The Significance of Travel Coverage for Adventures at Sea

February 14, 2024

A case study

Taking a cruise vacation has always been a popular choice with globetrotters, but with airfare prices at an all-time high¹ plus the hassle of planning local accommodations, cruising is now one of the fastest-growing sectors of tourism.² If you’ve considered enjoying the lavish meals, easy planning and exotic ports of a cruise trip, there’s dozens of choices, from family-friendly to adults-only, with itineraries ranging from the world’s most popular beach destinations to river cruises visiting European travel hotspots.

However, when it comes to cruising, it’s not always smooth sailing. Even the most well-prepared cruise vacations can be thrown off course by unforeseen circumstances. For instance, if you become ill before your cruise, you may need to cancel your vacation at the last minute. Along the same lines, it’s possible to become ill or injured during a cruise.

Dr. Amit Awindekar, medical director for UnitedHealthcare Global, suggests taking three simple steps to protect your health before and during your cruise: “Be sure to bring a portable health kit with basic pain relievers, sunscreen and sunburn relief, and motion sickness remedies. Get plenty of sleep, so your immune system stays nice and strong. And since there are so many people on cruises, reduce your exposure to germs with frequent hand washing — especially after using the restroom and before meals. Packing hand sanitizer is a must.”

While health issues can complicate your travel plans, other travel snafus can also affect your trip, such as a delayed or canceled flight, or lost or stolen luggage or documentation. Because of all these possible challenges, it’s always a good idea to add travel insurance to your cruise planning. SafeTrip offers different travel and medical insurance protection options that can make all the difference. For one couple, this support and valuable global health care knowledge was crucial during a recent ship voyage.

The situation

A couple embarked on a cruise from the U.S. to Southeast Asia. Just days into their trip, one of the individuals fell, hit their head and broke their arm. After consulting with the ship doctor, the injured person’s spouse contacted our 24/7, 365-days-a-year Emergency Response Center (ERC) medical support line for assistance.

The ERC team quickly initiated a thorough assessment of the situation, and evaluated the region's health care capabilities as well as the member's specific needs. As the ship sailed toward its next port, an in-house UnitedHealthcare Global clinical team worked closely with the ship doctor to monitor the member's condition and provide consultation on treatment.

Global expertise and support

If the ship doctor had decided that the injured person needed to disembark to receive more intensive care, the ERC team was ready: they had already prepared transportation to and from the hospital to ensure a seamless transition to a quality medical facility in the region.

Throughout the process, the ERC team also verified the member's benefits to ensure they had coverage for any medical expenses. Simultaneously, an in-house clinical team brought one of our global medical directors onto the case to assess the level of care that was appropriate.

Fortunately, the consultation, treatment and monitoring by the ERC team and by the ship doctor was thorough enough for all to feel confident in the couple continuing their vacation. Though the member would need to rest during the remainder of the cruise, there was consensus that there was no need to disembark for medical intervention, and the couple could proceed to enjoy the rest of their cruise.

Before you set sail

If you are injured or become ill on a cruise, especially in international waters, it can be difficult to find the right help and expertise. But with the assistance of an around-the-clock ERC team, you’ll have the backup of global health expert and can go on your cruise trip with confidence that SafeTrip has your back.

Take a moment to review your SafeTrip plan options and consider the risks of an illness or travel interruption as you book your next cruise — then look forward to a wonderful, carefree vacation on the high seas.

Note: This case study is true but identifying characteristics have been changed to preserve confidentiality.

1: Yeginsu, Ceylan/New York Times. July 18, 2023. “Are Cruises ‘Corny’? Some First-Time Passengers Looking for a Deal Say Maybe Not.” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/18/travel/first-time-cruise-passengers.html. Accessed 1/17/24.
2: Cruise Lines International Association. September 2023. “State of the Cruise Industry.” https://cruising.org/-/media/clia-media/research/2023/clia_state-of-the-cruise-industry-report-sept-2023-update-live.ashx. Accessed 1/17/24.