Royal Caribbean Travel Insurance: Do You Need It for Your Cruise?
Key Takeaways
- Royal Caribbean Travel Protection may be a strong option for some cruisers due to its Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage, which reimburses 90% of your cruise costs for a relatively low price.
- Royal Caribbean offers a strong insurance policy for a cruise-marketed plan, with high limits for Medical Evacuation and Emergency Medical.
- Though it’s better than most cruise-line plans, Royal Caribbean insurance still has major gaps compared to third-party cruise insurance. It doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions or travel purchased outside your cruise.
- The cost of Royal Caribbean cruise trip insurance ranges from 8% to 10% of your cruise cost. This is higher than third-party insurance, which ranges between 4% to 10% and averages 6%.
- Compare cruise insurance plans on Squaremouth to make sure you’re getting the right coverage for your Royal Caribbean cruise.
How Does Royal Caribbean Cruise Insurance Work?
Royal Caribbean Travel Protection is an optional cruise insurance plan that you can easily tack onto your cruise at the time of purchase for an extra fee. It includes a cruise cancellation waiver that allows you to cancel your cruise for any reason for a 90% cruise credit, plus a 100% refund for travel cancelled for a covered reason. It also covers you for other common travel disruptions like lost bags and medical emergencies.
What Does Royal Caribbean Travel Insurance Cover?
Royal Caribbean provides better-than-average protection for a cruise line insurance plan, reimbursing 90%-100% of eligible costs in case of a cancellation. Unlike most cruise line plans, it provides high limits for medical emergencies. Coverage includes:
- Trip cancellations for a covered reason: You’ll get a 100% cash refund if you need to cancel your cruise for a qualifying reason, including sickness, injury, or death of you, your traveling companion, or your immediate family members.
- Cancellations for any other reason: If you need to cancel your trip for any other reason, Royal Caribbean will reimburse up to 90% of your non-refundable trip costs in the form of a certificate toward a future cruise.
- Trip interruptions: Royal Caribbean reimburses up to 150% of your unused trip costs, including your return ticket home in case you need to interrupt your trip for a covered reason, like illness, death, or injury of you, your traveling companion, or a family member.
- Accidents and illnesses on your cruise: The plan provides up to $100,000 total, for your entire travel group, for accidents and up to $100,000 total for illnesses during your cruise.
- Medical evacuations: Royal Caribbean covers up to $500,000 for transportation to the nearest medical facility or to your home in case of a medical emergency. This can also cover repatriation of your remains.
- Trip delays over 3 hours: You can get up to $2,000 to catch up with your cruise in case you’re delayed for more than 3 hours on your way there. This also covers return travel if you’re delayed more than 3 hours on your return.
- Missed connections: Royal Caribbean offers $300 reimbursement if a delay causes you to miss your departure, a rare benefit for a cruise-line plan.
- Lost and delayed bags: You’ll get up to $3,000 for lost bags and up to $500 toward the purchase of clothes and essential items in case your luggage is delayed by more than 6 hours.
Our Senior cruise survey found that more than 85% of seniors consider Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation coverage the most important protections for a cruise, though 32% purchased less than our recommended amount.
Royal Caribbean Insurance vs. Third-Party Insurance
Unlike many cruise-marketed plans, a Royal Caribbean vacation protection plan offers competitive benefits compared to comprehensive cruise insurance and even offers an appealing CFAR policy at no extra charge. That said, it has some gaps in coverage compared to comprehensive travel insurance.
| Benefit | Royal Caribbean Travel Insurance | IMG iTravelInsured Choice Cruise | Seven Corners Cruise |
| Average Cost of premium | $488 (9% of cruise cost) | $396.56 (4% of total trip cost) | $498 (6% of total trip cost) |
| Trip Cancellation | 100% of Royal Caribbean costs | 100% of trip cost | 100% of trip cost |
| Trip Interruption | 150% of Royal Caribbean costs | 150% of trip cost | 150% of trip cost |
| Trip Delay | $2,000 after 3-hour delay | $1,000/person after 6-hour delay | $1,000/person after 6-hour delay |
| Missed Connection | $300 after 3-hour delay | $500/person after 6-hour delay | $1,500/person after 3-hour delay |
| Baggage Loss/Damage | $3,000 | $1,000/person | $2,000/person |
| Baggage Delay | $500 after 6-hour delay | $300/person after 6-hour delay | $500 after 6-hour delay |
| Emergency Medical | $100,000 for accidents & $100,000 for sickness (secondary) | $100,000/person (primary) | $250,000/person (secondary) |
| Emergency Evacuation | $500,000 | $500,000/person | $500,000/person |
| 24-Hour AD&D | No coverage | $10,000/person | No coverage |
| Cancel For Any Reason | 90% of Royal Caribbean costs (issued as cruise credit) | No coverage | Optional add on, covers 75% of full trip cost |
*Sample policy for two 55-year-old customers planning a $5,715 cruise with a $9,000 total trip cost. Coverages may vary.
Where Royal Caribbean stands out
- Strong CFAR coverage: Royal Caribbean offers very competitive pricing for its CFAR coverage, which automatically comes with the plan. You’ll pay 40%-50% more for this benefit with a third-party cruise plan, and only recover 75% of your trip cost at most, versus a 90% credit toward a future cruise with Royal Caribbean.
- Lower premiums for seniors: Since pricing doesn’t increase with age, older travelers can pay much less for Royal Caribbean insurance than a third-party cruise plan.
- High coverage for lost bags: Royal Caribbean offers a higher limit for lost bags than many independently purchased cruise plans.
- Short durations for trip delays and missed connections: Royal Caribbean covers flight delays and missed connections after only a 3-hour delay, versus 6 hours for our top cruise plans.
Where Royal Caribbean falls short
- Doesn’t cover your entire trip: Unlike third-party insurance, Royal Caribbean won’t cover airfare, hotels, or other travel arrangements purchased outside Royal Caribbean. This could be a problem if you’re planning to fly or spend extra nights outside your cruise.
- No pre-existing condition coverage: While many third-party cruise plans offer a waiver for pre-existing conditions as long as you purchase coverage within 14-21 days, Royal Caribbean doesn’t.
- CFAR is reimbursed as a cruise credit: If you cancel for a non-covered reason, Royal Caribbean will reimburse you with a cruise credit that has an expiration date and blackout dates. Third-party insurance reimburses your expenses in cash.
- High premiums for people under 60: Royal Caribbean’s premiums are higher on average than third-party insurance, for a plan that provides less coverage.
- Inadequate Emergency Medical coverage: Our top cruise plans offer $100,000 in Emergency Medical coverage per person, which meets our recommended coverage for cruises. Royal Caribbean provides $100,000 total, which is not sufficient for couples or larger parties.
- Inadequate Emergency Evacuation coverage for groups: Royal Caribbean’s evacuation coverage meets our recommended limit of $250,000 per person, as long as you only have two people on your trip. Our top third-party plans offer $500,000 in coverage per person rather than total, providing much better coverage for larger groups.
- No coverage for interruptions due to hurricanes and other inclement weather: While many third-party cruise insurance plans offer coverage for hurricanes and severe weather, these aren’t included in Royal Caribbean’s Trip Interruption policy.
- No financial default or bankruptcy coverage: While some third-party cruise policies offer financial default coverage, Royal Caribbean’s policy won’t reimburse you in case Royal Caribbean fails to provide travel services.
- No coverage for other cruise-related disruptions: While other cruise plans offer specialized cruise benefits like missed port of call coverage and inconveniences like a virus outbreak or a loss of food, water, or power, Royal Caribbean does not.
How Much Is Royal Caribbean Travel Insurance?
The price of Royal Caribbean travel insurance depends on the cost of your trip. We sampled itineraries of varying lengths and prices, and found that premiums ranged between 8% and 10% of the cruise.
This is on the high side compared to standard cruise insurance, which ranges between 4% and 10%, or around 6% on average, according to our Cruise cost report. You’ll pay a slightly lower percentage for higher cost cruises, but the price is high across the board.
3-day Bahamas cruise
- Cruise cost: $883.48
- Premium: $88
- Cost/day: $29
- % of trip cost: 10%
7-day Mediterranean cruise
- Cruise cost: $5,714.66
- Premium: $488
- Cost/day: $70
- % of trip cost: 9%
13-day Alaska cruise
- Cruise cost: $15,580.74
- Premium: $1,278
- Cost/day: $98
- % of trip cost: 8%
Who Underwrites Royal Caribbean’s Travel Insurance?
Royal Caribbean Travel insurance is underwritten by Arch Insurance Company. This means that Arch is responsible for the payout of your claim. The good news is that Arch has an A+ A.M. Best rating, which means they are very reliable at paying out claims.
However, Aon Affinity, which has a less-stellar customer service record, is responsible for processing your claim and providing customer service.
How Do You Claim Royal Caribbean Trip Insurance?
Royal Caribbean travel insurance reimburses you for qualifying expenses, which means you’ll have to pay up front and wait until after your cruise to file a claim for reimbursement.
To make a claim, you’ll need to gather all the relevant paperwork, including receipts, communications from your common carrier, medical records and doctors’ notes. Once you have all your paperwork in order, you can go to Aon Affinity’s claim portal to file a claim.
Be sure to get an invoice for any onboard medical care before you leave the ship, as it can be difficult to obtain afterward.
Is Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Worth It?
A Royal Caribbean Travel Protection plan may be worth it in some cases. Royal Caribbean coverage may be right for you if you’re primarily concerned about cancellation protection, you don’t mind that its CFAR benefit reimburses you with a cruise credit instead of cash, and you don’t need coverage for pre-existing conditions or independently booked travel.
Others, including families, those with substantial travel outside their cruise, and people with pre-existing conditions will be better served by third-party cruise insurance. Regardless, we strongly recommend comparing cruise insurance plans before purchasing coverage for your trip.
Royal Caribbean Travel Insurance Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easily add on to your cruise at checkout
- 90% refund for cancelling your cruise for any reason (100% for qualifying reasons)
- Fairly high coverage for medical emergencies
- Covers missed connections and trip delays of just 3 hours
- Can purchase up to 90 days before final sailing date to get CFAR coverage
Cons
- Fairly high premiums compared to third-party travel insurance plans
- Medical coverage may be insufficient for parties over two
- Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions
- Doesn’t cover travel booked outside Royal Caribbean
- Refund for CFAR is a cruise credit rather than cash
- Can’t add it after making final cruise payment
Not available for people in Hawaii and New York
FAQs: Royal Caribbean Vacation Protection
Do I Need Travel Insurance for a Royal Caribbean Cruise?
While Royal Caribbean doesn’t require you to have travel insurance for a cruise, we strongly recommend that you purchase a cruise insurance policy, either from Royal Caribbean or a third party. Medical costs, especially air evacuations from your cruise ship, can be very expensive in an emergency and your personal insurance likely won’t cover it. Also, your cruise booking may be completely non-refundable depending on when you cancel, so it’s a good idea to have Trip Cancellation insurance.
How Do I Purchase Royal Caribbean Travel Insurance?
You can purchase Royal Caribbean Travel Insurance by adding it to your cruise at the time of booking. You can also add it online post-booking under the “Travel planning” option in the “Manage My Cruise” section. Or, you can call Royal Caribbean at 1-866-562-7625 to have them add it for you.
Can I Add Travel Insurance After Booking Royal Caribbean?
You can add Royal Caribbean Travel Insurance after you’ve paid your deposit, but you can’t add it once you’ve made your final cruise payment. However, you can purchase third-party travel insurance any time before your sailing date. Note, the sooner you purchase cruise insurance, the better.
Does the Royal Caribbean Credit Card Have Travel Insurance?
Yes, the Royal Caribbean credit cards, including the Royal ONE Credit Card and the Royal ONE Plus Credit Card have Visa Signature travel protections, which cover things like delays, cancellations, and rental car damage.
Does Credit Card Travel Insurance Cover a Royal Caribbean Cruise?
Credit card travel insurance can provide some protections for a Royal Caribbean Cruise, like travel cancellation insurance and lost baggage coverage, but it’s not a replacement for comprehensive cruise insurance. Most cards don’t offer Emergency Evacuation or Emergency Medical coverage, and the ones that do don’t have enough coverage.
Does Royal Caribbean Offer Primary Travel Insurance Coverage?
No, Royal Caribbean offers secondary travel insurance coverage. This means that you must file with other insurance plans first, like your primary health insurance policy, before submitting a claim to Royal Caribbean.
What Company Does Royal Caribbean Use for Travel Insurance?
Arch Insurance Company is responsible for underwriting and paying out claims for Royal Caribbean insurance, and Aon Affinity is responsible for processing claims and providing customer service.
Does Royal Caribbean Travel Insurance Cover Missed Port Stops?
No, Royal Caribbean does not cover missed port stops.
What Is the Best Travel Insurance for a Royal Caribbean Cruise?
IMG iTravelInsured Choice is our pick for best cruise plan for Royal Caribbean. It’s one of the top-selling plans on Squaremouth, offering well-rounded coverage and strong Medical Travel benefits. If you value CFAR, consider the Seven Corners Cruise plan.