Written by Tiana Lee-Collins
Reviewed by Adrian Taylor
Last updated 18/09/2023
Whether you’re taking an international or domestic cruise, you should always consider purchasing travel insurance. Before taking off on your next cruise, there are a few important considerations to take into account:
Catriona Rowntree's top travel insurance tips for cruises.
Besides giving you peace of mind on your holiday, there are a few other reasons you should consider taking out travel insurance for your cruise:
When choosing travel insurance cover for your cruise, it’s important your policy is suitable for your trip. So before purchasing, be sure you consider the following:
Our travel insurance expert, Adrian Taylor, has some top tips on choosing the right travel insurance for your cruise holiday.
When purchasing travel insurance for a cruise trip, consider what cover you need at sea and on land at any ports your cruise visits, especially for any activities you want to partake in.
If you’re going on an international cruise, be sure to declare where your cruise is visiting ports of call, too; otherwise, you might not be covered for those destinations. Depending on your insurer, you may be able to select ‘South Pacific’ or ‘Europe‘ as a destination for blanket cover of the countries within those regions.
Even domestic cruises need international travel insurance with medical cover. If you become sick or injured on your trip, your Medicare or private health insurance typically won’t cover you.
While some comprehensive policies automatically offer cover for cruises, cruise cover must be purchased as an add-on for most travel insurance policies. If you depart on a cruise without cover specifically for cruises, then you won’t be covered for any losses that happen onboard.
It might be more expensive for a travel insurance policy with cruise cover, but without this cover you’ll have no financial protection if something goes wrong.
Whether cruising around a small part of Australian waters or setting sail on a river cruise around Europe, international travel insurance could help cover your offshore medical expenses. That’s because you won’t be covered by Medicare or your private health fund the moment your ship leaves an Australian port, even if you’re not visiting any international ports.
Most doctors on cruise ships are private practitioners, meaning consultations, medical treatments and medications are charged at private rates. It’s important to consider travel insurance for any unexpected medical attention or repatriation needed at sea.
Most cruise operators will suggest that passengers take out international travel insurance that includes cover for overseas medical expenses, regardless of whether you’re taking a domestic or international cruise.
Here are some things that may be useful to keep in mind when purchasing travel insurance for your cruise.
Insurance policies may not cover all of the above, so remember to read the PDS before you purchase to know exactly what you’re covered for and what exclusions apply and check your insurer’s Target Market Determination (TMD) to see if the policy is suitable for you.
Travel insurance can give you the peace of mind that you’ll be financially assisted if things don’t go as planned. Travel insurance with cruise cover can include cover for:
Terms, conditions, limits, sub-limits and exclusions apply, so be sure to check your policy’s PDS.
It’s important to remember that travel insurance policies come with general exclusions. For example, travel insurance may not cover claims for:
If you’re a senior traveller, you should always check the PDS of your policy to understand the insurer’s age requirements. Depending on the policy, some insurers will cover travellers up to 99 years or older; however, age limits will vary between insurers. Read our pages on travel insurance for over 65s and over 85s for more information on travel insurance for seniors.
To understand any potential exclusions of your policy, you should always read the PDS before purchasing a policy for your cruise trip.
Adrian Taylor is our resident expert in travel insurance. He believes in educating customers so they can make the most of their cruises without worrying about mishaps and financial losses. Whether your cruise is a few days or a few months long, Adrian’s expertise in insurance is top tier.
As the General Manager of General Insurance at Compare the Market, Adrian Taylor has over 13 years’ experience in the financial services industry. Adrian specialises in customer experience and is dedicated to helping customers better understand insurance products so they can save money.