Is there such a thing as being too old to go on a cruise?

While cruise lines have minimum age restrictions, there's no set age when you're banned from setting sail. In fact, cruising is often the preferred way to travel for seniors and retirees, who appreciate the convenience and comfort that ships offer. 

According to the Cruise Lines International Association's (CLIA) 2025 State of the Industry Report, 81% of Baby Boomers (i.e., those born between 1946 and 1964) are enthusiastic about taking a cruise vacation. The same generation is spending around $157 billion annually on travel. 

That said, seniors face increased health risks while traveling, and the possibility of a life-threatening medical issue occurring at sea increases as you age. 

To better understand the risks and considerations for older cruisers, we spoke with Squaremouth, a leading travel insurance comparison site. In this article, we'll go over their insights into how age can impact travel planning, the types of coverage seniors should purchase, and tips for cruising when you're older. 

Understanding the age requirement for cruise travel

Cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, do not have a maximum age limit of any kind. As such, choosing a cruise should be a decision made in consultation with a healthcare professional. 

To determine whether it's safe for you to cruise or not, it's important to understand the risks of traveling internationally. If a medical emergency happens in another country, access to care may be limited, and treatment could be costly or more complicated than at home.

"Travel insurance coverage often becomes more important as travelers age. Older cruisers are typically more likely to experience medical issues while traveling, whether it’s a new issue or a pre-existing condition, and medical care while at sea can be costly. This is where travel insurance can help, protecting seniors from unexpected medical costs they could encounter due to injury or illness while on their cruise," Squaremouth explains. 

To that point, older sailors need to find a travel insurance plan that has a pre-existing condition exclusion waiver. A pre-existing medical condition is any medical condition that has been diagnosed, changed, or treated in the last 60-180 days, depending on the plan. Without the waiver, you're responsible for any medical bills or unused trip expenses that are related to the pre-existing health challenges. 

"Timing is very important for any travel insurance benefits, especially for seniors. If you wait too long to buy your policy after booking your trip, you may not be eligible for pre-existing condition coverage, and your medical conditions could be excluded," Squaremouth says. 

To qualify for this coverage, you must meet the following criteria: 

• Buy a policy with pre-existing condition coverage within a specific time frame (typically within 14-21 days of your initial trip deposit, depending on the plan)
• Insure 100% of your prepaid trip costs, such as flights, hotels, cruises, tours, and excursions
• Be medically able to travel at the time you buy coverage

It's also important to look at the age requirements, as some providers do enforce age maximums. Squaremouth claims that travel insurance premiums often increase with the traveler's age due to the higher possibility of health-related challenges. As such, it's not uncommon for seniors to pay more for their travel insurance coverage compared to younger travelers, even for the exact same policy.

According to Squaremouth's 2026 Cruise Insurance Cost Report, cruise insurance costs begin to spike after age 50 and peak at age 70. Consequently, travelers over 70 years old can expect to pay 311% more on their cruise insurance policy compared to those under 50.

Does Medicare cover you on a cruise ship?

"Most U.S. health insurance plans, including Medicare, do not cover medical expenses while traveling abroad. This highlights the importance of travel insurance for international cruises, since medical care expenses that occur while cruising would be your responsibility to pay without a travel insurance plan," says Squaremouth. 

"While there are exceptions (e.g., emergency care in a foreign country when closer than a U.S. facility), standard Medicare does not provide comprehensive protection abroad. However, Medicare can cover the costs of treatment on domestic cruises."

Read more: This Medicare mistake leaves seniors uncovered on cruises, experts say

Best cruise travel insurance for seniors

Cruise insurance is absolutely worth it, regardless of your age. When browsing travel insurance plans, Squaremouth recommends that seniors look for a policy that has the following protections and coverage levels:

• Emergency medical coverage of at least $100,000 to cover costs associated with illness and injury while traveling
• Medical evacuation coverage of at least $250,000 to pay for and arrange transport to a proper medical facility if necessary
• Pre‑existing condition coverage if you have existing medical conditions that may cause an issue while traveling
• Primary medical coverage to ensure a faster, more efficient claims process

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medical evacuations can cost upward of $250,000. Yet, Squaremouth found that 35% of travelers are underinsured for medical evacuation, buying less than $250,000 in coverage.

For example, Royal Caribbean's standard travel insurance policy only includes up to $25,000 in emergency accident medical coverage and $50,000 in emergency medical evacuation coverage — well under the $100,000 and $250,000 recommended by Squaremouth. 

"Medical evacuations off of cruise ships are more common than travelers may think. During my time as Director of Operations at Jet ICU, I led a team of medical evacuation dispatchers and managed account relationships with domestic cruise lines. In my role, I was coordinating at least one medical evacuation per day off of a cruise ship within the Caribbean alone," Chrissy Valdez, Senior Director of Operations at Squaremouth recalls. 

If you are underinsured, you’ll need to cover the remaining cost of an emergency medical evacuation. Without any coverage, you would be fully responsible for the entire expense.

Before buying a policy, it's smart to compare providers and products side-by-side. Squaremouth's website can help you find plans specifically designed for seniors, understand possible age limits, and review how your premium may be impacted by your age so you can select the proper coverage.

Read more: I took my 64-year-old mom on a cruise

One woman's first cruise turned into a nightmare when she was slapped with a $13,000 medical bill after she began throwing up blood and losing consciousness.

Khiali Baxter was two days into her first-ever Royal Caribbean cruise with her boyfriend when she began feeling unwell. 

"So, I woke up. I started throwing up blood, unfortunately, and I had passed out on the ground," Baxter told KHOU 11, "I could feel myself kind of going in and out of consciousness. I was very cold and terrified."

She was taken to the ship's medical facility, then transported to a hospital four hours away from the cruise port in Costa Maya — but not before waiting four hours onboard and racking up a $4,000 bill.

(Credit: Jennifer Brown/GoFundMe)

While at the hospital, Baxter received over $9,000 in medical care, including several different procedures to help stabilize her.

However, before they would treat her, the staff asked Baxter's family for payment. Baxter's father, Craig, recalled the conversation with a hospital employee in an interview with KHOU 11, saying they'd work as far as $2,500 would take them.

"I've never heard this in my life," he said. 

(Credit: KHOU 11)

Back in Texas, Baxter's parents were scrambling to secure emergency passports to travel to Mexico. 

The last-minute flights and accommodations weren't cheap, but they were not going to leave their daughter in a foreign hospital. 

Travel insurance would have made a huge difference

(Credit: Jennifer Brown/GoFundMe)

Baxter was unaware of the steep out-of-pocket costs associated with international medical care and decided against travel insurance. 

"It was a very, very scary experience, and my main thing that I do want to say is that I really wish I would’ve gotten travel insurance," Baxter said.

Travel insurance is a valuable but often overlooked safety net. Although it might seem like an avoidable expense, it's one of those things you don't want to use but are thankful for when you need it. 

Read more: Travel insurance for a cruise: Why you need it for a Royal Caribbean cruise

(Credit: Jennifer Brown/GoFundMe)

A good insurance policy provides peace of mind in case of unexpected medical emergencies at sea. In Baxter's case, it would have helped recoup some of the expensive treatments she received, such as an endoscopy, colonoscopy, and blood transfusion. 

Even though Baxter didn't have insurance, a family friend set up a GoFundMe. Over 160 generous donors have helped raise $14,138, or roughly 88% of the $16,000 goal. 

Still, the family wants to share Baxter's story in hopes that it prepares others for the unexpected, especially when traveling far from home.

Travel insurance also helps cover things like lost luggage, travel delays, medical evacuations, and more. As such, the small upfront cost is worth the protection it provides during a costly emergency. 

"It was an eye-opening experience that I hope prepares other young people," Craig Baxter said.

Unfortunately, Baxter isn't the only cruiser to be hit with a large medical bill 

Vincent Wasney and his fiancée, Sarah Eberlein, were cruising on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas when Wasney began suffering from a series of seizures. However, before the couple was allowed to disembark, they had to pay over $2,500 in medical bills.

As reported by KFF Health News and NPR, Eberlein heard Wasney make a pained noise before he had his first seizure. Blood began spilling from his mouth as a result of him accidentally biting his tongue.

Wasney's second seizure caused him to stop breathing, while the third seizure, characterized as a grand mal seizure, was even more severe. 

The vessel was close enough to their disembarkation port in Florida, so they could disembark early via rescue boat — but not before paying a $2,500.22 medical bill. 

The charges included $2,285.78 for general ward admission and observation, along with $97.99 for an i-STAT blood test, $104.55 for out-of-facility services, and $11.90 for medication.

Read more: Man was sick on a cruise and was hit with a big bill before being sent home

A woman claimed she was on a Royal Caribbean cruise and had an allergic reaction to something she ate, but then refused to pay the high price for medication onboard.

The woman posted a video on TikTok of her swollen face and disdain for the price the cruise ship's medical facility wanted to charge her.

"I've been on the boat for ... not even the full 24 hours and my face is swollen," she said as she took her sunglasses.

She did not say what she ate the triggered the reaction.  She said she said she went to the medical center on her vessel and was told it would cost $390 for Benadryl.

"They do have it, but it costs $390 for them to give me Benadryl," she said.

Cruise ship medical bays have doctors and nurses onboard, and it's effectively a mini urgent care location to treat and triage minor issues.  For major medical issues, the passenger will be taken off the ship to get treatment back on land.

For medical care onboard, they don't accept any insurance.  You have to pay out of pocket and then be reimbursed after the cruise by either your own medical insurance or a travel insurance policy.

Unfortunately, most medical insurance plans don't cover cruise ships because they're outside of their country. 

Luckily for this woman, she said at the end of the video she managed to get Benadryl from another passenger on the ship.

Fierce opinions

The comments for this woman's video exploded with opinions on the matter, as many had differing thoughts of what she should have done in this situation.

Many cruisers talked about how they bring all sorts of over-the-counter medications on vacation with them.

"I take the whole medicine cabinet with me on a cruise because I refuse!," said Deneanne Nicole.

Others recommended asking other passengers, who may have done just that.

"Girl. Go ask folks on the boat. Especially veteran cruisers. They have everything," said Baezivy.

Txfynest recommended, "Go on the Facebook travel group for your boat and ask the group hopefully you’ll be ok till yall port and get something."

Some viewers realized the need to plan ahead as a result of the video, "this is a learning experience for all of us. I need to take meds on my next cruise" gabrielabutcallmegaby commented.

Most of the comments centered around being prepared and bringing the right medications with you, just in case.

In fact, one of the top things cruisers shared they regretted not packing was over-the-counter medication.

No one wants to get sick on vacation, but it happens.

Whether you simply catch a head cold or you have a mild allergic reaction to a bug bite, having a variety of over-the-counter medication can make all the difference. 

The importance of travel insurance

The real debate topic was the importance of travel insurance and how they would have handled the situation.

Toneee22 shared their experience when something similar happened, "I fainted on a cruise was taken 2 the infirmary & my bill came 2 $600. I paid the bill before I left & sent it 2 my insurance company. They reimbursed me $570, so my out of pocket was only the co-pay."

Christina Sanford Hamilton added, "I have travel insurance. Buy it annually and I always take two bags of meds and bathroom stuff."

Travel insurance is technically optional, but it ought to be a must-buy for travelers going on a cruise vacation.

A basic policy from Allianz costs $37 per plan and covers:

• Flight, hotel, and vacation-rental cancellations
• Meal and transportation expenses during delays
• Rental-car insurance
• Medical expenses, including evacuations

The exact cost will depend on how long the trip is, the age of the cruisers, add-on coverages, and other considerations.

Travel insurance also covers you for a last-minute need to cancel a cruise, such as a death in the family or loss of a job.

The best way to compare insurance plans is to go through a travel insurance aggregator. 

My two favorite options are InsureMyTrip.com and TravelInsurance.com. 

Both charge you nothing extra to use their services, so it's free to browse. Plus, they offer ways to compare specific plans from different travel insurance companies against each other.

You probably won't actually need the travel insurance, but if you do, you never want to be in a situation where you're debating getting the health care you need versus the out of pocket costs.

If you are planning on purchasing travel insurance through Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises, they are raising the price of their policy effective June 1, 2023. 

Royal Caribbean sent out an email to travel agents warning them of the change.

"Dear valued Travel Partner," the email starts, "From time to time, we evaluate the product offering and pricing. As you may know, the plan cost is based upon your clients’ total trip cost (referred to as Total Protected Vacation Cost)."

"Effective June 1, 2023, the price of our Travel Protection product will increase for most guests, specifically when your clients’ Total Protected Vacation Cost is less than $8,000."

While the price of the product is increasing, there are no changes being made to the product itself. 

How much will the insurance policy cost?

There are 32 different price points for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity's insurance, all of which are based on the total vacation cost:

• $0 - $250: $39
• $251 - $500: $49
• $501 - $750: $69
•  $751 - $1,000: $79
• $1,001 - $1,250: $109
• $1,251 - $1,500: $119
• $1,501 - $2,000: $149
• $2,001 - $2,500: $199
• $2,501 - $3,000: $239
• $3,001 - $3,500: $289
• $3,501 - $4,000: $339
• $4,001 - $4,500: $389
• $4,501 - $5,000: $439
• $5,001 - $5,500: $489
• $5,501 - $6,000: $539

• $6,001 - $6,500: $599
• $6,501 - $7,000: $639
• $7,501 - $8,000: $739
• $8,001 - $8,500: $829
• $8,501 - $9,000: $879
• $9,001 - $9,500: $929
• $9,501 - $10,000: $979
• $10,001 - $10,500: $999
• $10,501 - $11,000: $1,099
• $11,001 - $11,500: $1,199
• $11,501 - $12,000: $1,299
• $12,001 - $12,500: $1,399
• $12,501 - $13,000: $1,499
• $13,001 - $13,500: $1,599
• $13,501- $14,000: $1,699
• Greater than $14,001: $1,799

What does the policy protect?

There are three primary components of the travel plan. 

The first is the Cancellation Penalty Waiver, which allows guests to cancel their vacation for specified reasons. It also includes a "Cancel for Any Reason Credit" that can be added for an additional cost.  

The second component is comprised of the benefits of the travel insurance that is underwritten by Arch Insurance Company: 

• Trip Interruption: Up to 150% of total trip cost if you can't start or finish your cruise vacation because you're sick or hurt, there's a death in the family or another covered reason.
• Trip Delay: Up to $2,000 ($250 per day) for catch-up expenses
• Missed Connection: Up to $300 if you miss your trip departure for covered reasons by three hours or more. 
• Accident and Sickness Medical: up to $25,000 if you get hurt and $25,000 if you get sick on your cruise vacation.
• Emergency Medical Evacuation: Up to $50,000 if you need emergency medical transportation during your vacation. 
• Baggage Protection and Delay: Up to $1,500 if your bags are lost, stolen, or damaged and up to $500 to buy necessary personal items if your bags are delayed.

Finally, you will get worldwide emergency assistance provided by On Call International. 

What does travel insurance not cover?

There are some things that Royal Caribbean's policy will not cover, such as Cancel for Any Reason. 

This is an addition that can be purchased separately by contacting 1-888-722-2195. If you booked through a travel agent, they will be able to assist you if this is something you are interested in.

Per the policy's contract, "This additional enhancement is offered by Royal Caribbean International as a special service to guests that purchase this cruise ticket Cancellation Penalty Waiver Addendum...Credits are valid for one year from issue date, are not transferable, and have no cash value."

"To be eligible for the credits: 1. The travel protection plan must be purchased prior to having made final payment for the cruise; and 2. Notification of cancellation must be given to Royal Caribbean International prior to the ship's departure."

"Once you’ve cancelled with Royal Caribbean International, please contact the Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program Help Line at 1-800-453-4022 or 1-516-342- 7262 regarding cruise credits. Please note that AIR2SEA components are not subject to this cruise credit feature."

Additionally, the insurance policy will not reimburse you for inclement weather or cancelled ports of call.

If, for instance, you book a Western Caribbean cruise but find that the itinerary has been altered to an Eastern Caribbean one; the policy will not provide any compensation. 

Also, the policy's fine print states that benefits are not payable for any loss due to, arising from, or resulting from pre-existing conditions; war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies; or being intoxicated or under the influence of any controlled substance unless taken as administered or prescribed by a physician. 

If you are worried about something not being covered, you should read the fine print prior to purchasing the policy. 

What happens if I have already paid for insurance?

If you have already added travel insurance to your booking, you will not be required to pay the difference in pricing. 

That is, however, unless a certain event triggers a change. This could be a change in ship or sailing date, the addition of a promotion, or when the booking moves from offered to booked status, among other events.

Why should you consider travel insurance for your next cruise?

Travel insurance is not included in the cost of your cruise fare, meaning that you will need to factor it into your cruise budget. 

The purpose of insurance is meant to provide peace of mind in the unlikely event that an unexpected event occurs before, during, or after your trip and protects you against any major financial losses. 

Let's say that you booked your flight for the day before the cruise was scheduled to depart. Unfortunately, it was cancelled, and the airline was unable to rebook you on another flight that would guarantee an on-time arrival. 

The insurance plan would help cover some of the associated costs of rebooking and/or meeting up with the ship at the first port of call. 

Additionally, many passengers partake in active activities while on a cruise, whether they are onboard or ashore. Active activities come with a risk, and you can never predict if you will need medical attentional due to an accident.

Note that those residing in New York are ineligible for Royal Caribbean's insurance during booking. A policy can be added after the fact through travelcruisecare.com. This applies to Celebrity sailings, too. 

Related: Should you buy annual travel insurance plans?

It is impossible to predict the future, and that includes accidents, delays and other unforeseen circumstances.  That is why it is so important to invest in travel insurance to cover your cruise vacation.

We have a brand new video to share with you, that looks at the important reasons to buy a travel insurance plan for your next Royal Caribbean cruise. It is not too late!

And if you love this video, we have lots of other great cruise videos to watch on our Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel!

By the way, have you subscribed yet? Be sure to subscribe to our channel and never miss a single video!

So check out the video and then let us know: Why do you typically purchase travel insurance for your cruise?