Vacationing on a cruise can be an exciting experience, traveling the seas with the ultimate freedom to relax, see shows, eat delicious food, with the bonus of disembarking at destinations and participating in excursions.
While no one wants to think about the worst happening while on vacation, unexpected injuries or illnesses are not uncommon. Many travelers don’t realize the true costs associated with getting sick on a cruise, especially when they don’t have travel insurance.
Getting sick or injured on a cruise can be very expensive, even if you have health insurance. This is where cruise travel insurance can help.
Does My Domestic Health Insurance Cover Me on a Cruise?
One very important thing to understand when taking a cruise is that oftentimes, your domestic health insurance plan won’t cover you for medical expenses incurred while on your cruise ship or at an international port.
The reason is, most domestic health insurance plans don’t offer international coverage. While on your cruise, you could technically be in international waters. Due to this reason, your health insurance plan might not cover you for any medical expenses from treatment received on board, or at a destination port.
How Does Payment for Medical Bills on a Cruise Work?
When receiving medical attention on a cruise ship, there will likely not be any options for direct billing. In other words, the cruise medical staff would not bill your insurance. You would be required to pay for your medical care out-of-pocket upon receiving treatment and before disembarking the ship.
After getting back home, you would need to submit a claim for reimbursement for the expenses you paid for your treatment. However, reimbursement would not be guaranteed, especially from a domestic health insurance plan, as many have exclusions for medical expenses incurred internationally.
How Much Does Medical Care Cost on a Cruise?
Standard medical attention on a cruise ship can range, depending on the type of treatment you receive and the cruise line’s set prices. You can expect to pay a cost comparable to that of seeing a doctor back home.
However, it is important to note that cruise ships only have 1-2 doctors on board and a handful of nurses, depending on the size of the cruise. They also won’t have all of the equipment that you would expect a hospital to have.
For this reason, in the case of a serious medical emergency, you may need to be medically evacuated to the nearest port or hospital that can treat you. Medical evacuation can cost up to $50,000 on average without coverage.
Why Travel Insurance Coverage Is Crucial for Cruises
Having a travel insurance plan for a cruise can offer the vital protection you need when sailing the open seas.
A travel insurance policy can offer coverage for emergency medical expenses incurred on your cruise ship. This can help protect you from a huge financial burden if medical attention were needed and your health insurance plan didn’t cover you overseas.
Relying on your domestic health insurance can be tricky, and more times than not, won’t cover your cruise ship medical expenses or evacuation.
Travel insurance can cover:
- Emergency medical expenses
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Repatriation of remains
- Trip cancellation and interruption
- Missed connections
- Lost luggage
Which Travel Insurance Is Recommended for Cruises?
SafeCruise is an excellent option for individuals traveling on a cruise that offers both trip protection and really good emergency medical coverage.
This plan offers:
- Up to 100% coverage for trip cancellation
- Up to 150% coverage for trip interruption
- $1,000,000 for emergency medical evacuation coverage
- $250,000 for emergency medical expense coverage
With SafeCruise, you can have peace of mind knowing that you’ll have protection if the unexpected were to occur during your travels.
Don’t Take the Risk, Travel With Confidence
Going on a cruise not knowing if you’ll have coverage if an emergency medical event were to occur can be stressful. With cruise travel insurance coverage, you can enjoy your vacation confidently knowing you have the protection you need on the open seas.
Still have questions about cruise travel insurance? Check out our Knowledge Center for more information or contact our Customer Success Team for further assistance.
