For those who think they never need to purchase travel insurance for a cruise, you are very wrong! Cruise lines rarely reimburse uninsured passengers for cruise cancellation or interruption. Travel insurance is a small price to pay for the financial peace of mind that an insurance policy can provide. By purchasing insurance you are covered not only for a refund in case of cancellation, but also missed connections, lost or delayed baggage, emergency medical evacuation, emergency medical and dental expenses and emergency legal assistance.

To Buy or Not to Buy:
The answer to this question is Yes! Here are the reasons why:

It is important to protect not only yourself but your trip investment as well. Purchasing insurance is a great way to safeguard against the unexpected and enjoy your travels, worry free!

Cruise lines do not waive the penalties for passengers who cancel without insurance. The cruise lines will strictly enforce their cancellation policies regardless of the circumstances.

Cruise lines and airlines claim no responsibility for anything that happens that is outside their control. If you miss your flight due to a storm, there will be no reimbursement for missed days aboard ship. By purchasing insurance you would receive some recourse. In the event of a carrier-caused delay, no airline is obligated to get you to your ship, only to get you to your ticketed destination. The cruise line is not obligated to pay any extra costs involved in getting you to the ship.

Insurance Options and Costs:
The price of travel insurance is based on the price of your cruise vacation.

Generally there are two options when purchasing travel insurance: the cruise line's own insurance or a third-party insurance . It is no common for the cruise lines' travel insurance to cover for medical costs that are incurred due to a pre-existing medical condition. In the unlikely event that the cruise line go bankrupt, you would not be covered.

Consumer Reports' give the highest ratings to Travel Guard and Access America. These can be purchased directly or through your travel agent. For a full description of their coverage see their web sites: Access America and Travel Guard. Other companies we suggest are:

CSA Travel Protection www.travelsecure.com

Travelex Insurance www.travelex-insurance.com

TravelSafe www.travelsafe.com

Still unsure about which insurance policy to purchase? Visit www.InsureMyTrip.com and compare the benefits that each company offers.

Know "What is" and "What is not" Covered:

War is not covered by any insurance.

Terrorism coverage is limited. You are only protected if an attack directly affects your port of embarkation and/or disembarkation). Generally to receive such coverage, most policies require that you buy the policy within 14 days of your first deposit paid.

Medical or Death coverage is offered is the only reason that you can cancel and receive a full refund. Most third party insurance companies only cover you for cancellation if it is due to a medical reason or death. Though some cruise line policies will allow you to cancel for any reason with a refund in the form of a future cruise credit for up to 75% of what you spent.

Default of the cruise line (bankruptcy) will not be covered if you purchased your insurance from the cruise line, where as a third party insurance will cover you. Some of these companies such as TravelGuard lists the cruise lines that they wont cover.

Emergency Evacuation is covered should you become injured or ill in a remote location, or a place has no suitable treatment facilities. Should you need to be airlifted to the United States or another country for care, the cost of emergency medical evacuations can cost you thousands of dollars, and by purchasing an insurance policy you will be covered for this.

Pre-Existing Conditions are covered for all travelers, regardless of age if the plan is purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit.

Baggage & Baggage Delay coverage is always included.

Travel Delay/Missed Connection is covered, yet the amount varies between companies. Most third party insurance companies as well as the cruise line's insurance policy cover for additional costs, including accommodations and meals, if you are delayed for at least 5 hours while traveling.