Have you ever wondered what it’s like to sail along the waters of Australia while taking in the sights? You aren’t alone. In fact, Australian cruises are projected to grow by 9.65% between 2023 and 2027.
Having cruise insurance that can provide coverage while you’re on the high seas is important. Make finding a good cruise travel insurance for Australia policy a priority in your trip planning process so you have coverage for unexpected trip emergencies.
When thinking about travel insurance, many people consider insurance for flights and international trips, but insurance for cruises is also a consideration. Did you know the U.S. Department of State advises travelers to “have medical, emergency evacuation, and other insurance to cover unexpected travel expenses when abroad”?
PRO TIP: Read up on the U.S. Department of State’s cruise ship page for tips and advice on cruising safely.
Although not widely broadcast, cruise ship passengers face many of the same issues other people experience when flying, like medical emergencies, cancellations, trip interruptions, and lost, stolen, or damaged luggage.
Having coverage may help ensure your trip isn’t a total bust by providing a refund for covered expenses and missed prepaid excursions if your trip gets delayed, interrupted, or canceled for a covered reason. Sometimes travel mishaps are inevitable, but having a travel insurance plan can relieve some unnecessary stress to your wallet.
As you begin preparing for your cruise, it’s important to know and understand the requirements for travel. The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care requires a valid passport and a visa or Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) for an overseas cruise in Australia.
One of the first questions you could ask yourself when organizing travel documents is, “Do I need travel insurance for a cruise in Australian waters?” As of 6/29/2023, Australia doesn’t require travelers to purchase travel insurance. There are also no COVID vaccination requirements.
However, the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care recommends travelers get cruise-specific travel insurance that covers the cruise and activities on the shore. The Australian Government will NOT pay for your medical costs or medical evacuation costs, nor will the U.S. government cover medical bills for U.S. travelers abroad.
PRO TIP! If your Australian cruise includes stops in other countries, you’ll want to verify their travel insurance requirements too. Use Kayak's interactive travel restrictions map to determine requirements for each country you are visiting.
There are many benefits to having international cruise travel insurance. For instance, cruises can be delayed due to bad weather. Imagine landing in Australia to find out your cruise won’t be leaving the port. You don’t have a plan B, you don’t have hotel reservations, and you don’t know anyone in Australia you can call to assist.
At this point, you may be asking, “Is cruise insurance worth it?” You likely want some details on what scenarios you could have coverage for with cruise travel insurance.
Let’s highlight some of the reasons why you might want cruise travel insurance:
These are just some of the scenarios that may prompt the need for a cruise travel insurance plan.
When looking for travel insurance for cruises, here are some of the benefits you may want to look for:
The most robust cruise travel insurance Australia policy will likely include all these benefits. Our Atlas Journey® travel insurance could be the ideal multi-night cruise travel insurance for your trip to Australia because of the comprehensive coverage it provides. Plus, it features all of the above benefits.
Choose from three levels of coverage: Elevate, Explore, and Escape.
Are you interested in cruise travel insurance with cancel for any reason coverage? Upgrade your Atlas Journey plan to include Trip Cancellation for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage to give you the freedom to cancel your trip for any reason and receive reimbursement for 50% or 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable costs—whichever you choose upon purchase.
This optional upgrade is available with our Elevate and Explore plans as long as you purchase your coverage:
Adventure Sports coverage might be another coverage upgrade to get for your Australian cruise. Our Adventure Sports upgrade extends coverage to include sports like safari, bungee jumping, hang gliding, and more. This upgrade is available with our Atlas Journey Elevate or Explore plans.
Visit our cruise travel insurance page to learn more about what is included in an Atlas Journey plan or get a free quote now.
There are four factors that determine the price of your cruise travel insurance plan:
You can use our quote engine to quickly see and compare prices between our three Atlas Journey plans.
It’s no secret that seniors love going on cruises in their retirement. Cruise travel is a great way for seniors to see the world and enjoy the fruits of their labor. It's also a great idea to purchase travel insurance to cover unexpected travel mishaps and medical emergencies.
The best cruise travel insurance for seniors will include a variety of benefits that cover both emergency medical expenses and travel mishaps, like trip interruption and lost luggage.
Atlas Journey travel insurance for seniors over 70 and others can cover up to 100% of trip costs up to the benefit maximum for canceling a trip for a covered reason. Seniors also get Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains coverage while traveling and coverage for other emergency medical expenses.
Travel assistance services are also included with every Atlas Journey travel insurance plan to help travelers through various travel mishaps and emergencies.
DID YOU KNOW? WorldTrips’ Atlas Journey Preferred plan was named in Forbes Advisor’s list of the best senior travel insurance plans.
Having a list of the most important benefits will help travelers decide on the best international travel insurance for seniors taking a cruise in Australia. Whether you choose our more budget-friendly Atlas Journey Escape travel insurance or our Elevate plan, make sure your priority benefits align with your plan. While Elevate may be more expensive, its plan maximums may more closely align with your travel plans.
And if trip cancellation coverage isn’t a priority, consider checking out travel medical insurance like our Atlas Travel medical insurance plan.