Cruise Ship Travel Insurance – The Basics
Photo: Milan Boers
Travelers looking to embark on a wonderful cruise certainly need to consider insurance as well. While the same basic categories apply here as in any other type of travel insurance, you might want to re-examine them under the scope of a cruise. Perhaps the time to get travel insurance is now – covering your cruise ship needs.
Major Areas of Coverage
Re-accustom yourself to the major areas in which you’ll find coverage. Could you use the following on your next cruise?
- Trip Cancellation: From untimely sickness to other major events, it only takes one thing to undermine your whole cruise. Cruises and excessive cancellation penalties go hand-in-hand, of course.
- Baggage Delay/Loss: Missing your luggage takes on a more drastic nature with a cruise. If it doesn’t make it in time, you won’t get it during your cruise – which is not good news for all of your formal attire and other items. Whether it’s temporary or permanent, this can be quite the useful area of coverage.
- Trip Delay/Missed Connection: Taxi problems, a missed flight, and other scenarios can mean that you – a higher priority than our previous point – will miss the ship.
- Trip Interruption: Imagine yet another scenario: your cruise ship has a mechanical problem and the entire voyage is now cancelled. You should get some help from the cruise line, but your insurance will be the ultimate policy in these unexpected out-of-pocket costs, such as a hotel stay – it’ll also get you home much faster.
- Medical Expenses: In other countries, getting medical attention can be one of the highest costs you can face. Like health insurance in “normal” times, medical coverage on your cruise can be a life saver. You will be reimbursed for the doctor/hospital costs that are required in most countries upfront.
- Others: Indeed, we could go on for quite some time. You will see policies for the following areas of coverage, most likely: involuntary job loss, financial default by a travel provider, war or terrorism, and emergency evacuation/repatriation. Of course, every policy will be different and come with its own standard areas of coverage and exceptions.
Add-Ons
Many cruise ship insurance plans will feature some of the following areas of coverage, for a little bit extra of course:
- Cancel – For Any Reason: Any reason? Yes! Even if you’ve had a change of heart, this add-on will give you the ultimate in terms of flexibility. You’ll want to look at the fine print, especially in regards to deposits and the level of reimbursement you’ll receive (anywhere from 50 to 100 percent, reportedly). For the ultimate cruise, you might consider such an add-on.
- Airline Accident Coverage: Self-explanatory. A half of million in coverage is said to cost less than $50 per traveler.
- Car Rental Collision Coverage: For less than $10 a day, you can get some coverage on your rental. Look at your car insurance policy to determine if it’s needed.
- Upgraded Medical Coverage: Upgrade the coverage and/or lower the deductible.
- Emergency Evacuation: Upgraded coverage, once again. Even if you don’t want a comprehensive coverage plan, you might consider something like this. One source gives the scenario in which the company will send a plane and personnel wherever they are located. Top-notch service indeed.
Related posts:
- Is a Cruise Ship Right for Your Travel Group?
- Cruise Ship Travel Insurance – Do You Need It?
- Researching Cruise Ships
- How Travel Insurance is Valuable for Cruises
- Travel Insurance Explained: Delayed Flights and Missed Connections
This article contains general advice about travel insurance. The author has not taken into account your financial situation or needs and you should consider whether the advice provided is appropriate for your own circumstances before relying on it.
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Filed Under: Travel Insurance
