Best Cruise Insurance Providers of June 2023

Our experts answer readers’ insurance questions and write unbiased product reviews (here’s how we assess insurance products). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own.

Travel is full of the unexpected, which is part of the fun if you travel frequently. A quick trip to another state may involve weather issues depending on the season. When you get on the high seas, your risk grow exponentially. Sea sickness can be the least of your worries should something go wrong. So you’ll want to make sure you have the best travel insurance coverage that won’t leave you exposed in an emergency.

For example, you might not need flight protections if you’re catching a cruise at a port near you. However, medical and cancel for any reason coverage could be critical.

Best Cruise Insurance of 2023

• Nationwide travel insurance – Product Name Only: Best Overall
• AXA Assistance USA – Product Name Only: Best for Affordable Premiums
• Seven Corners travel insurance – Product Name Only: Best for Seniors
• Travel Guard – Product Name Only: Best for Cruise-Only Coverage
• HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance – Product Name Only: Best for High Coverage Amounts
• World Nomads Travel Insurance – Product Name Only: Best for Adventure Seekers
• Travelex travel insurance – Product Name Only: Best for Long-Distance Cruises

If you’re buying travel insurance for the first time, you may want other travelers’ perspectives. Personal Finance Insider conducted a 2023 winter travel insurance survey of 971 US adults in December through Momentive AI Audience.

Cruise-savvy travel insurance providers may offer options like missed port of call and medical evacuation coverage. Ultimately, the exact coverage you choose is up to you. We’ve reviewed and compiled a list of the top 10 cruise travel insurance providers to help you along the way.

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Compare The Best Cruise Travel Insurance

Methodology: How We Chose the Best Cruise Travel Insurance

When comparing cruise travel insurance providers, we evaluated them based on the following criteria:

Customer Satisfaction

We look at ratings from JD Power and other industry giants to see where a company ranks in customer satisfaction.

Financial Stability

We check with sites like AM Best or S&P to check its financial stability. In short, is the company likely to be around 10 years from now?

Policy Types

We look at policy types from standard flight protection and baggage loss to cancel for any reason and sports or pet coverage.

Average Premiums

We compare average premiums per trip. Some companies also offer annual plans, and we compare policies accordingly.

Claims Paid

How frequently do companies pay claims easily and quickly? We check customer reviews and other resources to see which companies honor policies most effectively.

Ethics

We look at the company’s overall behavior. Is it operating ethically? Companies can earn additional points for such behaviors.

You can read more about our insurance ratings process here.

Cruise Travel Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

When should I buy cruise travel insurance?

If you’re booking a cruise, we recommend purchasing a travel insurance plan when you make your first trip payment. That could be for the cruise itself or an expense like airfare to get you to your cruising destination. This way, if you have to cancel your trip, you’ll have the most extended coverage period possible.

What type of travel insurance do I need for a cruise?

A cruise is a fantastic way to see the world, but only if you have adequate travel insurance. A standard travel insurance policy that covers cruises is sufficient. But insurance plans tailored to cruises with coverage like missed port of call or restriction to your stateroom can be considered for an added sense of security.

How much does cruise travel insurance cost?

As a rule of thumb, you can expect to pay between 4% and 8% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses for cruise insurance coverage. The price will vary depending on factors like your age, your travel destination, and whether you require additional coverages.

Does my credit card provide cruise travel insurance?

Several great travel rewards credit cards offer trip protection, which can come in handy under certain circumstances. But if you’re planning a cruise and have a lot of prepaid expenses associated with your trip, it’s best to purchase a more comprehensive cruise insurance policy. You can read Insider’s guide to the best credit cards with travel insurance to learn more about credit card insurance coverage.

Best Cruise Insurance Overall

Nationwide Travel Insurance

Nationwide travel insurance is a long-standing and reputable brand within the insurance marketplace that offers cruise insurance plans with solid coverage and reasonable rates.

It has three cruise insurance options: Universal, Choice, and Luxury. The Nationwide Choice plan, for example, offers $100,000 in emergency medical coverage and $500,000 in emergency medical evacuation coverage.

The right plan for you depends on your budget and coverage needs. But each plan offers cruise-specific coverages like ship-based mechanical breakdowns, coverage for missed prepaid excursions if your cruise itinerary changes, and covered service disruptions aboard the cruise ship.

Nationwide Travel Insurance Review

Best Cruise Insurance for Affordable Premiums

AXA Travel Insurance

AXA travel insurance offers three comprehensive coverage plans: Gold, Silver, and Platinum. Each of these plans offers coverage for issues like missed flights, medical emergencies, lost luggage, and more.

The highest-tier Platinum plan provides $250,000 in medical emergency coverage and $1 million in medical evacuation coverage. The baggage loss coverage is $3,000 per person, and their missed connection coverage is $1,500 per person for cruises and tours.

In addition, travelers can take advantage of AXA’s concierge service, which provides an extensive network of international service providers. They’ll be able to assist you with things like restaurant reservations and referrals, golf course information, and more. This service could come in handy if you’re stopping at a variety of unfamiliar destinations during your cruise.

The coverage limits on AXA’s policies are on the higher end compared to other providers. And you can buy coverage for a little as 4% of your trip cost depending on your age, travel destination, and state of residence.

AXA Travel Insurance Review

Best Cruise Insurance for Seniors

Seven Corners Travel Insurance

With Seven Corners travel insurance cruisers enjoying their golden years can travel knowing they’re covered in the event of an accident or emergency. While other providers do offer coverage to those 80+ years old, Seven Corners is known for its affordable premiums while offering above-average medical expenses and medical evacuation coverage limits — two areas of travel insurance coverage that are even more important as we get older.

Seven Corners also offers the option of a preexisting conditions waiver and CFAR insurance at an additional cost, plus “Trip Interruption for Any Reason” coverage, which you won’t find on many policies.

You can choose between the RoundTrip Basic or RoundTrip Choice plans, with the higher-tier Choice plan costing more but providing more coverage.

Seven Corners Travel Insurance Review

Best for a Cruise-Specific Policy

AIG Travel Guard

AIG Travel Guard offers coverage specifically designed for cruising with three different plans: Deluxe, Preferred, and Essential. When you get a quote online, the first question you’ll be asked is whether you’re flying, cruising, or doing both or neither. Choose cruising, and you’ll be covered (up to the allowed amount) for things like trip delay, interruption, and cancellation. Along with coverage for inclement weather and damaged, lost, or stolen baggage and travel documents.

As an example, the middle-tier AIG Preferred plan offers $50,000 in medical emergency coverage and $500,000 in emergency evacuation coverage. The Preferred and Deluxe plans also offer CFAR as an upgrade.

AIG Travel Guard Insurance Review

Best Cruise Insurance for High Coverage Amounts

HTH Worldwide

HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance offers three levels of trip protection: TripProtector Economy, Classic, and Preferred. The higher the tier, the more coverage you’ll get for things like baggage delays, trip delays & cancellations, and medical expenses. But their premiums remain reasonable even at the highest tier of coverage.

Not only does the HTH Worldwide Trip Protector Preferred plan offer higher-than-average medical emergency and evacuation coverage limits ($500,000 and $1 million, respectively), but you’ll also get a baggage loss coverage limit of $2,000 per person and coverage for trip interruption of up to 200% of the trip cost. You also have the option to add CFAR coverage for an additional cost.

HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance Review

Best Cruise Insurance for Adventure-Seeking Travelers

World Nomads Travel Insurance

For many years now, World Nomads Travel Insurance has been a top choice for comprehensive travel insurance. And it’s a great option when it comes to cruise coverage, too.

Even the most basic Standard Plan comes with $100,000 in medical emergency coverage and $300,000 in emergency evacuation coverage. And you’ll get higher coverage limits with their Premium Plan. Plus, unlike many other providers, World Nomads trip cancellation and emergency medical coverage includes COVID-19-related issues.

What sets World Nomads apart from many other insurance companies is that its policies cover 200+ adventure sports. This can be important for adventurous cruisers who plan to take part in activities like jet skiing, scuba diving, or parasailing during their cruise.

World Nomads Travel Insurance Review

Best for Long-Distance Cruises

Travelex

Travelex travel insurance offers two different travel insurance plans, the Travel Basic plan and the Travel Select Plan. What’s a bit unique about the Travel Select plan is that it will cover trips of up to 364 days, making it a great option for long-distance cruising. Many providers only offer coverage for trips of 30 days or less.

With the Travelex Travel Select Plan, you’ll be covered for up to $50,000 in medical emergency costs and for up to $500,000 for medical evacuation and repatriation costs. You’ll also have the option to pay for increased medical emergency coverage of up to $100,000, increased medical evacuation coverage of up to $1 million, and CFAR insurance.

Travelex Travel Insurance Review

How to Pick The Best Cruise Insurance for You

When buying travel insurance for a cruise, consider the additional risks that are specific to cruising. These include hurricanes and other weather-related concerns, strict cancellation terms, high pre-paid costs of a cruise, and the distance to emergency medical assistance.

To find the policy that’s right for you, it’s best to compare several different cruise insurance policies based on the pricing and coverage they provide. Remember too that all reputable insurance providers will offer a “free-look period.” This allows you to return the policy you’ve purchased for any reason, within a specific time period, for a full refund.

The most important coverages to look for in cruise insurance are:

• Medical coverage — This coverage will pay for medical bills outside the US. But because treatment can be more expensive while onboard, make sure your policy offers sufficient coverage ($100,000+).
• Medical evacuation coverage — This coverage will transport you to the nearest hospital or even back home if you become sick or injured during your journey. But an evacuation from sea will be more expensive than one from land. So you’ll want to make sure your coverage has sufficiently high limits ($250,000+).
• COVID-19 coverage — The coronavirus is now considered a “known” event, meaning standard travel insurance won’t cover issues that arise from COVID-19. So, you’ll want to consider any add-on coverage your provider offers to cover COVID-19 related illnesses.
• Missed connection (missed port of call) coverage — This type of coverage will help you catch up to your itinerary if you miss your port of call for a covered reason, like a delayed flight on the way to the airport.
• Coverage for hurricane warnings — With this type of coverage, you don’t actually need to be affected by the hurricane. You can cancel and be reimbursed for your trip if the NOAA issues a hurricane warning. If you’re cruising anywhere during (or on the tail ends) of hurricane season, this can come in handy. Just note: You can’t buy travel insurance to cover a weather event once a storm or hurricane has been named.
• Cancel for any reason (CFAR) — This is the most comprehensive coverage you can get, as it allows cancellations and reimbursement for pre-paid expenses for any reason. This can be a wise add-on for cruise coverage given the often higher prepaid expenses associated with cruising.
• Preexisting conditions — This coverage ensures that no known health conditions are excluded from coverage.
• Personal possessions insurance — Because of the events and fancy dinners cruise ships hold, you might take more valuable clothing or jewelry with you on a cruise. This type of coverage will insure your belongings against loss or theft while cruising.
• Baggage loss and delay — This coverage will reimburse you up to a specified amount for essentials if your bags are delayed or if your bags get lost en route.