Cruise travel insurance protects against trip cancellations, medical emergencies at sea, and cruise-specific disruptions. Plans cost $91 to $659 for a seven-day cruise based on trip cost and age.
Best Travel Insurance for Cruises
Compare cruise travel insurance plans from 13 providers. BHTP WaveCare starts at $91 for a $2,500 cruise with $750,000 evacuation coverage.
Find the best cruise insurance for seniors and families.
Updated: June 16, 2026
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Key Takeaways
BHTP WaveCare offers the most affordable cruise coverage at $91 for a seven-day, $2,500 cruise (age 30), including $750,000 medical evacuation and $500 cruise disruption benefits.
Seniors pay 49% to 107% more than younger travelers for identical cruise insurance coverage, with age 65 premiums ranging from $148 to $217 for a $2,500 cruise.
Dedicated cruise policies provide essential protections standard travel insurance excludes, including cruise disablement coverage, itinerary change reimbursement and medical evacuation limits up to $1 million.
Best Cruise Travel Insurance: Companies and Plans
BHTP WaveCare leads with a 92 out of 100 overall score, pairing low costs with strong medical evacuation benefits. Nationwide Luxury Cruise ranks second, earning a 98 medical score and offering $1 million evacuation protection. Seven Corners Cruise takes third place with a 92 cruise coverage score for protections designed around cruise travel.
1 | WaveCare | 92 | 95 | 88 | 94 | Budget travelers | |
2 | Luxury | 89 | 78 | 95 | 98 | Premium protection | |
3 | Cruise | 88 | 82 | 92 | 95 | Medical coverage | |
4 | Cruise | 86 | 86 | 85 | 87 | Mid-range value | |
5 | Choice | 85 | 88 | 84 | 88 | Enhanced benefits |
Scores range from 0-100. Overall score weighs cost (40%), cruise coverage (30%), medical protection (25%) and stability (5%).
Rankings based on MoneyGeek's analysis of 13 providers across cost (40%), cruise-specific coverage (30%), medical protection (25%), and financial stability (5%). Full methodology below.
BHTP
Best for Budget-Conscious Cruisers
BHTP WaveCare costs $91 for a 30-year-old on a $2,500 cruise and earned a 92 overall score, so it's first for value. Coverage includes $75,000 in medical benefits, $750,000 in evacuation coverage and $500 in cruise disruption benefits. The plan pays 100% trip cancellation and 150% trip interruption.
Pre-existing condition coverage is available when the policy is purchased within 15 days of the initial deposit. At $391 for a $10,000 cruise, it undercuts competitors charging $450 to $659 for comparable coverage.
Nationwide
Best for Premium Protection
Nationwide Luxury Cruise has the highest evacuation limit in the market at $1 million, plus $250,000 in secondary medical coverage. The plan costs $124 for a 30-year-old on a $2,500 cruise and earned an 89 overall score. Additional coverage includes $250 for itinerary changes, $1,000 for trip delays and $2,500 for baggage, with 150% trip interruption.
Pre-existing condition coverage applies when the policy is purchased within 14 days of the initial deposit. The $1 million evacuation limit is worth prioritizing for Alaska, South Pacific or Northern Europe itineraries where distances to medical facilities exceed 500 miles.
Seven Corners
Best for Medical Coverage
Seven Corners Cruise costs $136 for a 30-year-old on a $2,500 cruise and earned an 88 overall score with a 92 cruise coverage score. The plan carries $250,000 in primary medical coverage, meaning it pays claims first without coordination with your domestic health insurance. That medical limit covers hospital stays, emergency surgery, ambulance transport and emergency dental care up to $1,000. Additional coverage includes $500,000 in evacuation, cruise disablement coverage and $500 for missed port reimbursement.
Tin Leg
Best for Mid-Range Coverage
Tin Leg Cruise costs $117 for a 30-year-old on a $2,500 cruise and earned an 86 overall score. The plan carries $100,000 in primary medical coverage and $250,000 in evacuation coverage with no medical deductible. Trip cancellation pays 100%, trip interruption pays 150% and trip delay reimburses up to $2,000 after a six-hour delay.
Pre-existing condition coverage requires purchase within 14 days of the initial deposit. For a $10,000 cruise, the cost is $384, which is competitive with other primary medical options. Primary coverage keeps claims straightforward by removing coordination with domestic insurance.
Cruise Travel Insurance Cost Comparison
Cruise insurance premiums scale with trip investment. A $10,000 cruise costs $391 with BHTP WaveCare compared to $91 for a $2,500 cruise because trip cancellation and interruption coverage increases with higher trip costs. Premium plans cost 25% to 35% more than budget options but provide substantially higher medical and evacuation limits.
Seven-Day Cruise, $2,500 Trip Cost, Age 30:
WaveCare | $91 | $75,000 | $750,000 | |
Universal | $99 | $75,000 | $250,000 | |
Choice | $108 | $100,000 | $500,000 | |
Cruise | $117 | $100,000 | $250,000 | |
Luxury | $124 | $250,000 | $1 million | |
Cruise | $136 | $250,000 | $500,000 |
BHTP WaveCare offers the lowest premium with $750,000 evacuation coverage. Seven Corners Cruise costs $45 more but provides $250,000 medical coverage.
One thing most travelers don't know: cruise ships charge medical bills to your onboard account in real time, not through insurance first. A $5,000 medical visit can appear on your statement before your insurer is even notified. Travel insurance reimburses you after the fact; it does not prevent the initial charge. Bring a credit card with sufficient available credit as a practical buffer for the billing gap.
Seven-Day Cruise, $10,000 Trip Cost, Age 30:
Cruise | $384 | $100,000 | $250,000 | |
WaveCare | $391 | $75,000 | $750,000 | |
Cruise | $454 | $250,000 | $500,000 | |
Choice | $538 | $100,000 | $500,000 | |
Luxury | $659 | $250,000 | $1 million |
Tin Leg Cruise becomes most affordable at $384 for $10,000 cruises. Nationwide Luxury costs $268 more than BHTP but provides $1 million evacuation coverage for remote destinations. Trip length affects premiums less than trip cost, with a 14-day cruise costing 10% to 15% more than seven days at identical trip values.
Cruise Travel Insurance for Seniors
Seniors pay more for cruise insurance than standard travel policies because health emergencies become riskier on ships where medical care is limited.
Seven-Day Cruise, $2,500 Trip Cost:
WaveCare | $91 | $188 | 107% | |
Universal | $99 | $148 | 49% | |
Choice | $108 | $171 | 58% | |
Cruise | $117 | $196 | 68% | |
Luxury | $124 | $196 | 58% | |
Cruise | $136 | $217 | 60% |
BHTP WaveCare shows the largest age-based increase at 107% but maintains the lowest absolute cost at $188 for 65-year-old travelers. Compare more options with the cheapest travel insurance for seniors.
Nationwide Universal's 49% age-based increase is half of BHTP's 107% jump. For seniors over 65 booking a $2,500 cruise, Nationwide Luxury matches Tin Leg's $196 price while offering $1 million evacuation vs. $250,000. The case for Nationwide Luxury strengthens as itinerary remoteness increases.
Essential Cruise-Specific Coverage
Standard travel insurance doesn't cover disruptions unique to sailing. Dedicated cruise policies include protections for risks you'll only encounter at sea.
Missed Port ReimbursementPrepaid shore excursions get reimbursed when your ship misses scheduled ports due to weather or mechanical issues. Nationwide plans provide $100 to $250 per occurrence, BHTP WaveCare offers $500, and Seven Corners covers up to $500.
- Cruise Disablement Protection
Ships without power, food, water, or restrooms for over 24 hours trigger disablement coverage. Seven Corners and Nationwide include this protection in cruise-specific plans. Missouri residents can't purchase this coverage.
- Medical Evacuation Coverage
Helicopter evacuations from ships to shore hospitals exceed $100,000, which is why medical evacuation coverage requires higher limits for cruises than land travel. BHTP WaveCare provides $750,000, Nationwide Luxury offers $1 million, and Seven Corners includes $500,000. Standard travel policies usually cap evacuation at $50,000 to $100,000.
To put the coverage limits in context: a Caribbean cruise stroke requiring ship-to-shore transport to a Florida hospital averages $20,000. A helicopter rescue in remote Alaska or South Pacific waters runs $50,000 to $150,000, before treatment. These figures come from Allianz's published evacuation cost data and Yonder Travel Insurance's 2026 cruise medical cost analysis. This is why BHTP WaveCare's $750,000 evacuation limit at $91 outperforms competitors offering $250,000 at similar price points.
- Trip Interruption at 150%
Lost prepaid expenses plus additional transportation costs to catch your cruise at the next port or return home fall under enhanced trip interruption coverage. All cruise-specific plans provide this 150% coverage level.
Cruise Insurance vs. Cruise Line Plans
Cruise lines sell protection plans, but third-party travel insurance provides broader coverage.
Covers airfare and hotels | No | Yes |
Covers pre-cruise expenses | No | Yes |
Protects if cruise line goes bankrupt | No | Yes |
Cancel for any reason available | Rarely | Yes (75% reimbursement) |
Purchase window for CFAR | N/A | 7-21 days after deposit |
Full trip investment protection | Cruise costs only | Complete trip |
Third-party policies cover your complete trip investment and protect against cruise line financial default. See what travel insurance covers for complete policy details.
When to Buy Cruise Travel Insurance
Buy cruise insurance if your cruise costs exceed $2,000 per person, you're traveling during hurricane season (June through November), you booked more than six months ahead, you have pre-existing medical conditions, or you're over 60. Medical facilities aboard ships provide only basic emergency care.
Skip cruise insurance only if your cruise line offers free cancellation, your health insurance covers international medical evacuation, and you can afford to lose your trip investment. Flexible booking policies rarely cover medical emergencies or cruise-specific disruptions. Learn more about travel insurance costs.
To compare complete plan details for all 13 cruise insurance providers MoneyGeek evaluated, see the guide to best travel insurance plans.
How to Choose Cruise Travel Insurance
- 1
Match evacuation limits to your itinerary.
Caribbean and Mexican Riviera cruises need at least $250,000 in evacuation coverage. European, Asian and South Pacific routes require $500,000 to $1 million because medical facilities are farther away and transport costs climb fast.
- 2
Consider pre-existing condition waivers if you have chronic health issues.
Nationwide, BHTP WaveCare, Seven Corners Cruise and Tin Leg Cruise all include pre-existing condition coverage when purchased within 14 to 15 days of the initial deposit. That window eliminates the lookback period that would otherwise exclude claims tied to conditions treated before the policy was issued.
- 3
Evaluate cruise-specific benefits based on your sailing style.
Shore excursion travelers need itinerary change coverage. First-time cruisers should put medical benefits at the top of the list. Travelers watching costs can trade lower medical limits for stronger trip cancellation coverage if their health is not a primary concern.
For most cruisers, BHTP WaveCare is the right starting point, the lowest cost paired with $750,000 evacuation. Move to Nationwide Luxury if your itinerary includes Alaska, Northern Europe, or South Pacific routes, where distance to medical facilities makes the $1 million limit meaningful. If you have pre-existing conditions, confirm purchase within 14 to 15 days of initial deposit to activate the waiver.
Best Travel Insurance for Cruises: FAQ
Does cruise insurance cover seasickness?
Routine seasickness treatment isn't covered. Emergency care for severe dehydration or related complications falls under emergency medical benefits, and medical evacuation is covered if the situation requires it.
Can I buy cruise insurance after booking?
You can purchase cruise insurance before departure, but buying within 14 to 21 days of your initial deposit unlocks pre-existing condition waivers and cancel for any reason options.
Does Medicare cover cruise medical emergencies?
Medicare provides no coverage outside the U.S., including aboard ships in international waters. You need cruise travel insurance with international medical coverage like Seven Corners Cruise, which offers $250,000 medical protection plus evacuation benefits.
How We Chose the Best Travel Insurance for Cruises
MoneyGeek evaluated cruise insurance plans from 13 providers using a weighted scoring system. We collected pricing for multiple scenarios, including trip costs ($2,500 to $10,000), trip lengths (seven to 14 days), traveler ages (30 and 65), and destinations.
Each plan received a score from 0 to 100 across four categories:
- Cost (40%): Lower premiums scored higher when coverage remained comparable across trip costs and traveler ages.
- Cruise-Specific Coverage (30%): Dedicated cruise plans outscored adapted general travel policies. We analyzed cruise disruption benefits, itinerary change reimbursement, disablement protection, missed port compensation and trip interruption limits.
- Medical Protection (25%): Evacuation coverage received heavy weighting because helicopter evacuations from cruise ships routinely exceed $100,000. Emergency medical limits, pre-existing condition waivers, and purchase windows also factored into ratings.
- Financial Stability (5%): Companies with A+ AM Best ratings received maximum points.
Plans with comprehensive cruise-specific protections at competitive prices ranked highest. We prioritized evacuation limits exceeding $500,000 due to the unique challenges of medical evacuations from ships at sea.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he produces original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.
He covers economics and insurance at MoneyGeek, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other outlets.
Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data. No insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.
Fitzpatrick earned his degrees from Johns Hopkins University (M.A. Economics and International Relations) and Boston College (B.A.). His career began in financial risk management at State Street. He's also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.