Cruise travel insurance is an optional policy add-on designed for the unique risks associated with going on a cruise.
This includes things like:
This type of travel insurance can also offer cover that's tailored to the type of cruise you're going on. For example, an ocean cruise, or river cruise.
Helpful hint: You can easily buy cruise cover on its own, as an add-on to your standard policy.
When getting your quote, make sure to select 'cruise cover' in the extras section:
Cruise insurance covers you against unexpected costs and emergencies at sea. This includes:
If you fall ill and are confined to your cabin.
Your policy's baggage cover should cover your items against loss, damage and theft.
If you have to cancel your trip in an emergency.
If you become ill and need to go to land for treatment, you’ll may be able to claim for your travel expenses.
If you miss an excursion because of an accident, an injury, or illness.
If your ship leaves without you due to reasons beyond your control, your travel and accommodation costs should be covered until you can rejoin.
This is important, especially if you’re hundreds of miles away from the mainland and need medical assistance. Medical cover can also cover emergency airlift to hospital if needed.
If you need treatment for a condition you didn't declare when getting a quote.
Most insurers won't provide cover for delays or cancellations caused by poor weather conditions.
If your trip is cancelled by your cruise provider, your insurer may not provide financial cover.
If illness, injury, or death occurs due to the influence of alcohol or drugs, insurers typically won't accept a claim.
If you plan to do certain high-risk activities that aren't covered by a standard policies, like open-water swimming, you may need to get additional cover. For example, adventure travel insurance.
If you're going on a cruise that's within a certain distance of your home, some providers may not offer cruise cover.
With roaming charges making an unwelcome return, eSIMs are a convenient option when travelling. eSIMs are non-physical and are embedded into most newer smartphones; meaning you won’t have to put anything physical into your device, it should already be there.
How does it work?Simply buy your travel insurance, claim your free eSIM, and install it onto your device at the tap of a button. Your eSIM with 2GB of roaming data will kick in on a local mobile network when you get to your destination.
When you get a quote, we’ll only show you policies that have the protection you need for your cruise based on the details you give. But, policies can vary between insurers. So, it’s important to check what's covered before you buy to make sure you're not missing any cover you may need.
By reading the details carefully before buying, you'll be able to make sure you're selecting a policy that's offering the level of cover you need. Phew!
| Type of cover | Policy cost |
|---|---|
|
Single-trip cruise insurance
|
£15.49*
|
|
Annual cruise insurance
|
£18.002
|
|
Couples single-trip cruise insurance
|
£30.843
|
|
Family single-trip cruise insurance
|
£50.094
|
2The cheapest price for annual travel insurance with cruise cover. Based on a 30 year old with no previous medical conditions travelling to Europe. Confused.com data - May 2024.
3The cheapest price for single-trip travel insurance with cruise cover. Based on 2 adults aged 30 with no previous medical conditions travelling to Europe for 7 days. Confused.com data - May 2024.
4The cheapest price for a single-trip family travel insurance with cruise cover. Based on a family of 4 (2 adults + 2 children) with no previous medical conditions travelling to Europe for 7 days. Confused.com data - May 2024.
Cruise travel insurance offers everything you'd expect from standard travel insurance. But, it also covers sea-related problems. So, this means the cost of cruise travel insurance can cost more than a standard travel insurance policy.
Age can also affect the price of a cruise insurance travel policy. Policy prices can often be higher for older travellers, as providers consider them to be at a higher risk of needing to make a claim.
If you've got a pre-existing medical condition, you can usually still get cruise insurance. Just select your condition(s) on our quote form.
Pre-existing medical conditions can include things like:
Your insurance could cost more if the insurer thinks you're more likely to need medical treatment while on holiday due to your pre-existing condition.
Some insurers may not offer cruise travel insurance if you have a serious medical condition, especially if you’re undergoing treatment or waiting for an operation.
If you can’t find suitable cover, don't worry. The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) has set up a directory of insurers who cover customers with pre-existing medical conditions through their brand MoneyHelper.
You can find the directory of insurers on the MoneyHelper website or you can phone MaPS for free impartial advice on 0800 138 7777.
It's important to make your insurance provider aware of any pre-existing medical conditions when you get a cruise insurance quote. If you don’t, you could invalidate your cover, and if you need to make a claim it could be rejected.
You can buy cruise insurance that covers worldwide travel or specific areas. Check the FCDO for any advice against travel to certain areas, as you won't be covered if the government advises against visiting certain countries.
A big part of cruises are the excursions. But, if you're planning to take part in any high-risk activities or sports, like snorkelling, you might need additional cover. Read the policy details to make sure you're getting the cover you need.
Make sure that you're happy with the amount of reimbursement you'd receive if you needed to stay inside your cabin for bad weather or illness.
Most insurance policies will provide financial cover if your cruise ship departs without you. As long as you were unable to board for an unexpected circumstance. For example, travel disruptions or extreme weather conditions. Read the policy details to make yourself aware of what your insurance provider would accept a claim for in this scenario.
Many cruise operators require travellers to have travel insurance covering a minimum of £2 million towards emergency medical treatment and repatriation.
You might be planning to bring along expensive electronics or clothing. So, make sure that your policy offers cover for theft, damage, or accidental loss of your personal items.
If you're only planning to go on one cruise, a single-trip travel insurance policy could be a good option for you.
Single-trip travel insurance covers 1 trip, from the moment you leave your home until you return again.With a single-trip travel insurance policy, you'll be able to take 1 trip for up to 30 days with cruise cover as an optional add-on.
This makes it an ideal option if you're only going on one trip for less than 30 days over the course of 12 months.
IIf you're planning on going on more than 1 cruise in a year, annual multi-trip travel insurance is worth thinking about.
With an annual policy, you'll be able to take multiple trips over 12 months with cruise cover as an add-on.
Plus, it could work out cheaper than purchasing single-trip travel insurance for each trip. Boom!
Most multi-trip policies have a limited timeframe on individual trips. So, if you want to go on a cruise for an extended period of time, you should consider long stay insurance.
If you're looking to buy cruise insurance, it's worth doing this as soon as you’ve booked your holiday.
Wondering why? Well, it'll mean that you'll be covered if you need to cancel your trip before you depart. For example, if you fell ill before travelling and were no longer able to go.
You can buy cruise travel insurance after you've booked your holiday right up until your departure date. But there’s often a period after booking when you can't claim. This is often 24 hours, so it's best not to leave it to the last minute to buy.
There’s no ‘best’ cruise insurance for seniors, as everyone has their own needs.
But older travellers should make sure their policy covers everything they need it to. As they’re more likely to suffer from certain health conditions, picking a cruise insurance policy that covers any pre-existing medical conditions they have can be a good idea.
Ensuring they get enough medical treatment cover is also something to bear in mind. Whether they’re cruising or not, though, over 80s travel insurance does tend to be more expensive than cover for younger holidaymakers.
In fact, even travel insurance for the over-50s tends to be pricier due to the higher risk of older cruisers claiming on their insurance. So bear this in mind when getting a quote.
You can add cruise insurance to any of the policies we compare.
This means whether you’re taking out couples travel insurance for two people, family travel insurance for you and the kids too, or group travel insurance for up to 10 people, you’ll be able to add in cruise-specific cover for everyone.
To do this, tell us who you want to cover when you’re getting a quote - whether that’s just you or you and multiple others - and then click ‘cruise cover’ when asked if you want to add in any extras.
We’ll then show you quotes with cruise cover included. Simply select the one that suits your needs best and you’re away.
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It will cover you for any holidays that you've got planned in Europe this year.
Page last reviewed: 19 June 2024
Reviewed by: Alvaro Iturmendi
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