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Best cruise insurance 2026
We reveal the best travel insurance policies if you're going on a cruise and why standard travel cover isn't enough
Dean is an award-winning personal finance writer who’s spent over 15 years helping consumers navigate the tangled and fascinating world of insurance.
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Get a quoteWhy you can trust our cruise insurance reviews
Expert analysis
We've rated policies on 8 areas of cover relevant to cruises, as well as 67 core travel insurance elements.
Cabin confinement
We've listed the cover available if illness or injury means you're stuck in your cabin and miss excursions.
What is cruise insurance?
Cruise insurance is a specific type of travel insurance that covers accidents, injuries and other potential mishaps that could occur during a cruise holiday.
The European Health Insurance Card (Ehic) and Global Health Insurance Card (Ghic) won't cover the cost of a rescue from a cruise ship, so relying on them alone could prove extremely costly.
Here, we reveal the best travel insurers for holidaymakers going on a cruise and explain why standard travel cover may not suffice.
- See our Which? recommended cruise lines and river cruise lines
Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of an insurer before committing to any financial products.
Best travel insurance policies for cruises
We've listed the travel insurance policies that offer cruise cover either as standard or as an add-on.
They're ranked by policy score, which (unlike the scores in our best travel insurance reviews) include cover features specifically designed for this type of holiday. Some of these cruise-specific features are shown in our tables.
| Get a quote | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
best buy | Plus - Annual Multi-Trip | Included | 82% | £1,500 | £300 | £20,000 | £20,000 | Check you're getting a great deal on travel insurance using the service provided by Confused |
best buy | Plus - Single Trip | Included | 81% | £1,000 | £300 | £15,000 | £15,000 | |
best buy | Flex Plus | Optional extra | 79% | £10,000 | £1,000 | £1,500 | £10,000 | |
Leisure Guard Direct | Premier Plus | Optional extra | 75% | £1,500 | £1,000 | £500 | £300 | |
Tesco Personal Finance | Premier | Optional extra | 75% | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | |
best buy | Platinum | Optional extra | 74% | £1,500 | £1,500 | £750 | £1,000 | |
Leisure Guard Flexi | Gold | Optional extra | 70% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | £300 | |
| Platinum | Optional extra | 70% | £750 | £500 | £500 | £250 | ||
Travel Insurance Saver | Gold | Optional extra | 70% | £4,000 | £500 | £500 | £500 | |
Leisure Guard Direct | Premier | Optional extra | 69% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | £300 | |
best buy | Platinum | Optional extra | 70% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | |
best buy | Platinum | Included | 70% | £1,000 | £500 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Tesco Personal Finance | Gold | Optional extra | 69% | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Travel Insurance Saver | Gold (Aggregator) | Optional extra | 69% | £4,000 | £500 | £500 | £500 | |
best buy | Gold | Optional extra | 70% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | £1,000 | |
best buy | Platinum | Optional extra | 69% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,500 | |
Cedar Tree | Platinum | Optional extra | 69% | £500 | £500 | £1,500 | £750 | |
Insure & Escape | First | Optional extra | 69% | £500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £750 | |
NatWest | Black Account Travel Insurance | Included | 70% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £10,000 | £10,000 | |
Leisure Guard Flexi | Silver | Optional extra | 68% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | £300 | |
CoverForYou | Platinum | Optional extra | 69% | £500 | £500 | £750 | £750 | |
RBS | Black Account Travel Insurance | Included | 69% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £10,000 | £10,000 | |
best buy | Diamond | Optional extra | 68% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £5,000 | |
Travel Insurance Saver | Silver | Optional extra | 68% | £2,500 | £500 | £500 | £500 | |
| Gold | Optional extra | 67% | £750 | £500 | £500 | £250 | ||
best buy | Platinum | Optional extra | 68% | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £5,000 | |
best buy | Gold | Optional extra | 68% | £2,000 | £2,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | |
best buy | Gold Plus | Optional extra | 67% | £1,000 | £500 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Tesco Personal Finance | Standard | Optional extra | 67% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | |
best buy | Black | Optional extra | 67% | £1,000 | £500 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Explorer | Level 5 | Optional extra | 67% | £1,500 | £600 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Travel Insurance Saver | Silver (Aggregator) | Optional extra | 66% | £2,500 | £500 | £500 | £500 | |
Leisure Guard Direct | Standard | Optional extra | 65% | £500 | £1,000 | £500 | £300 | |
best buy | Gold | Optional extra | 66% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Just Travel Cover: Fit 4 Travel | Gold | Optional extra | 66% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Leisure Guard Flexi | Bronze | Optional extra | 65% | £500 | £1,000 | £500 | £300 | |
Post Office | Premier | Optional extra | 65% | £1,000 | £300 | £500 | £500 | |
CoverForYou | Gold | Optional extra | 64% | £500 | £250 | £500 | £500 | |
Cedar Tree | Gold | Optional extra | 64% | £500 | £250 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Great Cover | Platinum | Optional extra | 65% | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £750 | |
best buy | Gold | Optional extra | 65% | £1,000 | £500 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Explorer | Level 4 | Optional extra | 64% | £1,000 | £600 | £1,000 | £500 | |
best buy | Premier Plus | Optional extra | 64% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,500 | |
Insure & Escape | Premium | Optional extra | 64% | £500 | £750 | £500 | £500 | |
best buy | Silver | Optional extra | 64% | £1,000 | £750 | £500 | £1,000 | |
Tesco Personal Finance | Economy | Optional extra | 63% | £500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | |
best buy | Max | Optional extra | 63% | £1,000 | £500 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Just Travel Cover: Select | Gold | Optional extra | 64% | £2,500 | £2,000 | £1,500 | £750 | |
Tesco Personal Finance | Silver | Optional extra | 63% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | |
TravelTime | Premier Plus | Optional extra | 63% | £1,000 | £750 | £1,000 | £750 | |
Just Travel Cover: Avion | Gold | Optional extra | 64% | £100 | £2,000 | £2,000 | £1,000 | |
Alpha | Zero | Optional extra | 63% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,250 | |
| Premier | Optional extra | 63% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £3,000 | ||
| Silver | Optional extra | 64% | £2,000 | £2,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | ||
Multitrip | Premier Plus | Optional extra | 63% | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £750 | |
| Silver | Optional extra | 62% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | ||
ATI (Annual Travel Insurance) | Super Plus | Optional extra | 62% | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £750 | |
Post Office | Standard | Optional extra | 61% | £1,000 | £225 | £500 | £500 | |
Explorer | Level 3 | Optional extra | 61% | £750 | £600 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Travel Plus | Travel Plus | Optional extra | 62% | £1,500 | £500 | £500 | £500 | |
Just Travel Cover: Free 2 Travel | Gold | Optional extra | 62% | £1,000 | £2,000 | £2,000 | £1,000 | |
Alpha | Alpha 50 | Optional extra | 61% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,250 | |
World First | Premier | Optional extra | 62% | £5,000 | £500 | £400 | £3,000 | |
Insure & Escape | Economy | Optional extra | 60% | £250 | £500 | £500 | £300 | |
| Sapphire | Optional extra | 61% | £800 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £3,000 | ||
World First | Standard | Optional extra | 61% | £3,000 | £500 | £400 | £3,000 | |
TravelTime | Premier | Optional extra | 60% | £750 | £600 | £500 | £500 | |
| Gold | Optional extra | 61% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £5,000 | ||
Alpha | Alpha 75 | Optional extra | 60% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,250 | |
| Pro | Optional extra | 59% | £750 | £375 | £750 | £350 | ||
World First | Classic | Optional extra | 60% | £2,000 | £500 | £400 | £2,000 | |
Explorer | Level 2 | Optional extra | 59% | £500 | £600 | £500 | £500 | |
Alpha | Alpha 100 | Optional extra | 60% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,250 | |
| Silver | Optional extra | 60% | £1,000 | £500 | £1,000 | £500 | ||
Just Travel Cover: Select | Silver | Optional extra | 60% | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Just Travel Cover: Free 2 Travel | Silver | Optional extra | 60% | £750 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £400 | |
Just Travel Cover: Good2Go Extra | Gold | Optional extra | 59% | £750 | £500 | £1,000 | £750 | |
Cedar Tree | Silver | Optional extra | 58% | £500 | £125 | £200 | £300 | |
Just Travel Cover: Fit 4 Travel | Silver | Optional extra | 59% | £1,000 | £500 | £500 | £250 | |
| Bronze | Optional extra | 60% | £2,000 | £2,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | ||
Explorer | Level 1 | Optional extra | 57% | £500 | £600 | £500 | £500 | |
Tesco Personal Finance | Bronze | Optional extra | 58% | £500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | |
Alpha | Alpha 150 | Optional extra | 58% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,250 | |
Elect | Platinum | Optional extra | 59% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £2,000 | £750 | |
ATI (Annual Travel Insurance) | Super | Optional extra | 58% | £750 | £750 | £1,000 | £350 | |
| Emerald | Optional extra | 58% | £500 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | ||
| Backpackers Max | Optional extra | 57% | £750 | £375 | £750 | £350 | ||
| Backpackers Core | Optional extra | 57% | £750 | £375 | £750 | £350 | ||
Travel Insurance 4 Medical | Superior | Optional extra | 57% | £100 | £500 | £400 | £500 | |
| Standard | Optional extra | 58% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,500 | ||
Just Travel Cover: Avion | Silver | Optional extra | 58% | £750 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £400 | |
TravelTime | Economy | Optional extra | 57% | £200 | £600 | £500 | £500 | |
| Silver | Optional extra | 58% | £1,000 | £1,500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | ||
Travel Insurance 4 Medical | Standard | Optional extra | 56% | £100 | £500 | £400 | £500 | |
Multitrip | Premier | Optional extra | 56% | £1,500 | £750 | £1,000 | £350 | |
World First | Economy | Optional extra | 55% | £750 | £500 | £400 | £750 | |
| Admiral | Optional extra | 55% | £750 | £500 | £500 | £250 | ||
Just Travel Cover: Free 2 Travel | Bronze | Optional extra | 55% | £200 | £500 | £500 | £300 | |
| Core | Optional extra | 54% | £500 | £250 | £500 | £250 | ||
Elect | Gold | Optional extra | 55% | £750 | £750 | £1,000 | £500 | |
| Bronze | Optional extra | 54% | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 | ||
Just Travel Cover: Good2Go Extra | Silver | Optional extra | 54% | £750 | £500 | £1,000 | £750 | |
Just Travel Cover: Avion | Bronze | Optional extra | 53% | £200 | £500 | £500 | £300 | |
ATI (Annual Travel Insurance) | Economy | Optional extra | 53% | £500 | £500 | £500 | £250 | |
Great Cover | Gold | Optional extra | 53% | £500 | £500 | £500 | £250 | |
Travel Insurance 4 Medical | Economy Extra | Optional extra | 52% | £100 | £500 | £400 | £500 | |
Post Office | Economy | Optional extra | 52% | £1,000 | £150 | £500 | £500 | |
Multitrip | Essential | Optional extra | 51% | £500 | £500 | £500 | £250 | |
Elect | Silver | Optional extra | 51% | £200 | £500 | £500 | £300 |
Table note: The policy score is our assessment of how comprehensive the travel insurance is, including cruise-specific cover areas. See our full methodology below.
best buy
Saga Plus - Annual Multi-trip
Cruise cover comes included with Plus. If your ship misses scheduled ports, you can claim up to £300, and its cancellation cover (£20,000) extends to lost costs from being medically confined to your cabin.
82%
1
out of 111 policies rated
best buy
Nationwide FlexPlus
An optional add-on to its FlexPlus policy, part of its packaged bank account, Nationwide's cruise cover includes £1,000 for if the cruise misses scheduled ports and you can pick missed departure cover of between £5,000 and £10,000.
79%
3
out of 111 policies rated
What does cruise insurance cover?
Most cruise insurance policies cover the following areas:
Cabin confinement
If you fall ill during your cruise, you may be ordered to stay confined to your cabin to stop your illness from spreading.
The cabin-confinement clause in cruise insurance allows you to receive compensation for every 24-hour period during which this applies. In our most recent analysis, the median total cover limit was £1,000.
Unused excursions
Most cruise insurance companies will cover the cost of any pre-booked excursions you're unable to use because you've been confined to your cabin due to illness or injury.
Itinerary change
Sometimes your cruise operator may have to change the itinerary of your trip due to adverse weather, timetable restrictions, or mechanical failures.
For example, if you signed up for a cruise with eight stops on the itinerary, but due to a faulty engine, you could only visit six. If a significant proportion of the services on your cruise can't be provided, you should also be entitled to compensation from the cruise operator.
Missed port departure
Missed port departure covers the cost of accommodation and travel expenses if you miss the start of your cruise and you need to catch it at another port. This could be due to a number of reasons, such as:
- Public transport delays
- An accident or breakdown in the vehicle you're travelling in
- An accident or breakdown on a motorway that causes delays
- Strike, industrial action or adverse weather.
Cancellation and curtailment
Cruise holidays can be expensive and are often booked far in advance of the travel date. Cancellation cover allows you to claim back the cost if you need to cancel your trip before you set sail. This includes things such as flights, hotel bookings, and travel to and from airports.
Curtailment covers the cost of your cruise if it's cut short and you have to unexpectedly return home early.
Cruise interruption
Cruise interruption covers the cost of needing hospital treatment during your cruise. This includes medical bills as well as expenses required for you to rejoin the cruise, where possible.
Medical expenses
Medical expenses cover costs that arise due to you falling ill or getting injured during your trip. This includes the cost of medical treatment, procedures and daily hospital room fees where they apply.
Medical expenses also cover the cost of having to fly you back to the UK via air ambulance so that you can be treated. Some policies will also pay for accommodation for your travel companions if you require extensive treatment.
Baggage and belongings
Most cruise insurance policies will cover the cost of your baggage or belongings being lost, stolen or delayed during your trip. The level of cover that you're likely to get may vary depending on your policy, so be sure to check the terms and conditions.
Money
The majority of cruise insurance policies will cover the cost of your travel money being lost or stolen. The sum you're allowed to claim for will vary among insurers, so it's important to make sure you have the right level of cover.
Instead of buying lots of foreign currency, you might be better off with a travel debit card or travel credit card. You'll get a better exchange rate, often there are no fees, and you'll be protected against fraud.
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More on cruise insurance
How we analyse cruise insurance
In March/April 2026, we surveyed 47 travel insurance companies about their levels of cover and analysed 160 of their policies.
The policies in the table contained features of cruise cover, either as standard within the policy or as an optional add-on. These are missed port cover, cancellation cover, curtailment cover, cabin confinement cover, unused excursions cover and missed departure cover.
The policy score you see here includes those cruise-specific cruise elements, in addition to 120 'usual' features of travel insurance cover.
The higher the policy score, the more generally comprehensive the policy.
Claims performance, service and price aren't taken into account in the score, just the levels of cover.
Initially, we score all the product elements out of five, reflecting how competitive each provider is in that area compared with other insurers.
Then, based on our assessment of which elements are more or less important for customers choosing and using policies, we adjust the impact that each element has on the overall score. Among the highest-weighted elements are medical expenses cover, cancellation cover and the compulsory excesses on the policy.
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