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The Best Cruise Insurance
Most major travel insurance providers offer cruise insurance at varying levels of coverage and cost.
Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.
Updated · 3 min read
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Alisha is a freelance writer and photographer. She is the creator of travel and adventure site Terradrift.com and has written about travel and rewards for many publications, including American Way and Johnny Jet.
Chris Burkhardt is a freelance editor for NerdWallet, helping with travel and credit card related content. A graduate of the University of Oregon, Chris has been a writer, editor, videographer and more in his 10 years as a journalist. Prior to joining the NerdWallet team in 2021, Chris was a digital media producer for NBC Sports — where his numerous trips around the country covering major sporting events helped his understanding of the travel world.
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Cruising is back, but many travelers are still reluctant to board ships alongside thousands of other travelers. Cruise insurance has you covered if:
You need to be reimbursed for canceling your trip.
Your flight to the port gets delayed.
You need to pay for medical care if you get sick on board.
You need to fly home in case of an emergency.
Of course, there's much more than just this list that cruise insurance can cover.
No matter the reason you might be looking for coverage, here are some of the best cruise insurance companies available to help bring you peace of mind on your next experience at sea:
When shopping for cruise insurance, make sure to look for coverage that offers the following:
Trip delay and cancellation.
Medical expenses, including emergency evacuation.
The option to cancel for any reason (including COVID-19).
Adventure activities if you’re planning certain onshore excursions.
Cruise insurance isn’t much different than traditional travel insurance. Any good travel insurance should cover cruises in addition to travel by air or car.
After our analysis, we've determined these are some of the best cruise insurance options available.
👀 Get the ‘cheat codes’ to using travel points and miles so you can spend less cash. 📥 Sign up for our free newsletter before Feb. 21 and enter to win a 1:1 travel rewards coaching session.
We searched for quotes from several companies for a seven-day trip in February 2023 from the U.S. to Mexico. The traveler was 35 years old, from Georgia, and planned to spend $2,500 total on the whole trip, including airfare.
What makes World Nomads a top choice for cruise insurance:
Adventure activities like mountain biking and scuba diving are covered, perfect for land-based experienced (though which sports are covered varies from plan to plan).
Offers comprehensive travel insurance plans for domestic and international travel.
Larger-than-average coverage for baggage loss and delays.
For our test trip, World Nomad’s basic plan cost $63, well below average. But the actual trip cost isn’t taken into consideration for trip cancellation and interruption coverage.
NerdWallet's 2025 Best All-Purpose Travel Rewards Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Travel
Hotel
NerdWallet RatingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
5.0
WHY OUR NERDS LOVE IT: For a modest fee, you’ll earn rich rewards in many categories, plus access to multiple transfer partners, an annual hotel credit, anniversary points and a big sign-up bonus.
