Cruise travel insurance
Cruise travel insurance tailored to your trip and health
Set sail with confidence knowing your health and holiday are protected. From river cruises to ocean voyages, our cover is designed with cruises in mind.
Add cover for cabin confinement, itinerary changes and more- Protection for most pre-existing medical conditions
- Single trip and annual multi-trip options available
What is cruise travel insurance?
Cruise travel insurance is a specialist type of cover designed for cruises. Unlike standard travel insurance, it’s built around the unique situations that can arise at sea – from limited access to medical care to the way a cruise itinerary works. It gives you cover that’s tailored to life on board journeying between ports and when you come ashore.
What does cruise insurance cover?
When you take out Staysure cruise travel insurance, you’ll be protected for:
- emergency medical care and repatriation – whether treatment is needed on board or in a hospital abroad
- cover for declared medical conditions – including emergencies linked to conditions you tell us about
- cabin confinement – daily compensation if the ship’s doctor requires you to remain in your cabin
- missed port departure – if delays mean you can’t reach your ship in time
- unused excursions – reimbursement for prepaid shore trips you can’t attend due to illness
- 24/7 emergency support – global English-language helpline, even while you’re at sea
Planning more than one trip?
Cruise travel insurance can be bought as a single trip or annual multi-trip policy:
Single trip cruise insurance
- Covers you for one holiday – from the moment you buy until you return home.
- Includes cancellation cover from day one.
- Add Cruise Plus Cover for extra protection.
Annual multi-trip cruise insurance
- Covers multiple holidays over 12 months.
- Up to 183 days total travel per year.
- Trips up to 50 days if you’re 70 or under (extendable to 100 with an upgrade).
- Trips up to 35 days if you’re 71 or older, up to age 85.
Tailor your cover with cruise-friendly extras
Cruises are unique holidays, and a few optional add-ons can make sure your cover fits every part of your trip:
- Cruise cover – essential for any cruise, with protection for missed ports, cabin confinement, itinerary changes, medical care at sea and more.
- Excess waiver – remove the standard excess so you won’t need to pay towards approved claims.
- Winter sports cover – included with Comprehensive annual policies (up to 2 trips, 21 days combined) or available on single trips if you’re 70 or under.
- Single item cover – extra reassurance for valuables, with protection increased to €1,000 per item.
Built-in medical cover
Your medical needs shouldn’t stop you from exploring the world. If you have pre-existing conditions – like asthma, diabetes or high blood pressure – we can normally include them in your travel insurance.
When you get a quote, you’ll complete a short medical questionnaire so we can tailor your cover.
With Staysure, you’ll get:
- emergency medical and repatriation cover included as standard
- 24/7 medical emergency helpline, wherever you are in the world
- A discount on medical loading costs if you have private medical insurance with coverage when abroad of a minimum of €55.000
Even if you already have private medical insurance, it won’t cover trip cancellation, travel delay, missed departures or lost, stolen or damaged baggage. That’s where we step in.
Trusted by travellers for over 20 years
More than 12 million people across the UK and Europe have chosen Staysure for their cover – earning us an Excellent rating on Trustpilot. In 2025, we were proud to bring our award-winning travel insurance to Ireland.
Backed by Staysure UK
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More 5-star Trustpilot reviews than any other UK travel insurance provider.
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Excellent rating from over 390,000 UK customers.
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Voted Best Company for Travel Insurance at the British Travel Awards for 8 years running.
Easy claims, when you need us most
Our claims process is designed to be clear and supportive – so you know what to expect if something goes wrong on your trip.
- Friendly, expert claims teams are here to help.
- Clear step-by-step guidance on what information to provide.
- Quick, fair decisions and fast payouts on approved claims.
Many of our customers have shared how easy it was to make a claim – and we’re bringing that same care and reliability to Ireland.
Here’s what they’ve said about their experience:
- 1st class service and quick to pay claim
“Got sick on a trip to Thailand. Never made a claim in my life for anything but it was so easy when I got home. I spoke to them when I was in Thailand and they were very helpful. Claim paid out as expected. Highly recommended.” – Terry, Staysure Expat customer, Trustpilot review
- Superb, no hassle service.
“We are choosing Staysure again as we had to make a claim some years ago and there was no fuss whatever in getting our money back from treatment on a cruise ship. We wouldn't even consider another company.” – Donna, Staysure Expat customer, Trustpilot review
When should I buy my annual travel insurance?
When you’re booking a cruise, it’s important to arrange your travel insurance at the same time. That way, your cancellation cover is in place straight away if your plans change before you set sail.
Why buy early?
- Cancellation cover starts from the day your policy begins.
- Protection if you need to cancel due to illness, injury or other unforeseen events.
- Cover that lasts right through your holiday, from departure day to the day you arrive home.
With cruise cover, you’re also protected for cruise-specific situations – such as missed port departures, cabin confinement due to illness, or unused excursions.
Booking ahead?
You can add cruise cover up to 18 months in advance. If you’re taking out an annual policy, just make sure cruise cover is included.
What isn’t covered by cruise travel insurance?
While Staysure cruise travel insurance is designed to cover the most important risks of your holiday, there are some exclusions. You won’t be covered for:
- travelling abroad for planned or routine medical treatment
- incidents linked to alcohol or controlled substances
- travelling to destinations where the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) advises against “all” or “all but essential” travel
- choosing not to receive COVID-19 vaccinations (unless you have a valid exemption)
- any pre-existing medical conditions you didn’t declare when buying your policy
It’s always best to review your policy documents carefully so you know exactly what’s included and excluded.