Cruising is a popular and enjoyable way to travel, but it also comes with some risks and uncertainties. Whether it’s bad weather, medical emergencies, missed connections, or lost luggage, unexpected events can ruin your cruise vacation and cost you a lot of money. That’s why it’s wise to consider buying travel insurance for your cruise trip.
Overview of Travel Insurance for Cruises
What is Cruise Insurance?
Cruise insurance is a type of travel insurance that covers specific risks and expenses related to cruising. It can reimburse you for non-refundable trip costs if you have to cancel or interrupt your cruise for a covered reason, such as illness, injury, death, or natural disaster. It can also provide coverage for medical expenses, emergency evacuation, baggage loss or delay, and travel assistance services while you are on board or ashore.
What Does Cruise Insurance Cover?
Cruise insurance typically covers the following:
- Trip cancellation: If you have to cancel your cruise before departure for a covered reason, you can get back the money you paid for your cruise fare, taxes, fees, and pre-paid excursions.
- Trip interruption: If you have to cut short your cruise after departure for a covered reason, you can get reimbursed for the unused portion of your trip and the additional transportation costs to return home or rejoin your cruise.
- Trip delay: If your cruise is delayed by a covered reason, such as flight cancellation, mechanical breakdown, or weather, you can get compensated for reasonable expenses for meals, accommodation, and transportation while you wait to start or resume your trip.
- Missed connection: If you miss your cruise departure due to a covered reason, such as flight delay, traffic accident, or weather, you can get reimbursed for the additional transportation costs to catch up with your cruise at the next port of call.
- Medical expenses: If you get sick or injured during your cruise, you can get coverage for the necessary medical treatment on board or ashore, including doctor visits, hospitalization, surgery, prescriptions, and dental care.
- Emergency evacuation: If you need to be evacuated from your cruise ship or destination due to a medical emergency or a security situation, you can get coverage for the transportation costs to the nearest adequate medical facility or your home country.
- Baggage loss or delay: If your baggage or personal effects are lost, stolen, damaged, or delayed by a common carrier, such as an airline or a cruise line, you can get coverage for the replacement or repair costs of your belongings or the purchase of essential items.
- Travel assistance services: If you need help during your cruise trip, such as finding a doctor, arranging an evacuation, getting legal advice, or contacting your family, you can access 24/7 multilingual assistance from your travel insurance provider.
Do I Need Cruise Insurance?
Cruise insurance is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended for several reasons:
- Cruises are expensive and often non-refundable. If you have to cancel or interrupt your trip due to unforeseen circumstances, you could lose a lot of money without insurance.
- Cruises involve multiple destinations and modes of transportation. If you encounter any delays, disruptions, or mishaps along the way, such as missed flights, mechanical problems, or bad weather, you could miss your cruise departure or connection without insurance.
- Cruises expose you to health and safety risks. If you get sick or injured on board or ashore, you could face high medical bills without insurance. Moreover, if you need to be evacuated from your ship or destination due to a serious condition or a security threat, you could incur huge transportation costs without insurance.
- Cruises may not cover everything. Even if your cruise line offers some protection or compensation for certain events, such as itinerary changes or onboard credits, it may not be enough to cover all your losses or expenses. Moreover, some cruise lines may exclude certain situations from their coverage, such as pre-existing medical conditions or pandemic-related issues.
How Much Does Cruise Insurance Cost?
The cost of cruise insurance depends on several factors, such as:
- The cost and duration of your trip
- The coverage and benefits you choose
- The deductible and co-insurance you select
- Your age and health status
- Your destination and activities
Generally speaking, cruise insurance costs between 4% and 10% of your total trip cost. For example, if your cruise costs $2,000 per person, you can expect to pay between $80 and $200 per person for cruise insurance.
Where and When to Buy Cruise Insurance?
You can buy cruise insurance from various sources, such as:
- Your travel agent or booking site
- Your cruise line
- A third-party travel insurance company
- A comparison website
Each source has its pros and cons. For example:
- Buying from your travel agent or booking site may be convenient and easy but may offer limited options and higher prices.
- Buying from your cruise line may be tailored to your specific cruise but may have lower coverage limits and more exclusions.
- Buying from a third-party travel insurance company may offer more choices and better coverage but may require more research and comparison.
- Buying from a comparison website may help you find the best deal and coverage but may not provide personalized service or support.
You can buy cruise insurance anytime before your trip, but it is advisable to buy it as soon as possible after booking your cruise. This way, you can maximize your coverage period and take advantage of certain benefits that may only be available if you buy within a certain time frame, such as:
- Pre-existing medical condition waiver: This benefit waives the exclusion for pre-existing medical conditions if you buy your insurance within a specified number of days (usually 14 to 21) of making your initial trip deposit and insure the full cost of your trip.
- Cancel for any reason: This benefit allows you to cancel your trip for any reason, not just the covered reasons, and get back a percentage (usually 50% to 75%) of your non-refundable trip cost if you buy your insurance within a specified number of days (usually 14 to 21) of making your initial trip deposit and insure the full cost of your trip.
The 7 Best Travel Insurance Plans for Cruises in the USA
Based on our research and analysis, here are the 7 best travel insurance plans for cruises in the USA, along with their main features and benefits:
1. Nationwide Travel Insurance
Nationwide is a well-known and reputable insurance company that offers a variety of travel insurance plans for different types of travelers. For cruisers, Nationwide offers three plans: Essential, Prime, and Choice Cruise.
The Essential plan is the most basic and affordable option, covering trip cancellation, interruption, delay, missed connection, baggage loss or delay, medical expenses, emergency evacuation, and travel assistance services.
The Prime plan is the most comprehensive and popular option, offering higher coverage limits and additional benefits such as change fee coverage, accidental death and dismemberment coverage, rental car damage coverage, and identity theft resolution services.
The Choice Cruise plan is the most specialized and flexible option, designed specifically for cruise travelers. It includes all the benefits of the Prime plan plus cruise-specific benefits such as itinerary change coverage, port of call change coverage, shipboard service disruption coverage, pre-paid excursion cancellation coverage, and sea sickness coverage.
Nationwide also offers optional upgrades such as cancellation for any reason, medical upgrades, and sports equipment rental coverage. You can get a quote and buy a plan online or by phone. Nationwide has an A+ rating from AM Best and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
2. Seven Corners Travel Insurance
Seven Corners is a travel insurance company that has been providing travel protection plans for over 25 years. Seven Corners offers two plans for cruisers: RoundTrip Economy and RoundTrip Choice.
The RoundTrip Economy plan is a budget-friendly option that covers trip cancellation, interruption, delay, missed connection, baggage loss or delay, medical expenses, emergency evacuation, accidental death and dismemberment, and travel assistance services.
The RoundTrip Choice plan is a more comprehensive option that offers higher coverage limits and additional benefits such as change fee coverage, sports equipment rental coverage, pet return coverage, political evacuation coverage, and identity theft resolution services.
Seven Corners also offers optional upgrades such as cancellation for any reason (only available with RoundTrip Choice), medical upgrade (only available with RoundTrip Economy), adventure sports coverage (only available with RoundTrip Choice), and rental car damage coverage. You can get a quote and buy a plan online or by phone. Seven Corners has an A- rating from AM Best and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
3. TravelSafe Insurance
TravelSafe Insurance is a travel insurance company that has been offering travel protection plans since 1971. TravelSafe offers two plans for cruisers: Basic Plan and Classic Plan.
The Basic Plan is a low-cost option that covers trip cancellation, interruption, delay, missed connection, baggage loss or delay, medical expenses (primary), emergency evacuation (primary), accidental death and dismemberment (primary), and travel assistance services.
The Classic Plan is a more comprehensive option that offers higher coverage limits and additional benefits such as change fee coverage (primary), bankruptcy protection (primary), hurricane warning coverage (primary), non-medical emergency evacuation (primary), pre-existing medical condition waiver (if purchased within 21 days of initial trip deposit), cancel for any reason (if purchased within 21 days of initial trip deposit), medical upgrade (optional), rental car damage coverage (optional), and adventure sports coverage (optional).
You can get a quote and buy a plan online or by phone. TravelSafe has an A++ rating from AM Best and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
4. WorldTrips Travel Insurance
WorldTrips is a travel insurance company that specializes in international travel medical insurance. WorldTrips offers two plans for cruisers: Atlas Journey Essential and Atlas Journey Premier.
The Atlas Journey Essential plan is a basic and affordable option that covers trip cancellation, interruption, delay, missed connection, baggage loss or delay, medical expenses (primary), emergency evacuation (primary), accidental death and dismemberment (primary), and travel assistance services.
The Atlas Journey Premier plan is a more comprehensive and flexible option that offers higher coverage limits and additional benefits such as change fee coverage (primary), bankruptcy protection (primary), pre-existing medical condition waiver (if purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit), cancel for any reason (if purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit), medical upgrade (optional), rental car damage coverage (optional), and adventure sports coverage (optional).
You can get a quote and buy a plan online or by phone. WorldTrips has an A rating from AM Best and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
5. AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance
AXA Assistance USA is a travel insurance company that is part of the AXA Group, one of the largest insurance companies in the world. AXA Assistance USA offers three plans for cruisers: Silver Plan, Gold Plan, and Platinum Plan.
The Silver Plan is a basic and economical option that covers trip cancellation, interruption, delay, missed connection, baggage loss or delay, medical expenses (secondary), emergency evacuation (secondary), accidental death and dismemberment (secondary), and travel assistance services.
The Gold Plan is a more comprehensive and popular option that offers higher coverage limits and additional benefits such as change fee coverage (secondary), bankruptcy protection (secondary), pre-existing medical condition waiver (if purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit), cancel for work reasons (if purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit), medical upgrade (optional), rental car damage coverage (optional), and adventure sports coverage (optional).
The Platinum Plan is the most comprehensive and flexible option that offers the highest coverage limits and additional benefits such as change fee coverage (primary), bankruptcy protection (primary), pre-existing medical condition waiver (if purchased within 10 days of initial trip deposit), cancel for any reason (if purchased within 10 days of initial trip deposit), medical upgrade (included), rental car damage coverage (included), and adventure sports coverage (included).
You can get a quote and buy a plan online or by phone. AXA Assistance USA has an A+ rating from AM Best and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
6. HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance
HTH Worldwide is a travel insurance company that specializes in international health insurance. HTH Worldwide offers two plans for cruisers: TripProtector Economy and TripProtector Preferred.
The TripProtector Economy plan is a low-cost option that covers trip cancellation, interruption, delay, missed connection, baggage loss or delay, medical expenses (secondary), emergency evacuation (secondary), accidental death and dismemberment (secondary), and travel assistance services.
The TripProtector Preferred plan is a more comprehensive option that offers higher coverage limits and additional benefits such as change fee coverage (secondary), bankruptcy protection (secondary), pre-existing medical condition waiver (if purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit), cancellation for work reasons (if purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit), medical upgrade (optional), rental car damage coverage (optional), and adventure sports coverage (optional).
HTH Worldwide also offers optional upgrades such as cancellation for any reason, flight accident coverage, and global health benefits. You can get a quote and buy a plan online or by phone. HTH Worldwide has an A- rating from AM Best and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
7. John Hancock Insurance Agency Travel Insurance
John Hancock Insurance Agency is a travel insurance company that is part of the John Hancock Financial Services group, one of the largest insurance companies in the US. John Hancock Insurance Agency offers three plans for cruisers: Bronze Plan, Silver Plan, and Gold Plan.
The Bronze Plan is a basic and budget-friendly option that covers trip cancellation, interruption, delay, missed connection, baggage loss or delay, medical expenses (secondary), emergency evacuation (secondary), accidental death and dismemberment (secondary), and travel assistance services.
The Silver Plan is a more comprehensive and popular option that offers higher coverage limits and additional benefits such as change fee coverage (secondary), bankruptcy protection (secondary), pre-existing medical condition waiver (if purchased within 14 days of the initial trip deposit), cancel for work reasons (if purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit), medical upgrade (optional), rental car damage coverage (optional), and adventure sports coverage (optional).
The Gold Plan is the most comprehensive and flexible option that offers the highest coverage limits and additional benefits such as change fee coverage (primary), bankruptcy protection (primary), pre-existing medical condition waiver (if purchased within 10 days of initial trip deposit), cancel for any reason (if purchased within 10 days of initial trip deposit), medical upgrade (included), rental car damage coverage (included), and adventure sports coverage (included).
You can get a quote and buy a plan online or by phone. John Hancock Insurance Agency has an A+ rating from AM Best and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
How to Choose the Best Cruise Insurance for Your Needs?
Choosing the best cruise insurance for your needs can be a daunting task, given the many options and factors to consider. Here are some tips to help you make an informed decision:
Factors to Consider When Choosing Cruise Insurance
- Your trip cost: The higher your trip cost, the more you stand to lose if you have to cancel or interrupt your trip. Therefore, you may want to choose a plan that offers higher coverage limits and more benefits for trip cancellation and interruption.
- Your destination: The farther and more exotic your destination, the more likely you are to encounter travel delays, disruptions, or emergencies. Therefore, you may want to choose a plan that offers higher coverage limits and more benefits for trip delays, missed connections, emergency evacuation, and non-medical emergency evacuation.
- Your health status: The older and less healthy you are, the more likely you are to need medical attention during your trip. Therefore, you may want to choose a plan that offers higher coverage limits and more benefits for medical expenses, a pre-existing medical condition waiver, and sea sickness coverage.
- Your travel preferences: The more flexible and adventurous you are, the more likely you are to change your plans or engage in risky activities during your trip. Therefore, you may want to choose a plan that offers higher coverage limits and more benefits for change fee coverage, cancel for any reason, adventure sports coverage, and rental car damage coverage.
Comparing Coverage and Benefits
Once you have identified your needs and preferences, you can compare different plans based on their coverage and benefits. You can use a comparison website or a spreadsheet to compare the following aspects of each plan:
- Coverage limits: The maximum amount of money that the plan will pay for each benefit.
- Deductibles: The amount of money that you have to pay out of pocket before the plan pays for each benefit.
- Co-insurance: The percentage of money that you have to pay out of pocket after the deductible is met for each benefit.
- Exclusions: The situations or events that are not covered by the plan.
- Time frames: The deadlines or windows for buying the plan, filing a claim, or receiving certain benefits.
Reading Customer Reviews and Ratings
Another way to evaluate different plans is to read customer reviews and ratings from other travelers who have used them. You can find customer reviews and ratings on various websites, such as:
- Travel insurance company websites
- Travel insurance comparison websites
- Travel forums and blogs
- Social media platforms
Customer reviews and ratings can give you an insight into the quality of service, customer support, claim process, and satisfaction level of each plan. However, you should also be aware of the potential biases, inaccuracies, or frauds that may affect customer reviews and ratings. Therefore, you should look for reviews and ratings that are:
- Recent: The more recent the review or rating, the more relevant it is to the current situation and performance of the plan.
- Verified: The more verified the review or rating, the more credible it is. Verification means that the reviewer or rater has actually bought or used the plan.
- Detailed: The more detailed the review or rating, the more informative it is. Details include specific examples, facts, figures, pros, cons, tips, and suggestions.
- Balanced: The more balanced the review or rating, the more objective it is. Balance means that the reviewer or rater acknowledges both the strengths and weaknesses of the plan.
By following these tips, you can choose the best cruise insurance for your needs and enjoy your cruise vacation with peace of mind. Happy cruising!
