Taking a cruise to nowhere looks set to be the best option for a quick holiday right now. But before you get on that cruise liner, be sure to get the right travel insurance plan. Here are six options to cover your getaway on the high seas.
Taking a cruise to nowhere is perhaps the best option we have for a quick getaway right now.
It’s relatively affordable and low commitment, and your exposure to strangers is limited to your fellow passengers (compared to the roving population of an entire city, say).
Besides, cruise ships can be fairly refreshing, with several entertainment, dining and leisure options on offer.
If all else fails, or if you simply don’t relish the idea of having to adhere to a timeslot, you can always just Netflix and chill in your cabin, buoyed by the gentle sea.
Now that we’ve planted the idea of going for a cruise holiday in your head, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also remind you of the importance of getting an appropriate travel insurance plan.
We’ve saved you some trouble. Here are six travel insurance plans that provide cover for cruise-to-nowhere holidays.
Protect your cruise holiday with these 6 travel insurance plans
| Cruise travel insurance | Cruise benefits highlight | COVID-19 limits |
| Starr TraveLead Cruise to Nowhere Insurance | Medical expenses: Up to S$1m Accidental death and disablement: Up to S$500,000 Travel postponement: Up to S$1,500 Travel delay: Up to S$800 (S$100/6 hours) Personal baggage: Up to S$7,500 Baggage delay: Up to S$1,200 (S$100/6 hours) | Medical expenses: Up to S$100,000 Trip cancellation: Up to S$1,000 Trip curtailment: Up to S$1,000 |
| Allianz Travel Comprehensive (Platinum) | Denied boarding: Up to S$25,000 Cabin confinement: Up to S$1,000 Missed prepaid activity: Up to S$1,500 Medical expenses: Unlimited Trip cancellation or interruption: Up to S$25,000 Trip delay: Up to S$1,500 (up to S$400/6 hours) Accidental death and disablement: Up to S$100,000 Lost, stolen or damaged baggage: Up to S$15,000 Delayed baggage: Up to S$1,400 | No separate limits for COVID-19 |
| ERGO TravelProtect | Medical expenses: Up to S$1m (post-trip: Up to S$50,000) Accidental death and disablement: Up to S$400,000 Hospitalisation allowance: S$200/day, up to S$20,000 Travel cancellation or curtailment: Up to S$15,000 Travel delay: Up to S$100 (S$100/6 hours) Personal baggage: Up to S$8,000 Baggage delay: Up to S$1,000 (S$200/6 hours) | COVID-19 not covered |
| DBS TravellerShield Plus | Medical expenses: Up to S$1m (post-trip: Up to S$75,000) Accidental death and disablement: Up to S$500,000 Trip delay: S$100/6hours, up to S$2,000 Personal property and baggage: Up to S$8,000 | Medical expenses: Up to S$200,000 Hospital or quarantine benefit: S$100/day, up to S$1,400 Trip cancellation or curtailment: Up to S$7,500 |
| Sompo Travel (COVID-19) Insurance | Medical expenses: Up to S$400,000 (post-trip: Up to S$10,000) Accidental death and disablement: Up to S$500,000 Hospital allowance: Up to S$6,000 (S$200/day) Trip cancellation, postponement or curtailment: Up to S$10,000 Loss or damage of personal belongings: Up to S$2,500 | Medical expenses: Up to S$200,000 Hospital or quarantine allowance: Up to S$1,400 Trip cancellation or postponement: Up to S$4,000 with S$100 excess Trip curtailment or disruption: Up to S$2,000, with S$100 excess |
| Tiq Travel Insurance | Medical expenses: Up to S$1m (post-trip: Up to S$10,000) Accidental death and disablement: Up to S$500,000 Hospital allowance: Up to S$20,000 (S$200/day) Hospital allowance (in Singapore): Up to S$1,500 (S$100/day) Trip cancellation: Up to S$10,000 Trip curtailment: Up to S$5,000 Personal effects: Up to S$3,000 Travel delay: S$500 (S$50/3 hours) | Medical expenses: Up to S$300,000 Quarantine allowance: Up to S$1,500 (S$100/day) Trip cancellation, curtailment or disruption: Up to S$5,000 Travel postponement: Up to S$1,500 |
Starr TraveLead Cruise to Nowhere Insurance
Cruise benefits:
- Up to S$1m for medical expenses, and S$500,000 for accidental death and disablement
- Up to S$1,500 for travel postponement, and up to S$800 (S$100/6 hours) for travel delay
- Up to S$7,500 for personal baggage, and up to S$1,200 (S$100/6hours) for baggage delay
COVID-19 limits:
- Up to S$100,000 for medical expenses, and up to S$50/day, maximum 14 days for confinement
- Up to S$1,000 for trip cancellation or curtailment
Premiums (single traveller, single trip, 3-day duration):
- Gold: S$39
- Silver: S$31
- Bronze: S$24
Starr TraveLead offers up to S$100,000 coverage for COVID-19-related medical expenses under its Cruise to Nowhere Insurance plan.
On top of that, the plan also provides an allowance of S$50 per day for each day of confinement — whether at a hospital or in a place of quarantine — up to a maximum of 14 days.
Also, should you test positive for COVID-19 and have to forge your cruise, you can claim up to S$1,000 (Gold plan) or S$600 (Silver plan) for non-refundable expenses incurred.
Besides these highly useful COVID-19 benefits, Starr TraveLead Cruise to Nowhere Insurance also offers up to S$500,000 sum assured for accidental death or disablement, and up to S$1m cover for medical expenses — inpatient and outpatient bills included.
You can also choose to include Trip Coverage and Baggage Coverage to enjoy added protection during your cruise, such as up to S$7,500 benefit for baggage and personal belongings, and up to S$4,000 benefit for travel documents.
Allianz Travel Comprehensive (Platinum)
Cruise benefits:
- Up to S$25,000 for denied boarding
- Up to S$1,000 for cabin confinement
- Unlimited sum assured for medical expenses
- Up to S$25,000 for trip cancellation or interruption
- Up to S$1,500 (up to S$400/6 hours) for trip delay
COVID-19 limits:
- As per cruise benefits
Premiums (single traveller, single trip, 3-day duration):
- Platinum: S$53.50
A positive COVID-19 test during your cruise can cause you to be denied boarding, or perhaps worse — confined in your cabin until the liner returns to Singapore.
Those are terrible situations to be caught in, but with the Allianz Travel Comprehensive plan, you’ll at least have some benefits to fall back on.
Available only on the Platinum tier, these cruise-specific insurance benefits will reimburse you up to S$25,000 for denial of boarding, and up to S$1,000 should you need to be confined in your cabin.
You can also enjoy unlimited coverage for medical expenses incurred during an emergency on your trip. This applies to all medical situations, not just COVID-19.
And should your cruise be cut short or cancelled, you will be covered for up to S$25,000. Meanwhile, trip delays are also covered for up to S$400/6 hours.
ERGO TravelProtect
Cruise benefits:
- Up to S$1m for medical expenses during cruise
- Up to S$50,000 for post-trip medical expenses
- Up to S$400,000 for accidental death and disablement
- Up to S$15,000 for trip cancellation or curtailment
- Up to S$8,000 loss or damage of personal baggage
COVID-19 limits:
- Does not cover COVID-19
Premiums (single traveller, single trip, 3-day duration):
- Deluxe: S$28
- Standard: S$27
- Essential: S$17
ERGO TravelProtect is a travel insurance plan that has a built-in cruise travel extension. This means that you can use this plan for insurance coverage for the cruise you’re planning to embark on.
The benefits are quite beefy, including up to S$1m for emergency medical expenses, plus up to S$50,000 for any medical expenses incurred in Singapore after your trip. There’s also a personal accident coverage of up to S$400,000.
In terms of travel inconveniences, you’re covered for up to S$15,000 in case your cruise is cancelled or curtailed. You can also enjoy up to S$8,000 benefit in case of lost or damaged luggage during your trip.
Do note that unlike some of the other plans in this article, ERGO TravelProtect does not have benefits that are specific to COVID-19. Hence, if your cruise suffers any negative impact on account of the pandemic, your claims may not be successful.
DBS TravellerShield Plus
Cruise benefits:
- Up to S$1m for medical expenses, and S$75,000 for post-trip medical expenses
- Up to S$500,000 for accidental death and disablement
- Up to S$2,000 (S$100/6 hours) for travel delay
- Up to S$8,000 for personal baggage
COVID-19 limits:
- Up to S$200,000 for medical expenses, and up to S$100/day, maximum 14 days for hospitalisation or quarantine
- Up to S$7,000 for trip cancellation or curtailment
Premiums (single traveller, single trip, 3-day duration):
- Platinum: S$36
- Premier: S$27.90
- Classic: S$22.50
DBS TravellerShield Plus is a travel insurance plan that offers both cruise cover, as well as benefits for COVID-19, which allows you to cover all your bases when taking a holiday cruise.
As highlighted above, this plan also has extremely generous claims limits for all the important areas, with up to S$1m for overseas medical expenses (S$200,000 for COVID-19), up to S$500,00 for accidental death and disablement, and up to S$2,000 for travel delay.
There is also a daily allowance of S$100/day in case of COVID-19-related hospitalisation or quarantine, for as many as 14 days.
And to top it all off, this plan is priced very affordably.
Sompo Travel (COVID-19) Insurance
Cruise benefits:
- Up to S$400,000 for medical expenses, and S$10,000 for post-trip medical expenses
- Up to S$500,000 for accidental death and disablement
- Up to S$6,000 (S$200/day) hospital allowance
- Up to S$10,000 for trip cancellation, curtailment or postponement
- Up to S$2,500 for loss or damage of personal belongings
COVID-19 limits:
- Up to S$200,000 for medical expenses
- Up to S$1,400 hospital and/or quarantine allowance
- Up to S$4,000 (S$100 excess) for trip cancellation or postponement
- Up to S$2,000 (S$100 excess) for trip curtailment or disruption
Premiums (single traveller, single trip, 3-day duration):
- Superior: S$48
- Essential: S$36
Sompo Travel (COVID-19) Insurance offers a good mix of overseas travel coverage as well as COVID-19 benefits.
For the latter, the plan includes not only emergency medical expenses, but also hospital and/or quarantine allowance.
Also offered are benefits for trip cancellations or disruptions; under normal circumstances, these have decently-sized claims limits.
However, should your cruise be cut short or cancelled because for reasons related to the pandemic, you’ll need to pay a S$100 excess.
Tiq Travel Insurance
Cruise benefits:
- Up to S$1m for medical expenses, and S$10,000 for post-trip medical expenses
- Up to S$500,000 for accidental death and disablement
- Up to S$20,000 (S$200/day) hospital allowance
- Up to S$10,000 for trip cancellation, and up to S$5,000 for trip curtailment
- Up to S$3,000 cover for personal effects
- Up to S$500 (S$50/3 hours) for travel delay
COVID-19 limits:
- Up to S$300,000 for medical expenses
- Up to S$1,500 (S$100/day) quarantine allowance
- Up to S$5,000 for trip cancellation, curtailment or disruption
- Up to S$1,500 for travel delay
Premiums (single traveller, single trip, 3-day duration):
- Luxury: S$25.27
- Savvy: S$22.61
- Entry: S$13.96
Tiq recently extended insurance cover for COVID-19 as well as cruise-to-nowhere for its Tiq Travel Insurance plan, earning it a spot on our list.
The standouts here are the high claims limits for medical expenses while overseas, along with a modest benefit for follow-up treatment when you’re back in Singapore.
Also included are benefits of up to S$10,000 for trip cancellation, and up to S$5,000 for trip curtailment, along with up to S$3,000 worth of cover for personal belongings and luggage.
In terms of COVID-19 cover, you will get as much as S$300,000 overseas medical expense benefit, as well as up to SS$1,500 quarantine allowance, at the rate of S$100/day.
Testing positive before your cruise, or having it cut short due to an outbreak, will entitle you to claims of up to S$5,000. As for travel delays caused by COVID-19, you can claim up to S$1,500 in benefits.
Read these next:
5 Reasons Travel Insurance Is Extra Important On Cruise Ships
Cruise To Nowhere: Is It Worth Your Money And Time?
Best Travel Insurance Plans With COVID-19 Coverage
Best Travel Insurance Plans And Promotions In Singapore (2022)
5 Ways To Score Discounts On Your Next Cruise To Nowhere
By Alevin Chan
An ex-Financial Planner with a curiosity about what makes people tick, Alevin’s mission is to help readers understand the psychology of money. He’s also on an ongoing quest to optimise happiness and enjoyment in his life.
