Last month, a good friend of mine went on a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea. He said that the experience would have been amazing, if his daughter hadn’t fallen ill during the trip.
This only reaffirmed to be the importance of ensuring that you have appropriate travel insurance before leaving home. And, there are some great cruise insurance plans to choose from these days, According to data released by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), global cruise travel reached up to 24.7 million passengers in 2016. So, cruises are definitely a popular holiday choice, but they will only be enjoyable if you are well protected against emergencies and mishaps.
Cruise ships usually have a medical team on board, but their facilities are limited to treating common ailments and injuries. So, what happens if you need emergency evacuation because the on-board facilities are not equipped for treating critical cases?
Moreover, what if you need to cancel the trip or your baggage is stolen or goes missing? Fortunately, cruise insurance covers all these emergency cases. Once you are armed with the right insurance policy, all you need to worry about is packing the right clothes and accessories!
Best Cruise Insurance Plans I Recommend
Here’s a list of some of the best cruise insurance plans you can choose from.
Round Trip Elite
Provided by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, any US resident under the age of 80, traveling from their home for at least 24 hours is eligible for this plan. It is valid for 90 days and the initial purchase must be done on the homeland. Round Trip Elite pays 100% of the trip cancellation costs, up to $30,000, as well as 150% of for trip interruption. It also covers for situations such as trip delay, medical emergency, evacuation and repatriation, and baggage loss.
Trip Protector
Trip Protector is provided by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and is eligible for any US citizen under the age 70, traveling out of the US for at least one day. It also covers children under the age of 6 years, if they are enrolled with a parent. The plan offers coverage for trip delay, trip interruption, trip cancellation, medical expenses, emergency evacuation, repatriation and lost or stolen baggage.
iTravelInsured Travel LX
The administered by IMG, iTravelInsured Travel LX covers for trip cancelation, trip delay and trip interruption, sickness and accident, and medical emergency evacuation. The plan is eligible only for US citizens up to age of 99 years. It is available for a maximum of 90 days.
Travel Guard Platinum
This plan is offered by National Union Fire Insurance Company. It is exclusively meant for US residents traveling at least 100 miles away from home, with coverage up to 364 days. Travel Guard Platinum covers for trip interruption, trip delay and trip cancelation, as well as loss of baggage, medical emergencies and emergency evacuation and repatriation.
A cruise can give you memories for a lifetime. Make sure those memories are positive ones by choosing the right cruise insurance plan before leaving home.