Cruises are the ultimate choice in a relaxing vacation: enjoy great food, shows, pools, and exciting destinations without having to coordinate logistics or walk around a theme park all day long (although that can be fun too). You book it months or even a year in advance, plan out your flights to port, and look forward to getting away from it all. But how can you make sure you can truly relax?
Travel insurance is a type of policy that protects your vacation in the event of unforseen circumstances. You can either purchase it through your travel agent, directly from the company, or through a vacation package. At Ears of Experience, we work with Travel Insured to provide our clients with excellent coverage and we recommend insurance especially for our Disney Cruise Line families.
Here’s why you should always have travel insurance for a cruise.
Note: I’m definitely not here to be a Negative Nancy (that’s just not my style). But I do consider it my responsibility to make sure my clients have everything they need to enjoy their vacations. Unpredictable events can, and do, happen and thanks to the Girl Scouts I always have my “Be Prepared” motto in my head!
Protect Your Investment in the Event of a Last-Minute Cancellation
No one likes to think of canceling their vacation, but a lot can happen in the span of a year. If you have to cancel your trip due to a family illness, injury, pregnancy, job loss, jury duty, or another unfortunate event you’ll be able to receive a refund of your nonrefundable deposits.
Take Care of Any Pre-Existing Conditions
Most travel insurance policies will cover cancellations and interruptions due to pre-existing conditions if you purchase the policy within a certain time-frame after your deposit (for Travel Insured it’s 21 days). Not only can this cover you if you have a condition that flares up, it can also cover your trip if an extended family member falls ill.
In Case You Have to Cut Your Trip Short
Even when you’re relaxing on vacation, sometimes the real world decides to interfere with your plans. If you need to cut your trip short due to illness or to get home to a family member, travel insurance will reimburse you for your costs. In the case of a cruise, this can be a big expense so travel insurance will more than pay for itself.
Be Prepared for Medical Emergencies or Evacuation
This one can seem scary at first, but accidents and illnesses can happen even while you’re on vacation. Medical capabilities are limited while on-board a cruise, and may be expensive at your ports of call. If you or a family member requires medical attention, you’ll want to know that the services are covered. Travel insurance can cover the costs of treatment as well as the cost of evacuating you off the ship to the nearest hospital.
Deal with the Unpredictable Weather
Planning to cruise the Caribbean or Bahamas between June and November? Travel insurance relieves your worry about potential hurricanes (or any other weather interference). If your cruise is canceled or redirected, insurance can help reimburse you for expenses. It can also help you cover a new flight or catch up with the ship at the next port.
No One Likes to Miss the Boat
One of the biggest anxieties about coordinating flights for a cruise is what happens if your flight gets canceled or delayed. This can cause you to miss the boat (hence why we always recommend flying in the day before your cruise departs). Travel insurance can cover the expense of purchasing a flight to rejoin your cruise at its next port of call.
Keep Your Plans Flexible When Flights Are Canceled or Delayed
Speaking of flight changes, travel insurance is also great if a several hour delay causes you to miss a connection. Besides arrival to the port, this can also be helpful if you’re planning a Land & Sea vacation and your delay causes you to miss a day at the Disney parks.
Insure Your Possessions
I hate when my bags are delayed (or lost) by the airlines. If you’ll be checking baggage, travel insurance can cover the cost to replace your items. It can also cover the purchase of temporary supplies (such as clothes).
Ensure Your Vacation Is Truly Stress-Free
My number one reason for purchasing travel insurance? No one wants to spend the months counting down to their trip worrying about the “what if’s”. Cruises can be a big investment (albeit a worthwhile one). There is a lot of time between when you book and when you travel. Plus, you never know what curve balls life will throw at you. It’s best to be prepared and give yourself the peace of mind that everything is taken care of.
As you can see, there are many reasons you should consider travel insurance on your cruise. In fact, many of these benefits are just as useful if you’re staying on dry land (like for your Walt Disney World Vacation). Your vacation should be thrilling, relaxing, exciting, refreshing, and a whole bunch of other great adjectives, but never stressful.
Want more information about Disney Cruise Line or travel protection insurance? Send me an email at jtullino@themouseexperts.com and I’ll be happy to assist you.
Ready for your next Disney trip? Let me help design your dream Disney vacation! I offer stress-free vacation planning, personalized itineraries, 1-on-1 concierge services, and more at no cost to you. Request a free, no-obligation quote through my web form, email me at jtullino@themouseexperts.com, or call me at (321) 222-DSNY. I’d love to help your plan your most memorable vacation yet!
