Why you should consider cruise travel insurance

Despite best efforts to plan the perfect cruise, unexpected incidents can turn vacation adventures upside down. In these unpredictable times, it’s wise to explore your options for travel insurance. Below are a few benefits and reasons why travel insurance can help you prepare for the unexpected.

Benefits of travel insurance include:

• Protection against injury or sickness
• Help covering expenses from lost luggage
• Help covering last-minute cancellations or changes
• Coverage beyond what your credit card may offer

What is cruise travel insurance?

Cruise travel insurance offers you a safety net by protecting your life, your health, your belongings and your money when the unexpected happens. These plans often cover situations that can arise on cruises, such as trip interruptions, trip cancellations, medical evacuations, cruise ship disablement, lost luggage and more.

4 reasons to consider cruise insurance

Cruise insurance can be affordable while still protecting you through unforeseen situations that can crop up during your trip. Here are some reasons to consider getting cruise insurance:

1. Emergency medical expenses

Plans that provide coverage for medical expenses can help pay the cost of your care, which may not be covered by your regular health insurance provider when you are outside your home country. Access to this kind of coverage can be valuable if you become sick or injured during your vacation.

2. Lost baggage or baggage delay

Baggage loss is everyone’s worst nightmare, but luckily it can be covered by cruise insurance. Baggage loss coverage may assist you with the cost of replacing or recovering lost items and with purchasing necessities while your luggage is missing. This kind of coverage can help reduce stress so you can more easily enjoy your vacation despite the hiccup of losing your belongings.

3. Inclement weather

Safety is a top priority on cruise ships, and every effort is made to steer clear of hazardous weather. However, unexpected events such as hurricanes can happen, causing your trip to end early. Cruise lines don’t always offer refunds in these kinds of situations, but trip cancellation coverage can help repay you for the missed portion of your cruise.

4. Missed connection

When traveling to your cruise boarding site, you may hit delays on the way. If you miss your cruise departure due to a reason that is covered by your cruise insurance policy, your plan may reimburse you for expenses related to rejoining the ship. 

Cruise insurance coverage

There are a variety of cruise insurance policies available to suit your budget and your needs. Our Choice Cruise Plan can offer flexible and affordable coverage for trip cancellations, itinerary changes, medical emergencies and more. For more complex cruise itineraries, our Luxury Cruise Plan offers the highest level of benefits. 

Cruise travel insurance plans from Nationwide® go beyond typical coverage for issues unique to cruises, including:

• Port of call itinerary changes made by the cruise line before departure
• Ship-based mechanical breakdowns
• Covered disruptions of shipboard services

You can easily navigate travel obstacles with one of Nationwide’s flexible travel insurance plans that offer the option of Cancel for Any Reason coverage. Plus, you’ll get the added comfort of knowing our customer service is available for assistance at any time.

Consider travel insurance before you set sail

With the benefits of protection against injury or sickness, coverage for lost luggage and last-minute changes, and expanded coverage beyond what your credit card may offer, it’s clear that travel insurance is worth considering for any cruise traveler. By purchasing the right plan, you can rest assured that you’ll be well taken care of should any unforeseen circumstances arise. Plus, with affordable options available, there’s no reason not to invest in this added layer of protection for your well-deserved getaway. So before you set sail on your next adventure, take the time to research and consider purchasing travel insurance.