Cruise travel insurance

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^[2]Correct as of December 2024.

What is cruise insurance?

Cruise insurance is travel insurance specifically designed to cover problems that could arise if you’re going on a cruise. These could include missed port departures or transport to a hospital if you fall ill while at sea.

Specific travel insurance for cruises means you have financial protection for certain situations that happen only on this type of holiday.

And it’s not just a good idea to have cover – it’s often mandatory. Most cruise operators will insist you have cover in place before they’ll let you board.

You can buy cruise cover as an add-on to standard travel insurance or buy a specialist policy. Here’s what to consider when you compare cruise travel insurance.

What’s covered by cruise holiday insurance?

Policies vary among providers but travel insurance with cruise cover typically includes:

Cruise cancellation or curtailment

Cancellation cover could offer a pay-out if your trip is cancelled or cut short because of unforeseen circumstances. For example, the death of a close relative.

Cabin confinement

This cover means you could claim compensation for any parts of your trip that you miss due to cabin confinement.

Personal baggage

Cover if your baggage or its contents are lost or stolen.

Missed departure

Offers cover if you miss your departure for reasons such as:

Your car breaks down
Your train is cancelled
Strikes or industrial action.

Unused excursions protection

This could pay out if you miss an excursion because of an accident, injury or illness.

It might apply only to excursions you choose at the point of booking your cruise, but not any booked while on board.

Emergency medical treatment costs

Make sure this includes:

Emergency helicopter transfers
Hospital and ambulance fees
Cover to get home if you can’t use your original ticket.

Cruise interruption

If you fall ill and need medical treatment on dry land, you could claim for the travel expenses incurred to reach the next port and re-join the cruise.

Missed port cover

Protects you if a planned destination visit is cancelled because of bad weather, timetabling or problems with the ship.

Cover for the cost of a friend or relative staying with you during treatment

If you’re ill or injured, this could pay for a friend or relative to stay with you during treatment and travel home with you.

Some cruise lines insist on minimum levels of insurance and medical cover. Check what’s required before you compare cruise insurance.

Top tip

Some worldwide cruises can last up to 180 days – or more. If you’re planning a long voyage, check your home insurance policy before you go. Most standard policies will only cover an empty property for up to 30 days. If you’re going to be away for longer, you may need to arrange unoccupied home insurance.

How much could I claim on my cruise travel insurance?

The maximum you could claim on your cruise travel insurance depends on your provider and the cover level you have. From some examples we’ve seen, you may be able to claim up to:

£1,000 for a missed departure
£1,000 for cruise interruption
£150 for missed port cover
£100 a day for cabin confinement.

Check your policy for details on the maximum amount you can claim.

Customers with pre-existing medical conditions

If you have a serious health condition, your travel insurance is likely to be more expensive. However, you should always declare any medical conditions and tell your insurance provider the truth, because if you give false information your claim could be rejected. When you declare medical conditions on our website, we’ll only show you quotes from insurance providers that will cover them with no exclusions.

If your condition is more serious, MoneyHelper has a directory of insurance providers that may be able to offer quotes.

Get the right holiday cruise insurance cover for the right price

To help you find the right cruise insurance at the right price, here’s what to consider when comparing cover.

The countries you’re visiting

The following countries all have a high level of private health care, so it costs more to receive medical treatment there. As a result, you might find it’s more expensive to get cover if you’re visiting them:

North and Central America (including the USA)
China and Hong Kong
EU countries such as France, Spain and Portugal.

What you’re taking with you

If you’re not flying to the start or from the finish of your cruise, you might take more luggage than you would on a plane. And you might want to take more items with you because your trip is longer. So think about how much baggage cover you need.

Likewise, if you’re taking valuable gadgets with you, make sure you have enough cover in case they’re damaged, lost or stolen.

What you’re planning to do

Excursions might offer the opportunity to experience different activities, including water sports and extreme sports. Check your cruise travel insurance policy to see which activities are covered as standard and whether you’ll need to add any extra cover.

What are the top tips when choosing travel insurance for a cruise holiday?

Here are our three top tips to help you choose a cruise travel insurance policy:

1. Check cabin confinement daily amounts

As well as the daily limit, it’s important to be aware of the overall cabin confinement cover limit. This is typically between £500 and £2,000. Some providers cover the cost of missed excursions too.

2. Cover limits

Make sure you choose a policy that covers the cost of your cruise, as pay-outs can range from £5,000 to £20,000. Bear in mind that some cruise providers insist you have at least £2 million in medical cover to sail with them.

What our expert says...

“If you intend to take part in activities on your port stops, such as camel riding or windsurfing, check if they’re covered by your policy. You may need extra cover for water sports or extreme sports, depending on how adventurous you want to be.”

- Anna McEntee, Home, pet and travel insurance expert

Frequently asked questions

Can I add insurance after booking a cruise?

Yes, it’s sensible to wait until after you’ve booked your cruise to arrange cruise insurance. This way you’ll know:

The cruise provider’s requirements for travel insurance
The value of your trip for cancellation costs
Where you’ll be travelling.

But once you’ve booked your cruise, it’s wise to get your insurance arranged as soon as possible. That way you’ll be covered for anything you’ve paid up front if you need to cancel for a reason specified in your policy.

How close to a cruise can I buy travel insurance?

You may be able to find travel insurance with cruise cover in the weeks or even days before you travel, but your options may be limited and it may be more expensive.

Book your travel insurance as soon as possible to make sure you can benefit from cancellation cover.

Bear in mind that many cruise providers require you to have appropriate cruise travel insurance in place. They’ll ask to check your policy documents before you board.

What’s a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)?

The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) can give you access to state-provided medical treatment while cruising in an EU country or Switzerland. With this card, you can get medical treatment on dry land at the same cost as the locals. So if it’s free for them, it’s free for you.

The GHIC (which has replaced the EHIC, though some people’s EHIC’s may still be valid) isn’t a substitute for cruise travel insurance, though. It won’t pay for getting you home or cover other costs linked to a medical emergency.

You can get a GHIC free through the NHS website.

Can I get cruise travel insurance for the rest of my party?

You can get cruise travel insurance:

If you’re including other people in your cruise insurance, you’ll need their dates of birth and details of any pre-existing medical conditions they might have. This will ensure you get an accurate quote.

Bear in mind that a group premium will be affected by the ages and health of other participants. So, if one person is over 80, for example, it may work out cheaper to get that person an individual policy.

Why is cruise holiday insurance so expensive?

Cruise insurance can be more expensive because there are more potential risks for insurance providers to consider.

For example, if you’re injured on board, an air ambulance may be the only way to get you to hospital on dry land. Outbreaks of some illnesses can also spread quickly in confined spaces with shared facilities. Medical costs can be far higher in some countries than others.

Passengers may also take more luggage than on a flight, costing more to replace if it’s lost or damaged. And cruises may be longer than your average holiday, which typically makes them more expensive to insure. Cruise insurance can cover you for events that could only happen on a cruise, such as missed ports or cabin confinement.

Do I need travel insurance if I’m going on a cruise in the UK?

It’s a good idea to get insurance. While you can be treated by the NHS, some cruise-related issues will be the same as anywhere in the world.

Travel insurance will help protect you if, for example, you’re confined to your cabin, your luggage is lost or stolen, or you have to cancel your cruise for reasons covered by your policy.