Travel Insurance
A cruise or a big trip involves a lot of moving parts - flights, ports, weather, and your own health. Travel insurance is what protects you when one of them doesn't cooperate. Here's what actually matters when you're choosing a plan.
What to Actually Look For
Not all travel insurance is built the same - here's what matters most.
Medical & Evacuation Coverage
The most important line on the policy. Most U.S. health insurance and Medicare stop covering you outside their network - which includes most of a cruise or an international trip - and an emergency evacuation can run tens of thousands of dollars or more.
Trip Cancellation & Interruption
Reimburses non-refundable costs if you have to cancel before departure, or cuts your losses if something forces you to end the trip early.
Missed Connection & Delay
Covers you if a flight delay makes you miss your ship's departure, or a delay on the trip makes you miss a connecting flight home.
Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR)
An optional upgrade that lets you cancel for reasons a standard policy wouldn't cover, typically reimbursing a percentage of your costs rather than the full amount.
Missed-Ship Coverage
If you're on an independent shore excursion and the ship leaves without you, this covers the cost of catching up with it at the next port.
Buy It Early
Most insurers require you to buy within 14-21 days of your first trip deposit to get a pre-existing condition waiver - buy alongside your first payment, not closer to departure.
Travel Insurance for a Cruise
What to look for in a plan, and what the cruise line covers versus what's on you.
Travel Insurance for Alaska
Alaska's remoteness pushes evacuation costs and recommended coverage limits higher than a typical trip.
What Actually Goes Wrong on a Cruise
Medical emergencies, dock incidents, mechanical issues, and hurricane rerouting - what happens, and what it means for you.