Travel Insurance Plans on PolicyBazaar#1
- Individuals
- Sr. Citizens
- Students
Why You Need Specialised Cruise Coverage
| Feature | Scope of Coverage |
| On-Board Medical Care | Standard Policy: Often strictly excluded Cruise Add-on: Covers doctors, meds, & hospital stay |
| Sea-to-Shore Evacuation | Standard Policy: Limited or excluded Cruise Add-on: Covers Air/Sea ambulance to dry land |
| Missed Port / Shore | Standard Policy: No compensation Cruise Add-on: Covered |
| Cruise Interruption | Standard Policy: Not covered Cruise Add-on: Covers rejoin cruise at the next port |
| Unused Excursions | Standard Policy: No reimbursement Cruise Add-on: Refunded if missed due to injury/illness |
How to Buy Travel Insurance for Cruise Ship
Cruise travel insurance is offered by select insurers and it’s usually available as an add-on. That is, you must select and pay for the cruise insurance when buying your base policy. Here is how you can buy:
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Step 1
Visit Policybazaar and enter your destination, age, and travel dates.
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Step 2
Select the plan of your choice by comparing quotes to find cheap international travel insurance that fits your budget.
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Step 3
Add the Cruise bundle or similar optional coverage under the add-ons section.
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Step 4
Declare important details like name, travel destination, age, PED etc. Ensure you mention any PEDs and accurate details before making the payment.
If an emergency or disruption happens, you must immediately contact the insurer/customer helpline. Like any claim procedure, you will need to submit specific documents, such as your original cruise itinerary, proof of boarding, medical records, or a police report regarding vehicle accidents.
Medical & Emergency Sea-to-Shore Protection
If you suffer a sudden injury or illness while aboard the ship, this is how a cruise ship travel insurance policy can help:
It will cover emergency medical treatments, doctor fees, hospital room, and medicines.
You receive a fixed daily allowance for each continuous 24-hour period you are hospitalised on the cruise.
Offered by select insurers, if the ship's medical officer orders you to remain in your cabin due to an infectious disease (like a Norovirus outbreak or COVID-19) or injury, the policy pays a fixed daily amount. This is distinct from general hospitalisation.
If the ship's medical facility cannot treat your condition, your insurer covers the cost of an ambulance or emergency transport to safely move you to the nearest appropriate hospital on dry land.
Cruise-Specific Travel Disruptions & Reimbursements
When you buy a policy to secure your journey, you expect that your travel insurance will come to your rescue in your time of need. However, it can be devastating when your claim is rejected, and you don't get any coverage despite your best efforts.
The key here is the small print of your policy wording. Here are some important pitfalls that can help you avoid travel insurance claim rejection:
If you miss your ship's departure because the vehicle taking you to the seaport gets into an accident, is cancelled by the government, or gets delayed by mass strikes, travel insurance with a cruise add-on will refund your non-refundable travel tickets.
If you get injured or sick on the ship and have to be hospitalised on foreign dry land, the travel insurance policy will pay for the alternate travel tickets you need to catch up to the ship at its next port and rejoin your vacation.
If your ship fails to visit a shore stop that was promised in your original itinerary, you will be paid a fixed compensation amount.
If you are hospitalised due to an accident or illness and cannot attend the pre-booked excursions you paid for, the policy will refund those non-refundable costs.
Standard Travel Insurance Benefits
Even while on a cruise, your base international travel insurance still provides standard benefits that are offered to all travellers. This includes coverage for
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Lost or delayed checked-in baggage
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Loss of your passport due to theft or burglary
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Standard trip cancellation
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Personal liability if you accidentally injure someone else or damage their property
The exact benefits may vary depending on the policy you purchase.
Cruise Ship Travel Insurance: Key Policy Exclusions & Limitations
Like all policies, this cruise travel insurance policy has certain limitations where it won't provide any coverage. Other than general exclusions, the following are the add-on specific limitations to keep in mind under cruise cover:
Pre-Existing Diseases
The insurance will not pay for cruise interruptions or hospitalisations if they are caused by a medical condition you already had before the trip.
Coverage Limitations
Missed Shore and Unused Excursions are often conditional on specific medical or weather events.
Time Requirements
For missed-cruise and cruise-interruption claims to be valid, you must have planned your travel so that you were scheduled to arrive at the seaport at least 3 hours (or as specified by your insurer) before the ship's departure time.
Deductibles and Sub-limits
You may have to pay a small initial amount out of your own pocket (a deductible) before the insurance kicks in, and certain medical expenses have maximum payout limits (sub-limits) based on your specific plan.
Self-inflicted Injury
Intentional self-harm or suicide attempts.
Alcohol/Drug Abuse
If an accident happens while intoxicated on board.
Professional Sports
Any loss due to hazardous activities during shore excursions (unless specifically buying an add-on).
Cruise Travel Insurance: FAQs
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Q. Do I need travel insurance for a cruise?
Ans: Yes, if you have a cruise or more planned for your trip, then you should buy a cruise travel insurance for your journey as it is very costly and any complications can cost you a lot of money and inconvenience. -
Q. Is a cruise included in travel insurance?
Ans: This depends on the insurer; a few insurers include cruise coverage, while a few insurers provide it as an add-on. -
Q. What does travel insurance on a cruise cover?
Ans: Most cruise travel insurance covers medical and travel emergencies specific to being on a ship, such as medical emergencies, missed cruise, cruise interruption, missed shore, etc. -
Q. How much does a cruise travel insurance cost?
Ans: Cruise travel insurance is generally available as an add-on, so the price will depend on the policy purchased and total trip duration. -
Q. What is travel insurance for cruises?
Ans: You will need to compare plans and prices independently to decide which is best suited to your specific trip. -
Q. Can you buy travel insurance after booking cruise?
Ans: No, Indian travel insurance policies can only be purchased while you’re in India. Once you leave, you can’t buy them. -
Q. Is there a cruise travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions?
Ans: No, most insurers specifically exclude PED-related issues faced during a cruise trip.
Travel insurance companies
Aditya Birla
Bajaj General
Care
Cholamandalam MS
Digit
Future Generali
HDFC ERGO General
ICICI Lombard
IFFCO Tokio
IndusInd General
National Insurance
New India Assurance
Niva Bupa
Oriental
Royal Sundaram
SBI General
Shriram General
Star
Tata AIG
United India
Universal Sompo
Zurich Kotak
