Many cruisers think of travel insurance as a protection against missing their cruise but this is just a small part of why we should seriously consider a good travel insurance policy before we embark on a cruise vacation. Do you know that Medicare and most US Medical insurances do not cover you outside of the United States? When you need medical care abroad, in most cases, you will need to pay first before you will be treated. Look at what the U.S. State Department says in the Passport portal:
"Obtaining medical treatment and hospital care abroad can be expensive, and medical evacuation to the U.S. can cost more than $50,000. Note that U.S. medical insurance is generally not accepted outside the United States, nor do the Social Security Medicare and Medicaid programs provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the United States."
"If your insurance policy does not cover you abroad, it is a good idea to consider purchasing a short-term policy that does. There are health insurance policies designed specifically to cover travel. Many travel agents and private companies offer insurance plans that will cover health care expenses incurred overseas including emergency services such as medical evacuations."
Considering this, losing the cost of your cruise because of a missed flight is small by comparison.
Check out what else the U.S. State Department says at Medical Coverage Abroad
Now before you jump in and just go along with your cruise line's "trip protection", you need to realize that all insurance policies are not created equal. Take your time to understand the exclusions and limitations. Most cruise line policies do not "protect" your trip if your flight is so delayed that you miss your cruise. By doing a little research into coverage available, frequently you can get more comprehensive coverage from a private agency than you can get from the cruise line and PAY LESS FOR IT! Some insurance plans such as TravelSafe provide "cancel for any reason" coverage and plans that waive pre-existing conditions. So do your homework. Why not start here with Travel Safe. Regardless of who you choose to protect your vacation travels, please consider travel insurance.
