Here are the 5 best cruise insurance plans

A cruise is an ideal vacation for anyone who likes the all-inclusive concept, where you pay one price and have just about everything taken care of, from accommodations to meals and activities. But they also aren't always cheap and a lot of things can go wrong. You could have a flight delay that causes you to miss your departure or be unable to sail because of a sickness. In these situations, cruise insurance can reimburse you for prepaid and non-refundable expenses.

CNBC Select analyzed 19 cruise insurance companies and selected the best plans for various situations. (See our methodology for more information on how we chose the best cruise insurance plans.)

• Best overall: Nationwide Travel Insurance
• Best for affordable coverage: AXA Travel Insurance
• Best for adventure excursions: World Nomads
• Best for pre-existing conditions: Seven Corners Travel Insurance
• Best for cancel-for-any-reason coverage: Travel Guard Travel Insurance

Who’s this for? Nationwide is a top choice for many travelers due to its variety of cruise-specific coverage. The insurer offers three three tiers of cruise insurance, but its standard Universal Cruise Plan should meet many needs.

Standout benefit: Nationwide's cruise-specific plans can cover things like emergency accidents, sicknesses, itinerary changes, mechanical breakdowns and other trip interruptions or on-ship disruptions. The company also offers a 10-day review period on its cruise policies (not available in NY or WA), giving you extra time to look over the policy and ensure it’s a good fit. 

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Who’s this for? Budget-conscious cruisers should consider AXA. In our research, AXA's Silver Plan stood out as the top budget plan for its mix of affordable premiums and essential coverage. CNBC Select also named AXA one of the best overall travel insurance providers.

Standout benefit: AXA's Silver Plan includes the standard coverage you need to protect yourself from delays and cancellations, as well as employment layoff coverage. This benefit reimburses you for prepaid and nonrefundable travel costs if you cancel because of involuntary layoff or you are terminated from your job. You only need to have been at your current employer for one continuous year to qualify, which is generous compared to other plans that require at least three continuous years of employment for this coverage — if it's even included at all.

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Who’s this for? World Nomads offers insurance underwritten by Nationwide, geared specifically toward thrill-seekers. The World Nomads Explorer Plan covers over 200 adventure activities and sports. With this plan, you can take part in just about any excursion without fear of negating your coverage.

Standout benefit: The World Nomads Explorer Plan covers baggage and personal items for loss, theft or damage for up to $3,000 and $1,500 per item. Sporting equipment is included in this coverage, so you can bring your golf clubs along on your cruise without worry.

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Who’s this for? Seven Corners offers a standard Trip Protection Economy plan and a more premium Trip Protection Elite plan. The Seven Corners Trip Protection Elite plan stands out for offering generous coverage limits and an add-on option for cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage, which both pair well with its pre-existing conditions waiver.

Standout benefit: This plan's pre-existing conditions waiver for medical coverage applies to plans purchased within 20 days of booking and paying your initial trip deposit. That's a generous window compared to some plans which can require you to purchase insurance within seven to 14 days. If you don't purchase your coverage within the waiver window, this plan only considers conditions existing within the previous 60 days, whereas other plans may look back up to 120 days.

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Who’s this for? AIG's Travel Guard Preferred plan comes with a wide range of coverages and a variety of useful add-ons for an extra fee such as pet coverage, wedding coverage and cancel for any reason coverage (CFAR).

Standout benefit: The optional CFAR insurance for this plan begins at 12:01 a.m. on the day after you pay for coverage and ends two days before departure (or when the travel is canceled). This benefit reimburses up to 50% of the trip cost (up to $25,000 maximum), which includes reimbursement for:

• 50% of change fees
• 50% of cancellation penalties for unused travel
• 50% of award travel redeposit fees

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Nationwide's standard Universal Cruise Plan will be more than sufficient for many cruisers. It offers strong coverage for many different scenarios, but if you're seeking higher levels of coverage or are taking a long cruise, you can opt for the Choice Cruise Plan, or the Luxury Cruise Plan, which offers the highest level of benefits.

Trip cancellation and interruption

The full trip cost (100%) is covered for both cancellations and interruptions. This includes canceling because of a Covid-19 illness.

Trip delay

Covered delays of six hours or more (or at least three hours for missed connections) are eligible for reimbursement of:

• Up to $500 per day
• $500 maximum

Medical coverage and evacuation and repatriation

• $75,000 in emergency accident and sickness coverage
• $250,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage
• $750 in emergency dental treatment coverage

Pre-existing conditions

No coverage for pre-existing conditions that fall within 60 days of your policy's start date.

Notable perks

All of Nationwide's cruise plans, including the Universal Cruise Plan, include cancel for work reason coverage, meaning you may be covered if you need to cancel because of work-related issues, as well as coverage for extension of the school operating session. The Universal Cruise Plan also provides coverage for delayed and lost baggage, which begins to kick in after delays of eight hours or more, as well as coverage for trip delays of three hours or more for missed connections or other trip delays of six hours or more. You can also get reimbursed if your trip is canceled or interrupted because of terrorism (foreign or domestic) or financial default of the travel provider (14-day waiting period applies). Itinerary changes that cause you to miss a pre-paid excursion are covered by up to $250.

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AXA offers three insurance plans, with the Silver Plan being the most affordable. The Gold Plan has most of the same types of coverage with higher reimbursement limits. Meanwhile, the Platinum Plan is for anyone who prefers premium benefits, such as cancel-for-any-reason coverage.

Trip cancellation and interruption

The full trip cost (100%) is covered for both cancellations and interruptions. This includes canceling because of a Covid-19 illness.

Trip delay

After a 12-hour delay or more, you're eligible for:

• Up to $100 per day
• $500 maximum

Medical coverage and evacuation and repatriation

• Primary medical coverage of $25,000 per (covers Covid-19)
• Evacuation and repatriation coverage of $100,000 per person

Pre-existing conditions

No coverage for pre-existing conditions that fall within this policy's 60-day look-back period.

Notable perks

AXA's Silver Plan comes with coverage for delayed and lost baggage, including $200 per person for covered delays of 24 hours or more and $750 per person ($150 per item) for lost baggage and items. You can also get reimbursed if your trip is canceled or interrupted because of terrorism (foreign only) or financial default of the travel provider (10-day waiting period applies). If a hurricane or bad weather causes your travel provider to cease services for at least 48 hours, you can be reimbursed for up to the full trip cancellation/interruption coverage. Notably, you must purchase the coverage before a storm is named.

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The Explorer Plan is World Nomads' premium travel insurance plan and covers a longer list of activities than the Standard Plan. You can review the list of covered activities here and decide if the more affordable Standard Plan works for you.

Trip cancellation and interruption

Covered up to the trip cost with a $10,000 maximum.

Trip delay

Covered delays of six hours or more are eligible for reimbursement of:

• Up to $250 per day
• $3,000 maximum

Medical coverage and evacuation and repatriation

• $100,000 in emergency accident and sickness coverage
• $500,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage
• $750 in emergency dental treatment coverage

Pre-existing conditions

No coverage for pre-existing conditions that fall within 90 days of your policy's start date.

Notable perks

This plan includes $35,000 in rental car damage coverage (where it's valid) due to collision, theft or a natural disaster. And an accidental death and dismemberment benefit of $10,000. When your baggage is delayed for more than 12 hours, you can be reimbursed up to $150 a day ($750 maximum) for any necessary personal items you purchase.

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The Seven Corners Trip Protection Elite plan has generous coverage limits for evacuation and repatriation and accident and sickness. Seven Corners Travel Insurance plans also cover Covid-related illnesses.

Trip cancellation and interruption

Trip cancellations are covered for 100% of the trip cost and interruptions are covered for 150% of the trip cost.

Trip delay

Trip delays of six hours or more can qualify for reimbursement of:

• Up to $300 per day
• $1,500 maximum

Medical coverage and evacuation and repatriation

• $250,000 in emergency accident and sickness coverage
• $1,000,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage
• $750 in emergency dental coverage

Pre-existing conditions

Pre-existing conditions are covered if you purchase coverage within 20 days of making your initial trip deposit. If you don't qualify for the pre-existing conditions waiver, there is no emergency medical coverage for conditions existing within 60 days of your policy's start date.

Notable perks

This plan covers baggage delays of more than 12 hours for up to $600 and covers lost, damaged or stolen bags or personal items for up to $300 per item ($2,500 maximum). It also has missed cruise connection coverage of $150 per day for accommodations and meals ($1,500 maximum).

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The CFAR coverage is available as an upgrade on Travel Guard's Preferred and Deluxe plans. If you don't need this optional upgrade, you could save money on your premium with Travel Guard's Essential plan.

Trip cancellation and interruption

Trip cancellations are covered for 100% of the trip cost (up to a max of $150,000) and trip interruptions are covered for 150% of the trip cost (up to a max of $225,000).

Trip delay

Trip delays of five hours or more can qualify for reimbursement of:

• Up to $200 per day
• $800 maximum

Medical coverage and evacuation and repatriation

• $50,000 in emergency medical coverage
• $500,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage
• $500 in emergency dental coverage

Pre-existing conditions

A pre-existing conditions waiver applies when you purchase coverage within 15 days of the initial trip deposit.

Notable perks

With this plan, you'll have coverage for lost, stolen or damaged baggage or travel documents for up to $1,000. You also receive baggage delay reimbursement for delays of more than 12 hours with a coverage limit of up to $250 per day ($300 maximum). If you miss a connection, you can be reimbursed up to $1,000 for unused prepaid or nonrefundable travel you missed and transportation expenses to rejoin your trip.

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Cruise insurance plans protect you in all sorts of situations when something goes wrong while you're cruising. You can be covered for emergency medical expenses, trip delays, trip cancellations or interruptions and more. Shop around and compare providers to find the best cruise insurance policy for you.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every cruise insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of travel insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best cruise insurance plans.

To determine the best cruise insurance plans, CNBC Select analyzed the offerings of 19 insurance companies and compared them based on various factors. These included the maximum coverage limits, optional coverages, types of coverage, premiums and what the policies cover. We also considered financial strength ratings from AM Best and Better Business Bureau ratings for customer satisfaction.

We based premium costs on a sample cruise with the following details (when applicable):

• 40-year-old male
• Living in New York, New York
• Sailing for seven days in April
• Total trip cost: $2,800
• Destination: Mexico
• Flying to the port of departure

Sample quotes assumed that payments were made on the date of quoting.

Note that the premiums and policy structures advertised for cruise insurance companies are subject to fluctuate in accordance with the company's policies.

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