Important Travel Insurance Information

Going on a short cruise in Australian waters? A Pacific cruise? An around-the-world ocean cruise? A river cruise in Europe or Asia?

Wherever you plan to cruise, we’ve got a wide range of travel insurance for you to choose from.

This cover includes an unlimited amount of overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses.

(Once your ship leaves Australian shores, these expenses are not covered by either Medicare or your private health insurer.)

What’s covered?

Depending on the type of travel insurance you choose, your cover can include:

Overseas medical and hospital expenses

Unlimited amount for on-board and overseas on-shore emergency medical and hospital expenses (excluding pregnancy and childbirth).

Cancellation and amendment fees

Cancellation fees and lost deposits on prepaid travel, accommodation, meals, etc. if your cruise is cancelled due to an insured event (e.g. an unforeseen illness or injury).

Luggage and personal effects

Cost of repairing or replacing your belongings (e.g. formal wear, jewellery, camera) if they get lost, stolen or damaged during your cruise (sub-limits apply).

Additional expenses

Extra travel, accommodation and meals expenses if your voyage is disrupted or you have to return home early due to an insured event.

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Cutting your trip short

Cost of pre-paid travel, accommodation, meals, etc. if you have to return home early due to an insured event (e.g. you fall ill or a close relative in Australia is hospitalised).

Sports and activities

Cover for more than 90 onboard and onshore sports and activities, including swimming, surfing, snorkelling, scuba diving, parasailing, and jet skiing.

Rental vehicle insurance excess

Any hire-car insurance excess you become liable to pay as a result of the car being damaged or stolen during a shore excursion.

Pre-existing medical conditions

Cover for 27 pre-existing medical conditions. (If your condition is not covered, you can still be covered for overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses that are not related to your condition.)

Personal liability

Payment of up to $5 million in case you’re held legally liable for accidentally injuring someone else or damaging or losing someone else’s property during your cruise.

And more

Compare all benefits, features and claim limits

Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply.

For full details, please read the Product Disclosure Statement.

Choose your cover

Select one of four levels of international travel insurance for your cruise. The following two are popular among cruise-holidayers:

(When deciding which level of cover might suit you, you’ll need to consider your circumstances.)

Comprehensive Travel Insurance

Going on a no-expenses-spared cruise? Our most comprehensive cover includes our full list of benefits and entitles you to claim up to our highest benefit amounts.
Read more

Essential Travel Insurance

Want a critical level of protection at a lower price? This policy — which is cheaper but still includes the essential benefits — might be the one for you.
Read more

Compare all insurance

Compare all Budget Direct travel insurance before you buy and get the cover you want.
Compare all travel insurance

Upgrade your cover

For an additional premium, you can add one or more of the following optional extras to your policy:

Snow Sports Cover

Insures you against loss or injury while skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating and more. Includes cover for the cost of snow sports equipment, lift passes and ski packs.
Read more

Additional Specified Items Cover

Increase the level of cover for your valuables by specifying them in your policy (Comprehensive and Annual Multi-Trip policies only).
Read more

Excess reduction

Halve your excess from the standard $200 to $100; or choose to have no excess.

How do I add these optional extras to my policy?

You can add one or more of these optional extras when you get a quote and buy a policy.

If you’ve already bought a policy, you can add Snow Sports and/or Additional Specified Items cover only. To do this, call us on 1800 444 424 or log into your online account and edit your policy — before you leave on your trip and within 14 days of the purchase date.

Get a quote

Whether you want cover for just the basics or a policy with lots of bells and whistles, we’ve got a wide selection of travel insurance for you to pick from.

Get a quote online in 30 seconds or call us on 1800 444 424.

Get a Quote

Find out more

The information on this page is a summary only. For all the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions, please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).

How to make a claim

If your trip didn’t go entirely to plan and you need to make a claim, we’re here to help. Make a claim on your travel insurance policy.

Frequently asked questions

Does travel insurance cover cruises?

All of our international travel insurance policies automatically cover cruises in international, Australian and other territorial waters.

This cover includes overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses which, once your ship leaves Australian shores, are not covered by either Medicare or your private health insurer.

Read more about cruise travel insurance

Does cruise travel insurance cover time on land?

Yes – shore excursions of up to 48 hours are automatically covered; any longer, and the stopover destination must be listed on your policy.

Just in case, we recommend you list all destinations your cruise is scheduled to dock at.

Read more about cruise travel insurance

Can I get travel insurance if I have a pre-existing medical condition?

Budget Direct travel insurance covers 27 pre-existing health conditions.

See the list of covered pre-existing health conditions.

If your pre-existing medical condition is not one we cover, you can still be covered for claims (including overseas medical and hospital expenses) not related to your condition.

Does travel insurance cover trip cancellation?

All Budget Direct travel insurance policies except Last Minute can cover the cost of cancelling (or amending) your trip due to an insured event. Read more

Does travel insurance cover mechanical breakdown?

Yes – if your aircraft or sea vessel is delayed for at least 12 hours, you can claim:

  • travel delay expenses (excluding Last Minute policy)
  • cost of extra kennel or cattery fees resulting from the abovementioned delay (Comprehensive and Annual Multi-Trip policies only).  

See all travel insurance FAQs

Useful links

Make a claim
24/7 emergency contacts
Packing list
Claim forms
smartraveller.gov.au
Travel insurance guides