For travelers going on cruises or international, we'd recommend looking at plans that offer $150,000 per person for evacuation and repatriation. The cost of getting evacuated off of a cruise ship can vary greatly depending on where you are at that particular time.

A medical evacuation from a cruise ship is extremely expensive, with costs in 2026 typically ranging from $20,000 to over $100,000, depending on the ship's location and the level of care required. A standard helicopter airlift from a ship to a nearby shore-based hospital generally starts around $25,000, while international evacuations or those involving remote ocean regions can easily reach $80,000 to $150,000. If a specialized "Air Ambulance" is required to transport a patient back to their home country for intensive care, the bill can climb toward $200,000. Crucially, these costs are almost never covered by standard health insurance or Medicare. Because of this, travel experts strongly recommend that cruise passengers purchase a travel insurance policy with at least $250,000 in emergency medical evacuation coverage. Without insurance, the cruise line will facilitate the evacuation for safety, but the passenger or their family will be personally liable for the massive financial burden.