Cruise cover sales jump 44% as Go.Compare urges holidaymakers to check protection
The experts at Go.Compare are encouraging holidaymakers heading on a cruise to make sure they have the right type of travel insurance in place before setting sail, as health concerns and the conflict in the Middle East have highlighted the importance of specialist cruise cover.
In the first week of May there was a 44% year-on-year increase in the number of people purchasing cruise cover*, according to data from the comparison website.
However, many holidaymakers could still be unaware that standard travel insurance might not provide the level of protection needed for cruises, as Rhys Jones, Go.Compare travel insurance expert, explains:
“Cruise holidays come with a unique set of risks that standard travel insurance policies may not fully address. As well as protecting standard things like medical emergencies, cancellations, and lost luggage, cruise cover offers some extra benefits tailored to life at sea, such as:
- Cover for missed ports if the itinerary changes
- Protection if you’re confined to your cabin due to illness outbreaks onboard
- Cover for unused excursions or disruptions specific to cruise travel
“Recent events, like the hantavirus outbreak and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East have highlighted exactly how important this is. And, some cruise lines like Cunard and Royal Caribbean even insist that you have the appropriate insurance in place before you can board.
“With Brits revealing last year that their top reason for choosing a cruise holiday is seeing multiple destinations in one trip**, getting compensation for missed destinations matters.”
Not every cruise, and not every policy is the same. One of the key differences, aside from location, is the duration of a cruise, something that Go.Compare says is really important to consider when purchasing a policy.
The website’s analysis of Defaqto-rated policies*** shows that:
- 50% of annual policies cover cruises lasting between 31 and 59 days
- 23% allow trips between 60 and 92 days
- Only 6% cover cruises of 93 days or more
- Meanwhile, 5% of insurers cap cover at 30 days or less
Rhys adds: “It’s more important than ever that travellers choose the right level of protection.
“Specialist cruise insurance can cover things like cabin confinement or missed ports, which are unique to this type of holiday. Without it, travellers could find themselves significantly out of pocket.
“Before setting sail, it’s vital to do these four things:
- Choose policies that specifically include cruise cover, or add it as an optional extra
- Check the limits for medical cover and repatriation
- Review policy exclusions, particularly around infectious diseases
- Ensure the policy matches the length and nature of the trip”
To find out more about specialist cruise travel insurance policies, visit here: https://www.gocompare.com/travel-insurance/cruise-travel-insurance/
//ENDS//
Contact Information
Alex McCormick
Notes to editors
*Travel insurance sales through Go.Compare 1-7 May 2025 vs 1-7 May 2026 where cruise cover is included.
** The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,000 nationally representative UK respondents (aged 16+). The data was collected between 9 July 2025 and 11 July 2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
*** Defaqto data from: https://www.gocompare.com/travel-insurance/cruise-travel-insurance/
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About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs. It also powers the Renewal app which has been designed to help consumers organise all their insurance policies, as well as other key dates such as road tax and MOT.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
More information can be found here www.gocompare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.