Things to Think About When Buying Cruise Insurance

The main difference between cruise-specific insurance and regular travel insurance is that it will be tailored toward your travel by ship. Therefore, it will take into account factors such as medical expenses potentially being greater when you’re at sea. Not to mention the fact that in some extreme cases, if you’re at sea and you need to be taken to hospital, the method for doing so is not as simple as calling an ambulance.

With this in mind, we think it would be a good idea to take a look below and familiarise yourself with these helpful tips when it comes to buying travel insurance:

• Think about where you’re travelling to on your cruise. Often most insurance provides will give you the option to select regions e.g. UK, Europe, USA, New Zealand and Australia, Worldwide. If you’re travelling to 3 or more of these regions it may work out better to select worldwide insurance. When purchasing your insurance, be sure to read the small print to check that every country you visit is covered.
• If you’re travelling with under 16’s then it’s worth taking a look at family travel insurance options to save time and money
• Some insurance companies will offer better deals depending on your age and who you’re travelling with, so it’s a good idea to try using some comparison sites like Compare the Market and Money Supermarket to get a gauge on how much you should pay.
• Part of the enjoyment of a cruise is being able to take part in exciting excursions, both relaxed and activity based. Enquire about this when browsing for insurance to make sure the policy covers you for the excursions you have opted for. As a general rule, travel insurance does not include Adventure Sports, Winter Sports and ‘dangerous activities’ e.g. Shark Diving so if you have plans to partake in any activities such as these make sure it’s included on your policy.
• Insurance usually comes in two forms: single trip insurance and annual. If you are going on a cruise as a one-off holiday then a single trip is probably your best bet. However, if you can see yourself travelling overseas multiple times during the year, it may be better value for you to choose the annual option.
• Don’t forget to tell your insurer about any pre-existing medical issues you may have. It’s vital you do this before coming to any agreement, as failing to do so could invalidate your cover.
• Most travel insurance policies have a time limit for the duration of the holiday, and this is usually between 30 and 60 day, however they can be obtained for longer.

The benefits of cruise insurance

• One of the benefits of specialist cruise insurance is that it offers extended cover for older people, based on their personal circumstances. For example, some policies offer deals of up to 365 days for travellers up to 89 years of age, and up to 180 days for travellers aged 90 or over.
• Specialist cruise insurers even offer the option for full cancellation cover if the cruise happens to be cancelled or postponed due to poor weather conditions. Some even stretch to insure against incidents including natural disasters.
• Should for any reason you need to seek medical help on your cruise, your insurance will help to cover any costs incurred.
• Cruise holiday insurance can cover missed departures e.g. if you get off at a port of call and don’t make it back to the ship in time and it leaves without you, cruise cover will reimburse the cost of your travel to the next port of call and also your accommodation if the delay necessitated a stay in a hotel.
• Insurance is also beneficial to ensure your luggage is covered should it happen to get lost or delayed. A comprehensive cruise insurance policy may include cover in the event of theft, public liability and emergency repatriation.
• Cruise insurance gives you peace of mind. You don’t have to continuously think about the above points whilst on board and you are free to enjoy your cruise in the way that you deserve.