Top tips for first-time cruisers

A cruise ship appears on the horizon of a tropical turquoise lagoon - with a hammock in semi silhouette, shaded by palm trees

There’s nothing like convincing a non-cruiser to become a first-time cruiser, and opening the client up to a whole new world of travel.

Because Australia continues to be one of the fastest growing cruising markets globally, and with InsureandGo reporting a 36 per cent increase in cruise policies sold between November and February, they’ve put together some tips to make your client more cruise savvy.

First off, InsureandGo has highlighted the benefits of choosing a cruise-specific travel insurance policy, largely because of the different style of travel that’s involved.

Jonathan Etkind, Commercial Manager of InsureandGo, said, “There are certain risks associated with a cruising holiday that may not be covered by a typical basic travel insurance policy, such as cabin confinement or a missed cruise departure, which first-time cruise-goers may not be aware of,.

“Cruising has quickly become a popular holiday for many Australians who enjoy the fact that their holiday starts from the moment they set foot on board the boat.”

On that note, let’s school your clients on their must-know tips before boarding their first cruise.

1. Keep on schedule

Missing a bus or train can be an inconvenience, but missing a cruise departure can be a nightmare for holiday-goers.

People often don’t realise that they can be covered in the unfortunate event of delayed flights due to poor weather conditions, a car breakdown or even a mechanical accident on their way to a cruise causing them to miss their departure.

In the event this happens, the right travel insurance policy can cover accommodation and travel expenses if you do end up missing your port departure due to circumstances like this.

2. Cabin fever

There’s nothing worse than not enjoying a holiday because you’re sick. For cruise holidays specifically, travel insurance can provide cover if you are confined to your cabin for medical reasons by a medical officer.

For example, InsureandGo will pay cruise insurance policy-holders up to $75 for every 24 hours you are confined.

3. Onboard medical emergencies can happen

Whether you’ve hit the dancefloor too hard or simply have a pre-existing medical condition that flares up, onboard medical emergencies can be a part of cruising.

Be sure to look into different insurance policies to see what you are covered for, particularly if you know you have a pre-existing condition.

And if you do have a pre-existing condition (even if it seems minor), ensure you declare it so that you may have the option to get cover for it.

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

Latest comments

DannoB says:
April 10, 2017 at 4:49 am
Rum Rum runners cruise flasks! Bring ur own booze on board and save big $$!
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Steve@iFLYflat says:
April 4, 2017 at 6:06 pm
I’ve just been on a 15 night cruise on the Queen Elizabeth from Sydney to Japan.
My top 4 tips are:
1) Bring some small magnets for the wall, as the cabins have metal walls – you can pin up useful pieces of paper or the next night’s schedule.
2) Bring something like a koala/flower/etc to stick on your cabin door to help it easy to recognise from a distance – it makes the boring walk along the corridor much quicker as you know how far your room is (trust me – makes it so much better).
3) Bring a suction hook for the bathroom to hang wet things, because there is nowhere to hang.
4) Bring your own lanyard for your cruise card.
Tried and proven – these small tips will enhance your cruise experience by 5x.
Enjoy
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