Cruise claims increase
According to new research from Holidaysafe, there’s been a big increase in cruise travel insurance claims for ‘missed ports’
This type of disruption – when ships are unable to dock at their planned destination – now make up 25% of all cruise insurance claims compared with just 2% in 2019, according to the company.
Ships can miss ports for any number of reasons, and cruise companies make it clear in their terms and conditions, which state that this can happen, and that there is no guarantee that all the ports on the itinerary will be visited.
Weather is the most common reason for ships being unable to dock. For instance, Hurricane Lee, impacting New England and the Atlantic in September of 2023, affected several cruise lines. Both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line had to reroute ships due to the adverse weather.
But local events such as civil unrest or natural disasters can also result in itinerary changes. The Hawaii wildfires in August forced a number of cruise lines to skip the island of Maui to avoid putting extra pressure on stretched local resources.
Holidaysafe’s analysis of claims data – provided by its insurer – showed that illness either before or during their trip made up over half of all claims from customers over the summer period.
Almost a third (29%) of claims were from people specifically having to cancel their cruise due to illness, with another 21% claiming for falling ill on their trip.
Research from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) released in 2023 also showed that the average age of cruise passengers is coming down, as more millennials and Gen Z opt for cruises rather than traditional beach holidays.
A recent report on holiday trends from ABTA, the travel agents’ association in the UK, also revealed that the popularity of cruising was growing.
The chance to visit multiple destinations and the convenience of having meals, transport, accommodation, and entertainment all in one place were cited as the biggest attractions in its annual survey.