What if you have a medical emergency on a cruise?

Usually, the decision is made to disembark the patient at a location where the relevant medical facilities are available. If the necessary facilities are not available at this location or if the patient wants to get back home, an air ambulance is usually needed for medical evacuation or for medical repatriation.



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Being airlifted off a cruise usually costs at least $20,000 and this can rise into the hundreds of thousands depending on location and other factors. This is one reason why taking out travel insurance with good medical cover is essential when cruising. Do not EVER cruise without travel insurance.

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Cruise ship doctors work as independent contractors and may charge a basic hourly fee. There will be additional charges for medications and tests. All must be paid for at the time of service and will be billed to your shipboard spending account.

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Cruise ships can treat a wide range of illnesses and injuries on board. Some onboard medical facilities look like urgent care centers, while others are more like doctor's offices. Health insurance often does not cover medical care on cruises, but travel insurance might.

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How much travel medical insurance do you need? Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison site, recommends buying at least $50,000 in emergency medical coverage for international travel. For travelers going on a cruise or to a remote destination, the site recommends at least $100,000 in coverage.

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Most cruise insurance plans may cover medical emergencies, trip cancellation, trip interruption, medical evacuation, and lost, damaged, or stolen luggage when you're on a cruise. Cruise insurance can also cover cruise-ship disablement and pre-existing conditions, depending on when you buy coverage.

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Unfortunately, illness can strike even on a cruise ship - of course, it's a huge bummer when it does. Luckily, all cruise ships have a medical facility onboard to treat a variety of illnesses and conditions.

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The survival rate after jumping off a cruise ship is around 25%. Many things can influence this rate including the speed of the ship, the location, the time of day and the season.

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Life at Sea cruises, which will host a three year cruise for $30,000 per year, is taking on more passengers. Apparently, the number of people who want to sail away from their lives is bigger than expected.

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Buying 50 Days Before Departure Buying cruise insurance at this time also takes the “panic” factor out of your purchase. There'll be lots to think about right before you leave. Buying 50 days out means you won't be worrying about “what-if” scenarios right up to departure date.

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What Does Travel Insurance NOT cover?
  • Reasonably foreseeable events.
  • Known storms, epidemics, acts of war.
  • Travel restrictions imposed by government authorities.
  • Pre-existing conditions, unless the Premium plan is bought within the window for coverage.
  • Dangerous activities.


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Travel medical insurance provides reimbursement for emergency medical expenses, including medical evacuations, while you're traveling. These policies do not provide coverage for routine expenses. So, if you break your leg while you're on vacation internationally, emergency medical coverage will protect you.

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Original Medicare (Parts A & B) may cover medically necessary health care services on a cruise ship, if the ship you're on when you receive the care is in a U.S. port or no more than 6 hours away from one when you get the services. That means the ship can be in the water, but must be within six hours of a U.S. port.

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Operation Rising Star: A death or very serious medical emergency has happened on the ship. Oscar, Oscar, Oscar: Man overboard. Purell, Purell, Purell: Cleanup is needed in a public area.

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Without insurance, the average cost of an ambulance ride is around $1200. However, factors like ground mileage and severity of services affect the final prices of ambulance services. Ambulance rides are not protected under the No Surprises Act, which aims to reduce surprise medical billing.

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