How to Protect Against The Perils of Cruise Vacations

MIAMI, April 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruise travel has increased in popularity in recent years, with floating vacations appealing to a growing number of US and Canadian travelers. The North American cruise industry carries approximately 15 million passengers on an annual basis. Although the average cruise ship holds 2,000 passengers, the new, "mega ships" resemble small floating cities. Capable of carrying over 5,000 passengers, these giant behemoths of the sea can also serve as clearing houses for worldwide communicable diseases.

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According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC),  published reviews of cruise ship medical logs have shown that most (69%–88%) passenger dispensary visits on cruise ships were due to medical conditions; respiratory (19%–29%) and gastrointestinal (9%) illnesses were the most frequently reported diagnoses. Injuries, typically from slips, trips, or falls, accounted for 12%–18% of medical visits.

Frank Trigo of InsureandGo USA, a leading online travel insurance provider, states "Obtaining health care in a foreign country or needing medical evacuation from a ship involves significant costs; travel insurance can prevent passengers from large medical bills once they get home."

Even minor ailments can prove costly as visits to a ship's medical facility must be paid directly by the traveler. Purchasing a travel insurance policy in advance will protect you from this out of pocket expense in the event you become ill or injured on your cruise. Also, preparing in advance before you depart on your cruise can help minimize risks of getting sick while on your cruise vacation. Here are a few tips offered by the CDC to help you prepare in advance.

• Evaluate the type and length of the planned cruise in the context of personal health requirements.
• Consult medical and dental care providers before cruise travel.
• Consider additional insurance for overseas health care and medical evacuation.
• Carry prescription medications in their original containers, with a copy of the prescription and accompanying physician's letter.
• Defer travel while acutely ill.

InsureandGo USA provides three cruise insurance plans that provide the traditional coverages that most travel insurance plans offer such as emergency medical, trip interruption/cancellation, travel delays and reimbursement for lost baggage or personal items. They also include reimbursement for missed pre-paid shore excursions, missed cruise departures, and missed vacationing because of cabin confinement due to illness or injury. For additional savings, up to two kids are covered per adult at no additional charge.

For more information on cruise travel insurance provided by InsureandGo USA, call (888)491-9596 to speak with a travel specialist or visit http://www.insureandgousa.com.

For more information on Cruise Travel from the CDC, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov

SOURCE InsureandGo USA