Cruise insurance can be a real lifesaver, and you can get it for as little as $10/day.
Even something relatively minor like a stomach bug can put a huge dent in your wallet while you're out at sea, as on-board cruise doctors can charge whatever they want. Cruise insurance also covers cruise-related issues like missed cruise departures, cancelled shore excursions, cruise delays and emergency medical transportation. Even if you're a senior traveller or have a pre-existing condition, you can find cruise cover that won't break the bank - we'll show you how.
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What will I get from cruise travel insurance?
Cruise insurance offers more than just the standard travel insurance benefits like medical, luggage and personal items and cancellation cover. Some travel insurance companies do cover cruise in their standard policies, but also add additional cruise benefits as add-ons, which include features like:
- Missed shore excursion cover. If you're unable to make a pre-paid shore excursion such as a tour or excursion for reason outside of your control, you'll be able to lodge a claim to have the costs reimbursed.
- Missed cruise departure assistance. If you're late to arrive at the port for a reason beyond your control, say for example you miss the departure because your car broke down, your cruise policy may be able to provide you with cover for additional accommodation and travel expenses.
- Cabin confinement compensation. If you're heading on a cruise you know you're running the risk of the dreaded gastro outbreak. If you're confined to your cabin because of a medical issue such as gastro, your cruise pack will with a daily benefit amount for as long as you're quarantined.
- Missed port cover. If your cruise ship is unable to dock due to weather or other extraordinary circumstances, your cruise insurance will provide you with a benefit for each missed port.
What should I watch out for with cruise travel insurance?
- Medical coverage aboard domestic cruises. If you're cruising in Australian waters and docking at Australian ports, insurance policy inclusions get a bit fuzzy, especially if you're requiring medical attention.
- Delayed or cancelled flights that aren't weather or strike related. If your plane has a mechanical issue or the airline cancels your flight, you won't be covered by cruise insurance for this. This is where responsibility lies with the airline to get you to your final destination (based on your airline ticket), however if you're catching a cruise elsewhere you won't be covered for this. Cruise lines recommend you arrive a day earlier in case this happens.
Compare cruise travel insurance quotes now
Quickly compare cruise travel insurance policies:
We analysed policies from three of our partners with cruise add-ons available to see how their policies for cruises compared. We looked at a 7-night South Pacific cruise using a 30-year-old traveller. These quotes were retrieved on 27 November 2018.
| Inclusions |
 1Cover (Comprehensive) |
 Insureandgo (Gold) |
|---|---|---|
| Price for 7 nights cover | $52.90 | $61.06 |
| Excess | $200 | $100 |
| Overseas emergency medical assistance and hospital expenses | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Luggage and personal effects | $15,000 | $8,000 |
| Cancellation fees and lost deposits | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Missed shore excursions | $1,000 | Unlimited |
| Missed cruise departure | $2,500 | $50,000 |
| Cabin confinement | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Get your quote | Get your quote |
What's covered by cruise travel insurance?
Cruise insurance includes everything that your regular travel insurance will cover like lost luggage, medical care required during your trip and trip cancellation, depending on the level of cover you purchase. But, what makes it stand out, is that it also covers you for anything that should go wrong at sea.
- Marine rescue
- Evacuation cover
- Missed cruise departure
- Missed port connection
- Missed shore excursion
- Cabin confinement
- Emergency formal attire
What’s not covered?
Every insurance policy contains exclusions, or reasons why they could deny your claim. Generally speaking, you won't be covered if any of the following occur:
- You act recklessly. Your claim could be denied if the incident happened while you were drunk or on drugs or while you were breaking the law.
- You engage in high-risk activities. Some high-risk activities, such as scuba diving and skydiving, require additional cover depending on the policy. Check the fine print to make sure all your planned activities are covered.
- You're careless. You won't get paid if it's your fault you missed a flight or if your belongings were stolen because you weren’t watching them.
- You visit somewhere you shouldn't. If you travel to a destination that DFAT warns against visiting, any claims will be refused. Check Smartraveller for DFAT’s latest travel advisories.
- Your doctor tells you not to travel. If your doctor says you shouldn't travel but you decide to go cruising anyway, you won’t be covered for any medical claims.
- You have a pre-existing condition that's not covered. Unless your condition is listed in the insurer’s pamphlet as being automatically covered, you’re required to tell them about it. If you don’t, they’ll deny your claim.
- You're on your home turf for more than 48 hours. Some providers won’t cover you for medical events that happen while you’re in an Australian port for more than 48 hours.
Check out our guide on travel insurance exclusions for more details.
Does cruise travel insurance cover cancellations?
Like any insurance, cruise travel insurance will take care of you if you need to cancel because of a serious, unexpected event including if:
- You suffer a serious illness or injury.
- A relative, business partner or travelling companion dies unexpectedly or suffers a serious illness or injury.
- You’re made redundant at work.
- Your flight is cancelled due to severe weather and you miss your cruise departure.
- You’re called for jury duty.
- Your home is destroyed by a natural disaster.
Will the cruise line reimburse me if I cancel?
Even if your cruise insurance doesn’t cover your cancelled trip, you may be able to scrape back some of the cost of the cruise itself. Many cruise companies will allow you to cancel ahead of time and only pay a cancellation fee rather than the full cost of the cruise. This fee varies based on how far out you cancel.
Cancellation policies vary between cruise lines, but we’ve included P&O’s cancellation fees in the table below as a guide:
| Fare type | Days prior to departure that you cancel your cruise | Cancellation charge |
|---|---|---|
| Value Plus and Value fares | 181 days or more | No charge |
| 180 – 76 days | Deposit amount | |
| 75 – 43 days | 25% of total fare | |
| 42 – 15 days | 50% of total fare | |
| 14 days or less | 100% of total fare | |
| Go fare | 76 days or more | Deposit amount |
| 75 – 43 days | 75% of total fare | |
| 42 – 15 days | 90% of total fare | |
| 14 days or less | 100% of total fare |
How does travel insurance booked directly through the cruise line work?
If you're cruising with a specific line, like P&O or Carnival, and are wondering how you can get covered or how their own cancellation policies will (or won't!) protect you, read our guides catered toward your next adventure.
Which cruise travel insurance brands do lines use?
Most cruise lines have access to policies from insurance brands and underwriters, including some of the ones we've listed above. Prices and benefits aren't always the same if you book your cover directly through the line or the insurance provider, so it's best to compare your options when given the option to add on cruise travel insurance at the time of your booking.
Carnival Cruises: Cover-more
- If you're booking insurance directly from Carnival, your coverage will be provided by Cover-more
P&O Cruises: Cover-more
- If you're booking insurance directly from P&O, your policy will be from Cover-more
Princess Cruises: Cover-more
- If you're booking insurance directly with Princess Cruises, you'll be covered by Cover-more
Am I covered by cruise travel insurance if...?
I have pre-existing conditions?
If you have a pre-existing condition and it is not listed in the insurer's list of automatically covered conditions, then you will need to tell the insurer before purchasing your policy. The insurer might charge you more to cover the condition or exclude it from your policy altogether. If you don't tell your insurer about your condition, they could deny any claims related to it.
I'm pregnant?
Yes, but the terms and conditions surrounding pregnancy can vary from one insurer to the next. Some will have a cut-off point (eg, the 26th week of pregnancy) after which you can claim for everything else on your policy except pregnancy-related issues.
It’s worth pointing out that most cruise lines don’t allow women who are more than 24-weeks pregnant to board a cruise. With this in mind, check the cruise carrier’s terms and conditions closely when booking your holiday. It’s also a good idea to read your insurer’s PDS to see whether there are any pregnancy-related medical benefits excluded from cover.
I'm a senior?
Considering the higher risk of needing medical attention with age and the fact that Medicare doctors are not available on cruise ships (even on domestic cruises), we highly recommend anyone - especially seniors - get cruise travel insurance.
While policy age limits differ between insurers, some seniors travel insurance policies will cover travellers up to 80, 90 or even 100 years of age.
Depending on your age and pre-existing conditions, your premiums may be a little higher as a pensioner going on a cruise.
It's also important to check with the company whether the benefits for cruise travel insurance for seniors change depending on how old you are. For example, some insurers will automatically cover asthma for travellers under the age of 60, but they will exclude the condition from cover for anyone above this age limit.
| Brand | Standard/Optional | Maximum Age (Per policy type, if applicable) | Conditions | Get Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Add-on |
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Over 80 - maximum 6 months per journey | Get Quote |
 |
Add-on |
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Get Quote | |
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Automatically cover cruises |
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N/A | Get Quote |
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Add-on |
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N/A | Get Quote |
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Add-on |
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N/A | Get Quote |
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Add-on |
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N/A | Get Quote |
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Automatically cover cruises |
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N/A | Get Quote |
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Add-on |
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A surcharge applies to the premium in respect of all insured persons over 50 years of age. | Get Quote |
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Add-on |
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Accompanying spouse or partner and dependants are covered under this plan provided they are aged 74 years and under. Additional premium will apply. | Get Quote |
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Automatically cover cruises |
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15 years or under, or 81 years or over. Sub limits apply | Get Quote |
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Automatically cover cruises |
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Require a medical appraisal for all travellers over 80 years of age. | Get Quote |
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Automatically cover cruises |
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Get Quote | |
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Automatically cover cruises |
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Get Quote | |
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Add-on |
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Get Quote | |
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Add-on |
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Get Quote | |
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Add-on |
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Get Quote | |
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Add-on |
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Get Quote |
I'm scuba diving, snorkelling or doing other watersports?
Not necessarily, so check the fine print. You may need to purchase an additional adventure sports pack to make sure you have the cover you need.
Something happens on the non-cruise portion of my trip?
Yes. A cruise insurance policy is essentially a normal travel insurance policy with added protections for mishaps that happen at sea.
I'm already overseas when I purchase my cover?
A handful of Australian insurers will offer travel insurance, including cruise insurance, to Australians who are already overseas. They may have some additional requirements, such as requiring you to end your trip in Australia or imposing a waiting period before you can make certain claims. Make sure you talk to the insurer so that you're not caught off guard.
I book a one-way cruise?
Yes, but this depends on the insurer. While some travel insurance policies offer cover for one-way trips, others require your journey to end in Australia. You can compare one-way travel insurance options here.
I get seasick?
Your insurance will cover any medical expenses related to seasickness if you have to see a doctor on board as long as the doctor can provide evidence that the treatment was necessary. If you become so seasick that the doctor thinks it’s dangerous for you to stay on the cruise, you may be also be covered for trip disruption. You will not be covered for cabin confinement if your seasickness makes it difficult for you to leave the cabin, because that cover is provided only if the ship’s authorities force you to stay inside because of a contagious illness like gastro.
I get gastro on my cruise?
Yes. If you get norovirus or another form of gastro, you’ll be covered for medical expenses, cabin confinement, missed shore excursions, emergency medical evacuation and the cost of having to cut your trip short.
Gastro is highly infectious. With so many people living so close together and with nowhere to go, it can spread very quickly on a cruise - making this an important cover to have.
How is cruise travel insurance affected by cyclone/hurricane/typhoon season?
We found that Australia's second-highest fear of cruising was encountering a big storm, with 34% of people surveyed citing this worry. However, you can still get cruise travel insurance if you're sailing during the stormy season as long as meteorologists have not already identified a specific storm brewing before you purchased your policy.
Here's when storm seasons are:
- Atlantic hurricane season (Caribbean and trans-Atlantic cruises): June to November
- South Pacific cyclone season (South Pacific cruises): November to April
- Typhoon season (Asia cruises): May to October
Most insurers will cover you year-round, although you may pay more during times when claims are more likely, such as during cyclone season.
Back to topCost
How much does cruise travel insurance cost?
The cost will vary from person to person depending on where you’re going, how long you’ll be gone for, how many people are travelling, your age and a number of other factors. But to give you an idea of how much cruise insurance might cost an individual traveller, we’ve pulled together some quotes covering a variety of circumstances:
| Fast Cover Comprehensive including Cruise |
Fast Cover Comprehensive including Cruise |
|
|---|---|---|
| Age of traveller | 25 | 65 |
| Destination | South Pacific | South Pacific |
| Length of cruise | 5 days | 5 days |
| Cover type | Comprehensive | Comprehensive |
| Cost of cover | $46.60 | $66.90 |
| Get quote | Get quote |
*Prices are accurate as of September 2017 and are subject to change. Please use the quote engine above for the most accurate pricing.
How can I save on cruise travel insurance?
If you want to save money on your policy, give these a try:
- Choose lower benefit amounts. Some insurers will have several levels of cover with different benefit amounts. Policies with lower benefit amounts will cost you less. Just make sure you’re willing to sacrifice that added protection.
- Choose a higher excess. Some insurers allow you to choose your excess (or the share of the cost you’ll pay out of pocket) when you apply for a policy. Paying more out of pocket means paying less for your premium.
- Ditch the add-ons. If you can live without certain activities, you can avoid paying for them to be covered. For example, if your insurer wants you to pay extra for scuba diving cover, maybe you can leave scuba diving for next time and settle for snorkelling. Or consider leaving your high-value items at home to avoid paying the extra fee it takes to cover those.
- Take advantage of discounts. Seniors discounts, multi-policy discounts and travel insurance coupon codes can all help you save money on your policy.
International cruises
Do I need cover for each location visited on my cruise?
You don’t need separate policies, but you do need to tell your insurer every place you will be visiting by sea or by land. This helps them work out an appropriate quote.
Most travel and cruise insurance policies provide automatic cover for stopovers of up to 48 hours, but it still makes sense to talk to your insurer about how they treat these situations. After all, if bad weather causes your ship to divert course to an island that happens to be in a different region, you’ll want to know that you’re still covered.
What should I consider when it comes to international destinations and cruise travel insurance?
What if I’m just taking a short cruise as part of a longer holiday?
You will still need cruise insurance, but technically only for the length of the cruise. However, it can be tricky to find a single policy that lets you split your cruise and non-cruise portions.
Here are your best options:
- Stick with a cruise policy for the whole trip. Remember, cruise insurance covers you on and off land, and you may find that this option is not much more expensive than a normal policy anyway.
- Double up by getting a standard policy and a cruise policy. If you’re only out to sea for a couple of days, you might consider buying cruise insurance on top of the normal travel insurance that’s covering the rest of your trip. You’ll be paying twice, but hey, if you save a few bucks, you’re still ahead. Just remember you won’t be able to make the same claim on both policies.
- Work out an arrangement with the insurer. If you don’t want to double up or pay for cruise insurance when you won’t be using it, try contacting an insurer and see if they can create a custom policy for you.
Domestic cruises
No one can blame you for thinking Medicare and/or private insurance will cover any medical mishaps on a domestic cruise, but that’s not necessarily the case.
Medicare will only cover the cost of your treatment if BOTH of these requirements are met:
- If you are cruising between domestic ports. If you are coming to or from an international port, you are automatically disqualified even if the ship is in Australian waters, AND
- If you are treated by a Medicare-approved doctor. Cruise liners are not required to hire Medicare-approved doctors, so you might want to check with the cruise provider ahead of time if you're looking to rely on Medicare.
Private health insurance could foot some of the bill in some cases, but onboard medical costs can be so high that private cover may not be enough.
Sometimes insurers will categorise their domestic cruise insurance as “international” since the addition of medical cover makes it resemble an international policy. If that’s what they call it, then that’s what you should choose, but you want to make sure you clearly state where you’ll be travelling so that you and the insurer are on the same page. Check the insurer’s PDS to find out how they categorise their domestic cruise insurance policies.
Learn more about travel insurance for domestic cruises
Back to topTravel insurance for river cruises
Just because getting to dry land may seem easier on river cruises than ocean cruises doesn't mean you shouldn't consider cruise cover for your journey.
Missing your boat, having the trip to your next port being delayed by weather, and being confined to your cabin are all real possibilities aboard a river cruise that you don't want to worry about.
Do you need cruise insurance for river cruises?
Since river cruises aren’t on the ocean, you’re not required to have cruise insurance whether you are overseas or in Australia. Getting you to dry land for medical treatment is not nearly as complicated from a riverboat, so insurers don’t need to charge you extra.
However, some cruise insurance policies offer you a few extra benefits that you might find useful on a river cruise. These include cabin confinement cover that pays you a little consolation money each day you are confined to your cabin with a contagious illness, and formal attire cover that will pay to repair or replace your formal attire if it is lost, damaged or stolen..
Travel insurance for expedition cruises
Arctic and Antarctic cruises are exploding in popularity and you may be wondering how on Earth you’d get insurance that will cover travel to such a remote location. Well, it’s actually easier than you think! Many travel insurers will cover you in those locations just as they would anywhere else. If you don’t believe us, just run a search above using Antarctica or Arctic as your destination, filter by cruises and see what comes up. You’ll be delighted by what you find.
Growth in Australian tourism to Antarctica
Travel insurance for other overnight boat trips
Do you need cruise insurance for small fishing vessels, sailboats and diving trips?
Many insurers will cover you on a small boat up to a certain distance from shore (usually 10-12km) even without the optional cruise cover. If you go beyond this, you'll need cruise insurance no matter what kind of boat you are on or whether you are in Australia or overseas.
But you have to remember that domestic policies and international policies are built differently: domestic policies don't include medical cover while international policies do. This is a huge difference and it means you should strongly consider cruise cover in certain situations (as you'll see below), even if you are within 10-12km from shore.
As a side note, if you will be scuba diving in Australia or overseas, it is likely that you will also need to purchase additional cover for adventure sports generally or scuba diving specifically. Just like cruise insurance, most policies do not cover this automatically.
Travelling on a smaller boat in Australia
It's a good idea to have cruise insurance if you're sailing the Whitsundays or traveling by boat anywhere else in Australian ocean waters. That's because domestic travel insurance does not cover medical-related costs and if you need treated by a medical professional onboard or airlifted to shore, you could end up with massive medical bills regardless of how close to shore you are. Domestic cruise insurance adds the medical component back into domestic policies and will cover you in cases like this.
Travelling on a smaller boat overseas
If you are sailing the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia (or any other international ocean), you may or may not need additional cruise insurance depending on your insurer's terms and conditions. International travel insurance does contain medical cover, so insurers might be more lenient and extend this medical cover to include ocean excursions on a smaller boat or even on a very short cruise. But this is not the norm, so if you want to be safe, you'll need to take out cruise cover or contact your insurer just to be sure.
Ready to get your cruise travel insurance? Get a quote now.
