Cruise travel insurance
Cruise travel insurance is a travel policy with a cruise option added, which extends cover to the risks that only exist at sea: treatment in the ship's medical centre, evacuation from the ship, being confined to your cabin, and missing the ship at a port. Most standard policies do not cover an ocean cruise unless that option is on the policy.
It applies to domestic cruises too. Smartraveller's advice is that if your cruise isn't leaving Australian waters, you still need travel insurance for your health, because you may be unable to claim Medicare or private health insurance on the ship. A domestic travel policy has no medical cover to fall back on, so for a cruise around Australia you generally need a policy with cruise cover, which with many insurers means international cover with a cruise option. Our guide to compare travel insurance covers the rest of the policy.
By Better Rate Mate Editorial Team ยท Last reviewed
General advice only. It doesn't consider your circumstances. Read the PDS and TMD before you decide.
Why cruises are treated differently
On land, a medical emergency usually means an ambulance and the nearest hospital. At sea it means the ship's medical centre, which charges as a private service, and possibly an evacuation by helicopter or tender to a port where the local system may be expensive or limited. Princess Cruises' Australian passage contract, for example, says its onboard medical centres are private facilities outside Medicare, charge private rates and must be paid before you disembark. Smartraveller warns that a helicopter medical evacuation from a ship can cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Smartraveller also notes that some ships require cruise-specific insurance before you can board, and Princess says some countries on its itineraries require proof of international travel insurance with cruise cover at check-in, or you will be denied boarding. Smartraveller suggests asking whether the ship has a Medicare-accessible doctor on board, because the answer changes what you can claim for treatment at sea.
A cruise also strings together several countries in a short time. If one port of call is in a higher-cost region, such as the United States, it affects the region and the price for the whole trip. And if a port is rated 'Reconsider your need to travel', Smartraveller's advice is to check that your insurer will cover you; at 'Do not travel', it warns your policy might be void.
Cruise insurance vs travel insurance: is there a difference?
Usually, cruise insurance is travel insurance with a cruise option added. Cover-More calls its option Cruise Cover and Allianz calls its option a Cruise Pack, while InsureandGo sells cruise cover under its own cruise PDS. The option extends the policy to the risks that only exist at sea: medical treatment on board, evacuation from the ship, cabin confinement and missing the ship.
Without the option, most standard policies don't cover an ocean cruise, including one that stays in Australian waters. Everything else, such as cancellation, luggage, the excess and how pre-existing conditions are assessed, works the same way at sea as on land, so compare those terms as you would for any trip.
What a cruise option typically adds
Cruise options vary, but these are the benefits they commonly include on top of standard cover.
| Benefit | What it pays for | Examples from current PDSs |
|---|---|---|
| Medical treatment on board | Consultations and treatment in the ship's medical centre | Unlimited on Cover-More's Cruise Cover; $20 million on Allianz's Cruise Pack |
| Medical evacuation from the ship | Transfer to a hospital on shore when medically necessary | Cover-More: ship-to-shore evacuation included; Allianz: $20 million |
| Cabin confinement | A daily amount if the ship's doctor confines you to your cabin | Cover-More: $100 a day up to $1,500; Allianz: $50 per 24 hours after the first 48, up to $500 |
| Missed departure | Costs to catch up with the ship when a covered event makes you miss it | Cover-More: missed embarkation port up to $1,000; InsureandGo: $5,000 to $50,000 by level for a missed departure from Australia |
| Pre-paid shore excursions | Excursions you cannot take because of a covered illness or event | $1,000 on Cover-More and Allianz |
| Missed ports of call | A benefit if scheduled ports are skipped | None on Cover-More or Allianz; InsureandGo Silver and Gold pay $500 or $1,000 if fewer ports are visited, but not when a substitute port is used |
What the cruise option pays in selected PDSs
Policy by policy, the cruise terms differ more than the name of the option suggests: some add a set of cruise benefits, one simply extends the policy's normal benefits to the ship, and one doesn't cover cruises that stay in Australian waters at all.
| Policy (PDS date) | How a cruise is covered | Medical on board and evacuation | Cabin confinement | Missed port or departure | Pre-paid shore excursions | Cruises in Australian waters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Cover (4 March 2026) | Cruise Pack needed for a cruise of 2 nights or more, bought at least 24 hours before | Unlimited on-board medical | Up to $1,500 | Missed port up to $750; missed cruise departure up to $2,500 | Up to $1,000 | The pack can be added to Domestic plans |
| Allianz (19 December 2025) | Cruise Pack for ocean cruises; river cruises covered automatically | $20 million on board and for evacuation | $50 per 24 hours after the first 48, up to $500 | No missed-port benefit | Up to $1,000 | See PDS |
| Cover-More (15 October 2025) | Cruise Cover for ocean cruises; not needed for river cruises, one-night cruises or ferries | Unlimited on board; ship-to-shore evacuation included | $100 a day up to $1,500, not for COVID | No missed-port benefit; missed embarkation port up to $1,000 | Up to $1,000 | A cruise between Australian ports that leaves Australian waters is sold as Domestic Cruising on an international plan |
| InsureandGo Cruise (7 October 2026) | A separate cruise policy, sold to people 79 or under for cruises up to 90 days and 64 or under for longer ones; its single-trip policy excludes commercial cruises | Unlimited medical costs outside Australia on every level; no separate on-board benefit | $75 a day up to $2,500 (Silver and Gold); none on Bare Essentials | Missed departure from Australia: $5,000, $15,000 or $50,000 by level. Missed ports: $50 a port up to $500 (Silver) or $100 a port up to $1,000 (Gold), not for substitute ports | Up to $1,000 (Silver and Gold) when the ship doesn't stop at a scheduled port or a tender is cancelled; illness goes under cancellation cover. None on Bare Essentials | Sold for destinations outside Australia, and its medical cover doesn't apply to trips within Australia |
| Medibank (22 April 2026) | Cruise Cover, for an extra premium, for multi-night ocean cruises | Unlimited on-board medical and dental, and unlimited ship-to-shore medical | $100 a day up to $1,500 | Missed embarkation port up to $1,000 | Up to $1,000 | Cruise Cover is also needed for a multi-night domestic cruise |
| nib (1 September 2026) | No separate option: the PDS says ocean cruises in Australian or international waters, and international river cruises, are covered under the plan | No cruise-specific benefit found; ask nib how its medical cover applies on board | No cruise-specific benefit found | No cruise-specific benefit found | No cruise-specific benefit found | Covered under the plan, per the PDS |
| Southern Cross (12 July 2025) | Optional cruise cover, which extends the policy's existing benefits and limits to the cruise | Under the policy's usual benefits | No separate benefit | No separate benefit | No separate benefit | Not covered: cruises that stay only in Australian waters are excluded |
Itinerary changes, skipped ports and rerouting: what the cruise line owes you vs what a policy pays
Cruise lines don't guarantee itineraries, and your rights depend on why the change happened. Princess Cruises' passage contract for Australian departures (effective 1 October 2026) is a clear example. If it makes a significant change before departure for its own operational or commercial reasons, such as changing the departure or disembarkation city or most of the ports, you can accept the new itinerary, take a future cruise credit for the fare you paid, or cancel for a full refund. If the change is for reasons outside its control, such as weather, safety or the law, it says it won't compensate you unless consumer law requires it.
Travel insurance does little here. Of the PDSs we read, Cover-More and Allianz have no benefit for missed ports of call, and InsureandGo pays a capped amount only when fewer ports are visited than scheduled, not when the ship goes to a substitute port. What a policy does cover is a covered event that stops you joining the ship, such as illness or a delayed flight, through cancellation and missed departure benefits. Smartraveller notes ships may reroute to avoid dangerous weather, so plan any onshore arrangements loosely.
Cruises in Australian waters and from Australia: what to check by route
Where the ship goes changes what to check. These are the common routes from Australian ports.
| Cruise | What to check |
|---|---|
| Domestic (Australian ports only) | That the policy covers medical treatment on board: Medicare and private health insurance may not apply on the ship. Cover-More, for example, sells a cruise between Australian ports that leaves Australian waters as 'Domestic Cruising' on an international plan |
| South Pacific, New Caledonia and New Zealand | A Pacific region that covers every port; Princess's contract says neither Medicare nor New Zealand's ACC covers you on board |
| Asia | The Smartraveller level for every port, and a region that includes each country |
| US, Alaska and the Caribbean | A region that includes the Americas, because of US medical costs; see our USA travel insurance page |
| European river cruises | How the insurer defines a cruise: Allianz covers river cruises automatically and Cover-More doesn't need Cruise Cover for them, while ocean cruises need the option |
Cruise line insurance vs your own policy
If the cruise line or travel agent offers insurance when you book, compare it as you would any other policy. It is issued by an insurer named in its PDS, and it has its own limits and exclusions. Princess's contract strongly recommends buying international travel insurance when you pay your deposit, including for domestic Australian and New Zealand itineraries, and says you are responsible for all travel insurance requirements for your cruise.
Compare on the same points: medical treatment on board and evacuation limits, cabin confinement and missed departure, how the policy treats your pre-existing conditions, and whether the cancellation amount covers the full non-refundable fare. Buy whichever covers those best for your itinerary, and buy it when you pay the deposit.
Ocean cruises, river cruises and ferries
Insurers define a cruise in their Product Disclosure Statement, and the definitions differ. Allianz's definition is a commercially run sea or ocean vessel with cabins and trained medical staff, and it covers river cruises automatically. Cover-More doesn't require Cruise Cover for river cruises, one-night cruises or ferries. InsureandGo's cruise PDS defines a commercial cruise as a passenger vessel at sea, beyond the 3-nautical-mile coastal limit, for more than one night. Check the definition before paying for an option you do not need, or skipping one you do.
Pre-existing conditions and older cruisers
Cruises are popular with older travellers, and a medical problem at sea is harder to manage than one on land. Declare every pre-existing condition and medication for every traveller, and make sure each accepted condition appears on your certificate of insurance. Age limits apply to cruise cover too: InsureandGo's cruise policy is sold to people 79 or under for cruises up to 90 days, and to people 64 or under for longer ones. Our guide to seniors travel insurance for cruises has an age checker with a cruise option, and pre-existing conditions explains what to declare.
Cancellation for expensive fares
Cruise fares are often paid in full months before sailing, with cancellation charges that rise as the departure date approaches. Set the cancellation amount on your policy to cover the non-refundable fare plus flights and pre- or post-cruise accommodation, and buy the policy when you pay the deposit so the cover is in place for the whole run-up.
Illness outbreaks on board
Gastro outbreaks and other infectious illness spread quickly on ships. A cruise option generally covers your own medical treatment and cabin confinement if you fall ill, although Cover-More's cabin confinement benefit doesn't apply to COVID. It does not usually compensate you because other passengers were ill or because the cruise line changed the itinerary to manage an outbreak; those are matters for the cruise line's own terms.
General advice only. This information doesn't take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether the product is right for you and read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before you decide. We don't compare every product in the market, and we may earn a commission if you take up a product through our links.
What to watch for
- No cruise option, no cruise cover. Check it appears on your certificate of insurance.
- Domestic cruises need cover for your health too; a domestic travel policy does not include on-board medical costs.
- Set the region to cover every port of call, not just the departure port.
- Skipped ports are mostly the cruise line's matter; few policies pay for them.
- Missing the ship because a shore tour ran late is usually not a covered reason.
Common questions
What type of insurance should you get for a cruise?
International travel insurance with the insurer's cruise option, even for a cruise that stays in Australian waters. It should cover medical treatment on board, evacuation from the ship, cabin confinement and missed departures, with a region covering every port and a cancellation amount that covers your full non-refundable fare.
Do I need travel insurance for a cruise in Australia?
Yes. Smartraveller's advice is that even if your cruise isn't leaving Australian waters, you still need travel insurance for your health, because you may be unable to claim Medicare or private health insurance on the ship. Look for a policy with cruise cover.
Does travel insurance cover missed ports on a cruise?
Rarely. Cover-More and Allianz have no missed-port benefit in their current PDSs, and InsureandGo pays a capped amount only when fewer ports are visited than scheduled. Itinerary changes are mainly a matter for the cruise line's contract and consumer law.
Does normal travel insurance cover cruises?
Usually not for ocean cruises. Most insurers require you to add a cruise option, which extends the policy to on-board medical treatment, evacuation from the ship, cabin confinement and missed departures. River cruises are treated differently by different insurers.
What is cabin confinement cover?
A benefit that pays a daily amount if the ship's doctor confines you to your cabin because of illness, up to a set limit: $100 a day up to $1,500 on Cover-More's Cruise Cover, for example. The medical treatment itself is covered separately.
What is the best travel insurance for cruises in Australia?
The best cruise travel insurance is the policy that covers medical treatment on board and evacuation from the ship for your whole itinerary, including cruises in Australian waters, accepts your pre-existing conditions, is sold at your age, and has a cancellation limit that covers the full non-refundable fare. We don't rank insurers: compare the policies that pass those tests on price.
Is travel insurance more expensive for a cruise?
Usually, yes. A cruise option adds to the premium, and the ports of call set the region: one stop in a higher-cost region such as the United States affects the price of the whole trip. Your age, your health and the cancellation amount needed for an expensive fare add to it too. Quote the same itinerary, excess and cancellation amount with each insurer.