Single Trip Cruise Travel Insurance

You’ve booked the cabin, planned the shore excursions, and started the countdown. A cruise holiday offers a unique blend of relaxation and adventure that few other trips can match. But before you set sail, there is one essential item to pack that won’t fit in your suitcase: comprehensive travel insurance.

Cruising is different from a typical land-based holiday. You are often travelling to multiple destinations, spending significant time at sea, and relying on the ship’s schedule and medical facilities. Because of these unique factors, standard travel insurance often isn’t enough. You need specific cover that understands the risks of life at sea.

Single trip cruise travel insurance is designed to protect you for one specific journey. It covers you from the moment you leave your front door until you return, providing a safety net against the unexpected. Whether it’s a medical emergency in the middle of the ocean or a missed port due to stormy weather, the right policy ensures your dream holiday doesn’t turn into a financial nightmare.

In this guide, we will explore exactly what single trip cruise insurance covers, why it is vital for your next voyage, and how to find the right policy for your needs.

What is single trip cruise travel insurance?

Single trip cruise insurance is a policy tailored to cover you for a specific set of dates for one cruise holiday. Unlike an annual multi-trip policy, which covers you for multiple holidays throughout a year, this option is focused entirely on one holiday. It is often the preferred choice for travellers who perhaps only take one major holiday a year or who are planning a longer, more expensive voyage that requires higher cancellation limits.

The primary purpose of insurance is financial protection. Cruises are significant investments, often booked months or even years in advance. If you fall ill before you travel or have to cut your trip short, you could lose thousands of pounds without adequate cover. Furthermore, medical treatment at sea or in foreign ports can be exorbitantly expensive. A robust single trip policy gives you the peace of mind that, should the worst happen, you aren’t left facing a mountain of debt.

Do I need travel insurance for a single cruise trip?

The short answer is yes. Cruises generally require travellers to have a valid insurance policy before boarding. Cruise lines are strict about this because their medical facilities, while excellent, are private and costly.

Additionally, if you need to be evacuated from the ship, the logistics involve helicopters or diversions, which come with a hefty price tag. Single trip cruise insurance is your safeguard against these high-stakes scenarios.

Beyond the mandatory requirements, there are compelling reasons to secure cover.

Financial Protection

Cruises are expensive. You are paying for accommodation, food, entertainment, and travel all in one ticket price. If you have to cancel, you lose a significant sum. Insurance protects that investment.

Peace of Mind

Knowing that you have a safety net allows you to relax. You don't need to worry about the "what ifs." If your luggage is lost, you have support. If you get sick, your bills are paid. This peace of mind is invaluable when you are trying to unwind.

Medical Cover is Non-Negotiable

The cost of medical care outside the UK is high. On a ship, it is even higher. A simple consultation and prescription can cost hundreds of pounds. A serious incident requiring evacuation can cost over £100,000. Without insurance, you are personally liable for these costs.

Here at Compare Your Cruise Insurance, we specialise in helping our customers find cruise travel insurance, by comparing prices from our panel of insurance providers, giving you a wide range of options to choose from. Our online tool does all the work, so you do not need to spend hours finding the right cover, for the right price. 

What benefits are included in single trip travel insurance?

While specific benefits can vary between providers, a good single trip policy should include the core pillars of travel insurance. These protections are designed to look after you, your money, and your belongings.

• Cancellation & Curtailment
  

  This is arguably the most immediate benefit of your policy. Cancellation cover protects you if you cannot travel due to unforeseen circumstances, such as illness, injury, or a bereavement in the family. Given the high cost of cruise tickets, ensuring your cancellation limit matches the cost of your holiday is crucial.

  Curtailment works similarly but applies once you have already started your trip. If you need to cut your holiday short and return home early - perhaps due to a medical emergency - this cover helps reimburse you for the unused portion of your trip and the extra travel costs to get home.

• Personal Accident
  

  Personal accident cover provides a fixed lump sum payment if you suffer a severe accident that results in permanent disability, loss of sight or limbs, or death. While no amount of money can compensate for such life-changing events, this benefit offers some financial stability during a difficult time. 

• Medical & Repatriation Expenses
  

  This is the cornerstone of any travel insurance policy. If you fall ill or suffer an injury while on holiday, this section covers your emergency medical bills. On a cruise, this is doubly important. Onboard medical centres are private, meaning they do not accept the GHIC or EHIC cards, and costs can escalate quickly.

  Repatriation covers the cost of getting you back to the UK if needed. This might involve a medical escort or even an air ambulance, both of which cost tens of thousands of pounds.

• Baggage/Personal Possession
  

  Arriving at your ship only to find your luggage has gone missing is a traveller's worst nightmare. Baggage cover provides compensation for lost, stolen, or damaged items. It can also offer an allowance to buy essential items like toiletries and clothing if your bags are delayed, ensuring you can still enjoy your cruise while you wait for your belongings to arrive.

When you purchase a policy through Compare Your Cruise Insurance, all our policies include cruise cover as standard. The most common benefits of cruise cover include: 

• Missed Port

  One of the joys of cruising is waking up in a new destination. However, adverse weather or mechanical issues can sometimes force a captain to skip a scheduled port stop for safety reasons. If this happens, missed port cover provides a small compensation payment for each scheduled port that is missed. It serves as a consolation for the disappointment of missing out on a planned stop.

• Cabin Confinement
  

  Viruses like Norovirus can spread quickly on ships. If you fall ill and the ship's medical officer orders you to stay in your cabin to prevent spreading infection, you could miss out on days of your holiday. Cabin confinement cover offers a daily cash benefit for every 24 hours you are confined to your room. While it doesn't give you your holiday back, it provides some financial compensation for the lost enjoyment.

• Airlifting to hospital
  

  In extreme medical emergencies, the ship's medical centre may not be equipped to treat you. If you are far out at sea, you may need to be airlifted to the nearest hospital on land. The cost of a helicopter evacuation from a moving vessel is immense. Specialist cruise insurance covers these costs, ensuring you get the life-saving treatment you need without worrying about the bill.

• Cruise Interruption

  If you require hospital treatment on land but are well enough to rejoin the cruise later, cruise interruption cover helps pay for the travel expenses to get you back to the ship. This allows you to continue your holiday rather than having to fly straight home.

You can read our guide for more information regarding the benefits found in Cruise Travel Insurance.

What cover options are available for single trip cruise cover?

There are different levels of cover to choose from – each providing increased cover limits of each benefit and in some cases, reductions to required excesses. Bear in mind, that this does vary between providers, however, this does mean that some policies may offer more comprehensive protection than others. 

Make sure that you always consider your options and carefully judge the amount of protection you may need to cover you, the last thing you want is to be underinsured.  

Gadget Cover

When comparing cover options with us, you will be able to add additional cover to your cruise insurance policy, such as gadget cover. Gadget cover protects your electronic devices, which are usually excluded from most travel insurance policies. For more information, check out our guide on gadget cover.

What are some common misconceptions about cruise travel insurance?

There are several myths surrounding travel insurance that can leave cruisers vulnerable.

• "My GHIC/EHIC card covers me."
  The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) only covers state healthcare in EU countries. It is not accepted in private clinics, and cruise ship medical centres are almost always private. Furthermore, the GHIC is useless once you are in international waters. It also does not cover repatriation or airlifting.
• "The cruise line's insurance is enough."
  Some cruise lines offer their own protection plans. While better than nothing, these are often limited. They may offer cruise credits instead of cash refunds for cancellation and might have lower medical limits than a dedicated third-party insurance policy.
• "I'm healthy, so I don't need medical cover."
  Accidents happen to everyone, regardless of health. A slip by the pool or a sudden bout of food poisoning can affect anyone. Insurance is there for the unforeseen, not just the expected.

What should you look for when considering single trip cruise cover?

While we all seek budget-friendly travel insurance, it's important to remember that the cheapest option may not always be the wisest, particularly for cruise holidays. Cheaper policies often entail higher excess costs, and lower cover limits, which can potentially lead to increased expenses and reduced compensation when making a claim.

Check the Cover Limits

Make sure the cancellation limit covers the total cost of your holiday. If your cruise costs £2,000 per person, a policy with a £1,000 limit leaves you underinsured. Similarly, look for high medical limits - ideally £2 million or more - to cover potential evacuation costs.

Declare Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

This is critical. You must declare any pre-existing medical conditions when you buy your policy. If you fail to declare a condition - like high blood pressure or asthma - and then need treatment for it (or a related condition) while away, your claim could be rejected. At Compare Your Cruise Insurance, we specialise in finding cover for those with medical histories, covering thousands of conditions. It is better to be honest than to be left without cover when you need it most.

Destination Cover

Ensure your policy covers all the destinations you are visiting. If your cruise stops in the USA or the Caribbean, you will likely need a "Worldwide" policy, as medical costs in these regions are higher. Even if you don't plan to get off the ship in a certain country, if your ship docks there, you generally need cover for that region.

Compare Your Cruise Insurance

Searching for the right policy doesn't have to be a chore. Using a specialist comparison tool is the most efficient way to find cover that suits your specific cruise plans. 

Our online tool allows you to enter your details just once. We then search our panel of specialist insurers to find you the best quotes. You can compare prices, excess amounts, and cover limits side-by-side.