues like missed flights, medical emergencies, lost luggage, and more.

The highest-tier Platinum plan provides $250,000 in medical emergency coverage and $1 million in medical evacuation coverage. The baggage loss coverage is $3,000 per person, and their missed connection coverage is $1,500 per person for cruises and tours.

In addition, travelers can take advantage of AXA's concierge service, which provides an extensive network of international service providers. They'll be able to assist you with things like restaurant reservations and referrals, golf course information, and more. This service could come in handy if you're stopping at a variety of unfamiliar destinations during your cruise.

The coverage limits on AXA's policies are on the higher end compared to other providers. And you can buy coverage for a little as 4% of your trip cost depending on your age, travel destination, and state of residence.

Read our AXA Travel Insurance review .

Best Cruise Insurance for Seniors

Seven corners travel insurance.

Seven Corners Travel Insurance lets cruisers enjoy traveling in their golden years with the knowledge they're covered in the event of an accident or emergency. While other providers do offer coverage to those 80+ years old, Seven Corners is known for its affordable premiums while offering above-average medical expenses and medical evacuation coverage limits — two areas of travel insurance coverage that are even more important as we get older.

Seven Corners also offers the option of a pre-existing conditions waiver and CFAR insurance at an additional cost, plus "Trip Interruption for Any Reason" coverage, which you won't find on many policies.

You can choose between the Trip Protection Basic or Trip Protection Choice plans, with the higher-tier Choice plan costing more but providing more coverage.

Read our Seven Corners Travel Insurance review . 

Best Cruise Insurance for Expensive Trips

Hth worldwide travel insurance.

HTH Worldwide offers three levels of trip protection: TripProtector Economy, Classic, and Preferred. The higher the tier, the more coverage you'll get for things like baggage delays, trip delays & cancellations, and medical expenses. But their premiums remain reasonable even at the highest tier of coverage.

Not only does the HTH Worldwide Trip Protector Preferred plan offer higher-than-average medical emergency and evacuation coverage limits ($500,000 and $1 million, respectively), but you'll also get a baggage loss coverage limit of $2,000 per person and coverage for trip interruption of up to 200% of the trip cost. You also have the option to add CFAR coverage for an additional cost, as long as you purchase within 21 days of your initial trip deposit.

Read our HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance review .

Best Cruise Insurance for Exotic Locations

World nomads travel insurance.

World Nomads has been a top choice for comprehensive travel insurance for many years now. And it's a great option when it comes to cruise coverage, too.

Even the most basic Standard Plan comes with $100,000 in medical emergency coverage and $300,000 in emergency evacuation coverage. And you'll get higher coverage limits with their Premium Plan. Plus, unlike many other providers, World Nomads trip cancellation and emergency medical coverage include COVID-19-related issues.

What sets World Nomads apart from many other insurance companies is that its policies cover 200+ adventure sports. This can be important for adventurous cruisers who plan to take part in activities like jet skiing, scuba diving, or parasailing during their cruise. Additionally, World Nomads is one of the few travel insurance providers that sells policies to people who have already departed for their trip. However, you'll have to wait 72 hours before the policy kicks in.

Read our World Nomads Travel Insurance review .

Introduction to Cruise Insurance

Cruise insurance may offer unique coverage like missed port of call and medical evacuation coverage. You might not need the flight protections of a regular travel insurance plan if you're catching a cruise at a port near you, but medical and cancel for any reason coverage could be critical. The best travel insurance plans will provide flexibility to add coverage options to fit your travels needs.

Understanding the Basics of Cruise Insurance

At its core, cruise insurance is your financial lifeboat, designed to protect you from unforeseen events that could disrupt your sea voyage. Whether it's a sudden illness, adverse weather, or other unexpected occurrences, having the right insurance can make a world of difference.

Why Cruise Insurance is Important

Picture this: You're all set for your dream cruise, but a sudden family emergency means you can't set sail. Or worse, you fall ill in the middle of the ocean. Without cruise insurance, you're not just missing out on an adventure, but also facing potentially huge financial losses. That's why securing cruise insurance isn't just recommended; it's a crucial part of your cruise planning.

Types of Cruise Insurance Coverage

Cruise insurance isn't a one-size-fits-all life jacket. There are various types of coverage, each tailored to protect different aspects of your cruise experience.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage

This coverage is like your safety net, catching you financially if you need to cancel your trip last minute or cut it short due to emergencies, be it due to personal, health-related, or even certain work conflicts. Interruption coverage should also include coverage for missed stops on your cruise.

Medical Coverage

Being on a cruise shouldn't mean being adrift from medical care. Travel medical coverage ensures that if you fall ill or get injured, your medical expenses won't sink your finances. 

When you purchase travel medical insurance, be sure to note whether your coverage is primary or secondary. Secondary insurance means you'll need to file a claim with your primary insurance provider before filing with your travel insurance provider. 

Emergency Evacuation Coverage

In the rare case that you need to be evacuated from the ship due to a medical emergency or severe weather, this coverage ensures you're not left adrift in a sea of expenses. You'll want high coverage limits for emergency evacuation, as sea-to-land evacuations can be costly. 

Baggage and Personal Effects Coverage

Imagine reaching your dream destination only to find your luggage lost at sea. This coverage ensures that lost, stolen, or damaged baggage doesn't dampen your cruise experience. It'll reimburse you for any money you spent replacing items while traveling. 

Adventure Sports Coverage

Cruises often offer activities that can be classified as adventure sports, such as snorkeling and scuba diving. Medical treatment for injuries sustained while participating in these activities isn't normally covered under normal travel medical coverage. You'll want to ensure that your policy explicitly includes these policies or offers an add-on for adventure sports coverage. 

Tips for Buying Cruise Insurance

Securing the best cruise insurance isn't just about finding the best price; it's about ensuring it covers all your potential needs. 

When to Purchase Cruise Insurance

It's always best to purchase cruise insurance soon after placing the initial deposit on your cruise. The sooner you buy your insurance, the quicker your trip is protected against a sudden cancellation. Additionally, most travel insurance plans have optional riders you can add to your policy as long as you purchase your policy within a certain window.

For example, cancel for any reason coverage often needs to be purchased within a purchasing window, which can last anywhere between a few days to three weeks from your initial trip deposit. You can also get your pre-existing conditions covered under the same conditions. 

That said, most companies will let you buy travel insurance up until the day before your departure. There are some limited policies that you can purchase after you've left for your trip, such as Allianz OneTrip Emergency Medical  policy.

How to Find the Best Deals on Cruise Insurance

Keep a lookout for deals, but remember, the cheapest option isn't always the best. Balance cost with coverage, and ensure you're getting the protection you need at a price that doesn't rock your financial boat. A travel insurance comparison site like VisitorsCoverage and InsureMyTrip are good places to compare multiple quotes from all of the major carriers at once.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Cruise Insurance Plans

When comparing cruise travel insurance providers, we evaluated them based on the following criteria to come up with our list of top picks:

Customer Satisfaction

We look at ratings from JD Power and other industry giants to see where a company ranks in customer satisfaction. We also look at customer review sites like Trustpilot, SquareMouth , and InsureMyTrip to see what customers have to say, particularly about claims experience.

Policy Types

The most important part of any travel insurance company, we look at all the policies a company offers. While we looked at coverage limits, we also looked at options for multi-trip plans, travel medical insurance, and pre-existing condition coverage. We also considered policy flexibility and add ons that a company offers.

Average Premiums

We compare average premiums per trip. Some companies also offer annual plans, and we compare policies accordingly.

Claims Paid

How frequently do companies pay claims easily and quickly? We check customer reviews and other resources to see which companies honor policies most effectively.

We look at the company's overall behavior. Is it operating ethically? Companies can earn additional points for such behaviors.

You can read more about how Business Insider rates insurance here.

Best Cruise Travel Insurance FAQs

How much does insurance cost for a cruise.

As a rule of thumb, you can expect to pay between 5% and 10% of your total trip cost for cruise insurance coverage. However, your premiums will vary depending on factors like your age, your travel destination, length of travel, and any add-ons. 

What exactly does cruise insurance cover?

Cruise insurance typically covers trip cancellations, interruptions, medical emergencies, emergency evacuations, and lost or damaged baggage, though coverage can vary based on the policy

Can you get cruise travel insurance after departure?

Your options for travel insurance is severely limited after your trip starts, but you still have a few options. World Nomads offers policies to people who have already departed on their cruise. However, once you buy coverage, you'll have to wait 72 hours before it kicks in.

What is the difference between travel insurance and cruise insurance?

The difference between traditional travel insurance and cruise insurance is that cruise insurance offers more specialized coverage, for situations such as missing a departure port and more coverage for medical evacuations, since it's more expensive to evacuate someone at sea than on land. 

Can I claim for missed ports on a cruise?

Most cruise insurance includes coverage for missing a departure port, so you should be able to claim for a missed port. Just make sure you check the details of your policy before you file a claim and before you travel, so you know what compensation you're entitled to.

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Travel Insurance Statistics: Business Insider's Travel Insurance Survey

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

Business Insider conducted a travel insurance survey of 971 US adults in December 2023 through Momentive AI Audience.

• It found that most travelers who bought travel insurance were concerned about their travel provider or their health.
• The survey also uncovered that most travelers would be willing to pay for insurance in the future.
• Compare the best travel insurance companies .

About 80% of those surveyed traveled for non-business reasons in the past year. Those travelers were most likely to travel internationally, by airplane (24%), or across state lines, by car (24%) or by airplane (18%). About 15% of respondents had traveled within their own state, by car. Of travelers surveyed, most (56%) paid $1,000 or less for their trip, while the vast majority (77%) paid $2,000 or less for their trip.

Among those travelers:

• The largest group of insured travelers (35%) bought insurance primarily because they feared issues like delayed flights or moved reservations, while about 29% were worried about a health emergency
• When researching travel insurance options, many buyers (28%) used suggestions and recommendations from family and friends
• The majority of insured travelers (55%) purchased their policy through a travel provider
• Of travelers who did not purchase insurance, 35% said their primary reason was because they'd never needed it on previous travels, and 19% said they didn't think their trip was expensive enough to insure
• Most people surveyed (68%) say they would be willing to pay some amount for travel insurance in the future

Why people buy travel insurance

Roughly 38% of surveyed travelers purchased insurance for their trip. About 13% of overall respondents purchased cancellation insurance, and 11% purchased cancel for any reason insurance (CFAR) . Another 14% said they purchased travel insurance, but were unsure what kind. The average cost of travel insurance varies by trip cost, destination, and age, but typically falls between $80 and $160 for a $2,000 trip.

The largest group of travelers (35%) who bought insurance did so primarily because they were concerned about the travel provider they booked with, and feared issues like delayed flights or moved reservations. About 29% were worried about having a potential health issue, and about 18% found the value or overall price to be appealing. About 11% said they always buy travel insurance out of habit, and just 5% said a friend had recommended it.

However, the largest percentage (28%) of travelers who purchased insurance researched their options by asking a friend or family member, followed by a review site, blog, or social media influencer (24%). Another 22% of respondents researched their options through a travel agent, and about 19% said they didn't do research at all.

Where travelers purchase their policies

The majority of insured travelers (55%) purchased a policy through a travel provider such as a booking engine like Expedia, or through an airline, a cruise provider, a tour group, or similar. The next most common place to purchase insurance was a travel agent (17%), followed by an insurance marketplace (13%).

Of those who responded to the survey, about 18% had purchased travel insurance and made a claim, while 24% had not made a claim on their coverage. Of those who made a claim, about half were satisfied with the outcome, and half were not.

When asked if they use any travel insurance features from their credit card — like trip delay coverage, baggage delay coverage, or rental car coverage — 33% of overall respondents said they did. However, more than a third of respondents whose credit cards carry these features said they still purchased separate travel insurance. Another 33% didn't know whether their cards come with this type of coverage.

Many travelers still don't see the need for insurance

About 62% of travelers surveyed did not purchase travel insurance; of those travelers, 35% said their primary reason to forgo insurance was because they'd traveled before and never needed it. About 19% said they didn't think their trip was expensive enough for insurance, and about 14% said they were trying to save money. About 13% said travel insurance never occurred to them. Only about 5% said they get travel insurance elsewhere, like through a credit card.

Travelers whose trips went as planned were largely happy with their decision not to purchase travel insurance: Over 70% said they didn't regret their decision to pass on a policy because nothing went wrong on their trip. Another 24% said they don't regret their choice simply because they never thought about travel insurance. About 6% of respondents felt differently: Nearly 4% wish they had purchased insurance because it would have given them peace of mind, and 2% regret their choice because something went wrong on their trip.

Most travelers would be willing to pay for insurance in the future

This holiday season, thousands of travelers experienced cancellations and delays and were even stranded at airports when Southwest airlines canceled 60% of its flying schedule , leaving travelers with little recourse. 

About 68% of travelers surveyed by Insider — both those who had and hadn't purchased travel insurance in the past year — said they'd be willing to pay for travel insurance in the future to protect a weeklong, non-business trip. Most (49%) were willing to pay up to $150 for coverage, and some (13%) were willing to pay up to $250. Only about 5% were willing to pay more than $250, and about 32% were not willing to pay at all.

As we continue to see travel delays and disruptions, travel insurance will become more important and will be viewed as a necessity and not just an expense. The cost of travel insurance is small relative to the trip costs you can protect.

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Zurich to Buy AIG’s Travel Insurance Business for $600 Million

Zurich early Wednesday said it is purchasing the global personal travel insurance business of American International Group (AIG) for $600 million.

The deal, according to Zurich, may include an additional payment if specific targets are met after the sale, which is expected to close by the end of 2024. .

Zurich called travel insurance a “priority” and said AIG’s Travel Guard business will expand its U.S. footprint as a part of Zurich’s travel insurance provider, Cover-More Group, making it a leader in the line.

“This transaction is a great strategic fit, which enhances Zurich’s existing capabilities and makes us a leading travel insurance provider across all regions,” said Cara Morton, CEO of Zurich Global Ventures. “The acquisition expands our retail customer base and aligns with our ambition to continuously enhance our offerings, while providing world-class protection during every step of our customers’ travels.”

Cover-More’s capabilities will be enhanced by AIG’s global IT platform. The deal also includes AIG’s global service centers. AIG said the transaction excludes travel coverages offered through AIG’s A&H business.

AIG CEO Peter Zaffino said the sale is “another important strategic step in positioning AIG for the future.” He said AIG will work closely with Zurich “to ensure a seamless transition for employees, customers and our global distribution partners.”

Zurich said the bolt-on should result in annual gross written premiums of about $2 billion for the new Cover-More Group.

Bank of America analysts said Zurich looks to have made a “sensible acquisition” that could increase earnings per share 1-2% after integration.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions AIG

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Written By Chad Hemenway

Chad is National News Editor at Insurance Journal. He has been covering the insurance industry since 2007, reporting on trends and coverage in most lines of insurance as well as natural catastrophes, modeling, regulation, legislation, and litigation. Chad can be reached at [email protected]

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How to decide when you need travel insurance and when you don’t

• Updated: Jun. 30, 2024, 6:12 a.m. |
• Published: Jun. 30, 2024, 6:05 a.m.

Claims by travelers over age 50 spike during the summer months. Getty Images

• Christopher Elliott | Elliott Syndicate

If you’re planning to travel somewhere this summer, you’re probably thinking of buying travel insurance.

Kingsley Hopkins is. He’s headed to Portugal and Iceland with his girlfriend, and he wants to make sure he’s covered for things like medical emergencies or trip disruptions, “or if a volcano erupts,” he says.

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Cancel-for-any-reason insurance may be unwise for travelers.

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Concerned about illness or an unforeseen event, many vacationers buy cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance when booking an expensive trip. Such coverage is costly and often unnecessary, a travel insurance expert says.

Cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) insurance is an optional upgrade for travelers who buy trip-cancellation insurance, says Jenna Hummer, the public relations director for Squaremouth , an online travel insurance marketplace. The most common cancellation reasons, however, are covered by the basic trip-cancellation policies, she says.

Hurricanes, such as the one that struck St. Petersburg, Florida, last August, can cause vacation ... [+] cancellations, but think twice, an insurance expert says, before you buy a cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance policy. (Photo: Juan Manuel Barrero Bueno/Bloomberg)

“CFAR is only useful if you're worried about having to cancel your trip for a specific reason not covered by your trip-cancellation benefit,” Hummer says. “Such reasons are a border closure at your destination, fear of traveling to your destination and loss of enjoyment at your destination because of closed beaches, gross weather or a changed itinerary.”

The No. 1 reason for trip cancellations is death or illness of the insured traveler, she says. The second-most prevalent reason is death or illness of a family member, and the No. 3 reason is death or illness of a traveling companion.

In 2024, according to Squaremouth data, the average cost of a trip-cancellation policy was $404. Policies with the additional CFAR benefit had an average cost of $633, a 57% increase over the basic trip-cancellation policy.

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“This percent increase varies from policy to policy, depending on the provider,” Hummer says. “The benefit comes at an added cost due to the increased risk to the insurance provider and the added peace of mind for travelers who want the flexibility to cancel no matter what and still recoup part of their costs.”

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Retiring soon? Consider these 6 insurance options to protect your retirement

By Angelica Leicht

Edited By Matt Richardson

Updated on: June 28, 2024 / 2:52 PM EDT / CBS News

Managing your finances in retirement can be surprisingly tricky. After all, in 2021, the average income for individuals 65 and older was $55,335 per year , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), while average expenses totaled $52,141 annually. This narrow margin between the average retiree's income and expenses leaves little room in the budget for unexpected costs.

Yet, retirement often brings a host of unforeseen expenses . From unanticipated healthcare needs and surprise home repairs to family emergencies, these unexpected costs can quickly derail even the most carefully planned retirement budget . But while it may not always be possible to set aside funds for every potential expense, there are ways to prepare for these financial curveballs.

One of the most effective strategies is ensuring you have the right types of insurance coverage in place. Proper insurance coverage can help mitigate the costs associated with unexpected events and protect your hard-earned retirement savings . But there are a lot of different coverage options to consider. So, what types of insurance play a crucial role in safeguarding your retirement funds against unexpected events and financial challenges? Below, we'll break down what you should know.

Find out how the right long-term care insurance policy can help protect your retirement funds .

6 insurance options to protect your retirement

Here are some of the key insurance options that can help protect your retirement savings:

Long-term care insurance

One of the biggest potential threats to retirement savings is the cost of long-term care . As we age, the likelihood of needing assistance with daily activities increases. And, long-term care insurance helps cover the expenses associated with longer-term care, whether it involves a nursing home, assisted living facility or in-home care.

Without this coverage, retirees may deplete their savings rapidly to pay for the long-term care they need , potentially leaving their spouse or loved ones in financial jeopardy. After all, the cost of a private room in a nursing home averages about $100,000 per year right now — and the cost of long-term care is only expected to increase in the future. 

But if you have the right long-term care insurance coverage in place, your policy can help pay. In turn, this type of policy can preserve your retirement assets and provide peace of mind.

Learn more about the long-term care coverage options you have in retirement .

Medicare supplemental insurance

Healthcare costs are often one of the largest expenses in retirement, making adequate health insurance coverage crucial for protecting your retirement savings. And while Medicare, which is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, can provide substantial coverage, it doesn't cover all medical expenses. 

This is where Medicare supplemental insurance , or Medigap, comes into play. Medigap policies are sold by private companies and can help pay some of the health care costs that Original Medicare doesn't cover, such as copayments, coinsurance and deductibles. Some Medigap policies also offer coverage for services like medical care when you travel outside the U.S.

There are 10 standardized Medigap plans , labeled A through N. Each plan offers a different level of coverage, allowing you to choose based on your needs and budget. And, it's important to note that Medigap policies are standardized and regulated by state and federal law, meaning the benefits are the same for any given plan letter, regardless of which insurance company sells it. You can start comparing your Medicare supplemental policy options online here .

Life insurance

While life insurance is often associated with income replacement for younger families, it can play a significant role in retirement planning and protection as well. As you enter your later years, life insurance can serve multiple purposes beyond its primary death benefit. 

For example, if you have a pension that doesn't include survivor benefits, life insurance can provide ongoing income for your spouse after your death. For those with substantial assets, life insurance can be used to pay estate taxes, ensuring that your heirs receive the full value of your estate. Or, if you own a business in retirement, life insurance can fund buy-sell agreements or provide liquidity for estate taxes.

And, there are a few different types of life insurance options to consider if you're retiring. One is term life insurance, which provides coverage for a specific period, usually 10-30 years. It's generally less expensive but expires without value if you outlive the term. There's also whole life insurance, which provides lifelong coverage and often accumulates cash value over time . The cash value can be borrowed against or withdrawn from, providing a potential source of emergency funds in retirement. 

Final expense insurance, also known as burial insurance, is another option and is designed to cover end-of-life expenses, relieving your family of this financial burden.

It's worth noting that you may also be able to add a rider for long-term care coverage to certain types of life insurance policies. This can be particularly valuable if you've been denied standalone long-term care insurance due to health issues. These hybrid policies typically allow you to access a portion of the death benefit to pay for long-term care if needed. If you don't use the long-term care benefit, your beneficiaries still receive the full death benefit. Find out more about your top life insurance options now .

While not traditional insurance, annuities are insurance products that can provide a guaranteed income stream in retirement . In turn, annuities can help protect against the risk of outliving your savings, known as longevity risk. 

There are various types of annuities to consider in retirement , including:

• Fixed annuities, which provide a guaranteed payout
• Variable annuities, which offer the potential for growth based on investment performance
• Indexed annuities, which provide returns based on a specific market index

Each type has its pros and cons, so it's important to carefully consider your options and consult with a financial advisor before purchasing an annuity. You can get started and compare your annuity options here .

Travel and international medical insurance

Many retirees look forward to increased travel opportunities after they stop working, but there can be numerous opportunities in which you face financial losses related to traveling. That's where travel insurance can come in handy . This type of coverage can help protect against financial losses from trip cancellations, medical emergencies abroad or lost luggage. 

For those planning extended trips or considering retiring abroad, international medical insurance might be worth considering to ensure access to quality healthcare wherever you go. These policies typically offer worldwide coverage, allowing you to seek treatment in any country, including your home country in many cases. 

And, unlike travel insurance , which is for short trips, international medical insurance can provide continuous coverage for months or years. Many insurers will also offer tiered plans, allowing you to choose the level of coverage you need. Options might include outpatient care, dental and vision coverage and alternative therapies. Find out more about the travel insurance options available now .

Identity theft insurance

As more of our financial lives move online, the risk of identity theft increases. And retirees, who are often perceived as having more assets or being more vulnerable to scams, can be prime targets for cybercriminals. But identity theft insurance can help, as it's designed to cover the costs associated with restoring your identity and repairing your credit if you become a victim of identity theft.

The bottom line

Insurance plays a vital role in protecting your retirement funds and ensuring financial security in your golden years. The right mix of insurance products can shield you from a wide range of risks that could otherwise derail your retirement plans. However, insurance needs can vary greatly depending on individual circumstances, including health status, financial situation and retirement goals. So, it's important to regularly review your insurance coverage as you approach and enter retirement, adjusting as needed to ensure you have adequate protection without overpaying for unnecessary coverage.

Angelica Leicht is senior editor for Managing Your Money, where she writes and edits articles on a range of personal finance topics. Angelica previously held editing roles at The Simple Dollar, Interest, HousingWire and other financial publications.

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