Villa Vie Residences has announced that their first cruise ship, Villa Vie Odyssey, will now depart on May 30, 2024, 15 days later than originally scheduled. Once in service, the ship will sail around the world every three and a half years with villas you can purchase and live in.
Our free cruise newsletter offers the latest cruise news and deals: Sign Up
Villa Vie Odyssey on its way to dry dock before it sails a three and a half year cruise.
Villa Vie Residences has secured financing so the ship they bought from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines can now be transformed in dry dock. It is promising to be one of the most unique cruise ships in the world offering passengers an opportunity to own their own cabin.
The dry dock is expected to take three weeks with the new cruise line’s maiden voyage departing from Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 30, 2024.
On April 28, 2024 the Villa Vie Odyssey entered dry-dock in Belfast, Ireland and is now scheduled to exit on May 21.
The ship will sail continual world cruises every three and a half years. It will visit 425 ports in 147 countries during each world cruise.
For those who want a shorter option and don’t want to purchase a villa, you can buy shorter segments of the cruise that will range from 35 to 120 days.
Mikael Petterson, Chief Executive Officer of Villa Vie Residences, gave the following statement:
“We are excited about our latest accomplishments and our upcoming launch of Villa Vie Odyssey and the enhancements we are making to ensure an exceptional experience for all our residents. The delay in departure is a necessary operational adjustment aimed at upholding the highest standards of service and safety.”
The cruise line has set up a dedicated hotline to assist residents. They will also cover all change fees due to the delayed departure date.
Residents will also have the opportunity to take a ship tour of Odyssey to see the amenities offered onboard before the first sailing.
Kathy Villalba, Chief Operating Officer of Villa Vie Residences, said that 80% of the cabins on the ship have been sold. She said:
“Our team is committed to providing personalized assistance and ensuring that our residents have a seamless and enjoyable experience with Villa Vie Residences. Excitement over our upcoming cruise is growing – with over 80% of our available cabins sold – and continues to increase everyday as we near our departure.”
Learn the cruise secrets most people don”t know and cruise like a boss. Check out for a better cruise vacation. (Sponsored)
Cunard’s newest cruise ship, the Queen Anne, has arrived in Southampton ready to depart on her maiden voyage.
The first ship to launch for the cruise line in 14 years, Queen Anne will become the flagship of the fleet, and she was welcomed to her homeport by large crowds.
Her maiden voyage is a 14-day cruise to the Canary Islands, to be followed by a cruise around the British Isles.
And during this second cruise, when the ship visits Liverpool, her naming ceremony will take place, on 3rd June.
“Not only does she reflect the Cunard distinctive style on the outside, the inside perfectly echoes the brand heritage with reimagined, elegant spaces and designs.”
Katie McAlister, Cunard president, speaking at the handover ceremony on 19th April
The ship may be the newest in the fleet, but she is far from the biggest. While her gross tonnage of 113,300 exceeds that of sister ships Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, it is still some way short of Queen Mary 2, which has a volume of 149,215 GT.
Queen Anne will offer guests world-class comfort in stylish suites and staterooms, along with some new alternative dining restaurants to try and plenty of fantastic boutiques for retail therapy.
The ship is also home to some beautiful outdoor spaces, and the Mareel Wellness & Beauty spa facilities are sure to help guests unwind.
NEW DEALS JUST RELEASED!
Don’t miss the latest Cunard offers…
Related Posts
If you found this interesting, please share!
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
This is the moment Cunard’s luxury new ship Queen Anne sailed into her home port of Southampton ahead of her maiden voyage to Lisbon on Friday.
Queen Anne, the 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag, arrived in the city at approximately 8pm this evening (30 April).
And as she navigated Southampton Water for the very first time, she was accompanied by a number of small crafts from the local boating community as a celebration of her historic arrival.
The luxury cruise line’s newest ship had arrived from Italy following an official handover ceremony at the Fincantieri Maghera shipyard in Venice on 19 April, with thousands of spectators taking up vantage points along Southampton Water to catch a glimpse of the 113,000-ton, 3,000-guest Queen.
An official blessing and plaque exchange ceremony will take place whilst the ship is alongside at Mayflower Terminal on Friday (3 May).
Cunard’s beautiful new ship will set sail for her maiden voyage, a seven-night sailing to Lisbon via La Coruna, on 3 May. She will then depart for a 14-night voyage to the Canary Islands.
Up early with pretty much an empty schedule for the day. No plans onboard, and no plans ashore other than a casual walk around the port. I haven’t been taking regular photos around the ship and decided this morning would be a great opportunity to walk around. I started at the Boardwalk and checked out the Aqua Theatre. I caught a glimpse of a show earlier in the cruise, but didn’t spend anytime in this area.
Flanking the Aqua Theater and Abyss slide are rock walls which our daughter’s friend climbed later in the day while we were ashore. I heard it was challenging, but fun. Our daughter wanted to do it, but even with 7-nights, we ran out of time.
I think the Abyss slide looks the best in darkness, it just looks so cool when viewed from different vantage points.
I didn’t have a decent photo of the exterior of Playmakers to go along with our dinner pictures the other day, so here is a look at Playmakers from the Boardwalk with tables outside with open windows looking inside. I wasn’t kidding about this being a great place to watch sports, even early in the morning, they were running replays, as well as some live events from around the world.
My photo walk consisted mostly of the Boardwalk as I soon made my way back to Vitality Café for my morning caffeine craving while Emily was working out. While Startlink was still connecting to a data center in Mexico, my VPN was working allowing me to do some work!
For the most part, the boring was chill. We headed to Central Park for a coffee refill at the Park Cafe (you can get the complimentary drip coffee here, but they do not serve any specialty coffees) and a light breakfast. On our way, we saw a lovely table with chess pieces setup waiting for guests to play. There was also a medallion in the pavers with the ship name and build year.
Park Cafe offers a selection of breakfast items in a quick service fashion, or made to order while you wait.
Yes, the plants in Central Park are real!!! There are horticulturists tending to the plants and there is even a built in irrigation system. I really don’t know why I am so fascinated by this, but I am. I know big resorts have live plants indoors, but I guess I am stunned a cruise line is willing to spend the resources necessary for the staff and upkeep when they could easily go the cheap route and use fake plants. I guess real plants is some consolation for not being able to see the ocean from most places onboard, at least you can see some nature. We really loved this area and all of the details.
Just before 9:30 AM, we made our way to the gangway.
To say it was windy would be an understatement. We felt the ship moving while onboard (Emily remarked that she was rocking and rolling in the gym), and didn’t think much of it until we were ashore and felt the wind coming ashore and saw the ship rocking.
The video below includes some speed up footage that exaggerates the rocking, but it does provide an interesting look at the motion while tied up to the dock.
We haven’t been to Costa Maya since December 11, 2012. So I just had a vague idea what the port had to offer. Essentially, I knew it was a compound with shops, food and beverage locations, and a pool along with meeting areas for port adventures. I dug into the into my archives to share the following gallery of images from that 2012 cruise on the Disney Fantasy.
2012 Costa Maya – DISNEY FANTASY
As you can see, right off the bat, there have been some changes to the color palate as well as some physical changes and additions.
Below is a look at the site map posted at the Costa Maya Port.
We began our time ashore walking around looking for souvenirs for the good folks back home. This was the place for NCAA and NFL merchandise.
Minutes after purchase, my new hat was stolen by my kid even though she is a Buccaneers fan.
We continued to walk around the port shops. I mostly stayed outside in the walkways, and occasionally walked off here and there to take photos or look out at the water while the girls wandered in the shops. Thankfully, the port area isn’t that big so even though we lost line of sight contact with each other, we still managed to reconnect.
One of the new features since my last visit was a bird aviary that you could explore for a small fee. I was hooked by the flamingos, especially one that was napping. This was outside the aviary which anyone can enjoy for free.
I just placed my camera on the fence post and let it record while I was waiting for the family. This one flamingo was not interested in entertaining the crowd like the others in the exhibit.
Not sure how often the Costa Maya port’s wifi password changes, but it was easy to guess. All caps, COSTAMAYA.
There are a number of options for food and beverage around the port if you so choose to eat and drink ashore. The pools have swim up bars which will be pictured later.
We made our way around the port shops and ended at a bar without a line. We ordered a beer and a margarita on the rocks served in a souvenir palm tree cup.
By this point, we covered the port property and moved near the main pool area finding a few chairs. Although we wore swim suits ashore, we did NOT bring any towels. The weather was fantastic so it would be a shame to skip out on the pool experience.
The pool rules mention for use only by patrons of the bars and restaurants, but even as busy as it was, I did not see any enforcement of this policy.
As much as I wanted to join in the swimming, I didn’t really want to air dry, so I just relaxed on the loungers while the family enjoyed the dip in the water.
There is another pool area that is a little more on the quiet side, but not technically quiet.
When the pool time was over, we started to make our way back to the ship stopping at a few shops to buy a few souvenirs we spotted earlier.
Once again, I wondered off and climbed up the stairs where folks were taking group photos. There is a nice view of the port area at the top.
Another popular photo op was the Costa Maya sign near security checkpoint at the pier.
I encourage you to take a minute on your walk back to the ship to enjoy the view of your ship from pier.
We made it back onboard a little after 1PM, roughly 90 minutes or so before all aboard time.
This next part goes against my typical recommendation of eating lunch ashore at a local restaurant. There was a great looking spot along the water that was calling our names, but for the sake of research, we had other plans. We were trying to fit in lunch at El Loco Fresh, the quick service location on the ship. As great as Donald’s Cantina is on the Disney Wish and BlueIguana Cantina on the Mardi Gras, El Loco Fresh was a disappointment & we should’ve opted to eat ashore.
The balance of the afternoon was spent on the pool deck where I finally found a pool with warm water, and even discovered an actual hot tub! To be fair, I wasn’t out searching each day, so this isn’t a ‘woe is me’ statement on day 6.
It was “Wear Your Best” night, and since we already had Formal night earlier in the cruise, we treated this as semi-formal (which just meant it was another opportunity to bring out the tux).
The main dining room was serving the Royal Night Menu.
The cod just as disappointing as my lunch burrito, others at the table said the tortellini was tasty with others enjoying the lobster. Our server brought a second lobster tail to those at our table who ordered lobster without anyone asking.
The desserts were solid and its required that someone must order the Baked Alaska when served on a cruise ship. Overall, the pies were great in the main dining rooms. It was also great to be out of the dining room in about 45 minutes every night, leaving time to do other things around the ship (especially for those of us that are not out late and are early-to-bed and early-to-risers).
After dinner, the adults and the teens went in different directions. The adults headed up to deck 12 to one of the themed restaurants called Wonderland for some after dinner drinks at the bar. It is not difficult to find since the theming spills out into the hallway and even to the elevator doors.
The entrance to Wonderland is an archway with whimsical flowers and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland inspired elements.
According to Royal Caribbean’s description, Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine is all about pushing the culinary envelope. Dishes are designed to tantalize your taste buds and present a visual feast. Find crispy crab cones topped with fluffy avocado mousse, gazpacho served with pepper spheres and bread foam, and dreamy desserts that will take your breath away. Pair your meal with cocktails described as “magical” elixirs crafted to deliver full-sensory experiences.
I found the ceiling lights to be quite wonderful, so much I started taking random pictures of the lights while others at the bar looked on wondering if I consumed the wrong magical elixir. By others I mean my wife and our friend.
The special cocktail menu was very concise with 4 themed offerings.
Actually, there are technically 5 drinks, Down the Rabbit Hole is available with either the red or blue pill.
There was a big group of folks at the bar which were also from Central Florida. They requested blue eyed blonde shots from the bartender who made them in flutes. At some point, they added us in to the order which was cool, and all until we realized they were all on the drink package and they assumed were are as well… there went another punch on my drink card.
While we didn’t go to any of the evening shows during the cruise, we did reserve spots for an adult comedy show in the Attic, which is just where you’d think you find a venue named after the space under the roof of a house, on deck 4.
Screenshot
The show was fun; there were two comics that performed and both were great. While we had reservations, we casually showed up and found seats. Once a certain time hit, they start allowing guests in from the standby line (which we realized was available for most of the reservation required experiences).
Since The Attic was on a lower deck, obviously, we were near the casino which managed to take back $20 in just under a minute. The multipliers and bets on the slot machines are too complicated for this noob. Basically, I learned the hard way to reset the bet amounts when sitting down to a slot machine. The old one arm bandits are more my speed.
As our night wound down, we temporarily forgot on demand movies were not included when we decided to watch Disney’s Wish. At this point in time, the Disney+ streaming date for Wish was still a few weeks away, so we streamed Hangover 2 to close out the night.
This was a much needed day of not doing much after nearly a full day ashore touring Roatan. It’s vacation after all, and doing nothing at times is something I like to fit into my vacations.
With tonight’s room cleaning, we received some documents on the bed including a tip envelopes and tips for an easy departure along with luggage tags.
Remember that time I said to enjoy the view from the pier as you walk back to your cruise ship? Well, I found this gem of the Disney Fantasy in Costa Maya from our December 2012 Western Caribbean Cruise. Looking back, our all aboard time was 1:00AM on the 13th. While not that late, I did head back out around 10PM to take some pictures of the ship, including this gem which has been sitting unseen on a hard drive for well over a decade.
Disney Fantasy – Costa Maya – December 11, 2012 10:00PM
Margaritaville at Sea, once known for only offering two night cruises to The Bahamas, has added longer cruises on another cruise ship.
Our free cruise newsletter offers the latest cruise news and deals: Sign Up
Starting in September, Margaritaville at Sea will begin sailing a series of four night cruises from the Port of Palm Beach that will have two port stops. In addition to the signature stop in Grand Bahama Island, the ship will also visit Key West and have one sea day.
The cruises will take place on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, a ship that usually only sails two and three night cruises with a stop in Freeport, Bahamas.
The ship will offer a total of five, four night sailings that will sail between September and December 2024. These six longer sailings are now open for bookings.
The longer sailings on Paradise are in addition to the cruise line’s four through seven night cruises that will be offered from Tampa on their newest ship, Margaritaville at Sea Islander.
Islander was purchased by the cruise line and is currently receiving a massive makeover to make it everything Margaritaville.
This new ship will enter service in June 2024.
Margaritaville’s Ships and Cruises Offered
Margaritaville at Sea Paradise from the Port of Palm Beach:
Two night cruises, stop in Freeport
Three night cruises, stop in Freeport
Four night cruises, stops in Freeport and Key West
Margaritaville at Sea Islander from Tampa:
Four night cruises, stop in Cozumel or Progreso
Five night cruises, stops in Cozumel and Progreso
Five night cruises, stops in Key West and Cozumel
Five night cruises, stops in Key West and Progresso
Six night cruises, stops in Key West and Cozumel/Progreso
Seven night cruises, stops in Progreso, Costa Maya, and Cozumel
Seven night cruises, stops in Belize, Cozumel, and Costa Maya
Seven night cruises, stops in Key West, Cozumel, Belize, and Costa Maya
Seven night cruises, stops in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel
Learn the cruise secrets most people don”t know and cruise like a boss. Check out for a better cruise vacation. (Sponsored)
If you’re about to book a cruise and then plan on booking your travel insurance immediately with the first provider you can find, you need to slow down.
Don’t get me wrong – booking your insurance quickly is the right thing to do – but just diving in without properly considering it could lead you to some serious problems further down the line.
These tips will help you to make sure you get a policy that’s right for you – one that’s not too expensive, but also one that has you covered should anything go wrong while you’re on your cruise.
1. The day you book should be the day you buy insurance
The right thing to do when booking a cruise is to then pay for your cruise insurance on the same day, but you still need to do your research and check different policies.
But yes – once the cruise is booked, get the insurance booked. And there are two main reasons for that.
Firstly, you want your cancellation cover to be in place as quickly as possible, because you never know what might happen. You might book a cruise, but then the next day it gets cancelled and you’re out of pocket. Or something happens to you or someone you’re travelling with, and now you can’t go.
If you’ve booked your insurance already, you can make a claim. If you were waiting, then you’re out of luck – you can’t book it after the problem has come to light.
The second reason is related to pre-existing medical conditions. If you have any, then you need to make sure you book your insurance typically within 2-3 weeks of paying your deposit on your cruise (it’ll vary slightly by provider).
If you don’t, then the insurance isn’t valid. That’s because, the further out you cancel a cruise, the more money the cruise line will give you back as a refund – and therefore, the less an insurer has to pay to top you up.
With pre-existing conditions, they want you to have your insurance as soon as possible, to mitigate some of the risk.
2. You have to be honest about pre-existing conditions
I know that cruise insurance can be expensive, but that doesn’t mean you can lie when you take out your policy to cover up any pre-existing conditions you or your travelling group might have.
Insurers are not the kind to just give you a payout without doing some investigation work, and so if you try to make a medical claim while you’re sailing, or you cancel before you travel because of a medical problem, they are going to then make sure you didn’t have any undeclared conditions that caused the issue.
And when (not if) they do find out, you’re not going to get a penny out of them.
So you might have saved a little bit by covering up your conditions, but then if you suffer something along the lines of the horror stories of people who didn’t have insurance, you might be thousands of pounds/dollars in debt.
Don’t take the risk. List everything, and at least then you’ll know you’re covered.
3. It’s your responsibility to update your policy if needed
The fact that cruise insurance companies want you to get your insurance as soon as possible, especially if you have pre-existing conditions, does not let you get away with it if your circumstances then change later.
By taking insurance out on the same day you book your cruise, you might be paying for the policy up to a years in advance. And a lot could happen in that year – including the unfortunate chance that you might develop a medical condition.
If that condition doesn’t stop you cruising, but there’s a chance it could have an impact on you while you sail, you do have to update your insurer, and potentially pay a top-up for your premium.
If it’s only something minor, you’ll probably just be told that your policy can remain the same (get it in writing, though – don’t call).
Your insurance covers you for your cruise in the future, based on your circumstances now. And if those circumstances change, the policy can still be invalidated.
4. You might save money with an annual plan
Even if you only have one cruise planned right now, it’s worth doing a search to see how much an annual cruise insurance plan would cost you, compared to a single-trip policy.
You might be surprised to see that the price difference isn’t huge, and so it could be worth taking out the annual plan anyway, just in case you love your cruise so much that you book another within the next few months.
Not only that, but specialist cruise insurance can actually cover you for other types of travel too. Depending on your policy, you might be protected for land holidays within the 12 month period as well.
Always check annual prices before committing to a single trip – because two single-trip policies will definitely cost a lot more.
My Recommendation
My recommendation for cruise insurance depends on where you live.
These are trusted price comparison sites that will quickly get you lots of quotes to match your exact needs.
5. Cancellation cover is not always comprehensive
Cruise insurance is designed primarily to cover your medical costs while you’re travelling, and to protect you if your cruise is cancelled for reasons outside of your control.
But you shouldn’t assume that you’ll get the full price of your cruise back – that depends on your policy.
You’ll usually have a set amount that’s included, with the cheapest policies maybe only covering you for around £1,000 or $1,000 and the best offering you around five times that, unless you take out a specialist policy.
You also won’t get a double refund if your cruise line gives you some money back. Insurance exists to top you up if you don’t get all your fare back from the cruise line.
Again, the closer you are to your sailing date, the less you’ll get back from the cruise line – but if they give you 50% back, your insurance policy will hopefully cover the other 50%.
Just make sure you check what you’re getting, and don’t think that claiming on your insurance guarantees a full refund.
6. There may be lots of extras to consider for your policy
There isn’t just a standard cruise insurance policy that you can take out – instead, policies will have different inclusions, including some extra packages that may come with the policy or that you can pay extra to add on.
One of the most common is missed port cover, where you’ll get money back if your ship has to miss a port on your itinerary – which can happen due to the weather.
There’s also cabin confinement cover, for those rare times you might get a vomiting bug and be asked to quarantine in your cabin for 24 hours until symptoms have died down. That’s not a fun way to cruise, so you can get money back for that.
Explore your options before you buy a policy, and make sure you get good coverage for the things that matter to you – it’s better to pay a small amount extra now, than risk missing ports or being stuck in your cabin without getting any refund.
7. Not every excursion might be covered
It’s also important to note that cruise insurance doesn’t cover absolutely everything about your cruise. In fact you might be surprised by the things your cruise insurance doesn’t cover.
One that often catches people off guard is the excursions on your cruise. Typically, most will be covered. If you trip on some steps while taking a walking tour of a city, and you need treatment for a sprained ankle, you’ll be able to get help with the costs.
But cruises often have exciting excursions involving a lot of thrills, such as water sports, off-road safaris, white-water rafting or shark diving. And there’s a good chance your standard insurance policy – even one designed for cruises – won’t cover you for those.
If you’re an adrenaline junkie, make sure you check what your policy covers before you buy, and ask insurers about specialist cover for the experiences you simply can’t miss.
How To Get The Best Price
Whatever you do, don’t pay for your cruise and then just pay for the first insurance policy you find. It might not be right for you, and you might also pay a lot more than you need to.
My Recommendation
My recommendation for cruise insurance depends on where you live.
These are trusted price comparison sites that will quickly get you lots of quotes to match your exact needs.
Use a price comparison site – it’s no more effort, since you’ll be putting in the same details as you would with a single insurer, but the site will then get you a list of different quotes to choose from, so you can see at-a-glance what you’ll get depending on how much you’re willing to pay.
I’d recommend Compare Your Cruise Insurance for anyone in the UK, and Aardy for any US cruise passengers. If you live elsewhere, search online for a price comparison site for cruise insurance specifically, and you should find one.
Don’t miss my Cruise Insurance Buyer’s Guide for more information on what to expect from a policy, the typical costs and more.
Related Topics
If you found this interesting, please share!
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Carnival Cruise Line revealed a new gift for its loyal passengers: a brand new tote bag.
Our free cruise newsletter offers the latest cruise news and deals: Sign Up
Available on several ships in the fleet and rolling out across all Carnival ship in the next few weeks, the tote bag is exclusively for VIFP guests.
Standing for Very Important Fun Person, VIFP Club members are simply guests who have signed up for the loyalty program. Even first-time passengers with the cruise line can sign up before their cruise and take advantage of VIFP benefits.
Returning guests automatically reach “Red” status and are able to redeem a free 1.5 liter bottle of water on their cruise.
Now, a stylish tote bag can be added to the perks of joining the program.
The reveal, made by Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald on his Facebook page, introduced the practical tote bag.
An image of the tote was shared along with a message from Carnival which stated,
“Hi, VIFP members! We’re checking in this month to let you know about the latest gift: a brand-new, redesigned tote bad. If you look closely, it’s even monogrammed with your initials – after all, you do go by “VIFP,” right? Look for this one on a ship near you in the coming months!”
The response from Carnival fans was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing enthusiasm for the simple but useful gift.
One commenter exclaimed, “”I always look forward to the VIFP gifts, and this one looks like a winner. Can’t wait to see it onboard!”
Several Carnival enthusiasts praised the tote bag as a much-needed addition to their cruise experience, with one remarking, “I appreciate Carnival thinking about everyday usefulness. It’s not just a souvenir, but something I’ll actually use.”
Many Carnival fans praised the utility of the tote bag, mentioning various uses for it both on and off the ship. From carrying groceries to organizing yarn projects, Carnival fans saw the bag as a versatile accessory that would remind them daily about their cruise.
Questions about the availability of the tote bag on specific ships and for different VIFP levels were commonly brought up, but some mentioned already receiving the tote on Carnival Celebration, Carnival Dream, and several other ships.
As Heald stated, it will take a few weeks before the tote bags are available fleet wide.
About the VIFP Club
There is no cost to join this program. It’s a simple way for Carnival guests to keep track of loyalty points and get rewarded for cruising often with the cruise line.
According to Carnival’s website,
“If you’re a Past Guest, the program recognizes you for your continued loyalty to Carnival with increasing recognition and benefits as you cruise more and more. New to Carnival? The VIFP Club is a warm welcome to the Carnival experience and gives you access to VIFP members-only rates and promotions.”
Carnival’s VIFP program has five tiers:
Blue (First Sail): This is the starting tier for everyone.
Red (2nd Sail – 24 points): You get basic benefits like member offers and a free bottle of water.
Gold (25-74 points): Same perks as Red, plus a commemorative loyalty pin for each cruise.
Platinum (75-199 points): Along with previous benefits, Platinum unlocks priority boarding.
Diamond (200+ points): Top tier with exclusive offers, priority boarding, and potential for premium beverage packages or onboard credit.
Points are earned per night cruised, so everyone advances at the same pace.
Technically, cruise insurance is not a legal requirement. But it is still essential – to the point that some cruise lines make it their policy to refuse boarding if you can’t prove you have travel insurance in place.
And that’s understandable because, if something does go wrong on a cruise, you could incur huge expenses.
Travel insurance can sometimes be expensive, but it’s not a patch on how much you could be financially ruined by something going awry at sea if you aren’t covered by a suitable policy.
In this guide, I’ll explain everything you need to know about buying cruise insurance – what it covers, what you may need to pay extra for, and the typical costs to expect.
Note: The information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of your insurer before committing.
My Recommendation
My recommendation for cruise insurance depends on where you live.
These are trusted price comparison sites that will quickly get you lots of quotes to match your exact needs.
Using a price comparison site is good because there is no single insurance company that will always offer the best prices, or the best coverage. It’ll depend on where you’re sailing, your medical conditions, your age, and other factors.
I’d rather recommend a comparison site so that you can get a range of quotes and find the one that best fits your needs, including coverage for some of the extras that you might want to add on to your policy.
If you live outside the UK or USA, look for a cruise insurance comparison site relevant to you. Don’t just pick a single provider and assume they’re the best because your friend got a good deal with them.
What Cruise Travel Insurance Covers
Here’s what your insurance will typically cover:
1. Cancellation
Cruise insurance covers you if your cruise has to be cancelled, provided it’s with good reason. If the cruise line cancels the cruise and refunds you, then your insurance won’t need to pay out.
But, if the cruise line cancelled and, for some reason, your fare couldn’t be refunded, or the airline cancelled and left you unable to reach the ship, you’d typically be covered. You’ll also be covered if you have to cancel your cruise for good reason, such as a medical emergency before sailing.
Your insurance won’t automatically cover you for the full cost of your cruise. The most basic policies might only offer up to £1,000 or $1,000 of cover. So if your cruise cost £2,500 in total, you’d need to decide whether you’re happy only getting part of it back, or if you want to pay more for a more comprehensive policy.
2. Emergency Medical Expenses
The other big reason to take out cruise insurance is in case of any emergency medical costs while you’re sailing, either on the ship or while visiting ports abroad.
Even if you’re cruising somewhere where you already get healthcare – for example through the UK Global Health Insurance Card, or via your private medical insurance if you’re a US resident – you’ll still want insurance to cover anything at sea or any conditions/emergencies outside your regular policy.
Note that you won’t be covered for medical expenses related to any pre-existing conditions you failed to declare when you took out the policy.
Most cruise insurance policies will have extensive medical cost cover, at least six figures and often into the £1 million + bracket. Always check though – never assume.
3. Repatriation
If your medical emergency happens while at sea or in another country, cruise insurance will typically cover repatriation costs to get you home, as soon as it’s safe to do so.
Depending on the urgency of your situation and the suitability of the hospital you’re in for treatment, your repatriation might be delayed if it’s safe to stay put, and more cost-effective.
4. Cruise Interruption
If, during your cruise, you need to attend a local hospital but you’re then deemed fit and well enough to resume your cruise, most cruise insurance policies will cover the travel costs involved to get you back to the ship.
5. Baggage
Cruise insurance will also usually cover your luggage in the event of it going missing, being stolen or being damaged during your cruise or your travel to/from the ship.
Those are the key things that are normally included in a cruise travel insurance policy, but it’s always important to read the terms and conditions of your chosen provider as they can vary.
What Happens If You Cruise Without Insurance…
Cruising without insurance is simply not a risk worth taking.
Because it’s so potentially dangerous, some cruise lines will outright ban you from sailing if you don’t have insurance. Most don’t check, but P&O Cruises in the UK is renowned for its policy of checking, and if you don’t have insurance, the cruise line won’t let you board the ship and you won’t get a refund, since you will have been deemed to have broken the contract.
If you don’t have insurance, you could face extreme bills for your medical cover – into the hundreds of thousands of £s or $s in some cases, particularly if you have to be airlifted from the ship.
Several people have found themselves stranded while needing medical treatment, facing bills well into five figures…
It’s not just about making sure you have cruise insurance either, but making sure it covers everything you need it to, and that it’s valid.
The easiest way to invalidate your cruise insurance is to ignore pre-existing medical conditions you have, or to avoid mentioning which destination(s) you’re cruising to.
Both of these factors will influence the policy, and yes certain conditions or destinations might raise the price you pay.
But it’s better to pay a little more upfront and still have cover, than to find out your trick to save money actually leaves you unable to make a claim.
How Much Cruise Insurance Costs
There’s never going to be a set price for how much cruise insurance costs. It depends on many different factors, including your age, any pre-existing medical conditions you have, your destination/length of the cruise, and who you’re buying insurance for.
I’ve run some example quotes to give you an idea of how the different factors change the price of your cruise. These are all in GBP but you’ll find that USD prices are typically equivalent.
These are only a snapshot of options, and this isn’t meant to be a reference guide – but it illustrates the price differences you might need to expect. For the average price, I’ve tried to find cover that would likely pay for most of the cruise if you needed to cancel it, along with other inclusions.
Passenger
Travelling Group
Destination / length
Medical conditions
Minimum price
Average price
Mid-30s Adult
Solo
Med 7 nights
None
£30
£45
Mid-30s Adult
Annual
Med Cruises
None
£25
£100
Mid-30s Adults
Couple
Med 7 nights
None
£53
£80
Young Family of 4
Family
Med 7 nights
None
£77
£150
Mid-70s Adult
Solo
Med 7 nights
None
£100
£120
Mid-30s Adult
Solo
Caribbean 7 nights
None
£64
£93
Mid-30s Adult
Solo
World 80 nights
None
£550
£2,000 – but only includes a maximum £5,000 cancellation cover
Mid-30s Adult
Solo
Med 7 nights
General Anxiety Disorder
£36
£48
Mid-30s Adult
Solo
Med 7 nights
History of cancer
£320
£530
As you can see, there are so many different factors that have an impact.
The closer you are cruising to home, the less it costs, since flying you home for treatment would cost significantly less.
But age will play a big factor, as will any serious medical conditions. Minor ones can sometimes only make a very small difference to the cost, so it’s important to be honest.
There are a few ways you can bring down the cost of your cruise insurance:
1. Get a joint policy
If you’re travelling as a couple or with family, getting a joint policy to cover you all will likely work out cheaper than individual policies.
Just make sure you read the terms of any cover you’re given – you need to make sure medical costs or luggage costs are per person, not per policy.
2. Get an annual policy
Make sure you check out annual policies when shopping for your insurance deals. I always get an annual policy, but even if you only cruise once per year, it can still be worth it!
It may still be better to get an annual policy since it can cover you for non-cruise travel during the rest of the year too. And if there’s a chance you’ll cruise again later in the year, it’s definitely worth exploring this option.
3. Use a comparison site
It’s never a good idea to go direct to an insurer yourself because you might get a much better deal elsewhere. There aren’t always ‘cheap’ and ‘expensive’ cruise insurance providers – some might be cheaper for your circumstances, but more expensive for another travelling group.
Here are the cruise insurance websites I recommend…
Valuable Extras To Look For In A Policy
These extras aren’t always covered in a standard cruise insurance policy, but if they aren’t then they can be added on for a small additional fee.
1. Missed Port Cover
Missing ports on a cruise is super common. It’s happened on about a third of my cruises. Most of the time it’s due to weather, so if you book in the cheaper seasons you can expect to maybe miss a port or two.
If you’re planning to cruise to the Caribbean in hurricane season, then missed port cover is probably going to be worth it.
Missed port cover will give you some money per port missed, but the amount varies quite a lot depending on the policy. Be sure to choose one with a decent amount that’s more than the excess.
2. Cabin Confinement Cover
Being confined to your cabin is sadly also pretty common on a cruise.
If you have an illness causing you to vomit (that’s not due to seasickness) you should stay in your cabin for 24 hours, and the crew might insist on it.
Norovirus is a common cause on cruise ships, especially among children. When my daughter got it, she wasn’t allowed to leave the room for 24 hours, meaning that she and her dad missed a trip to Pisa.
If you have cabin confinement cover, you can claim some money for the time you’re not enjoying your cruise, which may help to ease the pain a little!
3. Unused Excursions Cover
If you miss ports or are confined to your cabin, you might miss shore excursions that you’ve paid for.
If you’ve booked an excursion with the cruise line and the port is cancelled, they will refund you. But third party excursions usually won’t.
Having missed excursion cover in your cruise policy means you can get some money back for those excursions as well.
My friend Emma for over $1,000 refunded on her travel insurance when she had a port cancelled. Check out this video…
I would advise that you always check the excess on your cruise policy, and make sure that the money you’ll get back for any of these extras exceeds it.
The higher the cover, the more you’ll pay upfront, so it’s a balancing act when you decide which policy you want to take out.
And if you do need to claim for cabin confinement, missed ports or missed excursions, make sure that you ask for a letter from the ship before the end of your cruise so that you can prove it to your insurer when you make a claim.
The Bottom Line
Cruise insurance is exceptionally important, so don’t rush into buying the first policy you find. But at the same time, you should be looking to book it on the same day you book your cruise – that way, if anything happens to make you need to cancel, you’ll be covered.
Always use a price comparison site to find the best deal for you. Prioritise cancellation cover, but make sure you’ve got plenty of medical cover included too. Missed port cover, and cabin confinement cover, are nice to have but don’t spend huge sums if the cover you get for them is low.
My Recommendation
My recommendation for cruise insurance depends on where you live.
These are trusted price comparison sites that will quickly get you lots of quotes to match your exact needs.
Related posts:
If you found this interesting, please share!
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
When I first started cruising, I had no idea that repositioning cruises even existed. It was like the secret door most didn’t know about. Now, it’s one of the first types of sailings I look for.
Our free cruise newsletter offers the latest cruise news and deals: Sign Up
I’ve enjoyed these types of cruises from ports in Vancouver, Barcelona, and London (Greenwich really) just to name a few.
This list of tips is a collection of advice I’ve learned from experience and from our awesome Cruise Fever community.
A repositioning cruise is cheaper but does come with some challenges. Photo Credit: Cruise Fever
Repositioning cruises have long been a “cheat code” for regular cruisers trying to rank up loyalty perks and save money at the same time.
But they are more common than you might think. According to numbers derived from CruisePlum, about 21% of cruises are one-way voyages.
Yes, repositioning cruises are almost always cheaper on a per day basis. It’s not uncommon to find these cruises for 25% to 40% less than the equivalent round-trip cruise in the same category.
These are often longer voyages that have more sea days and often awkward itineraries, so they are definitely not for everyone.
Simply put, a repositioning cruise is a one-way cruise that cruise lines offer so they can move a ship to a new area for the season. These aren’t always seasonal moves, but it’s the most common cause for the one-way trips.
These sailings require more planning and often don’t have many port days, so the demand is not as high for them, opening a window for value cruisers to grab up a great deal.
In this article we will look at some of the best tips and advice I’ve gathered after 15 years of cruising.
1. Know when repositioning cruises are usually offered
Most of these cruises take place in the spring and fall when cruise lines relocate their ships to meet higher seasonal demand.
Knowing what dates to look at for various destinations can help you plan accordingly. Here are a few popular regions for repositioning cruises and when ships move in and out.
Alaska: Because of the long winters and harsh climate in the winter, there is a shorter window for cruises in Alaska. Ships will start leaving in the fall (September and October) and they will move to California and Mexico. In the spring (April or May) ships will start repositioning to Alaska.
Europe: Just like Alaska, the fall months will see some cruise ships moving out of Europe and to the Caribbean and South America to get away from colder weather. In the spring many of these ships will return.
Caribbean: While some cruise ships will stay in the Caribbean all year long, other ships will move to somewhat cooler climates during the hot summer months.
Transatlantic: These cruises will coincide with the relocations of ships to and from the Caribbean and North America. Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 does a Transatlantic crossing almost every week of the year, although not as many during the colder months as the ship will enjoy some longer stays in the Caribbean in January and February.
2. Choose a final destination you’d want to enjoy for a few days
At the end of a long repositioning cruise, you probably want to enjoy some time on land for a while. When I am doing research on these types of sailings I always like to make the final destination the main priority.
Because honestly, what’s the point of spending all that time heading to a final port only to book a flight right back home?
You can use cruise search engines to search by ports of debarkation to find a place you’ve always wanted to visit and explore.
That way you also have something to look forward to during the entire cruise.
These affordable cruises offer the perfect time to have a land-based vacation. I recommend spending at least 2-3 days in the final port city so you don’t have to rush back. Just make sure to add that allotment of time in your travel plans and for time off work.
3. Work out the transportation logistics before you book
I don’t mean you need to have every detail worked out. But these are one-way international trips. The extra cost and time of transportation to various airports or train stations should be taken into account.
After all, there’s no sense in booking a repositioning cruise to save $500 if you spend an extra $800 on one-way plane tickets.
On a one-way cruise from Barcelona, Spain to Genoa, Italy I had a lot of logistics to work out. My cruise was cheap, but how much would it cost to book two one-way flights in and out of Europe?
Here’s what I ended up doing. I booked a round-trip flight from the U.S. to Barcelona (even though my ship wasn’t coming back to Barcelona). At the time flights were pretty cheap for this option. When I disembarked my ship in Genoa I took a train to Milan and another train to the airport in the city. I had found a $70 plane ticket from Milan back to Barcelona on Ryanair.
All in, traveling from Genoa back to Barcelona was only $100, but I did have to jump through some hoops to do it, and all while traveling solo.
4. Make sure it’s on a ship you will love
On this kind of sailing, there aren’t typically as many ports of call to explore. The ship itself will be your destination for most of the journey. That’s why you want to do as much research as possible to make sure the cruise ship has all the amenities and features you want out of a vacation at sea.
Do you want a thermal suite on board? Is a solarium a must-have? Are you into activities like pickleball, mini-golf, or zip-lining?
Find a ship that fits your style of vacation. After all, you will be spending more time on the ship than on other types of cruises. You shouldn’t feel trapped. You should feel free, as you sail across the ocean and find all the unique treasures a ship has to offer.
5. Embrace the daily planner and onboard activities
Speaking of onboard activities, with extra sea days on your cruise you will have plenty of time to try out the different events and activities listed in the daily cruise planner.
Of course, you can just lounge around and get some rest and relaxation. But on a 15- or 20-day repositioning cruise you might need some outlets for all that pent up energy too.
Try something new. Go to an exercise class, cooking class, or gameshow challenge. Those long sea days make for the best karaoke too, so save your vocal chords for that concert you’ve always wanted to give.
6. Choose the right side of ship (on trans-ocean cruises)
By “right side” I don’t actually mean the side on the right. After all, we all know that’s the starboard side when facing forward, right?
What I mean is that you should think about the sun’s location, whether you’re traveling from east to west or west to east. Especially on a transatlantic cruise in the summer, one side of the ship is constantly getting much more sun, and thus more heat.
On an eastern Transatlantic cruise, the starboard side gets a lot more sun. The port side gets more sun on a Transatlantic cruise to the west.
And since the ship is facing the same basic direction the entire time, you should choose your cabin location wisely if you’re booking a balcony stateroom.
7. Go East to West and turn time backwards (for long trans-ocean cruises)
You know that feeling in the fall when you set your clocks back and you get that extra hour of sleep?
Imagine having that happen all throughout your cruise. Getting an extra hour of sleep each day sounds way better than losing that hour.
I know you will have to make up for that eventually, but still, choosing an East to West route on a trans-socean cruise will help make your vacation even more relaxing and stress-free.
Almost every day you will gain another hour. So, use this time machine wisely.
8. Try a short repositioning cruise to try out a new ship
By “new ship” I don’t mean a ship that was just built. I mean a ship you haven’t sailed on yet. My first several repositioning cruises had this exact purpose.
Also, contrary to popular belief, there are short – very short – repositioning cruises as well. It might seem crazy to book a 1-day cruise from Seattle to Vancouver, but for less money than you would spend on a hotel for one night you can get amazing food, entertainment, and an awesome experience at sea. I’ll take that as often as I can get it.
I booked a few of these before so I could try out a couple Holland America ships I had been eyeing. The listed price for these cruises was around $60 if I remember correctly.
It was a perfect way to explore the ship and see if I wanted to book a longer cruise on that vessel in the future. And spoiler alert – I did!
9. Be ready for weather issues
Because longer cruises like this involve repositioning the ship to a different region, you’ll get to experience more open ocean sailing.
This means you might encounter rough seas, especially on transatlantic or transpacific voyages. Be sure to pack motion sickness medication that works well for you.
Even in calmer stretches on these routes, the ship will likely move more than on shorter cruises, particularly for those accustomed to smooth sailing in the Bahamas.
Photo Credit: Cruise Fever
10. Know what kinds of reposition cruises are available
Transatlantic cruises from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean are not your only options (although those are good ones).
With just a preliminary search this morning I saw repositioning cruises like the ones below:
16-day cruise from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Genoa, Italy (MSC Cruises)
15-day cruise from Barcelona to New Orleans (Carnival)
18-day cruise from Los Angeles to Tokyo (Carnival)
14-day cruise from Seattle to Tokyo (Royal Caribbean)
12-day cruise from London to Reykjavik (Norwegian Cruise Line)
All of the above cruises have an interior cabin price under $200 per day for two people. In another post I will detail how I go about finding repositioning cruises if readers are interested in that.
But most cruise lines have a page or two on their websites that advertise repositioning cruises. You can also find some cruise search engines that have dedicated pages for these types of sailings.
Bonus tip
11. Find the cruise you want and set a price alert
Keep in mind, you could also miss out on it entirely. But if you’re budget conscious and want to try out a repositioning cruise but only for a rock-bottom deal, this is the way to do it.
Several services will watch the price for you and let you know when it hits that sweet spot. Even when using a travel agent I recommend setting up an alert just in case they miss it. Trust issues? Maybe.
Bottom Line
Know what you’re getting into and embrace the odd itinerary. You might just come to love these types of cruises.
Oh, and remind yourself how much money you’re saving. I mentioned in the beginning about this being an almost “cheat code” for ranking up loyalty perks. Since repositioning cruises are usually longer and are also cheap on a per-day-basis, it’s one of the easiest ways to get your loyalty status to the next tier.
I hope these tips have been helpful and that you enjoy every moment of your next one-way cruise.
Learn the cruise secrets most people don”t know and cruise like a boss. Check out for a better cruise vacation. (Sponsored)
Music fans can sail for an extraordinary adventure this October as the luxury cruise ship Crystal Serenity departs from Québec City to Fort Lauderdale on October 26th with a special guest onboard – Gloria Gaynor.
This 14-night journey is a grand celebration of music featuring the iconic singer, celebrated for classic hits like “I Will Survive” and “Never Can Say Goodbye.”
Cruise guests can look forward to the ultimate cruising indulgence with the fresh ocean air, the sophisticated atmosphere on board, and unforgettable performances by a Grammy Award-winning artist that will become part of their cherished travel experiences.
On the cruise, Gaynor will captivate guests with her greatest hits, enchanting everyone with her powerful voice and ageless appeal. Her performances do more than entertain; they unite and inspire, celebrating themes of strength and togetherness.
Additionally, passengers will enjoy a unique opportunity to join an intimate Q&A session with Gaynor, gaining insight into the life and motivations of this incredible artist.
The journey begins in the historically rich Québec City, blending old-world charm with a lively cultural feel. Then, Crystal Serenity heads toward the energetic and ever-awake New York City for a luxurious overnight stay packed with exploration possibilities. Next, the ship visits Boston, where historic sites mingle with contemporary attractions during another enriching overnight stay.
As the ship makes her way toward the sunny shores of Fort Lauderdale, a peaceful stop in Nassau offers a slice of paradise with its pristine beaches and clear waters. Each destination has been carefully chosen to enrich guests’ cruise experience by combining cultural insights with opportunities for relaxation.
Aboard Crystal Serenity, attention to detail ensures supreme comfort and sophistication. Crystal Cruises is known for its spacious accommodations, exquisite dining experiences, and top-tier amenities, guaranteeing a voyage as spectacular as the destinations visited.
Keith Cox, Vice President of Entertainment at Crystal, reflects on the experience, stating, “Hosting Gloria Gaynor is a testament to our commitment to providing outstanding entertainment experiences for our guests. Her legendary status and unparalleled talent perfectly align with the calibre of entertainment that Crystal is known for.”
The choice to feature Gloria Gaynor on this voyage emphasizes Crystal Cruises’ dedication to crafting exceptional experiences that resonate with travellers.
Gaynor shared her own excitement, stating, “I am overjoyed to join Crystal Serenity for what promises to be an unforgettable voyage. Music has the power to bring people together, and I am honoured to share my passion with the discerning guests of Crystal.
Suite Deals
I recommend booking with luxury specialists Panache Cruises for the best service.
Related Posts
If you found this interesting, please share!
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
