Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program or a policy of your own? What the line's plan typically does, what outside cover adds, the cost math and timing.
VisitorsCoverage
Start hereUS marketplace that compares cruise-specific plans from several insurers in one quote, including medical-only and cancel-for-any-reason options.
EKTA
Online travel insurer for international travelers with medical, evacuation and trip-cancellation cover, bought in minutes before departure.
Policies are priced on the trip cost you insure and the oldest traveler's age. Enter the total you would lose if you canceled (cruise fare, flights, hotels, excursions paid upfront).
Typical premium
$90 – $144
About 5–8% of the trip cost for 2 travelers. Real quotes depend on your state or country of residence, trip length and the plan's medical limits; a medical-only plan without cancellation cover is usually far cheaper.
Yes. When you book Royal Caribbean, the line offers the Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program as an optional add-on. Many guests take it because it appears at checkout and needs no extra research.
Cruise-line plans of this kind typically share four traits:
None of that tells you the actual limits or exclusions. Check the plan document for those before deciding.
Buying your own travel insurance gives you control over the parts a fixed plan decides for you:
| Question | Cruise-line plan | Third-party policy |
|---|---|---|
| Who sells it? | Royal Caribbean, with your booking | An insurer or comparison marketplace you choose |
| How is the price set? | Typically by fare band, per guest | Typically by trip cost, age, residence and cover |
| Cancellation refund | Often partly future cruise credit; check the plan document | Typically cash reimbursement for covered reasons |
| Medical and evacuation limits | Fixed by the plan | You choose them |
| Independent flights and hotels | Typically outside the plan | Covered if included in the insured cost |
| Cancel for any reason | Check the plan document | Often available as an early add-on |
| Deadline to buy | Final payment | Departure, with waivers and CFAR earlier |
In our price data Royal Caribbean's median cheapest fare is €663 per person for a 6-night cruise, and the cheapest fare we hold is €174 per person. The line's schedule is heavy on three- and four-night Bahamas getaways and seven-night Caribbean sailings, with Mediterranean and Asia programs for travelers flying in.
A worked example, using the rule of thumb that a comprehensive policy costs about 4–10% of the insured trip cost:
Age is the biggest swing factor: the same trip costs noticeably more to insure for travelers in their seventies. Adding cancel for any reason raises the price again.
Watch out: If you fly in for a Mediterranean or Asia sailing, the flights can be a large share of what you stand to lose. Make sure they are in the insured total.
Royal Caribbean's plan is convenient and stays with the booking. A third-party policy can be shaped to your trip. Neither is automatically better; it depends on what you need covered.
Compare them on the same points:
Families booking three or four guests in one stateroom should insure the total on the booking, since fares for extra guests are priced separately.
Do not judge the medical side by the fare. A three-night Bahamas getaway leaves US waters within hours, and Medicare does not cover you at sea or abroad. The ship's medical center charges for consultations and treatment, and the bill lands on your onboard account. If you need to be taken off the ship and flown to a hospital, evacuation can cost tens of thousands of dollars, which is far more than the cruise itself.
Work back from your first deposit:
Know the fare before you insure it. Royal Caribbean fares move often, so set a price alert and watch Royal Caribbean deals before you pay in full.
US residents can compare cruise plans from several insurers at VisitorsCoverage. Travelers from most other countries can buy from EKTA. The estimator above gives a starting figure; the real quote depends on your age, residence and the cover you pick.
For more context, read the cruise insurance guide, our look at the best cruise insurance and how to choose it, and cruise travel insurance for seniors. Still choosing a sailing? Start with find a cruise.
Policies differ by country of residence and insurer, so read the plan document before buying.
It is the optional travel protection plan Royal Caribbean offers when you book. Plans like it typically combine trip cancellation and interruption cover with medical, evacuation and assistance benefits, priced per guest by fare band. The plan document sets out the benefits, limits and the insurer behind it.
Not exactly. Cruise-line travel protection typically bundles insurance from an outside insurer with services and cancellation terms set by the line, while a third-party travel insurance policy is a contract with the insurer alone. Both cover similar risks, but refund rules and limits can differ, so compare the documents.
Cruise-line plans are typically sold only up to final payment. After that, a third-party policy is usually still available, although options that depend on early purchase, such as cancel for any reason and pre-existing condition waivers, may no longer be offered.
Cruise-line plans often pay part of a cancellation refund as future cruise credit, depending on the reason you cancel. Check the plan document for how the Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program settles each type of claim.
A cruise-line plan typically protects the parts of the trip you bought from the line. Flights and hotels you booked independently may need their own cover, and a third-party policy can include them if you add their cost to the insured total.
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · data refreshed nightly
Insurance is optional, but even a short Bahamas sailing leaves US waters, and Medicare does not cover you at sea or abroad. The ship's medical center bills you for treatment, and evacuation from a ship can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
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