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Cruise Travel Medical Insurance - FAQ's

Cruise

Cruise travel insurance quote form

Traveler's residence
Travelers (Age)
Trip cost($)/person

First Port
Trip start date
Trip end date

What does visitor travel insurance cover?

Health care expenses

Covers hospital medical expenses for sickness or accidents during travel.

Doctor visit

Covers Doctor visits in case of sudden injury or sickness.

Pharmacy drugs

Expenses from Doctor prescribed eligible pharmacy drugs.

Pre-existing conditions

Some plans cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions.

Medical evacuation

Medical evacuation expenses to nearest facility if needed.

Repat of remains

Repatriation of remains expenses to home country in case of death.

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Cruises Insurance, Cruises cancellation insurance - FAQs

Travelling outside of one’s home country always requires some good recommendations and tips for a smooth and safe trip. Here is some information that may be helpful while you plan an international trip.

Is Cruise Insurance worth it ?

Having good cruise insurance can make all the difference for a memorable vacation should a vacationer face any adverse situation during the cruise. The cost of cruise travel insurance varies depending on the coverage benefits included, but they typically cost between 5 to 10% of the non-refundable cruise trip costs. Given the cruise health insurance coverage benefits, this additional cruise insurance expense is definitely worth it.

Some of the benefits provided by cruise insurance include coverage for cruise cancellation expense, any additional expense due to flight or travel delay, baggage loss or baggage delay, expense due to medical evacuation to healthcare facility as well as the healthcare costs if one falls ill or is injured during the cruise.

What coverage does Cruise travel insurance provide ?

Most cruise travel insurance plans provide the following coverages :

  1. Trip cancellation
  2. Trip delay
  3. Emergency medical evacuation
  4. Baggage loss
  5. Baggage delay
  6. Medical coverage

Some add-on coverage available with some plans include - Cancel for any reason cancellation. Please look at the plan brochures for details of the coverage.

Do you need to buy Cruise insurance ?

There are many coverage benefits provided by Cruise insurance which are very important while going on a cruise vacation. Cruise insurance provides coverage for trip cancellation, trip delay, flight delay or missed connections resulting in missed cruises and any additional expenses related to making the cruise, baggage loss, baggage delay, medical evacuation if needed to healthcare facility as well as covering the medical expenses of the traveler.

All of these cruise insurance coverage benefits are very important given the nature of traveling on a cruise. Given the Covid pandemic, some cruise lines are recommending cruise travel insurance, especially for unvaccinated travelers.

Irrespective of whether cruise insurance is mandated or not, given the relatively low cost of cruise insurance when compared to the coverage benefits provided, buying the best cruise travel insurance is strongly recommended. Cruise health insurance provides peace of mind and can make all the difference in making in one’s cruise vacation memorable.

When should I buy the Cruise Insurance

It is best to buy the cruise insurance as soon as you make the first payment for the trip. The Cruise cancellation insurance benefit starts as soon as you buy the insurance well before the actual cruise start date. It is possible that you cancel the trip for valid reasons well before the journey and if you have cruise insurance, you are eligible to get the benefit of this coverage.

Some benefits such as the ‘Cancel for any reason’ is also time sensitive and usually needs to be bought within 21 days of the first payment. However travelers can buy cruise insurance later as well and can be bought just before the cruise starts. Some plans are even available post-departure of the cruise.

Does Cruise travel insurance provide coverage for Covid19?

Cruise insurance plan coverage vary depending on the insurance plan and the underwriting companies. At American Visitor Insurance, we do have cruise health insurance plans which cover Covid19 as any other illness. This implies that you will be covered for health expenses incurred due to treatment of Covid19 as well as medical evacuation expenses if you need to be evacuated to a healthcare facility.

What should travelers consider while buying the best cruise travel insurance?

While purchasing a good cruise insurance policy travelers can look for a complete coverage with benefits like cancellations and medical emergencies, in addition to standard coverage included in the travel insurance. A comprehensive cover generally offers full coverage that can save some extra money for the travelers.
Some of the benefits that are included in Cruise cancellation insurance are:-

  1. Trip Cancellation: Offers a reimbursement for the traveler's prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses, including their airfare, cruise, excursions, and tours. Hurricane & Weather coverage is included in most policies with Trip Cancellation coverage.
  2. Emergency Medical: The cost of routine medical checks have increased hence its advisable that travelers travelling by cruisers buy a travel insurance policy a minimum of $100,000 for Emergency Medical.
  3. Medical Evacuation: Cruisers should purchase a policy with a minimum of $250,000 for Medical Evacuation coverage as the chances for evacuation is higher on the cruise.

Apart from the coverage for cancellations and medical emergencies, a good travel insurance plan will include travel delay, missed connections, and luggage. There are few policies that offer coverage for Itinerary Change, where a reimbursement can be claimed by travelers for missed events in the event of their travel supplier changing their itinerary.

What is the best time to buy the travel insurance for cruise cancellation policy?

Travelers can choose to purchase the travel insurance until the day before the cruise begins the trip. However it is advisable that travelers should purchase a travel insurance policy at the earliest to enjoy the benefits for unexpected events that impact the trip.

For example, if a traveler is planning a cruise and if there is a forecast of a storm then it would be too late to buy a policy for that storm. Few add-on benefits like Cancel For Any Reason or Pre-Existing Condition coverage are time-sensitive which are available within 10-21 days of the initial trip payment like cruise down payment.

How much is the cost of cruise cancellation insurance?

There are various factors that affect the cost of the cheap cruise travel insurance. A standard policy with Trip Cancellation coverage will cost between 5% and 10% of a traveler’s total trip cost.

  1. Age of the traveler: The cost of travel insurance is directly proportional to the age of the traveler. The older the traveler and greater will be the cost of the visitors health insurance.
  2. Type of travel insurance: Comprehensive travel insurance which provide exhaustive coverage are more expensive than fixed benefit travel insurance
  3. Medical maximum coverage and deductible options: The price of visitors' medical insurance is directly dependent on the maximum medical coverage and inversely proportional to the deductible of the plan chosen.
  4. Region of coverage: Travel insurance depends on the coverage region. The cost for visitor health insurance for the United States is most expensive.
  5. Duration of travel insurance: The longer the duration of visitor medical insurance required, the higher will be the cost.

Travelers can check with the cruise if they will provide a refund or voucher if you cancel. If yes, then travelers do not need to insure the cost of the cruise to make the travel insurance policy a little cheaper.

Where can I buy the Cruise travel insurance policy?

There are multiple platforms that travelers can buy the cruise medical insurance policy .And one such platform is American Visitor Insurance works with reputed US travel insurance providers to give international travelers a wide range of travel insurance options. Our company has two decades experience in understanding the diverse requirements of international travelers and in offering appropriate travel insurance options to them.

Our typical customers range from international travelers visiting family in the US, international students, J visa holders, H1b Visa holders, US travelers going overseas, travelers to Schengen countries who need travel insurance to satisfy visa requirements, Cruise travelers ,trip cancellation customers to insurance their trip expenses, travelers looking for Covid19 travel insurance with quarantine coverage as mandated by certain countries, corporate professionals and business travelers who travel internationally regularly as well as other diverse traveling groups with unique needs.

Our licensed dedicated customer support team provides service at all times helping customers find the most appropriate travel insurance for their needs as well as guide them when using the insurance in the event of a medical or travel emergency. We also provide answers to all international cruise travel insurance questions , reviews of different cruise travel insurance products, testimonials for customers as well as provide an user-friendly travel insurance comparison tool where travelers can compare different products based on price as well as the coverage benefits. All of these tools help travelers make an informed decision while buying travel insurance.

What coverage should a cruiser include in the policy?

Cruisers can choose to insure all of their trip expenses when booking a cruise. It’s always best for travelers to insure non-refundable deposits. This includes down payment, excursions, travel expenses, airfare and hotel accommodations.

My cruise will go to several countries/ islands, how can I enter my destination if I only get to put one entry?

Don't worry! Your coverage will be worldwide, so you don't have to enter each and every port of call on your itinerary. If one of your stops will be in the US (besides the start or end of the cruise), then you should enter the United States as your destination so that you get a plan that includes domestic travel. Otherwise, you can enter your first port of call and you will be covered for your entire cruise!

My cruise will go to several countries/ islands, how can I enter my destination if I only get to put one entry?

Don't worry! Your coverage will be worldwide, so you don't have to enter each and every port of call on your itinerary. If one of your stops will be in the US (besides the start or end of the cruise), then you should enter the United States as your destination so that you get a vacation travel insurance that includes domestic travel. Otherwise, you can enter your first port of call and you will be covered for your entire cruise!

I already insured my trip with the cruise line, do I really need more insurance?

That depends. Did you look over their policy carefully? The cruise insurance may be focussed on getting your money back for what you paid for the cruise. What about your plane tickets to get you to the initial port and home from the last port? What if your luggage is lost on the way? What if you get sick or hurt during your cruise? Be sure that you have cruise health insurance that is good while you are away from home.

Going abroad or even out of state can increase deductibles and/or coinsurance or you may not even be covered. Find out ahead of time! Know the limitations of the cruise medical insurance and figure out if you would like to be more secure in your purchase. Finally, trip cancellation insurance companies are experts at helping travelers and they have thought of a lot of things going wrong that you may not have! So, consider your options carefully.

How does cruise travel insurance offer coverage for medical illness and evacuation?

The travellers on cruises are not aware of the expensive healthcare cost while on a cruise ship. The basic diagnosis and treatment of regular health conditions can cost thousands of dollars on board a cruise ship. In case the passenger has to be evacuated to the nearest port the cost of evacuation can be astronomical.

Cruise insurance offers travelers medical insurance coverage for unanticipated illness or injury during the cruise. Most policies offer benefits for on-board medical treatment, as well as additional coverage for an evacuation in case of an emergency.

Cruisers whose primary domestic health insurance does not offer coverage outside of the US borders or to any inaccessible locations should choose comprehensive cruise insurance. There are also a few Cruise travel insurance plans that offer coverage for acute onset of Pre-existing conditions.

Can you buy cruise trip protection insurance to cancel trip due to Hurricane?

Most of the travelers plan a cruise vacation during the summer which happens to be the hurricane season. This makes cruising risky as it is exposed to cancellations due to bad weather conditions.

Cruise travel insurance offers coverage for Hurricane & adverse weather, where cruisers can reimburse the cost of the trip in case the trip gets cancelled due to extreme weather, a storm at their destination or any delays due to weather.

Does travel insurance cover cruise ships?

Yes, travel insurance with trip cancellation insurance coverage provide coverage for cruise trips.

How much is travel insurance for a cruise?

There are many plans offering coverage for cruise and the price depends on the cost of the trip, the coverage benefits in the plan and the details of the customer like the age and policy maximum and deductible amounts on the plan. Here you can get price quote for cruise travel insurance by filling your details.

Does travel insurance cover cruise cancellation?

Yes, there are plans that provide "Cancel for any reason" benefit and here you can see the list of plans with this benefit

What is cruise specific travel insurance?

A cruise specific travel insurance has all the benefits of any other travel insurance. However, it also includes coverage for incidents that might happen when you are on the cruise. Those incidents could be:

  • Trip or cruise cancellation
  • Luggage loss or delay
  • Missing the cruise
  • Sickness while on the cruise
  • Emergency assistance
  • Misplaced or lost documents

Cruise travel insurance benefits

Some of the other important benefits available with the best travel insurance for cruises include:

Accidental and Medical expenses

One might believe that the regular health insurance covers your health while on a cruise and might question the need for cruise medical insurance. However one might be rudely shocked as many US health insurance plans do not cover you outside the US borders (including Medicare). The travel insurance for cruise trip pays for the medical treatment for any sickness or accident that one can encounter during the trip. The cruise health insurance coverage varies on the cruise insurance chosen, but can provide coverage up to $500k.

Trip cancellation and inability to go on the cruise
Given the uncertainties involved in planning vacations very early, it is likely that one cannot go on a cruise as planned. The best cruise insurance coverage pay a complete refund for valid reasons like the accidental death or injury of the traveler or a non-traveling family member. The Cancel for any reason travel insurance benefit in a cruise cancellation insurance gives further flexibility and provides 75% refund of the non-refundable expenses for not taking the cruise for any reason.

Trip interruption
The trip interruption benefit of a travel insurance for cruise trip can pay up to 150% of the trip cost in the event that the traveler has to cut short his/her cruise vacation and return home in an emergency. This benefit takes in to consideration the high costs that one can incur for flight tickets should they need to buy tickets in an emergency. This benefit provides peace of mind to the vacationer during the cruise holiday.

Medical Evacuation
The best travel insurance for cruise trip also provides coverage for medical evacuation up to $1M if the vacationer has to be evacated to get access to proper medical treatment in the event of a medical emergency. Some cruise insurance plans also offer up to $50K for non medical evacuation.

Missed connection
The missed connection benefit provides up to $500 additional transportation costs to join the cruise or tour for any delay of the stipulated time of travel.

Repatriation of remains
The repatriation of remains benefit pays for the repatriation expenses in the event of death of the traveler for any reason. The best cruise insurance offers up to $1M as part of this benefit. There is also another repatriation benefit in the event of an accident during the vacation. These benefits are for the death, loss of sight or loss of limbs due to an accident that occurs during the cruise holiday.

Baggage loss and baggage delay
This baggage loss benefit by the best insurance for cruises offers up to $2,500 with a $250 maximum per item for baggage loss and $500 after initial delay of 12 hours. Given all these benefits, it is important that cruise vacationers buy the best cruise travel insurance given the relative low cost of cruise insurance.
The cruise insurance protection offered by cruise lines provides very little benefits given their cost, this is particularly important for Seniors cruise vacationers who are most vulnerable and likely to need the benefits offered by the best cruise travel insurance plans.

Following are some trip insurance plans that are ideal for Cruise travel:

Trip Cancellation Cruise insurance coverage highlights:

  • Covers medical expenses up to $100,000
  • Medical evacuation up to $1 million
  • Search and rescue up to $10,000
  • Missed connection up to $500
  • The trip cancellation benefit is determined by the amount of your trip you elect to protect
  • IMG trip plans provides Covid Quarantine coverage.
  • Cancel for Any Reason only purchase at the time the base policy is purchased and within twenty (20) days of the initial trip deposit.
Note: This plan is not offering coverage for residents of Belarus, Russia or Ukraine and travelers visiting Belarus, Russia or Ukraine.
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Trip protection insurance plans:

Safe Travels Trip protection insurance plans for trip cancellation expenses from Trawick International offer coverage for non refundable trip expenses incurred when a trip is cancelled.

For plans that offer Cancel For Any Reason(CFAR)- you must purchase the benefit within the specified time frame from the initial deposit date and you must insure all prepaid non-refundable trip costs. Please note that we do not have any plans that offer CFAR in NY, WA, or NH.

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US visitors insurance providers

You can find reliable US insurance providers like International Medical Group(IMG), Seven Corners, Trawick International and HTH Worldwide.

US visitors insurance providers

HTH Worldwide

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