SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED
This page includes information about these cards, currently unavailable on NerdWallet. The information has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been provided or reviewed by the card issuer.
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:
What to look for in cruise insurance
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.
» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now
Factors we considered when picking the best cruise insurance companies
We used the following factors to choose top insurance providers to highlight:
- Specifics of coverage: Including what coverage plans include and whether they offer useful coverage and benefits for cruises specifically.
- Amount of coverage: Including the maximum payouts for trip cancellation and trip interruption claims.
- Cost: We compared prices to determine average costs across basic plans.
- Customizability: We checked to see if policies allow users to customize options to suit their specific needs.
» Learn more: The guide to cruise travel insurance
By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
An overview of the best cruise insurance
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.
The average price of each company’s most basic coverage plan was $124. These policies didn't include optional add-ons, such as Cancel for Any Reason coverage or coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.
| Company name | Basic coverage cost | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Allianz | $106. | COVID-19 cancellation. |
| World Nomads | $63. | Adventure activities and budget-friendly coverage. |
| Berkshire Hathaway | $202. | Cruise-specific emergency medical care and evacuation. |
| Travelex Insurance Services | $116. | High daily limit for trip delays. |
| Travel Guard by AIG | $133. | Cancel For Any Reason and pre-existing conditions waivers available. |
» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?
Best cruise insurance options
Here’s a closer look at our five recommendations for cruise insurance and what makes them unique.
Allianz Global Assistance
What makes Allianz Global Assistance a top choice for cruise insurance:
- Multiple policies are available for international and domestic travel.
- Plans offer trip cancellation and interruption coverage for COVID-19.
- Offers emergency medical and transportation.
For our test trip, Allianz Global Assistance’s basic plan cost $106, slightly below average.
World Nomads
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.
Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection
What makes Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection a top choice for cruise insurance:
- A wide range of comprehensive plans cover cancellation, emergency medical and transportation coverage, and emergency travel assistance.
- A cruise-specific plan includes some compensation for cruise disablement and the most emergency medical and evacuation coverage of any of these plans.
- There are many plans available, including plans that cover adventure activities.
A Berkshire Hathaway WaveCare cruise-specific plan was $202, quite a bit more than average, but with the most medical evacuation coverage.
Travelex Insurance Services
What makes Travelex Insurance Services a top choice for cruise insurance:
- Three comprehensive plans are available.
- Kids-included pricing is available with the Travel Select plan.
- There's an option to add accidental death and dismemberment coverage to the basic plan.
The Travel Basic plan from Travelex Insurance Services cost $116 for our sample trip; just below the average for plans listed here.
Travel Guard by AIG
What makes Travel Guard by AIG a top choice for cruise insurance:
- Three comprehensive plans are available.
- Cancel For Any Reason coverage is available as an optional upgrade on two plans.
- A pre-existing condition waiver is also available as an add-on.
Travel Guard by AIG offers a basic Essential plan for $133, just a little higher than average, but adding coverage may raise that price.
More resources for cruise travel insurance shoppers
Bookmark these resources to help you make smart money moves as you shop for cruise travel insurance.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Explore more on
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary,
trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed
studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with
industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness
and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high
standards for journalism by reading our
editorial guidelines.
