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Travel Insurance question: Is the Princess Vacation Protection enough or should I purchase additional travel insurance

By silvertear , June 8, 2023 in Princess Cruises

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Hello everyone,

As per the subject line, I'm wondering if the Princess Vacation Protection (platinum plan) is enough or should I look to purchase additional travel insurance from another provider?  I'm hoping I never have to use any sort of travel insurance but I figure I'd ask if I should get one, the other or both the princess and 3rd party insurance to make sure I've covered all bases.  Thanks in advance for any responses.

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It depends on where you are cruising and what your current health coverage is and what it covers.

My coverage outside of the US is not great and Princess's $20K limit on medical is very low. So I do buy something else. I recently bought a GeoBlue policy (just health coverage). I have also bought an Allianz policy.

There is an insurance portion of CC which maybe a better place to ask this question.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/  

5 hours ago, silvertear said: Hello everyone,   As per the subject line, I'm wondering if the Princess Vacation Protection (platinum plan) is enough or should I look to purchase additional travel insurance from another provider?  I'm hoping I never have to use any sort of travel insurance but I figure I'd ask if I should get one, the other or both the princess and 3rd party insurance to make sure I've covered all bases.  Thanks in advance for any responses.

Welcome to Cruise Critic ;o)   For most people, the Princess coverage is quite limited and can "beaten" easily by other insurance products. The only benefit that is worth it for many is their Cancel For Any Reason clause, which will allow you cancel a trip for ANY reason up to just before you travel. You would then receive 100% of the non-refundable cruise fare back as an FCC, where most other insurers offering CFAR coverage only go to 75-80%.

Are you mostly concerned about coverage of the trip interruption/cancellation or health/medical evacuation coverage?   As already said the cancel for any reason is a huge plus of the Princess coverage which btw includes flight cost booked thru Princess Easy Air. Yes many feel their medical limits are low should you have a serious health challenge while away so many do buy additional or even alternative plans. We’ve used Geo Blue for many years (never had a claim with them) but they only cover you will traveling outside the USA. Their annual coverage plans offer reasonable coverage and reasonable rate depending on your age and essentially unlimited travel over 12 months. It’s a branch of blue cross blue shield insurance. There are several companies offering similar plans.   

More than likely your current medical insurance will offer limited (or no) coverage while out of the country but it’s worth verifying just in case.  

On a side note I will add that most if not all auto insurance companies in the USA will not cover you if you rent an auto outside the USA. Just something to be aware of. 

I didn't realize this was your first post - Welcome!

The one thing to be very careful about is pre-existing conditions. My TA has an Allianz policy that covers pre-existing conditions at final payment. Most you have to buy 3rd party policy at booking to cover pre-exiting conditions. Princess's policy has a 60 day look back window on pre-existing conditions.

This guy has been helpful and sells a variety of polices:  https://tripinsurancestore.com    - Steve is one of the main people there and he has helped me when I have had complicated trips and I am not sure how to cover it.

I agree - the benefit of Princess's insurance is that you can cancel for any reason and get future cruise credit (percentage depending on which policy you buy).

4 minutes ago, gottagocit said: As already said the cancel for any reason is a huge plus of the Princess coverage which btw includes flight cost booked thru Princess Easy Air. Yes many feel their medical limits are low should you have a serious health challenge while away so many do buy additional or even alternative plans. We’ve used Geo Blue for many years (never had a claim with them) but they only cover you will traveling outside the USA. Their annual coverage plans offer reasonable coverage and reasonable rate depending on your age and essentially unlimited travel over 12 months. It’s a branch of blue cross blue shield insurance. There are several companies offering similar plans. 

I recently bought GeoBlue for my Alaska trip as I spent several days in Canada before and Princess's insurance wouldn't cover my time before the cruise. It was quite affordable and worked out well for my situation. I also didn't file a claim but they have a good reputation.

For example - if you are going to Europe for a European cruise but decided to spend a week before touring on land and you buy Princess's insurance, Princess's insurance won't cover you for your land trip. GeoBlue is a great policy for that.

A lot depends on your current health insurance. Mine is awful outside of the US. Others have great policies.

1 hour ago, Coral said: A lot depends on your current health insurance. Mine is awful outside of the US. Others have great policies.

Remember too, that Medicare provides no coverage outside of the USA.  I'm not sure about Medicare supplemental plans, but I'd suspect the don't either.  So if your only US health insurance is some blend of Medicare and Medicare supplemental, you'd absolutely need travel insurance for medical.

  I thought I'd never need insurance coverage.  A slip and fall taking all of 2 seconds changed my mind about that once and for all.

LACruiser88

We always buy the Princess insurance and also a yearly Trekker plan from GeoBlue for international medical and evacuation coverage.

1 hour ago, DCThunder said: Remember too, that Medicare provides no coverage outside of the USA.  I'm not sure about Medicare supplemental plans, but I'd suspect the don't either.  So if your only US health insurance is some blend of Medicare and Medicare supplemental, you'd absolutely need travel insurance for medical.     I thought I'd never need insurance coverage.  A slip and fall taking all of 2 seconds changed my mind about that once and for all.

We have a Medicare Advantage plan and it does cover us outside the US.  Gives us peace of mind.

4 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said: We always buy the Princess insurance and also a yearly Trekker plan from GeoBlue for international medical and evacuation coverage.

I was looking at GeoBlue Trekker coverages.  One thing I noticed was that medical expense coverage dropped from $1M to $100K when you turn 70 up until age 94.  So you can't just look at the top line coverages, and not consider the fine print.

I'm no insurance expert, but I'd also wonder about the subrogation of the Princess coverage and then the GeoBlue coverage for a medical or medevac situation.

Rick&Jeannie

We have also purchased the GeoBlue Trekker.  That combined with the Princess Platinum and what little our Medicare Advantage plans give us seems like we should be well covered.  I also just subscribed to MedJet Assist for medical evacuation.  I thought it to be very well priced for what it does for you.

In the past I have used a Travel Insurance comparison website that allows you to filter in what sort of coverage you want and the amounts.  Such as Cancel for any reason, or Pre-existing conditions, or Medical only.  All of the companies that people are naming here are included in the tool.  Just do an internet search for a comparison website and I'm sure it will hit you right in the mouth.  Not sure I can share the name here.  

We purchased the Princess vacation protection because my husband has had some health issues over the past 6 months that would make him ineligible for any other plan other than very expensive cancel for any reason plans. Even plans that state that they cover pre-existing conditions limit that to stable medical conditions. If you have a pending medical test or surgery at the time you buy the insurance, the pre-existing condition waiver does not apply and you cannot get coverage. It's 95% likely that we'll be able to cruise as scheduled, but just in case it was worth it for us to get the Princess plan. Also, we are going to Alaska so our health insurance would cover us for that.

4 hours ago, DCThunder said: .  I'm not sure about Medicare supplemental plans, but I'd suspect the don't either

Ours did - 100%, no deductible - all but the $28 medical records copy fee - this was NON-COVID

6 hours ago, DCThunder said: Remember too, that Medicare provides no coverage outside of the USA.  I'm not sure about Medicare supplemental plans, but I'd suspect the don't either.

Many Medicare Supplement plans ( lettered Plans C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, M, and N)  offer foreign emergency travel coverage - with limitations.  They all cover 80% after a $250 annual deductible.  There is a lifetime limit of $50K.  It doesn't matter who your carrier is, thy all work the same.  The only exception is if you are a resident of MA, MN or WI. They all have state specific plans that are different from the other states.

1 hour ago, voljeep said: Ours did - 100%, no deductible - all but the $28 medical records copy fee - this was NON-COVID

If yours covered you completely, you must be a resident of Massachusetts (or possible Minnesota).  Otherwise you don't have a Medicare Supplement (aka Medigap) plan. Some Medicare Advantage plans will cover you fully outside of the US.  Some employer sponsored retiree plans (typically government or military) will also offer this kind of coverage.  

1 minute ago, Jersey42 said: Many Medicare Supplement plans ( lettered Plans C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, M, and N)  offer foreign emergency travel coverage - with limitations.  They all cover 80% after a $250 annual deductible.  There is a lifetime limit of $50K.  It doesn't matter who your carrier is, thy all work the same.  The only exception is if you are a resident of MA, MN or WI. They all have state specific plans that are different from the other states.   If yours covered you completely, you must be a resident of Massachusetts (or possible Minnesota).  Otherwise you don't have a Medicare Supplement (aka Medigap) plan. Some Medicare Advantage plans will cover you fully outside of the US.  Some employer sponsored retiree plans (typically government or military) will also offer this kind of coverage.  

Medicare Advantage - thanks for the correction

Wow, all the information in this thread is great to find out about.  There were a number of things that I didn't even consider about the insurance like the total medical cost, limitations on coverage and whatnot.  I suppose I don't need to worry too much as I'll be taking an Alaska cruise in September and I'm in fairly good health (no pre-existing conditions), but I will be picking up some additional insurance for medical coverage as the Princess plan's limits are on the low side.  Thank you to everyone who chimed.

1 hour ago, silvertear said: Wow, all the information in this thread is great to find out about.  There were a number of things that I didn't even consider about the insurance like the total medical cost, limitations on coverage and whatnot.  I suppose I don't need to worry too much as I'll be taking an Alaska cruise in September and I'm in fairly good health (no pre-existing conditions), but I will be picking up some additional insurance for medical coverage as the Princess plan's limits are on the low side.  Thank you to everyone who chimed.

I wasn't worried about limits on insurance for Alaska as my insurance would cover me there. I was more worried my days in Canada before the trip that was not covered by Princess's insurance and I don't have good coverage there with my employer policy.

• 1 month later...

Instead of starting a new thread, I am going to piggy back into this one.  We normally purchase supplemental insurance outside of Princess.  Mainly in case we need medical evacuation.  We have never purchased the Princess Platinum coverage.  I understand that the $20,000 medical coverage is considered low.  We do have great medical insurance which covers outside the US.  We are heading to going on a West Caribbean Cruise.  

My concerns are, not familiar with hospitals outside the US, do you have to pay upfront or do they accept payment through the insurance company.  Will the Princess Platinum coverage be enough?  Thank you

4 hours ago, dforeigner said: Instead of starting a new thread, I am going to piggy back into this one.  We normally purchase supplemental insurance outside of Princess.  Mainly in case we need medical evacuation.  We have never purchased the Princess Platinum coverage.  I understand that the $20,000 medical coverage is considered low.  We do have great medical insurance which covers outside the US.  We are heading to going on a West Caribbean Cruise.     My concerns are, not familiar with hospitals outside the US, do you have to pay upfront or do they accept payment through the insurance company.  Will the Princess Platinum coverage be enough?  Thank you

Outside the US you have to pay because they don't accept your insurance.  Have credit cards with high limits.  Princess Platinum is enough if your medical costs are less than $20,000.  If more than no.  Most people, including me, advise to get 3rd party insurance.  There is a forum here that deals strictly with travel insurance.  I suggest you read it.  Also, I would call Trip Insurance Store.  They are great.  There is currently a Q&A with the owner.   https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2648-qa-cruise-insurance-with-steve-dasseos-of-the-tripinsurancestorecom-summer-2023/

ChangeOrder

I don't get the Princess insurance. I buy a policy through CSA/Generali for each trip that covers everything. Cancel any reason, covers me from the moment I leave my house to begin the trip, reimbursement for the points I cashed in to buy the flights to Asia etc. The Princess policies are fairly limited when you want whole-trip coverage. 

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Princess Cruise Travel Insurance - 2024 Review

Princess cruise travel insurance.

• Available at Check-Out
• Strong Insurance Partner
• Good Cancellation Benefits
• Very Poor Medical Protection
• Weak Emergency Evacuation Cover

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Offering cruise vacations to 380 destinations on 7 continents, Princess Cruises is one of the most well-known cruise companies in the world. Whether you are looking to drink-in the atmosphere of their award winning itineraries, sample exquisite regional daily fresh cuisine or simply looking to relax and sample the daily cocktail over a game of deck quoits, Princess has it all.

Princess Cruises offers their own branded travel insurance plan which they call Princess Vacation Protection . The Princess Vacation Protection plan is underwritten by Nationwide and administered by Aon. Both are well-known names in the insurance industry.

To review the strenghts and weakness of the Princess Vacation Protection plan, we need to go on a Princess Cruise. So sit back, relax and enjoy as Cruise Insurance 101 goes crusing with Princess.

Cruise Itinerary

For our cruise with Princess, we haven chosen a 10-day cruise for two travelers who are aged 55 and 60. Our cruise heads off from San Francisco in California and sails to the coast of Alaska leaving on April 30 to May 10, 2022. The price for our cruise is $1,798 per person which includes taxes and fees, giving a total cost of $4,246. Our cruise takes in several ports in Alaska and in Victoria, Canada. Note that we have not included the cost of airfare in our total trip cost as the pricing can vary greatly, so for this review we will use the cruise cost only.

When we get to the checkout for our cruise, we’re asked if we’d like to include the Princess Vacation Protection Plan to our trip. As mentioned, this is Princess Cruises’ own insurance.

The Princess Vacation Protection Plan comes in both ‘Standard’ and ‘Platinum’. Let’s see the differences between the two.

Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Insurance – Standard Protection Levels

• Cancellation – up to 100% of trip cost if you cancel for illness, injury, death, etc.
• Cancel Any Reason – 75% of cruise cost given in future cruise credits
• Accident or Illness Medical Expense - $10,000
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains - $50,000
• Pre-Existing Medical Condition Waiver: No
• Trip Interruption 150% of trip cost
• Baggage Delay - $500 per Trip
• Baggage/Personal Effects - $1,500 per Trip
• Trip Delay (en route to the Trip) - $500 per Trip*
• Trip Delay (returning from the Trip) - $1,500 per Trip*

*Not to exceed $1,500 in the event of both pre- and post-cruise vacation trip delays.

Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Insurance – Platinum Protection Levels

Listing of Benefits - Maximum Benefit

• Accident or Illness Medical Expense - $20,000
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains - $75,000
• Baggage/Personal Effects - $3,000 per Trip

Let’s take a look at the pricing difference between the two plans:

The cost of the Platinum Plan is $71.92 more than the Standard Plan and it doubles the medical sickness coverage to $20,000 total whilst also increasing the medical emergency evacuation coverage by $15,000 to $75,000 total.

The Accident Medical Expense and Emergency Evacuation coverage levels that Princess offer in its Platinum policy are marginally better than that offered in the Standard plan, we feel this coverage level is far too low. With one of our Cruise Insurance 101 team having personally witnessed the helicopter evacuation of a cruise passenger during a dark and very stormy evening in 2019, the only thing that could possibly add to the trauma of the event itself is the massive cost if you are under-insured. $20,000 for medical expenses and $75,000 for evacuation would not be enough. Cruise Insurance 101 recommends a minimum of $100,000 for medical insurance and $250,000 for medical evacuation.  

What Medical Insurance Benefits do I Need when Cruising?

Travel insurance is designed to cover the financial costs of an unforeseen event. Whether this is simply the frustration of lost luggage or a missed connection or other events that can be financially devastating, such as a medical emergency abroad or a medical evacuation back home.

For cruise travel insurance to be fit for purpose, the benefits of the travel protection plan you buy must cover the likely  worst-case scenario . At Cruise Insurance 101 we will never recommend that a traveler have any less than  $100,000 of Travel Medical Insurance protection . Whils this may seem like a lot of coverage, if the worst were to happen, this really is the minimum viable amount of coverage that we recommend. The question then is why do we recommend such a high level of coverage for our cruise customers? The simple reason is that a traumatic injury or illness can result in significant medical exposure if you are under-insured.

Consider if you will the cost of International private hospitals who often charge up to $3,000-$4,000 per day. The only time that we would consider less protection than this is if a traveler has an alternative medical insurance that will cover them when overseas. This option is rare.

Whilst many countries you may visit have universal healthcare for their citizens, as a tourist, you will not be entitled to use any state medical facilities that may exist. This means that if you have cause to use the medical facilities in a host country, you will be requried to pay full cost to use those local private health facilities. Additionally, the US State Department will not provide you with financial support to pay for overseas health care – your medical bill is solely your responsibility.

What Medical Evacuation Benefits Do I Need When Cruising?

Medical Evacuation is when you have an incident or illness and it is so serious that you need to be transported home or to a medical facility. This may simply mean getting on the next commercial flight, or it may require a private jet with medical staff onboard, or even a helicopter evacuation.

The costs of these emergency medical evacuation trips can be extraordinary. It is our recommendation that for those who are traveling within 3 to 4 hours of the USA should have $250,000 of Medical Evacuation coverage when they buy their cruise travel insurance. If you are venturing further afield, we recommend that $500,000 of medical emergency evacuation cover should be sufficient.

Comparison Quotes

Based on our sample couple who are aged 55 and 60, we created a comparison quote using  Cruise Insurance 101’s  travel insurance marketplace engine. The trip cost that we used for the comparison is the cruise cost for both of our travelers which is $1,798 per person plus taxes and fees of $650, giving us a total of $4,246.

As we mentioned above, when traveling outside the United States, we recommend a minimum coverage of $100k in Medical Insurance, $250k in Medical Evacuation (and more if traveling further afield from the US), and we strongly advise you seek out a Pre-existing Medical Condition Waiver in whichever policy you buy. We used these criteria to choose the selected quotes.

The least expensive plan which provides an adequate coverage level on our quote from Cruise Insurance 101 is the Trawick First Class . This plan would be comparable to the Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Standard Plan.

If you wished for the added protection afforded by a policy which contains a Cancel For Any Reason coverage, we would chose the  Trawick First Class (CFAR75%) , because it is the least expensive plan with Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) benefits and would be comparable to the Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Platinum Plan.

Next, so that we can easily compare and contrast the available options, we broke down the benefits of each policy in a side-by-side comparison.

Cost Comparison

To compare to Princess’ Standard Plan, our recommended plan is the Trawick Frist Class at $231.00. This plan provides $150,000 of medical coverage and $1 million of medical evacuation coverage and costs $56.68 LESS than Princess Cruises’ Standard Plan. The cover is also about FIVE TIMES more than Princess will provide!

To compare to Princess’ Platinum Plan, our recommended plan is the Trawick Frist Class (CFAR 75%), at $392.70. This plan provides is identical to the Trawick First Class but it also adds the Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) option discussed above. This plan also provides $150,000 of medical coverage and $1 million of medical evacuation cover and is $38.82 LESS than Princess Cruises’ Platinum Plan. Again the coverage is also about FIVE TIMES greater than what Princess will provide!

In our opinion, the Princess Cruises Standard Protection Plan and Protection Plan Plus have low coverage for travelers venturing away from home. The Platinum Plan does increase coverage over and above the Standard Plan, but not by much.

By shopping for cruise insurance through Cruise Insurance 101 , our two travelers can save between $37.82 to $56.58 which can be applied to other things like shopping, and get far superior travel insurance protection.

In the following sections of this review, we will discuss the main areas you should expect to see when shopping for travel insurance for your Princess cruise.

Trip Cancellation

Many travelers are concerned by the need to cover their trip against an unforseen event that causes you to have to cancel your trip. Trip Cancellation protects your vacation investment if you are taken ill or had an accidental injury prior to your departure date. If you were unfortunate to experience such an event, you may have to cancel your travel arrangements which may result in financial loss. While disappointing to have to cancel your trip, Trip Cancellation is even more painful without cancellation insurance.

The Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Plan do both provide for cancellation for the following reasons to receive a cash refund of the full trip cost:

• Unexpected injury, illness, or death of traveler or immediate family member
• Involvement in a traffic accident en route to your departure causing you to miss the cruise
• Called to jury duty or subpoena
• Residence made uninhabitable by natural disaster, fire, flood, hurricane etc.
• Called to active military duty to respond to a national disaster

If you need to cancel your trip for a reason that is not wihtin this limited list, Princess will provide a cruise credit of 75% of the total trip cost that is only good for one year. If for whatever reason you cannot use the cruise credit during that period, the cruise cost is lost. Also, Princess Vacation Protection Plans do NOT cover any travel arrangement which are made outside of Princess Cruises, such as your flights to your port.

Both the Trawick First Class policy and the Trawick First Class (CFAR75%) policy can cover ALL costs which are prepaid and non-refundable. In addition, both plans offer a 100% refund for Trip Cancellations for covered events, a 150% refund for Trip Interruptions for covered events, and a substantial list of covered reasons, including needing to cancel your trip due to having caught COVID. The Trawick First Class (CFAR 75%) will also pay a 75% refund in cash if you need to cancel your trip for any other reason that is not listed in the policy. This is a cash refund and not cruise credit like the Princess plans. At Cruise Insurance 101 we believe cash is always a better option than cruise credits which may or may not be used.

Trip Interruption

A  Trip Interruption  is a situation which occurs during your trip that causes you to need to miss some or the rest of your vacation. Trip Interruption cover is like Trip Cancellation but for eventw that occur during your trip.

The most common trip interruption would be an injury or illness sustained on your vacation but where you can continue traveling after treatment. Trip interruption will reimburse you for the unused portion of your trip, and also the cost to rejoin your trip in progress. This may be connecting flights to your next port to rejoin your ship.

Trip interruption also includes events that could occur to a family member who may have a sudden serious illness or who may have sadly passed away. If your covered situation requires that your trip is cut short and going home early, Trip Interruption reimburses you for the unused portion of the trip, plus the added cost of getting you home early.

In the Princess Vacation Protection travel insurance policy, Trip Interruption benefits include reimbursement of unused trip costs paid to Princess Cruises plus the added cost of transportation home. They will not reimburse for any travel arrangement made outside of Princess Cruises. If you therefore needed catch an earlier flight home at short notice, the additonal cost of that flight would not be covered by Princess.

Travel insurance plans like the Trawick First Class and Trawick First Class (CFAR 75%) also offer 150% of trip costs for interruption. Therefore, they cover up to 100% of the unused trip costs, plus up to an additional 50% to cover transportation costs to return home.

Cancel For Any Reason

Cancel For Any Reason  cruise insurance provides the highest level of flexibility and reimbursement in the Travel Insurance world, and provides cover if you must cancel your trip for any reason not covered by the policy.

If you cancel your Princess cruise for a reason  not  listed in the Princess policy, they will grant future credits for 75% of the prepaid, non-refundable cancellation fees paid to them, but as mentioned above, those credit will expire after one year. Also that are non-transferrable and not redeemable for cash. Princess, not their insurance policy, provides this part of the Vacation Protection Plan. When it comes to refunds, we always prefer cash since future credits may not be used.

Alternatively, travel insurance policies like Trawick First Class with Cancel For Any Reason included pay a 75% cash refund of all prepaid, non-refundable trip costs including arrangements made outside of Princess Cruises. This could include flights, hotels, rental cars, excursions, and transfers.

Cancel For Any Reason policies have several stipulations:

• Purchase the policy within 10 - 21 days (depending on policy), of your initial payment or deposit date and
• Insure 100% of the prepaid trip costs subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions. For additional prepaid non-refundable payments made after the purchase of the policy, insure within 10-21 days (depending on policy), of each subsequent payment added to your trip, and
• Cancel your trip 2 days or more before your scheduled departure date.

Medical Insurance for Emergency Treatment

One of the most crucial factors in selecting your travel insurance plan is ensuring it has adequate Medical Insurance  when you travel. Anything can happen when you are on vacation as it could when you are at home, including accidental injuries or sudden illness.

If you have a medical emergency when traveling and don’t have proper medical insurance coverage when overseas, you may find yourself with a substantial hospital bill to cover. Whereas many countries to provide universal health care for their citizens, many Americans mistakenly believe that those countries with universal health care will treat them for free. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Instead, as an American, if you fall ill whilst abroad you will receive treatment at a private hospital, not public, and you will be required to pay privately like anyone else. Whilst costs differ from country to country, admission for inpatient care can cost around $3,000-$4,000 per day, plus the cost of whatever treatment you may need, be it x-rays, surgeries or specialist procedures and consultations.

It is also worth remebering that MediCare will not pay for hopsitalization when you are overseas. sadly this a common misconception which can be very costly if you find yourself in a hospital abroad with only your MediCare card for support. Some Medicare supplements do cover overseas, but they have a lifetime limit and reduced benefits, and they pay for emergencies only. They can still require you to pay 20% of the costs. As a result, you could go on vacation and end up with medical bills in the thousands.

Cruise Insurance 101   urges overseas travelers to take travel medical insurance of at least $100,000 per person . In a medical emergency, $100,000 provides ample health care and helps protect your retirement savings from unexpected financial burdens.

Princess Vacation Protection Plan provides a $10,000 benefit for Medical Insurance on their Standard Plan and $20,000 for the Platinum Plan, which is far below our recommended minimum of $100,000. Both Trawick’s First Class policies includes $150,000 per person of Medical Insurance, so you can receive proper treatment without ending up in debt.

Emergency Medical Evacuation

Medical Insurance isn’t the only potentially expensive part of a trip.  Emergency Medical Evacuation  transports you from the place of injury or illness to the closest hospital. Once you’re stable enough for transport, Medical Evacuation brings you home via commercial flight or, if necessary, private medical jet with onboard Doctors and nurses to support you on the trip.

Medical flights can cost up to $25,000 per hour and regular health insurance will not cover it. In addition, it is worth remebering that the US State Department will not offer any medical treatment or evacuation assistance for US citizens. Cruise Insurance 101 advises travelers to get at least $250,000 Medical Evacuation  to assure there’s enough coverage to get them back home from almost anywhere if they experience a serious medical event.

Princess’ Vacation Protection Plan includes Medical Evacuation up to $50,000 per person on the Standard Plan and increases to $75,000 on the Platinum Plan.  The Trawick First Class policies provide $1,000,000 per person for Medical Evacuation, so you can feel secure knowing you have adequate coverage to transport you back home if needed.

Pre-existing Medical Conditions

A significant concern for senior travelers can be pre-existing medical conditions. A Pre-Existing Medical Condition is one in which you’ve received medical treatment, testing, medication changes, added new medications, or received a recommendation for a treatment or test that hasn’t happened yet. Most travel insurance policies exclude pre-existing conditions unless you purchase the policy within the required time period from your initial trip deposit date (called the Time Sensitive Period). Otherwise, the insurer will look backward 60, 90, or 180 days (depending on the policy) from the date you purchased the insurance to see if there are any pre-existing medical conditions they won’t cover. This is called the Look Back Period. Any medical conditions older than this Look Back Period, unchanged or stabilized with no medication dosage changes are covered, as are any new conditions that arise after you purchase the policy.

If you must cancel, interrupt, or seek medical treatment for a medical condition while traveling, travel insurance policies typically exclude claims related to Pre-existing Medical Conditions. However, if you purchase the policy within a few days of your Initial Trip Payment or Deposit date, many policies add a Waiver to the policy that covers Pre-existing Conditions. As a result, there is no Look Back Period and Pre-existing Conditions are covered.

The Princess Vacation Protection Plan covers NOT cover Pre-Existing Medical Conditions. However, the Trawick First Class policies will cover Pre-existing Medical Conditions provided you purchase the policy within 14-days of your initial trip deposit or payment.

Price and Value

In our opinion, the Princess Vacation Protection Standard Plan and Platinum Plan carry minimal coverage levels which are unlikely to be sufficient if you find yourself in need of them, and are also more expensive than other available travel insurance options. The medical insurance coverage is at most $20,000, and $75,000 for medical evacuation when choosing the Platinum Plan, which may not be adequate for a serious illness or injury. Cancellation reasons are limited and the Cancel For Any Reason coverage only grants future cruise credits that expire after a year. Overall, the Princess Vacation Protection Plan offers limited value for the price.

In contrast, by comparison shopping, we found the Trawick First Class policy comes in at $231.00, ($56.68 LESS than Princess). It includes superior medical and evacuation benefits, 100% refund for trip costs, including those made outside of Princess Cruises, for covered cancellation, a 150% refund for a covered trip interruption, and a robust list of cancellation reasons.

Choosing the Vacation Protection Platinum Plan from Princess didn’t provide much better value. It carries the same benefits as their Standard Vacation Protection Plan and similarly, the Cancel For Any Reason option will only provide a 75% cruise credit for up to one year. Again, by comparison shopping, we found the Trawick First Class (CFAR 75%) for $392.70, ($38.82 LESS than Princess). It includes $150,000 medical insurance and $1,000,000 medical evacuation. Plus, it includes a Cancel For Any Reason provision that refunds 75% of trip costs back in cash, rather than future credit. It has superior coverage over Princess’ policy and costs less.

Princess Cruises Vacation Protection Plan insurance provides travelers with a minimal insurance policy for a high cost that could leave travelers unpleasantly surprised during an emergency. Medical coverage and medical evacuation limits are low, and there are a limited number of covered cancellation and interruption reasons, as well as insufficient trip cost reimbursement. Though they have a strong reputation for excellent cruise service, their insurance is rather weak. Overall, we rate it a 6 out of 10.

Travelers planning a Princess cruise vacation will find the best value for their money and peace of mind when they shop for travel insurance at Cruise Insurance 101 Travel Insurance Marketplace. There, you can review dozens of options and select the best policy to fit your needs.

To help you find the best policy, Cruise Insurance 101 recommends having at least $100,000 in travel medical coverage and $250,000 - $500,000 (depending on distance from the US) for emergency medical evacuation when traveling outside the US. And, if you purchase the policy within the 14-21 days of initial trip payment, please consider a travel insurance policy with the pre-existing condition waiver included to ensure the most coverage for your money.

If you are planning a Princess cruise in 2022, be sure to pack insurance before you travel. You never know when you may need it.

Have questions? Chat with us online, send us an email at  [email protected]  or alternatively call us at  +1(786) 751-2984 . We would love to hear from you.

Safe Travels!

This article has been written for review purposes only and does not suggest sponsorship or endorsement of AARDY by the trademark owner.

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The 5 best cruise travel insurance plans

While smooth sailing will always be the aim, cruising today is often about expecting the unexpected. You can prepare yourself by taking out an insurance policy that can compensate you when your vacation at sea does not go as planned.

Need to cancel your trip last minute due to an accident or illness? Did your bags get delayed or lost? Do you need to exit the sailing early to take care of an emergency back home? Was there a mechanical issue with the ship that required a change of itinerary, causing you to miss your flight home?

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

All of these contingencies and more can be covered; it's just a matter of finding the best insurance policy for you. Here's how to evaluate which plan is the right choice for you, as well as five of the best cruise travel insurance plans available.

The best cruise travel insurance plan will always be a 3rd-party option

No plan will meet the needs of all cruise travelers, so there is little benefit to booking the one insurance option recommended by your cruise line during the booking process other than convenience.

You'll often find more affordable rates, comprehensive coverage and favorable terms utilizing third-party insurance companies. You'll have a wide choice of plans, so you can pick the one that works the best for your situation.

If you're wondering where the best place is to purchase third-party insurance, "No one comparison site is getting preferential deals," says Stan Sandberg, co-founder of TravelInsurance.com . "Insurance carriers' rates are the same anywhere." However, these insurance comparison sites can help you directly compare the pricing and coverage of multiple policies by a range of preferred providers.

Look for the following coverage options and compare coverage amounts to determine which third-party plan is the best cruise insurance option for your upcoming trip.

Related: Cruise travel insurance: What it covers and why you need it

Trip cancellation

You'll want to be reimbursed if an unexpected event forces you to cancel your cruise. Be sure to read the fine print of your policy, detailing which specific reasons for canceling your trip are covered and not covered.

Trip interruption and travel delays

You'll also want to be covered if issues occur after travel begins. It's important to find "a plan that offers trip interruption if something does happen during your trip, along with a plan that offers emergency medical evacuation, coverage for travel delays and missed connection benefits," adds insurance expert Meghan Walch from InsureMyTrip .

Related: What happens if you miss your cruise

COVID-19 contingencies

Walch advises all travelers booking a cruise to consider a plan that includes cancellation coverage for COVID-19. Note that you'll need more than a home test to file a claim. According to Walch, "You'll need a doctor saying that you have been diagnosed with COVID and specify that you are unable to travel."

In addition, look for coverage if you get sick and need to isolate away from home. "Some plans offer additional trip delay coverage, put in place as a result of needing additional or higher limits for instances that might include if the policyholder gets quarantined in a location," Sandberg adds.

Cancel for any reason

A cancel-for-any-reason optional upgrade offers the most flexibility. You can get a refund of up to 75% if you cancel your voyage for reasons not usually covered by travel insurance. However, it adds about 40% to your premium and can only be purchased within a limited window of time after your cruise purchase.

Related: What happens if my cruise line changes my itinerary or ship?

Lost or delayed baggage

Baggage loss insurance covers your luggage if it is lost, damaged or stolen during your trip. In the case that you make it on the cruise and your bags do not, the insurance agency can assist with locating and redirecting the bags to your next port, reimbursing you for items you may need to purchase to get you through your travels while you are without your belongings and covering your losses in the case that the bag is actually gone for good.

Note that certain high-cost items such as electronics, luxury watches and fine jewelry are not always covered by baggage loss insurance. Consider purchasing additional coverage for such items or — better yet — keep those items with you at all times.

Health coverage

Medical coverage is another consideration. "Most domestic health coverage [including Medicare] does not cover travel abroad, so it is important to look at a travel insurance policy that offers medical coverage during your trip, just in case anything happens," says Walch. "If you fall ill or are injured during the trip, it can be pretty expensive – even when going to the ship's onboard medical facility."

Related: How to avoid getting sick on a cruise

Hurricane coverage

Extreme weather and hurricanes are typically not covered if the cruise commences as scheduled, though you might be eligible for trip interruption coverage if weather cancels the cruise or cuts the itinerary short. There are also insurance plans that offer trip reimbursement if a destination on your itinerary is under a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-issued hurricane alert or warning.

How much will cruise travel insurance cost?

Insurance pricing is dependent on the trip cost and the age of the insured travelers. Sandberg estimates that "travelers in their 30s or 40s can ballpark insurance coverage somewhere around 5% to 7% of the trip costs, with rates that can get lower depending on the extent of coverage."

Insurance is a tiered product that gets more expensive as you age. "As you get older, that range can expand to 10% of trip costs," notes Sandberg. "Adding bells and whistles, like 'cancel for any reason' [coverage], rates can rise to 11% to 12% of the cost of your trip."

Related: How cruising newbies waste money on their 1st cruise

5 best cruise travel insurance plans

Following extensive research scouring the fine print, we've selected five of the best cruise insurance plans that will appeal to a variety of seagoing travelers.

All five plans provide coverage for COVID-19-related trip cancellation and interruption.

For the leisure cruiser: TravelSafe Classic Plan

TravelSafe's Classic Plan is the best value all-around for the average cruiser, with superior coverage limits at a fair rate.

This plan's coverage includes an impressive $1 million per person for medical evacuation and a high $2,500 coverage limit for bag loss. You have extra time – 21 days – from your initial deposit to add a cancel-for-any-reason upgrade to your plan. The accident and sickness medical coverage is primary, with coverage up to $100,000.

The policy's $750-maximum trip delay coverage begins after a six-hour delay and includes kennel fees for up to $100 per day, along with coverage for additional meal and accommodation expenses.

For the budget conscious: AXA's Silver Plan

AXA's Silver Plan is the company's entry-level offering, with more value added than most budget insurance options — most notably the company's concierge service. Coverage under this plan includes robust trip cancellation and interruption coverage, both at 100% of the costs, along with $100,000 for emergency medical evacuation.

The plan also offers identity theft assistance in case your wallet or passport gets stolen while traveling, assisting with filing and obtaining police and credit reports, taking inventory of lost or stolen items, and even wiring emergency funds to you when you're really in a bind.

You won't have the option to purchase a cancel-for-any-reason add-on or opt in for a collision damage waiver on this lowest-tier plan.

For the luxury cruise traveler: John Hancock's Gold Plan

John Hancock's Gold Plan offers robust medical evacuation and repatriation coverage up to $1 million per person, ideal for those luxury cruises that rove to the farthest reaches of the globe. The plan has excellent baggage loss coverage at up to $2,500 per person, along with a low three-hour minimum travel delay ($1,000 per person, $200 daily limit) benefit.

Preexisting medical conditions are covered by this policy, though you must purchase your policy within 14 days of your trip deposit.

For increased medical coverage: Seven Corners' RoundTrip Choice Plan

Seven Corners' RoundTrip Choice Plan offers primary medical coverage for emergency accident and sickness medical expenses up to $500,000, while many other plans only offer secondary coverage. The plan's medical evacuation coverage is high at $1 million, and preexisting conditions are covered with a few conditions that apply, namely that you purchase the policy within 20 days of your initial trip payment.

The policy also offers detailed, robust COVID-19 coverage, including reimbursement for medical care if you contract COVID-19 while traveling. Its coverage also includes meals, local transportation and lodging if you're delayed six or more consecutive hours due to quarantining with COVID-19.

Coverage options on the plan may vary slightly depending on which U.S. state you claim as your residence.

For the adventurous cruiser: World Nomads' Explorer Plan

World Nomads is one of the few insurance companies that will cover more than 200 adventure activities on your travels, including scuba diving, skydiving and bungee jumping. The coverage for the long list of activities includes emergency medical expenses while outside the U.S., medical evacuation and repatriation, along with trip interruption.

World Nomads' Explorer Plan also offers $25,000 in coverage for nonmedical emergency evacuation for covered events, such as a natural disaster or political or security situations.

Travelers 70 and older are required to add a "Silver Nomads" policy, offered through TripAssure.

Bottom line

Cruising isn't always a blissful week spent relaxing on the pool deck or snorkeling among multicolored reefs. Mishaps occur, whether it's losing luggage, missing a flight or falling ill.

The best cruise insurance policies are the ones that won't let you sail without a safety net, charging a fraction of your trip expenses in exchange for the peace of mind that there's a plan in place should something go wrong. With a range of pricing and coverage options available, you can feel confident that you can find a policy to suit your travel needs.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
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• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
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• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

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The Best Cruise Insurance in May 2024

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Table of Contents

What to look for in cruise insurance

Factors we considered when picking the best cruise insurance companies, an overview of the best cruise insurance, best cruise insurance options, more resources for cruise travel insurance shoppers.

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:

World Nomads .

Berkshire Hathaway .

Travelex Insurance Services .

Travel Guard by AIG .

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

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

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 .

» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?

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:.

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.

Bookmark these resources to help you make smart money moves as you shop for cruise travel insurance.

The best travel insurance companies.

The best credit cards for cruises .

What is travel insurance?

Is travel insurance worth getting?

10 credit cards that provide travel insurance .

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Princess Cruise Insurance: Standard vs. Platinum Vacation Protection Plans

Booking a dream vacation on a Princess cruise? Don’t let unexpected events ruin your trip. Purchasing cruise insurance through Princess gives peace of mind if you need to cancel or interrupt your cruise.

Princess offers two levels of cruise insurance – Standard and Platinum Princess Vacation Protection plans. But what’s the difference between standard vs. platinum cruise insurance from Princess?

Below we’ll compare the Princess standard and platinum vacation protection plans so you can choose the right option to cover your cruise investment.

Overview of Princess Cruise Vacation Protection

Princess Vacation Protection provides a package of travel insurance benefits plus additional non-insurance assistance services. Here’s an overview:

Cancellation Fee Waiver – Get refunded 100% of cancellation fees if you cancel for covered reasons. Provided by Princess Cruises as a non-insurance feature.

“Cancel For Any Reason” Cruise Credits – Receive future cruise credits if you cancel for ineligible reasons, provided by Princess Cruises.

Travel Insurance Benefits – Reimbursement for trip interruptions, delays, medical expenses, baggage loss, and more. Underwritten by Nationwide Insurance.

24/7 Travel Assistance Services – Worldwide help for emergencies, medical issues, travel problems. Provided by LiveTravel.

This protection applies to your cruise fare, land portions of Cruisetours, pre- and post-hotel packages, and airfare through Princess EZair.

Princess Vacation Protection can be purchased any time up until your final cruise payment.

Princess Cruise Insurance Standard Plan Overview

The Princess Vacation Protection Standard plan provides a baseline of useful cruise insurance benefits.

Here are the key features of the Standard Princess cruise protection plan:

Cancellation Fee Waiver

• Refund of 100% of cancellation fees if you cancel for covered reasons

“Cancel For Any Reason” Cruise Credits

• 75% future cruise credit if canceling for ineligible reasons

Trip Interruption

• Up to 100% of trip cost reimbursement
• Up to $500 for pre-cruise expenses
• Up to $1,500 for post-cruise expenses

Baggage Loss/Damage

• Up to $1,500 coverage

Baggage Delay

• Up to $500 for necessities if bags are delayed 24+ hours

Medical Expense

• Up to $10,000 for sickness or injury

Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation

• Up to $50,000

24/7 Worldwide Assistance

• Help with travel emergencies, medical issues, etc.

The Standard Princess Vacation Protection plan costs 9% of your cruise fare (minimum $39). This offers good coverage for basic cruise protection needs.

Platinum Princess Cruise Insurance Benefits

The Platinum Princess Vacation Protection plan provides enhanced insurance benefits and more generous cancellation coverage.

Here are the key advantages of the Platinum cruise protection option:

150% Trip Interruption Coverage

• Up to 150% of trip cost reimbursement if you must interrupt your cruise

“Cancel For Any Reason” 100% Future Cruise Credit

• 100% credit for cancelling for ineligible reasons

Higher Baggage Loss Coverage

• Up to $3,000 for lost, damaged, or stolen bags

Double Medical Expense Limits

Up to $20,000 for sickness or injury

Up to $75,000 for emergency evacuation

Faster Emergency Assistance

• Help available within just 30 minutes for emergencies

The Platinum Princess Vacation Protection plan costs 12% of your cruise fare (minimum $59). The enhanced benefits provide greater financial protection.

Princess Cruise Insurance Cost

The price of your Princess cruise insurance plan depends on your vacation cost and cabin category:

For example, on a $3,000 Princess cruise in an interior cabin:

• Standard Plan: 9% x $3,000 = $270
• Platinum Plan: 12% x $3,000 = $360

So the Platinum plan would cost an additional $90 compared to the Standard for this example sailing.

Higher cabin categories like balcony rooms have higher base cruise fares, so the plan cost will be higher as well. But the percentage rate remains the same across cabins.

What’s Covered by Princess Cruise Insurance?

Both the Standard and Platinum Princess plans cover a wide range of travel mishaps before and during your voyage. Here are some examples of covered situations:

✓ You or your traveling companion becomes ill or injured prior to the cruise

✓ A family member who is not traveling with you becomes seriously ill

✓ You are involved in an auto accident on the way to the cruise terminal

✓ Your home is damaged by fire or flood right before the cruise

✓ You or a traveling companion are quarantined before the cruise due to a positive COVID-19 test

✓ You miss your scheduled embarkation due to a travel supplier delay

✓ Your flight is delayed resulting in missed cruise embarkation

✓ You are injured or become sick during the voyage

✓ Your stateroom is made uninhabitable during the cruise due to mechanical issues

✓ Your cruise ship has to disembark passengers at an unscheduled port due to weather or other reasons

✓ You have to quarantine during the voyage due to COVID-19 protocols

✓ Your checked baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen during airline transfers

✓ Your passport is lost or stolen during your trip

In these covered scenarios, Princess cruise insurance helps reimburse prepaid trip costs,additional travel expenses, and medical bills.

Why Purchase Princess Cruise Vacation Protection?

Protect your cruise investment – Cruises require a significant upfront financial commitment. Insurance protects that investment if you have to cancel or interrupt the trip.

Worry-free cancellations – Receive cash refunds or generous future cruise credits if you have to cancel for covered or ineligible reasons.

Global medical coverage – Get coverage for medical expenses and emergency evacuation anywhere in the world.

Affordable convenience – Princess cruise insurance is reasonably priced and can be added anytime up until full trip payment.

Reimburse travel delays/losses – Be compensated for expenses like hotels, meals, and taxis if delayed getting to or from your cruise.

Peace of mind – Relax and enjoy your Princess cruise knowing you have coverage for many unforeseeable circumstances.

For maximum cruise investment protection and peace of mind, the Platinum Princess Vacation Protection plan is recommended. But the Standard plan also provides solid coverage for basic cancellation and medical risks.

Compare the Princess cruise insurance options and consider adding this valuable protection before your next sailing!

PRINCESS CRUISES NEW PACKAGE UPDATES EXPLAINED (Princess Plus, Princess Premier & Standard)

What does standard cruise insurance cover?

What is the difference in price between standard plus in Princess?

Is cruise insurance different to normal travel insurance?

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Should You Buy Cruise Insurance and Is It Worth It?

One of the most common questions we hear from our guests is, “Should I buy cruise insurance?”If you want to spend more time relaxing and less time worrying, the answer is yes. Cruise travel insurance offers some peace of mind for travelers. That’s why we offer Princess Vacation Protection (PVP), a simple way to ease your worries before setting sail. This travel protection includes the Cancellation Fee Waiver, a non-insurance feature provide through Princess Cruises, travel insurance benefits underwritten by Nationwide®, and non-insurance emergency assistance services. Available in both a Standard and Platinum plan, choose the plan you want based on the coverage and plan price that works best for you. Captain's Circle members who have achieved Ruby, Platinum or Elite status who elect to purchase Standard PVP automatically receive a complimentary upgrade to PVP Platinum; we'll pay the difference in plan cost on your behalf. Here are some additional benefits of our travel protection plan — Princess’ form of cruise insurance.

Trip Delays

Delayed flights and missed connections; they happen to the best of us. Here at Princess, we understand that some things are out of your control. That’s why Princess Vacation Protection may reimburse you up to $500 for expenses not arranged through Princess — such as hotels and meals — if you are delayed in getting to your trip or up to $1,500 if you are delayed getting home.*

*The Trip Delay benefit is a maximum of $1,500 if you experience both pre-cruise and post-cruise delays.

Trip Interruptions

If you prepaid for land and sea arrangements through Princess — such as a hotel reservation or shuttle — and missed them due to a covered reason like illness or injury, the plan will reimburse up to the total trip cost. In such event, if you need to start your vacation late or end it early, the plan may instead cover the cost of one-way airfare to get your vacation back on track.

Problems with Personal Belongings?

While the possibility of lost, delayed or damaged luggage and other personal items on your vacation is uncommon, it’s wise to be prepared. Princess Vacation Protection covers up to $1,500 with Standard PVP or up to $3,000 under PVP Platinum if your belongings are lost, stolen or damaged during your trip. Princess Vacation Protection also covers up to $500 toward the purchase of necessary personal effects if your luggage is delayed 24 hours or longer en route to your vacation. To help prevent problems, be sure to attach nametags to each of your bags and be sure to keep valuables and important items such as passports and medications with you.

Medical Coverage

Of all the reasons to buy cruise insurance, medical coverage while traveling, especially outside the country, is one of the most important. Enjoy some peace of mind knowing that Princess Vacation Protection can reimburse most medical expenses that may arise on your trip. The Standard plan covers up to $10,000 if you become injured or sick during travel. If you require emergency medical transportation during your trip, the Princess Vacation Protection plan covers up to $25,000 of expenses that are outlined in the PVP policy . Under PVP Platinum, these coverage limits are doubled.

24/7 Support

Nothing says support quite like anytime, anywhere assistance. With just the click of a button, connect with one of the agents of LiveTravel, the emergency assistance provider, who can answer questions and ease your concerns about finding medical care, legal services, passport replacement etc.

There are a lot of things that are out of our control when we travel. Choosing to protect your vacation isn’t one of them. Still wondering: Is cruise insurance worth it? We certainly think so! Travel protection from Princess can help you make the most of your vacation. Before making your purchase of Princess Vacation Protection, please review the terms, conditions and exclusions of the plan by visiting our Princess Vacation Protection page .

I tried Princess Cruise's premier package. At just $80 a day, it's one of the best deals at sea.

• I paid about $80 a day for a premier package on a recent Princess Cruise .
• The fee got me unlimited room service, onboard WiFi, premium desserts, and more. 
• The package was an incredible value and it made my trip feel luxurious. 

I've been on 18 cruises and I absolutely love them.

I wake up in a new place every morning and unpack only once. Most of my meals are planned and paid for in advance, and I feel the ocean breeze every time I step out onto my cabin's balcony .

The only letdown is when the bill that arrives the night before each cruise ends contains more charges than I'd kept track of in my head.

I hate the wallet-wrenching surprise of that final invoice, filled with a few more drinks than I remember ordering, the WiFi I couldn't live without, and the specialty dining restaurants I splurged on.

But all that changed the moment I discovered the Premier Cruises' Premier Princess package on Princess Cruises during a family vacation on the Regal Princess in December.

Although my parents, brother, and brother's girlfriend went à la carte with their onboard purchases, my fiancé and I ordered the premier package.

It gave us a huge leg up throughout the trip. Here's why it may be worth considering if you're planning to sail with Princess Cruises.

For just $80 per person per day, we got tons of perks

The premier package costs $80 per day per guest, which amounts to $560 per person on a seven-day sailing (or $1,120 per couple).

At first glance, that sounds like a significant additional line item — but not when you compare the included items to the cruise's à la carte costs.

Princess Cruises' Premier Princess package includes:

• WiFi: Up to four devices per guest
• Beverages: Premium drinks (up to $20 each), bottled water, specialty coffee and juice bar
• Crew appreciation: Mandatory prepaid tips
• Professional photos: Unlimited digital photos and three prints
• Specialty multi-course meals: Two per sailing
• Meals at casual-dining restaurants: Unlimited
• Premium desserts: Unlimited treats from specialty venues
• OceanNow: Fee waived for food and drink delivery anywhere on board
• Room service delivery: Unlimited
• Fitness classes: Unlimited classes by Xpotential (Pure Barre, Yoga Six, and Stretch Lab)
• Reserved theatre seating
• Princess Prizes: Win prizes like wine tasting, onboard credit, and more by opening your door during certain hours

I didn't indulge a ton on my trip but I still saved money with the premier package

Right off the bat, passengers must pay $16/day for crew appreciation (read: gratuities). Crew appreciation is included in my package, so that's $112 of the $560 I paid for the package accounted for.

I'm a light drinker, so I only ordered two alcoholic drinks a day: usually a pre-dinner cocktail ($15 to $20 à la carte) and a glass of wine with dinner ($10).

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I sometimes got a soda with lunch ($2.50) or a specialty coffee ($3 to $4) at breakfast. That totals $27.50 to $34 a day, or $192.50 to $238 a week for a week of drinks if they were à la carte.

For the record, though, the premier package includes 15 alcoholic beverages daily, so you can drink far more than I did and order over $2,000 worth of drinks in a week.

I also saved on onboard WiFi, an essential for me because I'm always working and sharing my adventures in real time on Instagram .

Since I use both a phone and a laptop, I'd need to connect at least two devices. That would typically cost $40 a day, but up to four devices are included with the package. So that's a savings of $280.

If you're keeping tabs, I've now accounted for more than the cost of the premier package with just drinks, gratuities, and WiFi.

With our savings already more than accounted for, everything else was a bonus

For instance, I enjoy breaking up the monotony of eating in the main dining room with visits to such specialty restaurants as Sabatini's Italian Trattoria, Crown Grill, or The Catch by Rudi. Cover charges at these eateries range from $35 to $39 per person. I dined at two during my sailing, which would have totaled $74 without the package.

Because this was our first family vacation in about a decade, getting family photos was also a priority. So most nights before dinner, we visited the various portrait stations around the ship.

With the premier package, I was given an unlimited number of digital images, so we didn't have to make difficult decisions about which photos to keep and which to discard.

We ended up with more than a dozen digital photos and six prints. On the other hand, my brother and his girlfriend bought some of their couples-only photos and paid $191.75 for five digital photos.

Plus, my fiancé and I indulged in a few premium desserts ($10 each à la carte), I took a fitness class to help balance them out ($30 à la carte), and we made use of the OceanNow service that delivers food or drinks to you anywhere on board ($15 one-time fee).

Overall, my package basically paid for itself, and then some

Overall, I'd estimate we saved at least $275 per person by choosing this package — and we used the included perks rather conservatively since we just aren't big drinkers.

But even if you only plan to have two drinks a day like we did, this package basically pays for itself.

It's worth noting that you can only order the package before you board or through the second day of your sailing. Both passengers in a stateroom must sign up for it.

If one of you doesn't drink alcohol or doesn't care to be connected to WiFi, it probably won't make financial sense to purchase this package.

But the best part of having this package was that I never felt nickeled and dimed and was able to just enjoy a week with my family in the Caribbean .

I didn't stress about putting any extras "on my tab" because I knew my final bill would be a fixed cost I'd already made peace with. And by doing so, I certainly came out ahead.

Watch: Why it costs $1 million a day to run one of the world's biggest cruise ships

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3 replies to this topic

With any insurance you need to read the fine print before you buy

I found out that I would need to pay for the entire cruise (including the fee for the trip insurance) then I would receive a refund.....but the 'Refund' would be a future cruise credit, not a true refund to my credit card.

Lesson learned, I cancelled the insurance with them and used another company.

Luckily I didn't have to cancel this cruise but lesson learned.

Always buy independent insurance, read or discuss all aspects and never assume anything is covered or to 100%. Sometimes "covered" can mean only 10% of the cost. Also, CFAR, cancel for any reason - maybe important when planning a year + in advance, who has a crystal ball, but you need to buy coverage within a week or 2 from initial booking. Mention all health considerations and medical coverage including repatriation and medivac.

I use http://www.insuremytrip.com and usually end up with TravelGuard or Alliance.

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Princess Cruise Travel Insurance - 2024 Review

Princess cruise travel insurance.

• Available at Check-Out
• Strong Insurance Partner
• Good Cancellation Benefits
• Very Poor Medical Protection
• Weak Emergency Evacuation Cover

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Offering cruise vacations to 380 destinations on 7 continents, Princess Cruises is one of the most well-known cruise companies in the world. Whether you are looking to drink-in the atmosphere of their award winning itineraries, sample exquisite regional daily fresh cuisine or simply looking to relax and sample the daily cocktail over a game of deck quoits, Princess has it all.

Princess Cruises offers their own branded travel insurance plan which they call Princess Vacation Protection . The Princess Vacation Protection plan is underwritten by Nationwide and administered by Aon. Both are well-known names in the insurance industry.

To review the strenghts and weakness of the Princess Vacation Protection plan, we need to go on a Princess Cruise. So sit back, relax and enjoy as TripInsure101 goes crusing with Princess.

Cruise Itinerary

For our cruise with Princess, we haven chosen a 10-day cruise for two travelers who are aged 55 and 60. Our cruise heads off from San Francisco in California and sails to the coast of Alaska leaving on April 30 to May 10, 2022. The price for our cruise is $1,798 per person which includes taxes and fees, giving a total cost of $4,246. Our cruise takes in several ports in Alaska and in Victoria, Canada. Note that we have not included the cost of airfare in our total trip cost as the pricing can vary greatly, so for this review we will use the cruise cost only.

When we get to the checkout for our cruise, we’re asked if we’d like to include the Princess Vacation Protection Plan to our trip. As mentioned, this is Princess Cruises’ own insurance.

The Princess Vacation Protection Plan comes in both ‘Standard’ and ‘Platinum’. Let’s see the differences between the two.

Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Insurance – Standard Protection Levels

• Cancellation – up to 100% of trip cost if you cancel for illness, injury, death, etc.
• Cancel Any Reason – 75% of cruise cost given in future cruise credits
• Accident or Illness Medical Expense - $10,000
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains - $50,000
• Pre-Existing Medical Condition Waiver: No
• Trip Interruption 150% of trip cost
• Baggage Delay - $500 per Trip
• Baggage/Personal Effects - $1,500 per Trip
• Trip Delay (en route to the Trip) - $500 per Trip*
• Trip Delay (returning from the Trip) - $1,500 per Trip*

*Not to exceed $1,500 in the event of both pre- and post-cruise vacation trip delays.

Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Insurance – Platinum Protection Levels

Listing of Benefits - Maximum Benefit

• Accident or Illness Medical Expense - $20,000
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains - $75,000
• Baggage/Personal Effects - $3,000 per Trip

Let’s take a look at the pricing difference between the two plans:

The cost of the Platinum Plan is $71.92 more than the Standard Plan and it doubles the medical sickness coverage to $20,000 total whilst also increasing the medical emergency evacuation coverage by $15,000 to $75,000 total.

The Accident Medical Expense and Emergency Evacuation coverage levels that Princess offer in its Platinum policy are marginally better than that offered in the Standard plan, we feel this coverage level is far too low. With one of our TripInsure101 team having personally witnessed the helicopter evacuation of a cruise passenger during a dark and very stormy evening in 2019, the only thing that could possibly add to the trauma of the event itself is the massive cost if you are under-insured. $20,000 for medical expenses and $75,000 for evacuation would not be enough. TripInsure101 recommends a minimum of $100,000 for medical insurance and $250,000 for medical evacuation.  

What Medical Insurance Benefits do I Need when Cruising?

Travel insurance is designed to cover the financial costs of an unforeseen event. Whether this is simply the frustration of lost luggage or a missed connection or other events that can be financially devastating, such as a medical emergency abroad or a medical evacuation back home.

For cruise travel insurance to be fit for purpose, the benefits of the travel protection plan you buy must cover the likely  worst-case scenario . At TripInsure101 we will never recommend that a traveler have any less than  $100,000 of Travel Medical Insurance protection . Whils this may seem like a lot of coverage, if the worst were to happen, this really is the minimum viable amount of coverage that we recommend. The question then is why do we recommend such a high level of coverage for our cruise customers? The simple reason is that a traumatic injury or illness can result in significant medical exposure if you are under-insured.

Consider if you will the cost of International private hospitals who often charge up to $3,000-$4,000 per day. The only time that we would consider less protection than this is if a traveler has an alternative medical insurance that will cover them when overseas. This option is rare.

Whilst many countries you may visit have universal healthcare for their citizens, as a tourist, you will not be entitled to use any state medical facilities that may exist. This means that if you have cause to use the medical facilities in a host country, you will be requried to pay full cost to use those local private health facilities. Additionally, the US State Department will not provide you with financial support to pay for overseas health care – your medical bill is solely your responsibility.

What Medical Evacuation Benefits Do I Need When Cruising?

Medical Evacuation is when you have an incident or illness and it is so serious that you need to be transported home or to a medical facility. This may simply mean getting on the next commercial flight, or it may require a private jet with medical staff onboard, or even a helicopter evacuation.

The costs of these emergency medical evacuation trips can be extraordinary. It is our recommendation that for those who are traveling within 3 to 4 hours of the USA should have $250,000 of Medical Evacuation coverage when they buy their cruise travel insurance. If you are venturing further afield, we recommend that $500,000 of medical emergency evacuation cover should be sufficient.

Comparison Quotes

Based on our sample couple who are aged 55 and 60, we created a comparison quote using  TripInsure101’s  travel insurance marketplace engine. The trip cost that we used for the comparison is the cruise cost for both of our travelers which is $1,798 per person plus taxes and fees of $650, giving us a total of $4,246.

As we mentioned above, when traveling outside the United States, we recommend a minimum coverage of $100k in Medical Insurance, $250k in Medical Evacuation (and more if traveling further afield from the US), and we strongly advise you seek out a Pre-existing Medical Condition Waiver in whichever policy you buy. We used these criteria to choose the selected quotes.

The least expensive plan which provides an adequate coverage level on our quote from TripInsure101 is the Trawick First Class . This plan would be comparable to the Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Standard Plan.

If you wished for the added protection afforded by a policy which contains a Cancel For Any Reason coverage, we would chose the  Trawick First Class (CFAR75%) , because it is the least expensive plan with Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) benefits and would be comparable to the Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Platinum Plan.

Next, so that we can easily compare and contrast the available options, we broke down the benefits of each policy in a side-by-side comparison.

Cost Comparison

To compare to Princess’ Standard Plan, our recommended plan is the Trawick Frist Class at $231.00. This plan provides $150,000 of medical coverage and $1 million of medical evacuation coverage and costs $56.68 LESS than Princess Cruises’ Standard Plan. The cover is also about FIVE TIMES more than Princess will provide!

To compare to Princess’ Platinum Plan, our recommended plan is the Trawick Frist Class (CFAR 75%), at $392.70. This plan provides is identical to the Trawick First Class but it also adds the Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) option discussed above. This plan also provides $150,000 of medical coverage and $1 million of medical evacuation cover and is $38.82 LESS than Princess Cruises’ Platinum Plan. Again the coverage is also about FIVE TIMES greater than what Princess will provide!

In our opinion, the Princess Cruises Standard Protection Plan and Protection Plan Plus have low coverage for travelers venturing away from home. The Platinum Plan does increase coverage over and above the Standard Plan, but not by much.

By shopping for cruise insurance through TripInsure101 , our two travelers can save between $37.82 to $56.58 which can be applied to other things like shopping, and get far superior travel insurance protection.

In the following sections of this review, we will discuss the main areas you should expect to see when shopping for travel insurance for your Princess cruise.

Trip Cancellation

Many travelers are concerned by the need to cover their trip against an unforseen event that causes you to have to cancel your trip. Trip Cancellation protects your vacation investment if you are taken ill or had an accidental injury prior to your departure date. If you were unfortunate to experience such an event, you may have to cancel your travel arrangements which may result in financial loss. While disappointing to have to cancel your trip, Trip Cancellation is even more painful without cancellation insurance.

The Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Plan do both provide for cancellation for the following reasons to receive a cash refund of the full trip cost:

• Unexpected injury, illness, or death of traveler or immediate family member
• Involvement in a traffic accident en route to your departure causing you to miss the cruise
• Called to jury duty or subpoena
• Residence made uninhabitable by natural disaster, fire, flood, hurricane etc.
• Called to active military duty to respond to a national disaster

If you need to cancel your trip for a reason that is not wihtin this limited list, Princess will provide a cruise credit of 75% of the total trip cost that is only good for one year. If for whatever reason you cannot use the cruise credit during that period, the cruise cost is lost. Also, Princess Vacation Protection Plans do NOT cover any travel arrangement which are made outside of Princess Cruises, such as your flights to your port.

Both the Trawick First Class policy and the Trawick First Class (CFAR75%) policy can cover ALL costs which are prepaid and non-refundable. In addition, both plans offer a 100% refund for Trip Cancellations for covered events, a 150% refund for Trip Interruptions for covered events, and a substantial list of covered reasons, including needing to cancel your trip due to having caught COVID. The Trawick First Class (CFAR 75%) will also pay a 75% refund in cash if you need to cancel your trip for any other reason that is not listed in the policy. This is a cash refund and not cruise credit like the Princess plans. At TripInsure101 we believe cash is always a better option than cruise credits which may or may not be used.

Trip Interruption

A  Trip Interruption  is a situation which occurs during your trip that causes you to need to miss some or the rest of your vacation. Trip Interruption cover is like Trip Cancellation but for eventw that occur during your trip.

The most common trip interruption would be an injury or illness sustained on your vacation but where you can continue traveling after treatment. Trip interruption will reimburse you for the unused portion of your trip, and also the cost to rejoin your trip in progress. This may be connecting flights to your next port to rejoin your ship.

Trip interruption also includes events that could occur to a family member who may have a sudden serious illness or who may have sadly passed away. If your covered situation requires that your trip is cut short and going home early, Trip Interruption reimburses you for the unused portion of the trip, plus the added cost of getting you home early.

In the Princess Vacation Protection travel insurance policy, Trip Interruption benefits include reimbursement of unused trip costs paid to Princess Cruises plus the added cost of transportation home. They will not reimburse for any travel arrangement made outside of Princess Cruises. If you therefore needed catch an earlier flight home at short notice, the additonal cost of that flight would not be covered by Princess.

Travel insurance plans like the Trawick First Class and Trawick First Class (CFAR 75%) also offer 150% of trip costs for interruption. Therefore, they cover up to 100% of the unused trip costs, plus up to an additional 50% to cover transportation costs to return home.

Cancel For Any Reason

Cancel For Any Reason  cruise insurance provides the highest level of flexibility and reimbursement in the Travel Insurance world, and provides cover if you must cancel your trip for any reason not covered by the policy.

If you cancel your Princess cruise for a reason  not  listed in the Princess policy, they will grant future credits for 75% of the prepaid, non-refundable cancellation fees paid to them, but as mentioned above, those credit will expire after one year. Also that are non-transferrable and not redeemable for cash. Princess, not their insurance policy, provides this part of the Vacation Protection Plan. When it comes to refunds, we always prefer cash since future credits may not be used.

Alternatively, travel insurance policies like Trawick First Class with Cancel For Any Reason included pay a 75% cash refund of all prepaid, non-refundable trip costs including arrangements made outside of Princess Cruises. This could include flights, hotels, rental cars, excursions, and transfers.

Cancel For Any Reason policies have several stipulations:

• Purchase the policy within 10 - 21 days (depending on policy), of your initial payment or deposit date and
• Insure 100% of the prepaid trip costs subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions. For additional prepaid non-refundable payments made after the purchase of the policy, insure within 10-21 days (depending on policy), of each subsequent payment added to your trip, and
• Cancel your trip 2 days or more before your scheduled departure date.

Medical Insurance for Emergency Treatment

One of the most crucial factors in selecting your travel insurance plan is ensuring it has adequate Medical Insurance  when you travel. Anything can happen when you are on vacation as it could when you are at home, including accidental injuries or sudden illness.

If you have a medical emergency when traveling and don’t have proper medical insurance coverage when overseas, you may find yourself with a substantial hospital bill to cover. Whereas many countries to provide universal health care for their citizens, many Americans mistakenly believe that those countries with universal health care will treat them for free. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Instead, as an American, if you fall ill whilst abroad you will receive treatment at a private hospital, not public, and you will be required to pay privately like anyone else. Whilst costs differ from country to country, admission for inpatient care can cost around $3,000-$4,000 per day, plus the cost of whatever treatment you may need, be it x-rays, surgeries or specialist procedures and consultations.

It is also worth remebering that MediCare will not pay for hopsitalization when you are overseas. sadly this a common misconception which can be very costly if you find yourself in a hospital abroad with only your MediCare card for support. Some Medicare supplements do cover overseas, but they have a lifetime limit and reduced benefits, and they pay for emergencies only. They can still require you to pay 20% of the costs. As a result, you could go on vacation and end up with medical bills in the thousands.

TripInsure101   urges overseas travelers to take travel medical insurance of at least $100,000 per person . In a medical emergency, $100,000 provides ample health care and helps protect your retirement savings from unexpected financial burdens.

Princess Vacation Protection Plan provides a $10,000 benefit for Medical Insurance on their Standard Plan and $20,000 for the Platinum Plan, which is far below our recommended minimum of $100,000. Both Trawick’s First Class policies includes $150,000 per person of Medical Insurance, so you can receive proper treatment without ending up in debt.

Emergency Medical Evacuation

Medical Insurance isn’t the only potentially expensive part of a trip.  Emergency Medical Evacuation  transports you from the place of injury or illness to the closest hospital. Once you’re stable enough for transport, Medical Evacuation brings you home via commercial flight or, if necessary, private medical jet with onboard Doctors and nurses to support you on the trip.

Medical flights can cost up to $25,000 per hour and regular health insurance will not cover it. In addition, it is worth remebering that the US State Department will not offer any medical treatment or evacuation assistance for US citizens. TripInsure101 advises travelers to get at least $250,000 Medical Evacuation  to assure there’s enough coverage to get them back home from almost anywhere if they experience a serious medical event.

Princess’ Vacation Protection Plan includes Medical Evacuation up to $50,000 per person on the Standard Plan and increases to $75,000 on the Platinum Plan.  The Trawick First Class policies provide $1,000,000 per person for Medical Evacuation, so you can feel secure knowing you have adequate coverage to transport you back home if needed.

Pre-existing Medical Conditions

A significant concern for senior travelers can be pre-existing medical conditions. A Pre-Existing Medical Condition is one in which you’ve received medical treatment, testing, medication changes, added new medications, or received a recommendation for a treatment or test that hasn’t happened yet. Most travel insurance policies exclude pre-existing conditions unless you purchase the policy within the required time period from your initial trip deposit date (called the Time Sensitive Period). Otherwise, the insurer will look backward 60, 90, or 180 days (depending on the policy) from the date you purchased the insurance to see if there are any pre-existing medical conditions they won’t cover. This is called the Look Back Period. Any medical conditions older than this Look Back Period, unchanged or stabilized with no medication dosage changes are covered, as are any new conditions that arise after you purchase the policy.

If you must cancel, interrupt, or seek medical treatment for a medical condition while traveling, travel insurance policies typically exclude claims related to Pre-existing Medical Conditions. However, if you purchase the policy within a few days of your Initial Trip Payment or Deposit date, many policies add a Waiver to the policy that covers Pre-existing Conditions. As a result, there is no Look Back Period and Pre-existing Conditions are covered.

The Princess Vacation Protection Plan covers NOT cover Pre-Existing Medical Conditions. However, the Trawick First Class policies will cover Pre-existing Medical Conditions provided you purchase the policy within 14-days of your initial trip deposit or payment.

Price and Value

In our opinion, the Princess Vacation Protection Standard Plan and Platinum Plan carry minimal coverage levels which are unlikely to be sufficient if you find yourself in need of them, and are also more expensive than other available travel insurance options. The medical insurance coverage is at most $20,000, and $75,000 for medical evacuation when choosing the Platinum Plan, which may not be adequate for a serious illness or injury. Cancellation reasons are limited and the Cancel For Any Reason coverage only grants future cruise credits that expire after a year. Overall, the Princess Vacation Protection Plan offers limited value for the price.

In contrast, by comparison shopping, we found the Trawick First Class policy comes in at $231.00, ($56.68 LESS than Princess). It includes superior medical and evacuation benefits, 100% refund for trip costs, including those made outside of Princess Cruises, for covered cancellation, a 150% refund for a covered trip interruption, and a robust list of cancellation reasons.

Choosing the Vacation Protection Platinum Plan from Princess didn’t provide much better value. It carries the same benefits as their Standard Vacation Protection Plan and similarly, the Cancel For Any Reason option will only provide a 75% cruise credit for up to one year. Again, by comparison shopping, we found the Trawick First Class (CFAR 75%) for $392.70, ($38.82 LESS than Princess). It includes $150,000 medical insurance and $1,000,000 medical evacuation. Plus, it includes a Cancel For Any Reason provision that refunds 75% of trip costs back in cash, rather than future credit. It has superior coverage over Princess’ policy and costs less.

Princess Cruises Vacation Protection Plan insurance provides travelers with a minimal insurance policy for a high cost that could leave travelers unpleasantly surprised during an emergency. Medical coverage and medical evacuation limits are low, and there are a limited number of covered cancellation and interruption reasons, as well as insufficient trip cost reimbursement. Though they have a strong reputation for excellent cruise service, their insurance is rather weak. Overall, we rate it a 6 out of 10.

Travelers planning a Princess cruise vacation will find the best value for their money and peace of mind when they shop for travel insurance at TripInsure101 Travel Insurance Marketplace. There, you can review dozens of options and select the best policy to fit your needs.

To help you find the best policy, TripInsure101 recommends having at least $100,000 in travel medical coverage and $250,000 - $500,000 (depending on distance from the US) for emergency medical evacuation when traveling outside the US. And, if you purchase the policy within the 14-21 days of initial trip payment, please consider a travel insurance policy with the pre-existing condition waiver included to ensure the most coverage for your money.

If you are planning a Princess cruise in 2022, be sure to pack insurance before you travel. You never know when you may need it.

Have questions? Chat with us online, send us an email at  [email protected]  or alternatively call us at  +1(650) 397-6592 . We would love to hear from you.

Safe Travels!

This article has been written for review purposes only and does not suggest sponsorship or endorsement of AARDY by the trademark owner.

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Princess Cruise Travel Insurance - 2024 Review

Princess cruise travel insurance.

• Available at Check-Out
• Strong Insurance Partner
• Good Cancellation Benefits
• Very Poor Medical Protection
• Weak Emergency Evacuation Cover

Sharing is caring!

Offering cruise vacations to 380 destinations on 7 continents, Princess Cruises is one of the most well-known cruise companies in the world. Whether you are looking to drink-in the atmosphere of their award winning itineraries, sample exquisite regional daily fresh cuisine or simply looking to relax and sample the daily cocktail over a game of deck quoits, Princess has it all.

Princess Cruises offers their own branded travel insurance plan which they call Princess Vacation Protection . The Princess Vacation Protection plan is underwritten by Nationwide and administered by Aon. Both are well-known names in the insurance industry.

To review the strenghts and weakness of the Princess Vacation Protection plan, we need to go on a Princess Cruise. So sit back, relax and enjoy as TravelDefenders goes crusing with Princess.

Cruise Itinerary

For our cruise with Princess, we haven chosen a 10-day cruise for two travelers who are aged 55 and 60. Our cruise heads off from San Francisco in California and sails to the coast of Alaska leaving on April 30 to May 10, 2022. The price for our cruise is $1,798 per person which includes taxes and fees, giving a total cost of $4,246. Our cruise takes in several ports in Alaska and in Victoria, Canada. Note that we have not included the cost of airfare in our total trip cost as the pricing can vary greatly, so for this review we will use the cruise cost only.

When we get to the checkout for our cruise, we’re asked if we’d like to include the Princess Vacation Protection Plan to our trip. As mentioned, this is Princess Cruises’ own insurance.

The Princess Vacation Protection Plan comes in both ‘Standard’ and ‘Platinum’. Let’s see the differences between the two.

Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Insurance – Standard Protection Levels

• Cancellation – up to 100% of trip cost if you cancel for illness, injury, death, etc.
• Cancel Any Reason – 75% of cruise cost given in future cruise credits
• Accident or Illness Medical Expense - $10,000
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains - $50,000
• Pre-Existing Medical Condition Waiver: No
• Trip Interruption 150% of trip cost
• Baggage Delay - $500 per Trip
• Baggage/Personal Effects - $1,500 per Trip
• Trip Delay (en route to the Trip) - $500 per Trip*
• Trip Delay (returning from the Trip) - $1,500 per Trip*

*Not to exceed $1,500 in the event of both pre- and post-cruise vacation trip delays.

Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Insurance – Platinum Protection Levels

Listing of Benefits - Maximum Benefit

• Accident or Illness Medical Expense - $20,000
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains - $75,000
• Baggage/Personal Effects - $3,000 per Trip

Let’s take a look at the pricing difference between the two plans:

The cost of the Platinum Plan is $71.92 more than the Standard Plan and it doubles the medical sickness coverage to $20,000 total whilst also increasing the medical emergency evacuation coverage by $15,000 to $75,000 total.

The Accident Medical Expense and Emergency Evacuation coverage levels that Princess offer in its Platinum policy are marginally better than that offered in the Standard plan, we feel this coverage level is far too low. With one of our TravelDefenders team having personally witnessed the helicopter evacuation of a cruise passenger during a dark and very stormy evening in 2019, the only thing that could possibly add to the trauma of the event itself is the massive cost if you are under-insured. $20,000 for medical expenses and $75,000 for evacuation would not be enough. TravelDefenders recommends a minimum of $100,000 for medical insurance and $250,000 for medical evacuation.  

What Medical Insurance Benefits do I Need when Cruising?

Travel insurance is designed to cover the financial costs of an unforeseen event. Whether this is simply the frustration of lost luggage or a missed connection or other events that can be financially devastating, such as a medical emergency abroad or a medical evacuation back home.

For cruise travel insurance to be fit for purpose, the benefits of the travel protection plan you buy must cover the likely  worst-case scenario . At TravelDefenders we will never recommend that a traveler have any less than  $100,000 of Travel Medical Insurance protection . Whils this may seem like a lot of coverage, if the worst were to happen, this really is the minimum viable amount of coverage that we recommend. The question then is why do we recommend such a high level of coverage for our cruise customers? The simple reason is that a traumatic injury or illness can result in significant medical exposure if you are under-insured.

Consider if you will the cost of International private hospitals who often charge up to $3,000-$4,000 per day. The only time that we would consider less protection than this is if a traveler has an alternative medical insurance that will cover them when overseas. This option is rare.

Whilst many countries you may visit have universal healthcare for their citizens, as a tourist, you will not be entitled to use any state medical facilities that may exist. This means that if you have cause to use the medical facilities in a host country, you will be requried to pay full cost to use those local private health facilities. Additionally, the US State Department will not provide you with financial support to pay for overseas health care – your medical bill is solely your responsibility.

What Medical Evacuation Benefits Do I Need When Cruising?

Medical Evacuation is when you have an incident or illness and it is so serious that you need to be transported home or to a medical facility. This may simply mean getting on the next commercial flight, or it may require a private jet with medical staff onboard, or even a helicopter evacuation.

The costs of these emergency medical evacuation trips can be extraordinary. It is our recommendation that for those who are traveling within 3 to 4 hours of the USA should have $250,000 of Medical Evacuation coverage when they buy their cruise travel insurance. If you are venturing further afield, we recommend that $500,000 of medical emergency evacuation cover should be sufficient.

Comparison Quotes

Based on our sample couple who are aged 55 and 60, we created a comparison quote using  TravelDefenders’s  travel insurance marketplace engine. The trip cost that we used for the comparison is the cruise cost for both of our travelers which is $1,798 per person plus taxes and fees of $650, giving us a total of $4,246.

As we mentioned above, when traveling outside the United States, we recommend a minimum coverage of $100k in Medical Insurance, $250k in Medical Evacuation (and more if traveling further afield from the US), and we strongly advise you seek out a Pre-existing Medical Condition Waiver in whichever policy you buy. We used these criteria to choose the selected quotes.

The least expensive plan which provides an adequate coverage level on our quote from TravelDefenders is the Trawick First Class . This plan would be comparable to the Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Standard Plan.

If you wished for the added protection afforded by a policy which contains a Cancel For Any Reason coverage, we would chose the  Trawick First Class (CFAR75%) , because it is the least expensive plan with Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) benefits and would be comparable to the Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Platinum Plan.

Next, so that we can easily compare and contrast the available options, we broke down the benefits of each policy in a side-by-side comparison.

Cost Comparison

To compare to Princess’ Standard Plan, our recommended plan is the Trawick Frist Class at $231.00. This plan provides $150,000 of medical coverage and $1 million of medical evacuation coverage and costs $56.68 LESS than Princess Cruises’ Standard Plan. The cover is also about FIVE TIMES more than Princess will provide!

To compare to Princess’ Platinum Plan, our recommended plan is the Trawick Frist Class (CFAR 75%), at $392.70. This plan provides is identical to the Trawick First Class but it also adds the Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) option discussed above. This plan also provides $150,000 of medical coverage and $1 million of medical evacuation cover and is $38.82 LESS than Princess Cruises’ Platinum Plan. Again the coverage is also about FIVE TIMES greater than what Princess will provide!

In our opinion, the Princess Cruises Standard Protection Plan and Protection Plan Plus have low coverage for travelers venturing away from home. The Platinum Plan does increase coverage over and above the Standard Plan, but not by much.

By shopping for cruise insurance through TravelDefenders , our two travelers can save between $37.82 to $56.58 which can be applied to other things like shopping, and get far superior travel insurance protection.

In the following sections of this review, we will discuss the main areas you should expect to see when shopping for travel insurance for your Princess cruise.

Trip Cancellation

Many travelers are concerned by the need to cover their trip against an unforseen event that causes you to have to cancel your trip. Trip Cancellation protects your vacation investment if you are taken ill or had an accidental injury prior to your departure date. If you were unfortunate to experience such an event, you may have to cancel your travel arrangements which may result in financial loss. While disappointing to have to cancel your trip, Trip Cancellation is even more painful without cancellation insurance.

The Princess Cruise Vacation Protection Plan do both provide for cancellation for the following reasons to receive a cash refund of the full trip cost:

• Unexpected injury, illness, or death of traveler or immediate family member
• Involvement in a traffic accident en route to your departure causing you to miss the cruise
• Called to jury duty or subpoena
• Residence made uninhabitable by natural disaster, fire, flood, hurricane etc.
• Called to active military duty to respond to a national disaster

If you need to cancel your trip for a reason that is not wihtin this limited list, Princess will provide a cruise credit of 75% of the total trip cost that is only good for one year. If for whatever reason you cannot use the cruise credit during that period, the cruise cost is lost. Also, Princess Vacation Protection Plans do NOT cover any travel arrangement which are made outside of Princess Cruises, such as your flights to your port.

Both the Trawick First Class policy and the Trawick First Class (CFAR75%) policy can cover ALL costs which are prepaid and non-refundable. In addition, both plans offer a 100% refund for Trip Cancellations for covered events, a 150% refund for Trip Interruptions for covered events, and a substantial list of covered reasons, including needing to cancel your trip due to having caught COVID. The Trawick First Class (CFAR 75%) will also pay a 75% refund in cash if you need to cancel your trip for any other reason that is not listed in the policy. This is a cash refund and not cruise credit like the Princess plans. At TravelDefenders we believe cash is always a better option than cruise credits which may or may not be used.

Trip Interruption

A  Trip Interruption  is a situation which occurs during your trip that causes you to need to miss some or the rest of your vacation. Trip Interruption cover is like Trip Cancellation but for eventw that occur during your trip.

The most common trip interruption would be an injury or illness sustained on your vacation but where you can continue traveling after treatment. Trip interruption will reimburse you for the unused portion of your trip, and also the cost to rejoin your trip in progress. This may be connecting flights to your next port to rejoin your ship.

Trip interruption also includes events that could occur to a family member who may have a sudden serious illness or who may have sadly passed away. If your covered situation requires that your trip is cut short and going home early, Trip Interruption reimburses you for the unused portion of the trip, plus the added cost of getting you home early.

In the Princess Vacation Protection travel insurance policy, Trip Interruption benefits include reimbursement of unused trip costs paid to Princess Cruises plus the added cost of transportation home. They will not reimburse for any travel arrangement made outside of Princess Cruises. If you therefore needed catch an earlier flight home at short notice, the additonal cost of that flight would not be covered by Princess.

Travel insurance plans like the Trawick First Class and Trawick First Class (CFAR 75%) also offer 150% of trip costs for interruption. Therefore, they cover up to 100% of the unused trip costs, plus up to an additional 50% to cover transportation costs to return home.

Cancel For Any Reason

Cancel For Any Reason  cruise insurance provides the highest level of flexibility and reimbursement in the Travel Insurance world, and provides cover if you must cancel your trip for any reason not covered by the policy.

If you cancel your Princess cruise for a reason  not  listed in the Princess policy, they will grant future credits for 75% of the prepaid, non-refundable cancellation fees paid to them, but as mentioned above, those credit will expire after one year. Also that are non-transferrable and not redeemable for cash. Princess, not their insurance policy, provides this part of the Vacation Protection Plan. When it comes to refunds, we always prefer cash since future credits may not be used.

Alternatively, travel insurance policies like Trawick First Class with Cancel For Any Reason included pay a 75% cash refund of all prepaid, non-refundable trip costs including arrangements made outside of Princess Cruises. This could include flights, hotels, rental cars, excursions, and transfers.

Cancel For Any Reason policies have several stipulations:

• Purchase the policy within 10 - 21 days (depending on policy), of your initial payment or deposit date and
• Insure 100% of the prepaid trip costs subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions. For additional prepaid non-refundable payments made after the purchase of the policy, insure within 10-21 days (depending on policy), of each subsequent payment added to your trip, and
• Cancel your trip 2 days or more before your scheduled departure date.

Medical Insurance for Emergency Treatment

One of the most crucial factors in selecting your travel insurance plan is ensuring it has adequate Medical Insurance  when you travel. Anything can happen when you are on vacation as it could when you are at home, including accidental injuries or sudden illness.

If you have a medical emergency when traveling and don’t have proper medical insurance coverage when overseas, you may find yourself with a substantial hospital bill to cover. Whereas many countries to provide universal health care for their citizens, many Americans mistakenly believe that those countries with universal health care will treat them for free. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Instead, as an American, if you fall ill whilst abroad you will receive treatment at a private hospital, not public, and you will be required to pay privately like anyone else. Whilst costs differ from country to country, admission for inpatient care can cost around $3,000-$4,000 per day, plus the cost of whatever treatment you may need, be it x-rays, surgeries or specialist procedures and consultations.

It is also worth remebering that MediCare will not pay for hopsitalization when you are overseas. sadly this a common misconception which can be very costly if you find yourself in a hospital abroad with only your MediCare card for support. Some Medicare supplements do cover overseas, but they have a lifetime limit and reduced benefits, and they pay for emergencies only. They can still require you to pay 20% of the costs. As a result, you could go on vacation and end up with medical bills in the thousands.

TravelDefenders   urges overseas travelers to take travel medical insurance of at least $100,000 per person . In a medical emergency, $100,000 provides ample health care and helps protect your retirement savings from unexpected financial burdens.

Princess Vacation Protection Plan provides a $10,000 benefit for Medical Insurance on their Standard Plan and $20,000 for the Platinum Plan, which is far below our recommended minimum of $100,000. Both Trawick’s First Class policies includes $150,000 per person of Medical Insurance, so you can receive proper treatment without ending up in debt.

Emergency Medical Evacuation

Medical Insurance isn’t the only potentially expensive part of a trip.  Emergency Medical Evacuation  transports you from the place of injury or illness to the closest hospital. Once you’re stable enough for transport, Medical Evacuation brings you home via commercial flight or, if necessary, private medical jet with onboard Doctors and nurses to support you on the trip.

Medical flights can cost up to $25,000 per hour and regular health insurance will not cover it. In addition, it is worth remebering that the US State Department will not offer any medical treatment or evacuation assistance for US citizens. TravelDefenders advises travelers to get at least $250,000 Medical Evacuation  to assure there’s enough coverage to get them back home from almost anywhere if they experience a serious medical event.

Princess’ Vacation Protection Plan includes Medical Evacuation up to $50,000 per person on the Standard Plan and increases to $75,000 on the Platinum Plan.  The Trawick First Class policies provide $1,000,000 per person for Medical Evacuation, so you can feel secure knowing you have adequate coverage to transport you back home if needed.

Pre-existing Medical Conditions

A significant concern for senior travelers can be pre-existing medical conditions. A Pre-Existing Medical Condition is one in which you’ve received medical treatment, testing, medication changes, added new medications, or received a recommendation for a treatment or test that hasn’t happened yet. Most travel insurance policies exclude pre-existing conditions unless you purchase the policy within the required time period from your initial trip deposit date (called the Time Sensitive Period). Otherwise, the insurer will look backward 60, 90, or 180 days (depending on the policy) from the date you purchased the insurance to see if there are any pre-existing medical conditions they won’t cover. This is called the Look Back Period. Any medical conditions older than this Look Back Period, unchanged or stabilized with no medication dosage changes are covered, as are any new conditions that arise after you purchase the policy.

If you must cancel, interrupt, or seek medical treatment for a medical condition while traveling, travel insurance policies typically exclude claims related to Pre-existing Medical Conditions. However, if you purchase the policy within a few days of your Initial Trip Payment or Deposit date, many policies add a Waiver to the policy that covers Pre-existing Conditions. As a result, there is no Look Back Period and Pre-existing Conditions are covered.

The Princess Vacation Protection Plan covers NOT cover Pre-Existing Medical Conditions. However, the Trawick First Class policies will cover Pre-existing Medical Conditions provided you purchase the policy within 14-days of your initial trip deposit or payment.

Price and Value

In our opinion, the Princess Vacation Protection Standard Plan and Platinum Plan carry minimal coverage levels which are unlikely to be sufficient if you find yourself in need of them, and are also more expensive than other available travel insurance options. The medical insurance coverage is at most $20,000, and $75,000 for medical evacuation when choosing the Platinum Plan, which may not be adequate for a serious illness or injury. Cancellation reasons are limited and the Cancel For Any Reason coverage only grants future cruise credits that expire after a year. Overall, the Princess Vacation Protection Plan offers limited value for the price.

In contrast, by comparison shopping, we found the Trawick First Class policy comes in at $231.00, ($56.68 LESS than Princess). It includes superior medical and evacuation benefits, 100% refund for trip costs, including those made outside of Princess Cruises, for covered cancellation, a 150% refund for a covered trip interruption, and a robust list of cancellation reasons.

Choosing the Vacation Protection Platinum Plan from Princess didn’t provide much better value. It carries the same benefits as their Standard Vacation Protection Plan and similarly, the Cancel For Any Reason option will only provide a 75% cruise credit for up to one year. Again, by comparison shopping, we found the Trawick First Class (CFAR 75%) for $392.70, ($38.82 LESS than Princess). It includes $150,000 medical insurance and $1,000,000 medical evacuation. Plus, it includes a Cancel For Any Reason provision that refunds 75% of trip costs back in cash, rather than future credit. It has superior coverage over Princess’ policy and costs less.

Princess Cruises Vacation Protection Plan insurance provides travelers with a minimal insurance policy for a high cost that could leave travelers unpleasantly surprised during an emergency. Medical coverage and medical evacuation limits are low, and there are a limited number of covered cancellation and interruption reasons, as well as insufficient trip cost reimbursement. Though they have a strong reputation for excellent cruise service, their insurance is rather weak. Overall, we rate it a 6 out of 10.

Travelers planning a Princess cruise vacation will find the best value for their money and peace of mind when they shop for travel insurance at TravelDefenders Travel Insurance Marketplace. There, you can review dozens of options and select the best policy to fit your needs.

To help you find the best policy, TravelDefenders recommends having at least $100,000 in travel medical coverage and $250,000 - $500,000 (depending on distance from the US) for emergency medical evacuation when traveling outside the US. And, if you purchase the policy within the 14-21 days of initial trip payment, please consider a travel insurance policy with the pre-existing condition waiver included to ensure the most coverage for your money.

If you are planning a Princess cruise in 2022, be sure to pack insurance before you travel. You never know when you may need it.

Have questions? Chat with us online, send us an email at  [email protected]  or alternatively call us at  +1(786) 321 3723 . We would love to hear from you.

Safe Travels!

This article has been written for review purposes only and does not suggest sponsorship or endorsement of AARDY by the trademark owner.

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