Travelers planning cruise vacations are increasingly prioritizing travel insurance. New data from InsureMyTrip shows cruise-related searches account for 11.3 percent of all searches on InsureMyTrip.com, and “Cruise” is the single most searched keyword on the site.
Meanwhile, Google search volume for “travel insurance for cruises” jumped 125 percent year over year (Dec. 2024 vs. Dec. 2025).
At the same time, InsureMyTrip data shows the average cost of a cruise dropped 4 percent YOY —making cruise vacations even more appealing to travelers in 2026.
5 Reason Travelers Are Rethinking Cruise Protection
With cruise vacations involving flights, hotels, strict embarkation times, and medical care at sea, cruise-specific travel insurance can provide coverage for disruptions such as:
- Missed Departure and Pre-Cruise Travel Disruptions: Flight delays or cancellations can cause travelers to miss cruise departure or lose non-refundable pre-cruise hotel nights. These costs are only reimbursed if missed connection or trip delay coverage applies.
- Medical Emergencies and Emergency Evacuation: Illness or injury onboard may require treatment in the ship’s medical center or an evacuation to shore. Since travelers are often required to pay upfront, domestic health insurance typically doesn’t cover care abroad; travel insurance can help protect against unexpected medical bills.
- Trip Interruption During the Cruise: A serious illness or emergency can force a traveler to leave the cruise early, resulting in unused cruise day and additional transportation costs home that are not reimbursed without trip interruption coverage.
- Extended Travel Delays After or During the Cruise: Weather or mechanical issues can delay return travel, leading to unexpected hotel stays, meals, and transportation expenses that travelers must cover unless delay coverage is in place.
- Baggage Delays or Loss at Embarkation: Delayed or missing luggage may require travelers to buy essential items and cruise-appropriate clothing while waiting for their bags, with reimbursement dependent on baggage coverage.
Why Travelers Choose Third-Party Cruise Insurance
Third-party travel insurance, through InsureMyTrip, often offers broader, more flexible coverage than cruise line protection plans, including:
- Higher emergency medical and evacuation limits, which are critical at sea or in remote destinations.
- More trip cancellation options, with cash reimbursement instead of future cruise credits.
- Optional Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage for added flexibility.
- Protection beyond the cruise, covering flights, hotels, and pre- or post-cruise travel.
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