Cruise travel insurance costs $100–$300 per person for a 7-night trip. It's worth buying — one medical evacuation at sea without coverage can cost $50,000+. Third-party insurance is almost always better than the cruise line's policy.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Cruise travel insurance is one of those things where the worst-case scenario is so bad that skipping it is genuinely risky. Here's what it costs and what to look for.
Average cost by trip value and age
| Traveler age | Trip cost | Insurance cost |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40 | $2,000/person | $80–$150/person |
| 40–60 | $2,000/person | $120–$200/person |
| 60–70 | $2,000/person | $180–$280/person |
| 70+ | $2,000/person | $250–$450/person |
Rates vary significantly by pre-existing conditions, coverage type, and provider.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
What cruise insurance covers
Trip cancellation: Refund if you cancel for a covered reason (illness, family emergency, job loss on some policies). Cruise lines give you credit; insurance gives you cash.
Trip interruption: If you need to leave mid-cruise — a family death, your own medical emergency — insurance covers the unused portion and sometimes flights home.
Medical: This is the critical one. Most US health insurance (including Medicare) provides zero coverage on a cruise ship in international waters. A heart attack or serious injury at sea requires a helicopter evacuation to the nearest major port — $30,000–$100,000+ without coverage.
Baggage: Lost or delayed luggage reimbursement.
Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR): Optional add-on (costs 40–50% more) that lets you cancel for literally any reason and get 75% back.
Cruise line insurance vs. third-party
Cruise line insurance (Royal Caribbean's CruiseCare, Carnival's Sail Protection, etc.) typically offers Future Cruise Credit instead of cash for cancellations. That's great if you plan to cruise again; useless if you don't.
Third-party insurance (Allianz, Travel Guard, Berkshire Hathaway, InsureMyTrip) pays cash and usually has broader medical coverage.
Use a comparison site: InsureMyTrip.com lets you compare dozens of policies side by side. For most cruisers, a mid-tier third-party policy from a major insurer is the sweet spot.