As many of you know, I love cruising. I cruise at least two times a year with Azamara Club Cruises. In fact, I just got back from a cruise in New Zealand stopping in ports like Dunedin, Cape Kidnappers, Picton, Tauranga plus Hobbiton, and Auckland. I used to avoid cruises because of misguided preconceptions but the truth is cruising is great and very convenient. It’s like a hotel that moves, allowing you to see a lot while you’re comfortably unpacked. Not surprisingly, the majority of Americans have never been on a cruise.

A new survey conducted by leading travel insurance provider Allianz Global Assistance found that two-thirds (66 percent) of Americans have never been on a cruise, highlighting a significant opportunity for cruise lines to grow their customer base. Cruising is growing more popular especially among younger people including myself. This is from my own observations cruising multiple times a year

Of those that responded to the Allianz Global Assistance survey that they have never taken a cruise, 47 percent reported it was because of prohibitive price or cost and 22 percent stated that cruises have a bad reputation or word of mouth. Others have not taken a cruise because of susceptibility to seasickness (10 percent), fear of getting ill or sustaining injury (8 percent), fear of shipwrecks (7 percent) or claustrophobia (6 percent).

Again, I totally understand the concerns as I used to have many of them myself. However, cruises really can be a great bargain especially on popular routes. Plus, you get to see and visit many places in a short period of time while not really having to make any plans or arrangements in port. It’s hard to deny the ease and convenience of cruising but you still have to protect yourself.

“Cruises represent a significant travel investment, so it’s important that Americans protect that investment when they do book a cruise,” said Joe Mason, Chief Marketing Officer at Allianz Global Assistance USA. “The right travel insurance policy may cover non-refundable payments if a customer has to cancel their cruise due to a reason covered by their policy. It may also cover the cost to catch up to a cruise if a connection is missed as well as pay for medical bills incurred on board or in port.”

I have personally seen people both miss the cruise departure time and have to catch up on their own and people that have had to be evacuated. It’s rare of course, but the cruises are very well prepared to help passengers in need get appropriate medical care if more than what’s available onboard is needed.

William Brady, MD, Allianz Global Assistance’s U.S. Medical Director and a Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Virginia, says that injuries or illnesses that occur while cruising can be expensive and logistically challenging. “Most ship doctors provide prompt medical care, but more serious emergencies require passengers to be transported to the closest appropriate medical center or hospital for treatment,” said Dr. Brady. “Cruisers may need to be transported to a distant medical facility, may be asked to pay for treatment in advance or may even need to be evacuated to the U.S. In all these circumstances, having the right travel insurance can help.”

Whether it’s a medical issue or a travel delay, a travel insurance policy from Allianz Global Assistance can provide peace of mind, especially for travel outside the U.S., where many hospitals may request cash payments in the thousands before treatment even begins. Many U.S. health insurance policies that you can see this page (including Medicare and Medicaid) may not cover international travel; those that do may not cover the cost of medical evacuation.

So while the majority of Americans have never been on a cruise, those that cruise often enjoy a great way to comfortably explore the world. But like any travel, you never know what could happen which is why you need travel insurance. Just don’t let worries get in the way of getting out there and cruising. If I like it, you will too!

Disclaimer: I, and one of my companies, The Travel Trifecta, work as ambassadors for Allianz Travel Insurance aka Allianz Global Assistance and receive financial compensation. I was not required to write this post based on the recent survey but I felt compelled as I love cruising. While I took the included quotes directly from the survey press release, all notes about my personal cruise experiences and feeling are mine and mine alone based on my experience.

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