Most travel insurers let you add cruise cover on to your policy. In addition to all the benefits you get with standard travel insurance, such as cover for cancelletions and COVID, it can include:
Yes, lots of travel insurance policies now cover COVID-related expenses if you catch the virus. This can include onboard medical expenses, medical evacuation and cancellation or rearrangement costs. For example, if you catch COVID before your cruise, you can cancel and get reimbursed for your trip, usually up to $5,000.
A small proportion of Australians (10%) say they don't plan to book a cruise in the next 12 months because COVID has ruined it, according to a 2023 Finder survey.
COVID still makes up 11% of all claims. On average we are paying out claims for cancellation and travel disruption due to COVID to the value of $1,500, which is a sizeable cost.
Jo McCauley
CEO - Southern Cross Travel Insurance
You are not usually covered by Medicare in Australian waters so cruise travel insurance is really important. It can cover evacuation expenses to get you to an Australian hospital as well as all the other benefits of cover, including cancellations, missed ports and cancelled pre-paid shore excursions.
When cruising domestically, most insurers will prompt you to select the Pacific region - this will usually include New Zealand, Bali, the south-west Pacific and Norfolk region. If you're still unsure what region to select for your domestic cruise, check out your insurers product disclosure statement (PDS) for confirmation.
Carol and Vincent, a couple in their 70s from Brisbane, were getting ready to depart on a worldwide cruise. Unfortunately, in the week before they were due to depart, Carol fell over in their yard and broke her ankle, which meant they would have to cancel their holiday. Because they had taken out a travel insurance policy that covered cancellation, they were able to be reimbursed for more than $20,000 worth of lost deposits.
Based on our research, we believe these are the most important features of a cruise travel insurance policy.
| Brands | Age limit | Overseas medical expenses | Emergency evacuation | Missed port cover | Cabin confinement | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 84 years | Up to $1,000 | $100 per day | Bonus | ||
 | 84 years | Up to $1,000 | $100 per day | Bonus | ||
 | 100 years | Up to $1,000 | $75 per day | Bonus | ||
 | 99 years | Up to $1,000 | $100 per day | Bonus | ||
 | 110 years | Get quote | ||||
 | 99 years | Up to $1,000 | $100 per day | Bonus | ||
 | 130 years | Up to $750 | $150 per day | More info | ||
 | 99 years | Up to $1,000 | $100 per day | More info | ||
 | 120 years | $50 per day | More info |
Note: This information was last updated September 2022
*Missed port cover: Cover if your cruise skips a scheduled port due to weather restrictions or mechanical breakdowns.
**Cabin confinement: Cover if you're confined to you cabin (usually for more than 48hrs) due to a serious illness.
The best cruise travel insurance is a policy that is most suited to your individual needs. It's not just one specific policy. To help you find the best cruise travel insurance, follow the simple steps below.
Choose a single trip or annual multi-trip policy. Think about all the trips you'll be taking over the next 12 months. If there are 2 or more, an annual policy will save you money and time.
Compare brands. Some brands cover more than others and come with higher limits for certain benefits.
Choose a brand you trust. If you've never bought cruise travel insurance, look at forums for reviews. Just be careful, since reviews are written by the general public and are heavily influenced by negative outcomes.
Buy your cruise travel insurance as early as possible. Most insurers will cover your cancellation fees if you have to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, so it pays to buy early.
If you're travelling on a budget and need an affordable policy, getting cheap cruise travel insurance is possible but you might have to sacrifice a few benefits. The most important thing is to have cover for medical treatments and emergency evacuation. Anything on top of that is a bonus.
The table below shows how the cheapest policies usually cover medical and emergency assistance only on cruises. It also shows the price difference among the cheapest, and why paying a bit more money for a policy gives more benefits for your cruise.
| Fast Cover | Travel Insurance Saver | Insure4less | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy type | Basics | Bare Essentials | Medical only |
| Onboard medical assistance | |||
| Emergency evacuation | |||
| Missed port | |||
| Missed shore excursions | |||
| Missed cruise departure | |||
| Cabin confinement | |||
| Formal cruise attire lost, stolen or damaged | |||
| Price | $76.99 | $86.00 | $129.38 |
We got these prices in November 2023 for a 30-year-old going on a South Pacific cruise for 14 days, with a standard excess of $200.
Angus Kidman is the international editor-at-large at Finder. He's an award-winning journalist, avid travel enthusiast and passionate frequent flyer. Angus appears regularly on Sunrise, Today, The Project, Seven News and other TV and radio shows to share his expert tips.
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