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Aerial shot of a cruise ship passing by a shore line at sunset

CRUISE TRAVEL INSURANCE

Travel insurance for cruises

Whether cruising to the Baltics or Brazil, nobody likes to think about something going wrong, either in the lead up to or during their holiday.

Ensuring you have adequate travel insurance can give you the peace of mind that if the untoward should happen, such as falling ill, or a flight being delayed causing you to miss your ship’s departure, you’ll have cover in place.

Saga Cruise Travel Insurance

You may not already know this, but all Saga Travel Insurance policies provide cover for cruises as standard. You don’t have to pay extra for specific cruise insurance.

If you like to take a few different holidays each year, why not consider annual multi-trip insurance? Naturally, cruises are covered as standard, so you don’t need to worry about taking out additional insurance and there’s no need to sort out a new policy for each trip you take.

If you’re not enjoying the delightful peace and quiet of having the ship to yourself when in port, you’re likely to be hopping on and off in many different countries. Make sure that all your cruise destinations are covered by your travel insurance. For example, although Spain is usually covered under European cover, you tend to need to choose worldwide cover for Egypt.

Benefits of Saga Travel Insurance for cruise holidays

Take a look at the benefits of Saga Travel Insurance for your next cruise:

  • Cancellation cover – Up to £10,000 to cover unused travel, accommodation and pre-booked shore excursions if you’re forced to cancel all or part of your trip – cancellation cover is in place from the moment you take out your travel insurance policy

  • Medical treatment – Up to £10 million to cover medical treatment (up to £2 million in the UK), including emergency airlift to hospital if medically necessary

  • Most pre-existing conditions covered – We provide cover for most pre-existing medical conditions so you can continue to enjoy cruising

  • Missed departure – Missed the boat? Don’t panic, we cover up to £1,000 to help you catch up with your ship if something out of your control causes you to arrive too late to board

  • Delayed departure – We’ll help to cover the cost of phone calls, meals and refreshments if your ship is delayed leaving port on the way out or on the final part of your return journey

  • Personal belongings – Now where did you last see your camera? Was it while you were enjoying a coffee in St Mark’s Square or was it taken by one of those cheeky monkeys on the Rock of Gibraltar? With all the exploring there is to do, it could be hard to retrace your steps if something gets lost. We cover your belongings for up to £5,000 (£1,000 limit for valuables).

Cruise travel insurance questions
Is cruise travel insurance compulsory?

Some cruise lines make it a condition of your booking contract that you take out travel insurance before embarking on your cruise. Other cruise lines highly recommend that you ensure you have adequate travel insurance before you step on board ship.

It is not necessary to have specific cruise insurance, just that your travel insurance policy adequately covers you for medical expenses and helicopter transfer from the ship to hospital.

It’s important to note that some cruise lines may refuse boarding if you do not have adequate travel insurance. Other operators, as well as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, highly recommend that you take out travel insurance before you set off on holiday.

Can I use an EHIC or GHIC on a cruise?
Neither the European Health Insurance Card or Global Health Insurance Card cover medical treatment on cruises. This is because the medical facilities on board cruise ships are private facilities and not state-provided healthcare.
Is cabin confinement covered?
If the ship’s medical team say you have to stay inside your cabin due to medical reasons, you may be able to make a claim on your travel insurance. Check your Policy Book to ensure you have this cover in place.
If I fall ill during my cruise, will I be airlifted to hospital?
Helicopter rescue can run into the tens of thousands of pounds, especially if your cruise includes days at sea. Having travel insurance that covers this could save you being seriously out of pocket. You will want to make sure this is covered by your cruise travel insurance.
Can I get insurance for a river cruise?

You should be covered for your river cruise by standard travel insurance. At Saga, this is covered as standard at no extra cost. If in doubt, check your Policy Book or contact customer services.

Get a quote for Saga Travel Insurance today