You’ve just pocketed your long-awaited cruise ticket and are already dreaming of the places you’ll visit, the food you’ll try, and the people you’ll have pleasure talking to. You’ll likely have a wonderful journey.
But life is known for getting wild when you least expect it. Lost baggage, missed flights, and health issues may ruin your cruise, leaving you disappointed and empty-pocketed.
The good news is that there’s a way to shield yourself and your family from the unexpected. Well-tailored cruise insurance can help you mitigate the consequences of delays, cancellations, and other possible mishaps—the mishaps that are always a threat, whether you like it or not.
Read on to learn everything you should know about cruise insurance.
Cruise insurance protects your finances and property during your vacation in many ways, with the exact type and amount of coverage depending on the policy itself, the length of your cruise, and other factors. However, even a basic policy is usually enough to feel safe on the cruise.
A travel insurance policy is obligatory with some cruise lines – Carnival Cruise, Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, etc. – and especially for unvaccinated passengers. The country that you’re traveling to may also require cruise insurance. Bermuda, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and Mexico all require cruise insurance.
The most popular exclusions from a standard cruise insurance policy are:
Many insurance providers include COVID coverage in their policies. Furthermore, some policies have CFAR coverage allowing you to cancel your trip for any reason.
The rule of thumb is that the cost of good cruise insurance is up to 10% of the total cruise cost. The major variables are the type and amount of coverage you want to get, your age, health, state, and the length of your cruise.
Whether you need to purchase cruise insurance is up to you. Assess your health, risk tolerance, and budget, and proceed from there.
If you decide to purchase cruise insurance, then it may be reasonable to buy it right after booking your cruise. Not only will this prevent you from unnecessary hassle before the trip, but you will also get protection from the very moment you sign the insurance contract.
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Choose your cruise insurance based on the price, type, amount of coverage, and your risk tolerance. Make sure that you have coverage for all emergencies you want to be covered. The recommended safe minimums are $100,000 in emergency medical coverage and $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage.
Among the best cruise insurance companies in the United States are Trawick International, Seven Corners, and AXA Assistance USA. But then again, there are many other companies – Nationwide, Tin Leg, HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance, John Hancock Travel Insurance, and more – that may provide the features you want.
Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program is optional cruise coverage from Royal Caribbean, available in all states except New York. The coverage includes:
Note that Royal Caribbean Travel Protection does not cover pre-existing conditions.
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Whether Royal Caribbean Travel Protection is worth it depends on your needs, health, budget, risk tolerance, and other possible individual factors. Consider all factors and make the best choice for your trip.
Enjoy your cruise vacation!
Oleksandr is an expert in deep research. He covers various insurance topics across verticals, adopting to every local law.