Is Cruise Insurance Necessary?

Is cruise insurance really necessary? Sailing with the larger cruise lines, probably not; however, insurance is for the "what-if's". What if there weren't enough bookings for a cruise; therefore, the cruise line decides it isn't cost effective to run the cruise. What happens to the individuals who purchased the tickets? Well, you may or may not get a full refund depending what is written in the contract.

You'll want to do the necessary homework to make sure you get a full refund in the event the cruise line decides it will not sail. Or, what happens if the cruise is cancelled due to weather, do you get your money back? Again, it depends what is written in the contract.

Granted, with the usage of credit cards you'll receive some safe guards. Federal law requires credit card issuers to refund money if a business doesn't deliver on the promised product or services as long as the charge is disputed within 60 days after receiving the first bill. MasterCard and Visa have extended that coverage up to 120 days from the date the service was not given. In the event of a cruise, the departure date of the cruise.

To save the headaches of guess work, we highly recommend that you purchase cruise insurance. Provided you get a "good policy", it may protect you not only from a cruise cancellation but also medical and possible lost luggage.

We also recommend that you purchase cruise insurance from an insurance company not the cruise agency or travel agency. They are not experts in the field of insurance. We've worked with a few specialized "Cruise Insurance" companies and found them to be very helpful. Feel free to contact us regarding a cruise insurance company.

In February of 2006, a local Northwest Cruise line, Great American Journey, cancelled its February sailings. Will everyone get refunds? We don't know. If you have insurance it gives you the peace of mind that you'll get your money back.

All the Best,

Craig Dahl & The Editorial Staff

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We're also the Senior Editors for Love Quotes For You and Northwest Travel Tips; we've brought the Best of both worlds together, Love & Travel.