10 common cruise insurance mistakes – and how to avoid them

Most cruise travellers who run into problems with their insurance didn't set out to cut corners. The mistakes that can cost you money tend to be the result of reasonable assumptions that turn out to be wrong, or details that seemed minor at the time of purchase and turned out to matter at the point of claim.

These are the errors that come up most often, and what to do instead.

1) Buying insurance too late

This is one of the most common mistakes. You buy cruise insurance a few weeks before departure, reasoning that the trip is nearly there and the cover is mainly about what happens at sea. But a lot can go wrong before you even set sail.

Cancellation cover starts from the date you take out the policy, not the date you booked the cruise. If you book a cruise six months in advance and buy insurance six weeks before departure, there are four and a half months when a serious illness, a bereavement, a redundancy, or a family emergency could force you to cancel – and you'd have no recourse beyond the cruise line's own refund policy.

Instead, buy insurance as soon as you book. The additional premium for those extra months is modest, unlike the cost of an uninsured cancellation six months before departure.

2) Assuming your standard travel policy covers a cruise

Many standard travel insurance policies cover your destination – the country or region you're travelling to – but not the specific circumstances of cruise travel.

A standard travel insurance policy that covers Europe will pay for medical treatment in a Spanish hospital, but not helicopter evacuation from international waters, cabin confinement, missed departure from a port, or the cost of catching up with a ship that sailed without you.

When reviewing a policy, look for a cruise section that confirms what is covered – or even better, purchase a cruise-specific policy.

Read more: find out about Staysure's cruise travel insurance.

3) Not matching cancellation cover to your trip cost

Cruises are expensive, which means there could be large gaps between what you paid for your holiday and what you can claim in case of cancellation. A cancellation limit of £3,000 on a policy against a £5,500 cruise leaves £2,500 uninsured.

You should also check policy details for other elements of your trip, such as flights, excursions and hotel stays. This is of particular importance if you have not booked everything as a package, which is usually protected by the UK’s ATOL scheme, but purchased the various elements separately.

4) Underestimating medical cover and misreading the limits

A £5 million medical limit sounds enormous – but is it? Well, it depends on what that limit includes. Some policies look better on paper than in practice.

Medical evacuation and repatriation are sometimes included within the overall medical limit, sometimes treated as separate sub-limits, and occasionally capped independently.

If, despite a £5m overall limit, the cover has a relatively low cap on evacuation and repatriation, you may find yourself under-insured. Don’t forget, complex evacuations at sea can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

When comparing policies, look at the sub-limits, not just the headline figure. They tell you considerably more about what a policy covers. Even better, look for providers with unlimited cover, such as Staysure.

5) Not researching policies and providers

Purchasing the cheapest policy isn’t necessarily a bad thing – but it might not be the best thing. What you need to look for is value for money and reputation above all. The price difference between two policies might become trivial when you start researching what’s included and the providers’ track record.

Paying more for your policy will often mean higher limits on evacuation, medical, repatriation and cancellation costs. You may also get lower excesses when paying a bit more upfront. The ‘excess’ is the part of a claim an insurer won’t pay back. If you claim £500 for lost luggage and your excess is £100, you’ll get £400 back. The higher the excess, the less you get back.

You should also check a supplier’s reputation. In the UK, you can look for an insurance company’s Defaqto rating – five stars means highly comprehensive policies. Defaqto does not take customer service into consideration, so you should also check for reviews on websites like Trustpilot.

6) Not declaring pre-existing conditions

Most people understand that a heart condition, diabetes, or a history of cancer needs to be declared. But edge cases can catch people out: blood pressure that's well managed with medication and hasn't caused problems in years; a referral to a specialist that's been made but hasn't resulted in a diagnosis; a course of treatment that finished six months ago and feels entirely resolved.

If you're in any doubt about whether something needs to be declared, declare it. The worst outcome is a slightly higher premium.

Read more: find out more about travelling with pre-existing conditions on the Staysure website.

7) Assuming an alcohol-related incident will be covered

Most of you love to let your hair down and have a few drinks when cruising. And most of you are aware that insurance won't cover alcohol-fuelled reckless behaviour. But sometimes alcohol just being a contributing factor to an incident can impact coverage.

This isn't an argument to avoid drinking on a cruise, but understanding what your policy says about it. And to enjoy alcohol in moderation.

8) Not checking whether every destination is covered

It’s easy to forget that cruises can take you across different continents and regions – and mistakenly purchase the wrong insurance.

For example, you can forget that your Med cruise includes a stop in Tunisia. Because of that stop, a simple European cover won’t be enough – you’re likely to need a worldwide cover. Similarly, a worldwide cover might not include the USA and the Caribbean, meaning sailing there will require a different level of cover.

This is particularly important in the context of an annual cover, which you may book thinking you’ll only travel to Europe in the coming year, before changing your plans. If that’s the case, you’ll need to remember to upgrade your policy.

9) Forgetting that independent excursions need their own cover

Most cruise passengers book at least some excursions independently. Those excursions are generally not covered in the same way as cruise line-organised activities. You must understand what happens if plans change, whether that’s for health reasons or an itinerary change.

And for more physical excursions (think cycling tours, water sports, hiking, snorkelling), you should also ensure these activities are included in your policy.

10) Not having your insurer's emergency number ready

If anything goes wrong, you should contact your insurer as soon as possible. And in stressful situations, knowing the number to call, without having to look through policy documents, is key.

Importantly, it’s not just about speed and peace of mind: many policies require you to contact the insurer's medical assistance line before seeking non-emergency treatment, or immediately after doing so in an emergency. This isn't just administrative: the assistance team can direct you to approved facilities, pre-authorise treatment costs, and begin coordinating any evacuation or repatriation.

For more information, visit our cruise insurance hub or to book a policy, visit Staysure, an award-winning insurance provider with a five-star Defaqto rating and a 4.7 out of five score on Trustpilot.

Frequently asked questions

Does standard travel insurance automatically cover cruises?

No. Many standard policies cover your destination but not cruise-specific scenarios like medical evacuation from international waters, missed departure, or cabin confinement. Check for a dedicated cruise section in the policy rather than assuming the absence of an exclusion means you're covered.

What happens if I don't declare a medical condition and need to claim?

The claim is likely to be refused, and potentially the entire policy voided. You should always declare pre-existing conditions and, if in doubt about what to declare, contact your insurer.

Can I add cruise cover to an existing travel policy?

Sometimes. It depends on the insurer. Some offer cruise as an add-on to standard annual policies; others require a separate cruise-specific policy. Contact your insurer directly to confirm.

Does cruise insurance cover independently booked excursions?

It depends on the activity and the policy. Lost costs when a port is missed are sometimes covered. Injuries during independently booked activities are only covered if the activity is included in the policy's schedule. Check before you book anything physical or adventurous.