Holidays come in a variety of forms and one of the most popular these days is the cruise holiday. Whether you are planning a two-week luxury cruise, or just a short cruise stopping in at a few ports of call, a holiday is a holiday, and travel insurance is part of the deal. At least it should be, even though you can’t quite see what could possibly go wrong!

However, just because you are on a large boat in the lap of luxury,doesn’t mean that you don’t need a travel insurance policy. You need to be covered for any eventuality and there are insurance coverages specifically designed for this.

Before You Leave?

Although they’re more affordable nowadays, cruises still cost a lot of money and you want to be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances. You may fall terribly ill just before you are due to set sail and can’t even start the cruise in the first place. You could break a leg or have a death in the family. As unpleasant as these events sound, there is always the chance of them happening and the cruise will go ahead with or without you, so you want to be able to claim most of your money back if you can.

Travel Insurance Tips for the Cruise

There are a number of things to be aware of when it comes to insurance for your cruise, whether you are travelling locally or internationally. Being on a cruise doesn’t mean that you will be sitting on a deck staring out at the sea for 10 days (unless you want to).

Here’s part of what you should be covered for in your policy:

• Get Covered for Activities – As part of the cruise package, there are often exciting activities one can take part in, either on-shore or off-shore, such as snorkelling and jet-skiing. You should make sure that your insurance covers all types of activities.
• Make Sure Your Medical Costs are Covered – Importantly, while it certainly won’t be part of the plan, you need to make sure that all your possible medical expenses are covered. It is possible that you might get sick and need medication, or injure yourself which may lead to you missing out on certain aspects of your cruise and you certainly want to be covered in such cases, especially for overseas medicalexpenses. Depending on the type of travel insurance you get, if you miss out on some activities due to illness, you may be able to claim some of this money back.
• Look after Personal Items and Luggage – Furthermore, just because you and many like-minded people are out there to have a great time, doesn’t mean that accidents can’t happen, or that everyone is honest. You should certainly insure your goods against damage and/or theft. Items which typically need to be covered are your luggage, phone, watch, camera, laptop, suits and bags, and in some cases you can even insure cash (up to a certain amount).

Once your travel insurance is sorted, double check the policy for any possible limitations and make sure that your insurance provider knows that you are travelling locally or internationally. Then, relax and enjoy!