"cruise Ship Travel Insurance: Smooth Sailing For Australians"

 "cruise Ship Travel Insurance: Smooth Sailing For Australians" - As Cruise Team Leader, Gene Sloan oversees TPG's cruise content and writes many of TPG's major cruise guides. He has spent nearly 30 years writing about cruise ships and cruising and is one of the world's foremost authorities on the subject.

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"cruise Ship Travel Insurance: Smooth Sailing For Australians"

When cruising, the seas are not always smooth sailing. Even the most well-thought-out cruise vacation plans can sometimes be derailed by unexpected events.

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Due to a sudden onset of illness, such as COVID-19 or the flu, you may need to cancel your cruise early. Alternatively, you may become ill during the voyage and require urgent medical attention. Maybe your flight to the ship was canceled and you missed the ship's departure time. Or your ship arrives late at port at the end of the voyage and you miss your flight home.

. Cruise insurance policies vary widely, and not every policy covers all types of incidents. That's why it's always worth reading the fine print in a travel insurance policy before buying, so you know what you're getting in advance.

That's why you should read this fact sheet to learn everything you need to know about cruise insurance. It's a lot of detail, I know, but the next time something unexpected happens on your cruise vacation, you'll appreciate being educated and getting comprehensive travel insurance.

A typical cruise insurance policy covers a wide range of situations that could go wrong related to a vacation at sea – both before and during the voyage.

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First, the policy will usually reimburse you for the cost of canceling your cruise due to a last-minute crisis. They will also usually cover the costs associated with cruise interruptions (maybe your ship breaks down and requires you to fly home midway through the voyage). These two elements are known as trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage, and they are bundled into a typical travel insurance policy.

Some policies also cover out-of-pocket costs associated with missing your cruise departure due to flight delays or cancellations (for example, the cost of catching the boat at the next port). Expenses related to delayed and lost luggage are also usually covered.

But perhaps most importantly, many travel insurance policies will cover medical expenses you incur while on your cruise. Some will even pay for your evacuation from a foreign destination if you have a medical crisis.

Travel insurance giant Allianz Global Assistance reported that 53% of all cruise ship-related claims "cause of bill" were due to illness of the insured, while 14% were due to injury. Another 8% were due to illness of a family member, 4% due to the death of a family member, and 4% due to reasons such as illness of a travel companion.

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These percentages include illnesses and accidents that occurred to rangers prior to travel that prevented them from traveling. However, in many cases such claims are due to illness and injuries that occurred during the voyage.

"People often take risks when they go on vacation that they may not be able to take back home, whether it's riding a jet ski, riding a motorbike through an unfamiliar city," said James Page, senior vice president and chief executive officer. Speeding on a scooter, or hiking in unfamiliar terrain,” AIG Travel’s administrator told The Points Guy

Some policies also cover the financial default of the travel provider. In this case, if your cruise line goes out of business before you set sail, you can get all or at least some of your money back.

Cruise travel insurance policies don't cover everything. For example, standard travel insurers typically won't reimburse you for a cruise that you cancel due to concerns about an outbreak of an illness like COVID-19. This is true even when U.S. government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise you not to take a cruise, as they have during the coronavirus pandemic.

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If you want the ultimate flexibility to cancel for these reasons or any other reason, you will want to consider the more expensive cancellation for any reason travel insurance upgrade.

You can purchase travel insurance directly from the cruise line when you book your trip, or through a travel agent (if you use a travel agent, this is usually a good idea when booking a cruise). You can also go directly to third-party travel insurance providers or travel insurance aggregators such as InsureMyTrip.com or TravelInsurance.com. Your credit card might even give you some travel protection.

Third-party insurance companies that specialize in travel insurance include AIG Travel, Allianz Travel Insurance, Travelex Insurance, and American Express Travel Insurance.

One reason to use a travel agent or travel aggregator: They can help you find policies that offer additional coverage for your cruise.

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"Many plans now offer benefits that are specific to cruise passengers, such as missed connections, missed ports of call and cruise breakdown coverage," TravelInsurance.com co-founder Stan Sandberg told TPG.

Missed connection coverage will reimburse the cruise line for an amount if the cruise line needs to rebook the itinerary to catch the cruise ship at the next port. Missed port of call insurance provides coverage if the cruise ship misses its scheduled port of call due to weather, natural disaster or mechanical failure.

Cruise ship disability insurance will pay out if passengers are stranded on board for more than five hours without power, food, water or toilets.

As mentioned earlier, policies vary widely. It's a good idea to compare plans and make sure the one you buy has the elements that are most important to you. One size does not fit all.

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Some premium credit cards offer valuable travel protection comparable to what you'd get from a standard travel insurance plan. For example, travel insurance offered when you pay for travel with select cards can reimburse you if your luggage is damaged, you're stuck overnight due to a flight delay or cancellation, or you have to go home for a family medical emergency.

For example, Chase Sapphire Reserve offers benefits like trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, emergency medical coverage, and even medical evacuation coverage. Yes, like airlines, cruise lines are considered public airlines.

If you're planning to use a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card or Amex's Platinum Card (among others) for travel insurance, be sure to double-check your card's benefits and limits against your regular travel insurance. You must pay for at least some (and sometimes all) of your trip with the credit card to take advantage of its protection.

Find out if your credit card protection includes travel accident insurance or covers pre-existing medical conditions, and when it will issue you a refund. Other questions to ask: What are the limitations of coverage? Do you need to pay for a hospital abroad before seeking reimbursement?

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Cruise lines often require consumers booking a cruise to purchase the company's own coverage at the time of purchase. But if specific information about coverage is lacking, be sure to ask the hotline for details ahead of time, review coverage benefits and limits, and compare them to the benefits of a stand-alone travel insurance policy or credit card.

Cruise travel insurance policies can sometimes have a few quirks. Many cruise lines will only offer travel coupons or credits to use in the future in the event of a guaranteed cancellation, rather than an outright refund.

Additionally, financial defaults may not be covered by cruise line sales policies, but are often covered by third-party travel insurer plans.

"Cruise insurance seems to be better than it used to be, with more coverage, but it usually doesn't cover aviation or pre- and post-trip [arrangements] unless those things are purchased through [the cruise]," says Debra Kerper from Texas Cruise Planners travel advisor in Carrollton, CA, booking travel and selling private insurance. "That's when private insurance becomes very important."

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Expect to pay between 4% and 8% of the total prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses for a travel insurance policy. That's a wide range, we know, but it reflects the broad range of existing products.

You'll find some basic plans for as little as 4% of your travel cost. Some ultra-premium plans cover just about every problem imaginable and can cost as much as 12% of your travel costs.

All reputable insurance companies offer a "free look period" during which you can get a 100% refund of your premium. This allows you to review the policy of your choice and return it for any reason within the stated period - usually for a small administration fee of under $10.

The cost of travel insurance can range from 4% to 12% of your total travel expenses. (Photo courtesy of

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