- NorwegianCare’s trip cancellation reimburses for your cruise cost only for specific covered reasons, while any other reason gets a 90% future cruise credit.
- Norwegian’s Essentials travel protection skips cancellation and interruption coverage entirely.
- Medical evacuation caps at $250,000 on either plan, well below the $1,000,000 many third-party travel insurance plans offer.
- Neither Essentials nor NorwegianCare covers flights, hotels, or excursions booked outside Norwegian, or pre-existing conditions.
- NorwegianCare and Essentials cost about the same as third-party travel insurance, but with lower limits and narrower coverage.
If you are booking a trip with Norwegian Cruise Line, you may have seen that they offer their own insurance plan called NorwegianCare.
Before you purchase the insurance during the booking process, it is important to understand exactly what you are paying for, where Norwegian’s coverage falls short, and when a third-party travel insurance policy makes more financial sense.
What Does Norwegian’s Cruise Line Insurance Offer?
Norwegian sells two travel protection plans, NorwegianCare and Essentials. Both are administered by Aon Affinity, with the insurance benefits underwritten by Arch Insurance Company (NorwegianCare) or Transamerica Casualty Insurance Company (Essentials). Here’s what each plan offers:
What Does NorwegianCare Cover?
NorwegianCare must be purchased before your final payment date and includes both a cancellation program from Norwegian itself and separate insurance benefits underwritten by Arch Insurance Company.
- Cancellation Penalty Waiver Program: Norwegian will refund you in cash, up to 100% of your prepaid cruise cost for a covered reason like a sickness or injury, a traffic accident, being quarantined, being called for jury duty, or your home becoming uninhabitable due to a natural disaster.
- Cancel For Any Reason NorwegianCare Credit: If your cancellation reason isn’t on the waiver’s list, Norwegian pays 90% of your non-refundable prepaid costs as a credit toward a future Norwegian cruise, not cash.
- Trip Interruption: Covers up to 150% of prepaid, unused cruise costs if you need to leave during your trip for a covered reason.
- Trip Delay: Up to $1,000 for delays of 3 hours or more whether you are traveling to or returning from your trip.
- Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses: Up to $50,000, plus up to $2,500 for emergency dental treatment.
- Emergency Medical Evacuation: Up to $250,000 if you need to be transported to the nearest hospital or medical facility.
- Repatriation of Remains: Up to $50,000 toward transportation home in the event of death during the trip.
- Baggage/Personal Effects: Up to $1,500 ($250 per item limit for jewelry, electronics, and similar items), plus up to $500 for baggage delay.
What Does Norwegian’s Essentials Protection Cover?
Essentials is the plan you can add later, up until your final trip payment or online check-in, if you skipped NorwegianCare at booking. Essentials primarily covers you during your trip, so trip cancellation is not covered in this plan.
- Trip Cancellation: Not covered.
- Trip Interruption: Not covered.
- Trip Delay: Up to $1,000.
- Emergency Accident and Sickness Expenses: Up to $50,000.
- Emergency Medical Evacuation: Up to $250,000.
- Repatriation of Remains: Up to $50,000.
- Baggage/Personal Effects: Up to $1,500, plus up to $500 for baggage delay.
Which is Better: NorwegianCare and Essentials or Travel Insurance?
Here is a quick look at the differences in coverage between NorwegianCare, Essentials, and travel insurance:
| Benefit | NorwegianCare | Essentials | iTravelInsured Travel LX |
| Trip Cancellation | Up to 100% of your prepaid cruise cost | Not covered | Up to 100% of your entire prepaid trip cost |
| Cancel for Any Reason | Up to 90% in future cruise credit only | Not offered | Optional upgrade, 75% of trip cost if purchased within 20 days of initial deposit |
| Trip Interruption | Up to 150% of prepaid cruise costs | Not covered | Up to 150% of non-refundable trip cost |
| Trip Delay | Up to $1,000 | Up to $1,000 | Up to $250/day, $2,500 max per person |
| Accident/Sickness Medical Expenses | Up to $50,000 | Up to $50,000 | Up to $500,000 |
| Emergency Medical Evacuation | Up to $250,000 | Up to $250,000 | Up to $1,000,000 |
| Repatriation of Remains | Up to $50,000 | Up to $50,000 | Up to $1,000,000 |
| Baggage/Personal Effects | Up to $1,500 ($250 per item limit) | Up to $1,500 | Up to $2,500, $250 per item |
| Baggage Delay | Up to $500 | Up to $500 | Up to $500 |
| Non-Norwegian air/hotel/excursions | Not covered | Not covered | Covered if included in insured trip cost |
| Pre-existing conditions | Not covered | Not covered | Covered if purchased within 20 days of initial trip deposit |
Where Does Norwegian Cruise Line Insurance Fall Short?
Because Essentials and NorwegianCare carry the same medical, evacuation, and repatriation limits, the real gap between the two plans is cancellation and interruption coverage. But where do these two plans fall short against third-party travel insurance?
- “Cancel For Any Reason” pays credit, not cash: Norwegian’s CFAR only returns 90% as a future cruise credit, while travel insurance with CFAR typically pays 50–75% in cash, for any reason.
- Remote and multi-country itineraries call for higher medical evacuations: Norwegian frequently sails through regions like Alaska, Bermuda, and Greece, where evacuations are costly. A medical evacuation at sea or from a remote area can easily exceed tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes reaching upwards of $100,000.
- Travel plans booked outside of Norwegian aren’t covered: Trip delay and interruption reimbursement generally applies to arrangements booked through Norwegian. Flights or hotel nights you booked independently fall outside both plans.
- No coverage for pre-existing conditions: Both plans exclude conditions treated or diagnosed in the 60 days before your plan starts. Meanwhile, travel insurance can cover ongoing conditions with a pre-existing conditions waiver.
Should You Get Norwegian Cruise Line Insurance or Travel Insurance?
Choose NorwegianCare or Essentials if:
- Your cruise fare is the only major prepaid cost, and your flights and any pre- or post-cruise hotel nights are booked through Norwegian
- You live close to the departure port, plan to drive to the terminal, and your entire itinerary is low-risk or domestic
- You don’t have a pre-existing condition and are perfectly comfortable receiving future cruise credits if you choose to cancel your trip for a reason not covered by Norwegian
Choose Travel Insurance if:
- You want trip cancellation as an actual underwritten insurance benefit with a broader list of covered reasons
- You booked flights, hotels, or excursions separately from Norwegian
- You’re sailing Alaska, Europe, or another itinerary where evacuation costs run high
- You want CFAR coverage that pays cash for any reason, not just a future cruise credit for reasons Norwegian excludes
- You have a pre-existing condition and want the option to get coverage through a waiver
While Norwegian Cruise Line travel insurance offers cruise-focused protection, a separate cruise insurance policy is typically stronger and more comprehensive, making it essential for your next adventure.
How Can I Find the Best Travel Insurance Plan For a Cruise?
Finding the right travel insurance for your next Norwegian cruise can be stressful, especially when comparing both Norwegian plans and separate travel insurance policies. Different travelers may select different plans for their cruise based on their trip costs, medical conditions, and more.
If you need more information or want some help finding the right plan for your needs, our licensed insurance experts are more than happy to assist.
