Cruise Travel Insurance for Australian Travellers
Planning a cruise? Go Insurance offers award-winning cruise cover as part of our Australian travel insurance, available at goinsurance.com.au — designed for the risks standard cover can miss once you leave port.
Cover is subject to the PDS, including its limits, conditions and exclusions (the PDS includes our Financial Services Guide). Include every port and region your cruise visits when you get your quote so your itinerary is correctly covered.
Canstar Award Winner
Go Insurance has been recognised for Outstanding Value in Cruise Travel Insurance three years running.
Cover Built for Life at Sea
Cruising is one of the easiest ways to see the world — but it carries risks a standard policy can overlook. Once you sail beyond Australian waters, Medicare no longer applies, onboard medical care is charged at your own expense, and a serious illness can mean an emergency evacuation to the nearest port. Weather and operational changes can also close ports or cut short the shore days you’ve paid for.
Go Insurance cruise cover is built for exactly these situations, and our cruise product has been recognised with a Canstar Outstanding Value award. It’s designed to help protect Australians at sea, on shore and on the journey there and back.
What Cruise Cover May Include
Go Insurance cruise cover provides selected benefits for cruise-related travel events, subject to the applicable limits, conditions and exclusions in the PDS.
Who Should Consider Cruise Cover?
Cruise cover is worth considering if any of these apply to your upcoming trip.
Benefits Built Around Cruising
Beyond standard travel cover, cruise cover responds to the things that go wrong specifically at sea:
Benefit types, limits and conditions are set out in the PDS — read it before you buy.
Why Medicare Isn’t Enough at Sea
Many Australians assume Medicare covers them on a cruise, even in home waters. In practice, Medicare cover stops a short distance from Australian ports, so once you’re out at sea you’re effectively on your own for medical costs.
Onboard doctors generally aren’t registered with a Medicare provider number, which means treatment at the ship’s medical centre is charged to you directly — and a serious case can require a costly evacuation to the nearest hospital ashore.
Cruise cover is designed to close that gap. If you have a pre-existing condition, it’s important to declare it — see our guide to medical conditions cover for how that works.
How to Cover Your Cruise
Adding cruise cover to your Go Insurance policy is straightforward — just follow these steps during the quote process.
Get a Quote
Start your quote at goinsurance.com.au and enter your travel details — dates, travellers and destinations.
Add Your Itinerary
Include every country and port your cruise visits, plus any region such as the Pacific or Europe, so your whole journey is covered.
Confirm Your Certificate
Choose your level of cover, complete your purchase, and check your details on your Certificate of Insurance before you sail.
Travel Confidently
Keep booking confirmations and receipts for prepaid costs — you’ll need them if you claim — and carry your emergency assistance number.
Things to Know Before You Sail
Like all travel insurance, cruise cover has limits, conditions and exclusions. Key things to be aware of:
Your Pre-Cruise Checklist
Cruise Travel Insurance — Frequently Asked Questions
Everything Australian travellers commonly ask about cruise cover with Go Insurance.
Does Medicare cover me on a cruise?
No. Medicare does not cover medical treatment once you’re at sea, even on a domestic cruise in Australian waters — its cover stops a short distance from Australian ports. Onboard medical care is charged to you directly, which is why cruise travel insurance is worth having.
Do I need travel insurance for a cruise in Australian waters?
Yes, you should strongly consider it. Because Medicare doesn’t apply once you’ve left port, a medical issue on a domestic cruise can leave you with the full bill. Cruise cover helps with onboard medical costs, evacuation and disruption that Medicare and standard cover won’t meet.
What does cruise travel insurance cover?
Cruise cover can include overseas and onboard emergency medical costs, emergency evacuation, cabin confinement and missed-port benefits, trip cancellation and disruption, and cover for luggage and personal items. The exact benefits, limits and conditions are set out in the PDS.
What is cabin confinement cover?
Cabin confinement is a daily benefit paid if you’re confined to your cabin because of illness or quarantine, as directed by the ship’s medical officer. The daily amount and maximum are set out in the PDS.
What is a missed-port benefit?
A missed-port benefit is a payment for a scheduled port your ship can’t dock at due to circumstances outside your control, such as weather or operational changes. The benefit amount and any limits are detailed in the PDS.
Can I get cruise cover with a pre-existing medical condition?
Often, yes — many conditions can be covered, but they must be declared so they can be assessed when you buy your policy. See our medical conditions page for how cover for existing conditions works.
How do I add cruise cover to my policy?
Get a quote at goinsurance.com.au and enter your full cruise itinerary, including every port and region you’ll visit. Choose your level of cover, complete your purchase, and check it appears on your Certificate of Insurance before you sail.
How do I make a claim after a cruise?
You can lodge a claim through our claims page. Keep your booking confirmations, receipts and any reports from the ship’s medical centre, as you’ll need them to support your claim.