travel insurance antarctica cruise

• Travel Guide

How To Find The Best Antarctica Travel Insurance For You

Key considerations for antarctica travel insurance, geographical coverage, trip delays, missed flight/connection, trip cancellation, trip interruption, policy excess, medical emergency evacuation, repatriation and expenses (including covid-19), on-shore and off-shore adventure activity cover, baggage loss, theft and delay, frequently asked questions about antarctica travel insurance, why should i purchase travel insurance for my polar expedition, when should i arrange my travel insurance, what is the difference between medical insurance and emergency evacuation insurance, what part of my expedition do i need to cover with travel insurance, what if i have travel insurance through my own credit card benefits, what if i already have a worldwide travel insurance policy, can you not choose and book my travel insurance for me, what is the best travel insurance for antarctica, antarctica travel insurance providers, antarctica travel insurance for north american travelers, antarctica travel insurance for uk travelers, antarctica travel insurance for australian travelers, questions you may like to ask your insurer, i’ve bought my insurance. what next.

Travel insurance is not just important when visiting Antarctica due to its extreme isolation, conditions, and the considerable costs associated, but some levels of coverage—especially with regards emergency evacuation, repatriation, and medical cover—are a mandatory requirement for travelers.

As with any form of travel, insurance to protect you, your belongings, and your investment, is a wise choice, but perhaps never has it been more apparent than when booking an Antarctica expedition where the risk-reward relationship is higher than most.

Modern explorers certainly have it easier than those in whose wakes they follow, with the latest state-of-the-art expedition vessels arguably the safest found anywhere on the seven seas, but it would be foolhardy to take a trip to this wild and unpredictable part of the world without adequate protection.

Here we’ll take a look at how travel insurance for Antarctica—like the continent itself—is unlike anything else, and point out what makes a good policy to give you the peace of mind to embark on your expedition with only excitement and without any apprehension.

While most cruises tend to visit the Antarctic Peninsula region, some visit more remote reaches of the continent, and other trips even venture into the depths of the Antarctic interior. So whilst an insurance policy may state it covers Antarctica, please do check it covers the entire continent or at a minimum your chosen expedition route.

Operator requirements regarding travel insurance covering Antarctica’s interior are normally even greater than those for Antarctica cruises given the extra logistical complications, higher costs associated with evacuation, your likely participation in more adventurous (and subsequently hazardous) activities, and the added danger of higher altitude—as Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the Moon, will attest after having to be evacuated from the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station to McMurdo Station on the south tip of Ross Island and on to Christchurch, New Zealand, after succumbing to its effects.

So if you are planning a visit to the South Pole or spending some significant time camping on the White Continent, be prepared for higher minimum coverage requirements for Medical Evacuation Insurance—anywhere from USD$150,000, but as high as USD$300,000 for expeditions outside of the Ellsworth Mountains—and also be aware that policies often need to be not just for the duration of your expedition but at least 7 days beyond your return flights home to ensure you’re covered in the event of any unforeseen delays.

Whichever part of the White Continent you’ll be exploring, you’ll likely be traveling to several countries en route to Antarctica so you will need to ensure your policy covers these destinations too. For example, if your cruise departs from Ushuaia, you’ll need a policy that covers you for both Argentina and Antarctica, or if you are booked on a fly-cruise from Punta Arenas you will require a policy covering Chile and Antarctica.

Related to this, it is also important to check whether your insurance will still cover you in the event of any changes to governmental travel advisories relevant to your trip, such as a Level 4 travel advisory being announced unexpectedly before or during your travels.

Nowhere else but Antarctica can the weather conditions actually dictate when your ship or aircraft can depart, and delays due to dangerous flight or unsailable sea conditions can be long, sometimes even days. It’s therefore vital to purchase an Antarctica travel insurance policy that covers you for trip delays.

Most Antarctica travel insurance policies will cover you up to somewhere in the region of USD$500 for trip delays, however, if you can find higher, do so, as trip delays in Antarctica are not uncommon. In order to avoid disappointment it’s best to book your Antarctica cruise with some leeway either side to give yourself the flexibility to adjust your travel plans as required.

While travel delay typically covers a daily amount for unplanned accommodations and other costs incurred as a result of a delay, missed flight/connection cover—often available as an add-on—additionally reimburses you for potentially expensive transportation costs required to “catch up” to your trip in the event of a covered delay. This may be very useful for those with short lay-overs or anyone considering a fly-cruise itinerary where the connecting flight is crucial to the experience.

Whilst Trip Cancellation insurance isn’t a requirement as such, given the high cost of Antarctica expeditions we strongly advise that you do purchase it to protect yourself against any event which may force you to cancel your trip before departure, including unforeseen illness, family death, or natural disasters.

Equally unlikely, potential cruise operator insolvency is also a possibility. Indeed, one of the major Antarctica cruise operators was forced to cease operations a few years ago and anyone who had not purchased Antarctica travel insurance prior to their trip lost any monies they had already paid. A good Antarctica trip cancellation policy will also include cover for the continent’s capricious weather conditions.

Trip cancellation generally pays out anywhere from USD$2,500 – USD$10,000 depending on the policy level, so if your trip costs more than the limit specified you may wish to consider purchasing a “top-up” policy to cover the difference.

A trip interruption normally occurs when a traveler unexpectedly has to cut short their trip and return home—like trip cancellation but after you have already begun your trip—so it is equally sensible to protect yourself for any events that may cause you to leave your polar experience part-way through.

Conversely, trip interruption can also encompass events which may cause you to have to stay in your destination longer than you’d originally planned. If you are sailing the notorious Drake Passage, trip interruption cover would be sensible as it is not unheard of for a ship to have to turn around due to high winds and rough seas. Trip interruption normally covers you up to USD$5,000 on a standard Antarctica travel insurance policy.

One tool at your disposal for reducing the price of your Antarctica travel insurance policy is by raising your policy excess—the amount you are willing to pay first as part of any claim. Most insurers will have a compulsory excess of roughly USD$100 – USD$200. If you wish to remove such an excess, note that only a few Antarctica travel insurers offer zero excess policies.

Because of Antarctica’s remote location and the expense of getting someone to a medical facility, every Antarctic tour operator requires you to have a certain level of medical emergency (air-)evacuation insurance before you can embark your expedition vessel. (Medical repatriation is slightly different to medical emergency evacuation as it covers travelers who’d prefer to be taken home to have medical treatment rather than just be taken to the nearest hospital.)

Given the cost of an Antarctica evacuation is upwards of USD$100,000 and simple hospital operations costing in excess of USD$10,000, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Antarctica operators typically require you to have a minimum emergency evacuation, repatriation and medical cover of USD$100,000 – USD$250,000 (or even higher for trips to the Antarctic interior outside of the Ellsworth Mountains). It is important that you check this minimum amount in advance. Be warned that while many Antarctica travel insurance policies may claim they cover you for USD$5,000,000 or more, this rarely includes any actual evacuation so do check the wording carefully.

Closely linked to the topic of geographical coverage, Argentina and Chile (or any other country you may be traveling through to get to Antarctica) may also have their own medical insurance requirements for entry into the country. For example, during the pandemic, both these countries required foreign nationals to have medical insurance that explicitly covered any expenses relating to COVID-19 (medical costs, quarantine, trip delay, etc.) upon entry, indeed Chile required a fixed level of medical insurance with a minimum claim value of USD$30,000.

Whilst these may no longer be applicable currently, the situation may revert back so we have included this point to raise awareness. Please be aware that whilst we make every effort to ensure the latest requirements are reflected here, it is your responsibility to check they haven’t changed before you travel.

Also note that, as with all medical insurance, Antarctica travel insurance policies will not cover you for any pre-existing medical conditions or illnesses.

One of the most important aspects of any Antarctica travel insurance policy is understanding what activities you are covered for. Some policies may stop covering you the moment you leave your cruise ship, others however may cover you (as standard or via an add-on) for some but not all polar pursuits you’ll be partaking in. Even if they do in fact cover every adventure, activity, insurers rarely openly state every covered activity so it will be up to you to read the fine print to make sure you’re covered.

Most policies will cover you for on-shore activities such as wildlife watching, but activities such as kayaking, scuba diving, camping and hiking are typically not covered as standard but easily added on for a premium. More hazardous activities or trips to the Antarctic interior like mountaineering, skiing, and skydiving may require separate specific coverage or higher minimum medical evacuation limits.

Another important consideration for your Antarctica travel insurance is your baggage cover—particularly important for the many Antarctica travelers planning to take high-end camera gear with them. No one wants to turn up for their once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica expedition to find their expensive equipment has been lost in transit, damaged, or worse still, stolen. Luckily, all standard Antarctica insurance policies cover for such scenarios to some extent, however, it’s important to understand how much you are covered for.

A standard amount for lost or stolen luggage is USD$1,000, but if you’re carrying expensive camera gear, this amount won’t really cut it! Also note that many policies will not actually cover you for any optic or electronic gear, or any items that have been bought second-hand.

It’s always advisable to bring a lock to secure your luggage. Although theft is not a problem in Antarctica or on any Antarctic expedition cruises, like any busy city the world over, Ushuaia and other South American cities you may visit or transit through are not exempt from crime and sensible precautions should be taken.

Here is a list of the most common questions we receive with regards travel insurance for Antarctica cruises and expeditions. Should you have any additional questions that aren’t covered here, feel free to get in touch with our specialists who will endeavor to answer your queries.

Given the remote regions you’ll be visiting, the unpredictable weather and sea conditions, and the high cost of a polar expedition, comprehensive travel insurance is not only strongly recommended to protect yourself, your belongings, and your investment, but certain levels of coverage is also a stipulation of cruise operators in order to embark on an expedition.

It is best practice to arrange any travel insurance at the same time as you book your trip (or as soon after booking as is feasible) not only to ensure your investment is protected for trip cancellation as soon as possible, but also because some insurance policies actually offer a reduced level of coverage—or none at all in the case of “Cancel for Any Reason” policies—if not bought sufficiently soon after paying for your cruise deposit.

Emergency Evacuation Insurance covers the incurred transportation costs associated with getting you to the nearest location with a medical facility for your needs, whereas Medical Insurance takes over once you get to that facility to cover your medical expenses, such as medical procedures, doctor/hospital fees, prescriptions, etc.

It is recommended you purchase travel insurance coverage for the entire cost and duration of your travel plans, including any countries you’ll be visiting or traveling through before and after your expedition. If you are planning to visit the Antarctic Interior you may even need to get coverage for up to a week after your scheduled return date in the event of any unforeseen delays.

Credit card travel insurance policies often exclude Antarctica expeditions, medical evacuations, and trip delays, but it is your responsibility to find out what travel insurance coverage and benefits you may have through your credit card provider to see if it is suitable and sufficient for your and any tour operator requirements.

Despite being called ‘worldwide’ policies, many do not include Antarctica so it is always advisable to check the geographical coverage of your policy. Even if they do, such policies rarely have the requisite levels of coverage for emergency evacuation, or indeed the desired trip cancellation amounts either. It may however be possible to top up an existing policy with your current or a separate provider, but do be aware that top up insurance is contingent on your base insurance paying out.

Antarctica Cruises are not insurance experts and are not legally permitted to provide insurance advice. Any considerations and comments here are solely based on our personal experiences and research, and should not be relied upon or construed as insurance advice in any way. Each traveler is individually responsible for arranging their own insurance and should always consult with an accredited insurance provider or broker for accurate information.

Really this question should be, “what is the best travel insurance policy for my Antarctica trip?” as everyone’s personal circumstances, age, health, belongings, route, activities, historical claims, affluence levels, and risk appetite are unique to them.

For example, someone may be too old, be wanting to bring too expensive camera equipment, or take part in too hazardous an activity for some underwriters to insure for a reasonable price or at all. Other travelers may be wanting to visit more remote locations than someone else, and may be willing to pay much more in excess in the event of a claim for a lower premium.

All this goes to highlight that the best Antarctica travel insurance policy for you will always be the one which provides you personally with sufficient peace of mind, whilst still satisfying the requirements of the tour operator you’ll be traveling with. For more detailed information on what is required for your specific expedition please refer to your tour operator’s terms and conditions.

We have provided a list of well-known Antarctica travel insurance providers below to assist you in finding and researching those Antarctica insurance policies we are aware of. As our expertise lies in Antarctic expedition cruises and not the nuances of insurance—not to mention that legally we are not permitted to provide any insurance advice—please address any specific questions you may have about your particular requirements to them.

Given insurance typically has to be bought in your country of residence, it may be worthwhile contacting a local insurance broker who has a thorough understanding of the options available in your region, as they may be able to match you up to a suitable policy.

Always take the time to thoroughly review any prospective policy and its exclusions before purchasing. Again, for legal reasons we are unable to check the wording or suitability of any policies you are considering, so  should you have any queries needing clarification please contact the relevant insurer directly.

If your locale is not listed below then unfortunately we are unable to provide any insurer information.

Please note that many standard US-based insurance policies will cover you for travel to a Level 4 travel advisory country, but not for cancellation because of a state advisory change prior to entering the country or for “fear of travel” reasons. Known Antarctica travel insurance providers serving North America residents who you may like to contact for a quote include:

Cat70 Tin Leg HTH Travel Insurance Travel Guard Travelex Arch – RoamRight Allianz Squaremouth (comparison site)

Please note that standard UK insurance policies often have insufficient cancellation coverage to fully protect most trips to Antarctica, so you may need to consider purchasing an additional “top-up” policy. Known Antarctica travel insurance providers serving UK residents who you may like to contact for a quote include:

PJ Hayman Campbell Irvine Travel + General

Known Antarctica travel insurance providers serving Australia residents who you may like to contact for a quote include:

NIB Travel insurance

Here are some important points you may like to discuss with your insurer prior to purchasing your Antarctica travel insurance policy. We strongly recommend phoning insurers to discuss your requirements as it can prove difficult finding all the necessary answers online, not to mention time consuming.

Please note this list of questions is not exhaustive and you should ensure you also discuss any relevant personal circumstances which apply to you.

• Does the policy cover cruising or travel to countries that are subject to a travel advisory? For example, for US-based travelers it’s important to ask about scenarios around US State Department travel advisory Level 4, both prior to booking or during your trip.
• What coverage does this policy include in relation to COVID-19? For example, cancellation coverage for the full value of the trip should you test positive prior to departure, and travel delay, interruption, and medical coverage should you test positive during travel and need medical costs?
• Does the policy cover you for any missed flights, connections, or airline delays which may have a detrimental knock-on effect to your trip?
• Will the policy cover you for any lost or curtailed cruise days as a result of inclement weather, along with any charges for rescheduling other impacted travel arrangements such as hotels and flights.
• Does the cancellation coverage amount actually cover the full cost of the expedition cruise plus any flights and hotel arrangements that you may have booked separately?
• Is a “Cancel for Any Reason” policy available and, if so, what are its terms and conditions?
• Does the policy sufficiently cover all the requirements set out by your tour operator? This may include mandatory emergency evacuation coverage to a certain value.
• Are all the adventure activities I’ll be participating in covered?

Having the right travel insurance for you and your Antarctic adventure will give you peace of mind before and during your travels, so be sure to take your time to research the options available and scrutinize the fine print.

Once you have booked your trip with us and bought an appropriate insurance policy to comprehensively cover your full itinerary and any associated activities, your Antarctica specialist will request a copy, usually several weeks in advance of travel, to submit to the relevant tour operators for review and filing as proof of coverage. After that, you can concern yourself with packing your bags and building up the excitement for your trip of a lifetime.

When it comes to actually traveling, we recommend not only having your policy easily accessible on your phone, but also carrying a printout (or two) to show at airline counters when boarding your flight(s) if requested, and storing both your policy number any relevant claim hotline numbers in your contacts for ease of reference. Hopefully you’ll be among the throngs of Antarctic travelers who won’t be in need of any of them, but in the unlikely event a situation arises that you do need to make a claim for, be sure to inform your insurer immediately and adhere to any specific process they require you to follow as specified in their policy wording.

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Our travel guides are for informational purposes only. While we aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, Antarctica Cruises makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information in our guides or found by following any link on this site.

Antarctica Cruises cannot and will not accept responsibility for any omissions or inaccuracies, or for any consequences arising therefrom, including any losses, injuries, or damages resulting from the display or use of this information.

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

Get in touch with us via phone or form today and you’ll be assigned a dedicated Antarctica specialist who’ll be with you every step of the way to help you choose, book and plan the right Antarctica cruise for you. Here’s how it works:

Listen & Match

We’ll carefully listen to your aspirations and curate an impartial shortlist of personalized polar cruise recommendations—and pre- and post-cruise extensions—to match your desired experience.

Reserve & Relax

Next we’ll place a free, no obligation, 24-hour cabin hold on your preferred cruise option whilst we discuss the final details. Book and relax safe in the knowledge you’ll be paying the lowest price guaranteed.

Prepare & Travel

Then we’ll provide you with our expert packing advice, insider travel tips, and more to ensure you are fully prepared for—and maximize your enjoyment of—your once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica expedition.

• With Partner/Friend
• With Family
• As Part Of A Group
• Emperor Penguin
• Photography
• Exploration Heritage
• Antarctic Peninsula
• Antarctic Circle
• Falklands/S. Georgia
• Weddell Sea
• Ross Sea/E. Antarctica

Antarctica Travel Insurance: Get The Right Protection

It goes without saying that Antarctica travel, like all travel, comes with certain risks .

To ensure you understand all of your Antarctica travel insurance options, we have set out the main Antarctica Travel Insurance considerations below.

These include trip cancellation , medical evacuation and repatriation , baggage issues and what Antarctica activities you need cover for.

We have also provided a quick little Antarctica travel insurance calculator from the adventure travel insurance experts – World Nomads . You can use the nifty calculator to get an instant quote for your Antarctica travel journey. We explain the procedure below.

Please note: Antarctica Guide are not insurance experts. The considerations and information presented below are based on our personal experience and research. This page is for information purposes only and should not be relied on upon or construed as a insurance opinion or insurance advice regarding any specific issue or factual circumstance. You should always consult with your insurance provider for accurate information.

Antarctica Travel Insurance

Get an immediate quote from our recommended travel insurance provider, World Nomads.

Key Considerations

Trip cancellation, interruption, delays and policy excess.

Your Antarctica cruise is a big investment and you should therefore get the right Antarctica travel insurance to cover you for any unfortunate circumstances such as long delays or, god forbid, trip cancellation!

Antarctica’s notorious weather often dictates when a ship can depart. Although there is nothing anyone can do, delays are often long and can stop people from actually joining their intended cruise. It’s therefore vital to purchase an Antarctica travel insurance policy that covers you for ‘trip delays’, ‘trip interruptions’ and ‘trip cancellation’.

Trip Delays

The weather waits for no man and this is certainly true for Antarctica where the ships sail to the weathers clock. Most Antarctica travel insurance policies will cover you up to US$500 for trip delays, however, if you can find higher, do, as trip delays in Antarctica are common. In order to avoid disappointment, try to book your cruise with some leeway either side.

Trip Cancellation

If your Antarctica cruise still goes ahead but you have been forced to cancel it because you’re on a tight schedule, then US$500 is hardly going to cover it. This is why trip cancellation is very important. A good Antarctica travel insurance policy will include Trip cancellation cover which includes bad weather ! Trip cancellation generally pays out US$2,500 for standard cover or US$10,000 for advanced cover. If purchasing with World Nomads you’ll need to select the ‘Explorer’ option to get the advanced cover price.

Important Note

Trip cancellation is also important for other issues including unforeseen illness, family death, natural disasters and cruise operator insolvency. Although it sounds unlikely, one of the major Antarctica cruise operators had to cease operations a few years ago due to the economic crisis. People who had not purchased Antarctica travel insurance prior to their trip lost all their money. In terms of financial protection when booking with an operator, you need to make sure they’re ABTA and ATOL protected as this will allow their insurers to pay you out should the company become insolvent.

Trip interruption

Trip interruption cover is also a must as it is not uncommon for a ship to turn around due to rough weather – especially on the notorious Drake Passage . Trip interruption will cover you up to US$5,000 on a standard Antarctica travel insurance policy, however, the explorer option on World Nomads covers you up to US$10,000.

Policy Excess

One of the most common things that drives down the price of Antarctica travel insurance policies is the excess amount. Most insurers will have an excess of roughly US$100-200. This means that any claim you make, you have to pay the excess amount first. World Nomads are one of the few Antarctica travel insurers that have a zero excess policy.

Emergency Evacuation, Repatriation and Medical Expenses

Because of Antarctica’s remote location and the expense of getting someone to a medical facility, every Antarctica operator requires you to be covered for emergency evacuation insurance.

 All vessel companies require you to have insurance that covers air lift evacuation in case of a medical emergency, without this they will refuse you on board.

Most Antarctica operators will require you to have emergency evacuation, repatriation and medical cover up to US$200,000. Generally, the minimum cost of an Antarctica evacuation is US$100,000! Therefore, when it comes to emergency evacuation, medical fees and, in particular, repatriation, the higher the cover amount the better! Evacuation is never cheap, especially from somewhere as remote as Antarctica. Simple hospital operations will cost over US$10,000 and repatriation often costs in the hundreds of thousands.

A good Antarctica travel insurance policy will cover more than US$200,000, particularly in Antarctica where evacuation is very difficult.

Be warned here, many Antarctica travel insurance policies will claim that they cover you for US$10,000,000 or more, however, this rarely includes actual evacuation, especially from remote areas like Antarctica.

Please also note, antarctica travel insurance policies will not cover you for any pre-existing illnesses. Also, please do not rely on your credit card travel insurance or something similar as these policies often will not cover Antarctica expeditions, medical evacuations and trip delays.

Get an Insurance Quote

On-shore and off-shore activity cover.

One of the most important aspects of any Antarctica travel insurance policy is understanding what activities you are covered for.

Insurers will never openly state these activities and it is up to you to read the fine print to make sure you’re covered for the activities you wish to do. Be warned, some Antarctica travel insurance policies stop covering you at any point you leave your cruise ship!

Most policies will cover you for on-shore activities such as wildlife watching, however, if you add an activity on to this, you’ll need to check whether you’re covered, particularly for kayaking , scuba diving , skiing, camping and climbing.

For example, a travel insurance policy with World Nomads (who are particularly good when it comes to activities) cover cruises to Antarctica including zodiac trips, shore-landings, kayaking and paddle-boarding, but not all plans cover overnight or remote expeditions, trekking, climbing, mountaineering or skiing on Antarctica peaks. It may be possible to upgrade your plan or activities cover if you want to scuba dive, snorkel, hike or climb so check your policy carefully when you buy it.  For full details, contact World Nomads as coverage, conditions and exclusions will vary, depending on your country of residence.

Baggage Loss, Theft and Delay

Another important element to any Antarctica travel insurance policy is your baggage cover. This is often particularly important to Antarctica travelers as many of us carry expensive camera gear!

No one wants to turn up for their long-awaited Antarctica journey to find their expensive equipment has been stolen, lost or broken. Luckily, nearly all standard Antarctica insurance policies cover for this, however, it’s important to understand how much your covered for.

A standard amount for lost or stolen baggage is US$1,000. If like us, you’re carrying expensive camera gear, this amount won’t really cut it! We suggest therefore getting a premium plan or the ‘Explorer’ plan with World Nomads that covers you up to US$3,000 for lost and stolen baggage and US$750 for delayed baggage (over 12 hours).

An important note here is that many Antarctica travel insurance policies will state that they cover you for millions and that you’ll get thousands and thousands back for your lost, damaged or stolen gear , however, this is not entirely true. This is why the wording of the policy is key. Most policies will not actually cover you for optic gear or any electronic gear! Most policies will also not cover you for any items bought second-hand.

We always recommend to travelers to bring a small lock to secure your baggage. Although theft is certainly not a problem in Antarctica or on any Antarctica cruises , Ushuaia is a busy city in which crime does happen.

Please also remember that you will be travelling in several countries, not just Antarctica and that you’ll need to take out insurance for these places also. If you are leaving from Ushuaia for example, you’ll need a Antarctica travel insurance policy that covers you for both Antarctica and Argentina.

World Nomads Insurance Calculator

Below is a very quick calculator by World Nomads which you can use to get your Antarctica travel insurance quote.

The quote that will initially be provided  to you will be for World Nomad’s ‘standard’ policy option. However, depending on your country of residence, you may see both the ‘Standard’ and ‘Explorer’ options on your screen.

If you just wish to purchase the standard option then all you need to do is fill out the form and then follow the instructions. If you wish to purchase the advanced ‘Explorer’ policy, then just follow the instructions below.

STEP 1: FILL OUT THE FIELDS IN THE CALCULATOR BELOW AND CLICK ‘GET A PRICE’ (REMEMBER TO PUT IN BOTH ANTARCTICA AND ANY OTHER COUNTRY YOU VISIT)

STEP 2: CLICK ON THE ACTIVITIES LIST TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE COVERED FOR THE ACTIVITIES YOU ARE PLANNING

Depending on your country of residence, the activities you are covered for on a standard policy will change. For example, a standard policy for a US citizen will not cover snorkeling, however, for a UK or Australian citizen, snorkeling is covered as standard. 

The activities button is located just above the ‘Buy It Now’ button on each policy option. See Image below marked in red:

When you click the activities option you’ll be greeted with a blue page that has every activity World Nomads cover. 

Activities with the number 1 after them are covered in your particular policy as standard whereas the activities with a number 2 after them are only covered if you select the ‘Explorer’ option. See Image below:

For non US citizens, there will also be the chance to ‘upgrade’ your policy. This means you can add certain activities onto your policy and also take out higher coverage for your personal items and gear.

If you would like to know more about Antarctica travel insurance please leave a comment below and we will endeavor to get back to you within 24 hours! Alternatively, please see our FAQ page here . If you would like to get a cruise quote, please use this form.

Thank you - AntarcticaGuide Team

Tags: Antarctica travel insurance, do you need travel insurance for Antarctica, travel insurance Antarctica

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Louise Milligan says

4 years ago

Burnham Arlidge says

C S Leaman says

6 Best Antarctica Travel Insurance Plans for US Citizens in 2024

Updated on January 10, 2024 by Matthew H. Nash – Licensed Insurance Agent

• SwiftScore Our SwiftScore is a unique and proprietary insurance ranking system objectively comparing key metrics which are most important to Antarctica travelers. Learn more at the end of this page.

STARTING PRICE FOR 2-WEEK TRIP TO THE ANTARCTICA

CAN YOU CANCEL YOUR TRIP FOR ANY REASON? 

BEST  WEBSITE FOR

Comparing Policies

• Compare dozens of the best Antarctica travel insurance policies from all the major providers in one place
• Easily filter for the features you want and get support from their award-winning customer service team
• Founded in 2013, TravelInsurance.com has helped hundreds of thousands of travelers find affordable insurance coverage

BEST  POLICY FOR

Fastest Claims

• Super fast claims via their 100% digital platform with a helpful mobile app
• Faye makes it easy to add-on coverage for vacation rentals, adventure/extreme sports, pet emergencies, and “cancel for any reason” at competitive prices
• Underwritten by Crum & Forster, Faye is known for its exceptional customer support, with 4.8/5 stars on Trustpilot

• SwiftScore Our SwiftScore is a unique and proprietary insurance ranking system objectively comparing key metrics which are most important to travelers. Learn more at the end of this page.

BEST POLICY FOR

Travelers Aged 55+

• Pre-existing medical conditions are covered for a reasonable fee and they offer “cancel for any reason” as an add-on
• $2,000 COVID quarantine coverage available w/ Safe Travels Voyager plan
• Founded in 1998 and underwritten by Nationwide and GBG Insurance

BEST WEBSITE FOR

Filtering Plans

• This comparison website has the most comprehensive filters especially for Covid-19 which helps you search for the specific benefits you need
• They have “Zero Complaint Guarantee” which promises a fair claims process
• Established in 2003, Squaremouth has consistently been recognized for it’s exceptional customer service

BEST POLICY FROM

An Established Brand

• Well rounded, inexpensive travel insurance plans from an established and top rated global insurance company
• AXA has plans that cover pre-existing conditions and their “Platinum” plan covers “cancel for any reason” with an optional add-on. They also offer helpful 24/7 Worldwide Travel Assistance Services
• Founded in 1959 and underwritten by Nationwide

Long-term Travel

• Ideal for digital nomads and long-term travel, available to anyone anywhere
• Scored lower because short-term travel coverage isn’t as robust as competitors
• Founded in 2018 and is underwritten by Lloyds of London

CAN YOU CANCEL YOUR TRIP FOR ANY REASON?

Antarctica travel insurance FAQs

Is antarctica travel insurance worth it.

Antarctica travel insurance is worthwhile because it shields you against the financial costs that come with trip interruption, cancellation, damaged or lost luggage, medical emergencies, and evacuations. It also covers you for reasons beyond the scope of your policy’s standard benefits if you purchased an optional “Cancel for Any Reason” (CFAR) upgrade. Travel insurance plays a crucial role in assisting you and your travel companions through medical emergencies by arranging airlifts or other means of evacuation and that you receive top-level care. My experiences have shown that travel insurance gives travelers peace of mind that they wouldn’t otherwise have, making it beneficial for a destination like Antarctica, where you confront the harshest climate. It is worth mentioning that travel insurance is highly affordable, usually costing only 2-3% of your overall trip cost (differs by age).

What qualifies as a trip interruption?

Trip Interruption is when an unforeseen emergency forces you to cut your trip short and fly home. Events that often fall under coverage include terrorist attacks, extreme weather, and the injury, death, or illness of a traveler insured on your policy. Since coverage kicks in once your trip starts, Trip-Interruption is considered a post-departure benefit.

When should I purchase Antarctica travel insurance?

I recommend buying your Antarctica travel insurance as soon as you book your trip. Once you have a policy in place, your Trip Cancellation benefits go into effect, protecting you and any other insured travelers on your policy from the financial loss that may result from unexpected events before or during your vacation. Keep in mind that should you wish to purchase a “Cancel for Any Reason” (CFAR) add-on plan or a Pre-Existing Condition package, you can only do so within 14-21 days of when you paid your trip deposit. This window differs between providers, so check your policy’s full details for more information.

How can I find the cheapest Antarctica travel insurance plan?

I recommend that travelers search for travel insurance plans on a comparison site. You can filter through policies based on your specific needs and sort them from cheapest to most expensive. My preferred comparison site for travel insurance is WithFaye.com .

How can I file a claim with my insurance provider?

Travel insurance companies have claim portals on their website, usually linked in the footer. It will say something along the lines of “Make a claim,” “Submit a claim,” or “Claims.” Click the link, and follow the steps as instructed. You will be asked for several pieces of information and upload all relevant documentation. Most companies will also allow you to submit claims via mail as well.

How long does the claim process take?

After you file a claim and submit all of the requisite documentation, expect it to take 6 to 8 weeks to be processed, with reimbursement to follow shortly after that. Of course, this varies from one provider to the next.

Do I have any recourse if my travel insurance claim is rejected?

If your claim gets rejected, it’s always important to review the following criteria to ensure it is valid. Did you follow the required procedures for claim submissions? Did you fail to disclose a pre-existing medical condition for you or one of your insured travel companions? Did you forget to state trip costs accurately when you purchased your travel insurance plan? Does the claim you are filing fall under the provisions of your policy? If, after reviewing these criteria, you still feel your claim is valid, the insurance company will give you potential follow-up steps that you can take.

How is “total trip cost” defined when it comes to buying travel insurance?

Total trip cost is essential in determining Trip Interruption and Trip Cancellation benefits, so you must calculate this accurately. Total trip cost is defined as the full cost of all non-refundable costs you prepaid. These include cruises, plane tickets, hotel or accommodation packages, retreats, event tickets, tours, and more. Always include everything you have prepaid that you would not be able to get a full refund for should you have to cancel your trip. Also, you will need to add any penalties you would be required to pay if you cancel your trip, even if you did not have to prepay anything. Remember, to qualify for the benefits in your policy, round your total trip cost up to the nearest dollar. And more importantly, never list your trip as being cheaper than it is just to secure a cheaper policy. Doing so will automatically disqualify you from receiving benefits.

Common problems tourists experience in Antarctica and how to avoid them:

Seeing as almost all tourists visit Antarctica via cruise or research boat, you will face the typical illnesses that come with living in such close quarters with hundreds or thousands of people. Another concern is the cold and potentially harsh weather conditions. Follow your tour operator’s packing instructions to the letter. Many tour operators will also provide each traveler with the essential dry gear. All ships have their own dynamic medical staff living aboard.

Aside from sightseeing, Antarctica’s most common tourist activity is sea kayaking. Of course, accidents may result, but the ship/boat you’re aboard has a highly trained medical team to take care of you. Keep in mind that severe injuries may require air evacuations, which can be costly. A good travel insurance plan can shield you against such expenses and ensure you get the best care possible.

Since Antarctica has no public infrastructure, you will be keeping your most valuable possessions on the boat. To protect your belongings, keep your cabin locked at all times. Beyond this, theft most likely will not be an issue on your trip.

Emergency resources for Antarctica

Phone numbers.

Most emergencies, particularly medical ones, can be handled by your tour operator as they all have highly-skilled medical teams. However, on the rare occasion, they are not equipped to handle something, dial 911. Your call will run through the United States’ McMurdo Station’s fire and emergency dispatch. Help will come from the nearest island or country with the necessary resources.

US embassy or consulate details

Since Antarctica does not have a government or permanent residents, there is no embassy or consulate on the continent. Any matters pertaining to citizen services will have to be dealt with once you return to Argentina or Chile after your cruise around Antarctica.

Additional information to help travelers have a better experience in Antarctica:

The Antarctic dollar is merely a collectible item and not used as legal tender. If you are fortunate enough to be on a boat with less than 500 passengers, you’ll be able to go on land in Antarctica and even buy some postcards and souvenirs at one of the major research stations. An ATM at the United States’ McMurdo Station dispenses dollars, and Euros or British Pounds are also used at other stations.

Etiquette & Local Customs

Antarctica may not be a country with its own people and culture, but there is undoubtedly a “wilderness etiquette” that you will be expected to follow. Every species has a specific distance you must keep from them. Please adhere to these distances strictly; they are not only for the safety of the wildlife but you too! Another expectation is that you take no natural souvenirs with you, including rocks, eggs, bones or other pieces of nature. A third rule is to leave no trace. Do not disturb the natural environment by making too much noise, leaving behind litter, altering any sites or smoking. Last but equally as important is that you wash and sterilize all of your gear before leaving for Antarctica. If you don’t, you may unwittingly bring pests from home that can adversely affect the White Continent’s fragile ecosystem. Your tour operator will spell out all rules and expectations before you disembark from the ship.

Food & Drink

Your meals will be limited to whatever is available on the ship you’re living aboard for this vacation. How many dining venues and styles of food will vary depending upon the cruise line you’re traveling with and the size of your ship. That said, most cruises offer a vast and delicious selection of meals, allowing you to never eat the same thing each time you sit down during your Antarctica cruise. They also have an array of menu items to suit most preferences, and you are free to eat until your heart’s content. The same usually goes for drinks, but you might want to take it easy on the alcohol or hydrated and ill, especially after a long day of being outdoors.

Getting Around

While you will spend much time sightseeing aboard your cruise ship or research boat, your excursions will usually occur via zodiacs or sea kayaks.

Immigration

Since Antarctica is not a country or a territory of another country, you do not need a visa. That said, the US was one of forty signers of the Antarctic Treaty’s Protocol on Environment Protection, meaning that all Americans are required to get permission to visit the White Continent. The good news is that your tour operator almost always takes care of this.

Antarctica has no permanent residents, but it has approximately 1,000 temporary residents from all over the world for scientific research purposes. While English is the de facto language of science, the most represented populations are from the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, China and Japan. Most staff members will speak English and possibly other languages regarding your cruise ship.

All services that require tipping will be on your cruise ship or organized by your tour operator. Tip $6-7/person/day for cabin attendants and waiters, $4-5/person/day for assistant waiters, 15-18% of the bill for bartenders and deck stewards and $5-$10 for the maitre d’ should they provide you with any special services, a $5 to $10 tip is adequate.

Packing advice for Antarctica

Apart from Travel Insurance, we recommend you bring the following items for maximum health, safety, and enjoyment of your trip to Antarctica.

A final note about travel insurance for the Antarctica

I have spent dozens of hours researching travel insurance, including getting quotes and comparing coverage from all the most popular brands. Regardless of where you’re going I am confident that you will also find that WithFaye.com offers the best way to compare policies with the ideal combo of coverage and price.

I wish you and yours an incredible journey.

SwiftScore Ranking Methodology

• Average price for a 2-week vacation based on a 35-year-old California resident traveling to the Antarctica with a $3,500 trip cost
• Coronavirus coverage
• Cancel for any reason (CFAR)
• AM Best rating of the underwriter
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• Key takeaways

What to consider when taking a trip to Antarctica

What antarctica travel insurance coverage do i need, what isn’t covered by travel insurance for antarctica, how much does travel insurance for antarctica cost, tips for getting the best antarctica travel insurance, faq: antarctica travel insurance, related topics.

Antarctica Travel Insurance: Tips & Requirements for US Visitors

• There are no major medical facilities in Antarctica , so medical emergencies require medical evacuation to another country.
• Medical evacuations from Antarctica are expensive and require a huge effort, so tour operators typically require you to have at least $100,000 in travel medical and at least $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage .
• In addition to medical coverage, more comprehensive travel insurance plans will also include trip cancellation and interruption coverage, baggage insurance and more .
• According to our research, the top travel insurance plans come from AXA, Tin Leg and IMG ( skip ahead to view these plans ).
• Our sales data shows that travel insurance costs around $19 per day .
• We recommend using our online comparison tool to view multiple plans at once and find the best coverage to suit your needs.

Our top picks for the best antarctica travel insurance

• AXA Assistance USA: Best Value on a Budget
• Tin Leg: Top Customer Satisfaction Ratings
• IMG: Best for Premium Inclusions

Our top picks for travel insurance for Antarctica

Axa assistance usa.

Due to its isolated location and harsh natural environment, Antarctica is unlike any other travel destination. 

If you plan to visit, keep the following in mind.

Antarctica medical insurance is a legal requirement

According to the U.S. Department of State , Antarctica doesn’t have a single public hospital, so the only way to get medical treatment is to evacuate to Argentina, Australia or another country with modern health care facilities.

Medical evacuation is extremely expensive, so all tour operators require travelers to maintain Antarctica travel insurance. Your insurance plan must include emergency medical care and medical evacuation services. 

Trips to Antarctica are expensive

Because it’s so remote and is vulnerable to damage caused by human activity, Antarctica is one of the most expensive destinations in the world. Only certain companies are allowed to operate tours and this limited competition drives up prices and makes even a short expedition much more expensive than the average vacation. It’s important to have Antarctica travel insurance to protect your investment.

Traveling to Antarctica

Another factor to consider is that you can’t travel to Antarctica directly from the United States. Most tours depart from Ushuaia in southern Argentina. Several also leave from Punta Arenas in southern Chile.

Tours from Ushuaia leave via boat, while tours from Punta Arenas depart via flight. Therefore, it’s important to purchase a robust travel insurance policy instead of a bare-bones policy with limited coverage.

Antarctica cruises

In many cases, the best way to see Antarctica is to take a cruise. The best travel insurance for an Antarctica cruise includes higher limits for missed connections and medical emergencies. Cruise insurance may also protect you against unexpected delays and cancellations.

A comprehensive travel insurance policy combines several types of coverage to give you the greatest amount of protection available.

Consider getting these types of coverage for your trip.

Emergency medical insurance

U.S. health insurance doesn’t cover medical expenses incurred in Antarctica. This includes Medicaid, Medicare and other government health insurance programs. Due to the lack of medical infrastructure in Antarctica, you should aim for at least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage .

Medical evacuation insurance

This is one of the most important components of an Antarctica travel insurance plan. Because Antarctica is extremely remote and has no medical infrastructure, it costs a significant amount of money to evacuate in the event of a medical emergency.

Aim for at least $250,000 worth of medical evacuation (medevac) coverage . Some policies include up to $1 million in medevac coverage.

Trip delay insurance

You can’t just get on a plane and land in Antarctica a few hours later. You may have to take multiple flights, board a cruise ship or hop on a boat to get to your destination. From your initial flight to South America to the 48-hour boat ride to Antarctica, trip delay insurance protects you in the event of an airline or boat delay.

Trip cancellation insurance

The Southern Ocean is known for its volatile weather conditions. It’s not unusual for tour operators to cancel with little notice due to inclement weather or other safety issues. Many tour operators also require nonrefundable deposits, making it even more important to protect your investment.

If you cancel for a covered reason , your insurance provider will reimburse your prepaid, nonrefundable costs. Covered reasons include sudden illness, the death of a travel companion and natural disasters.

Cancel-for-any-reason insurance

Cancel-for-any-reason coverage is more flexible than standard trip cancellation insurance. Many providers will reimburse up to 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs, regardless of your reason for cancellation. 

Baggage insurance

If you’re visiting Antarctica, you can’t get away with a tiny suitcase filled with a few essentials. You’ll need a heavy jacket, thermal underwear, expedition gear and other items to protect your body from the elements. Many people also bring expensive camera equipment to capture the penguins, leopard seals and whales in all their glory.

Baggage insurance reimburses you for losses related to lost, stolen and damaged luggage. For example, if one of your bags goes missing between Argentina and Antarctica, your insurance provider may reimburse you accordingly. Note that this type of insurance usually has a limit of a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Your insurer probably won’t reimburse you for $10,000 in specialized photography equipment, so pack accordingly.

Baggage delay insurance protects you in the event of unexpected delays. To qualify for reimbursement, you must be traveling via a common carrier. If you arrive before your baggage, your insurer may cover the cost of purchasing clothing, toiletries and other items to tide you over until your suitcase arrives.

Typically, a delay must last for several hours before your baggage delay insurance kicks in. For example, some insurers don’t reimburse travelers unless a delay lasts for at least 12 hours.

Adventure insurance

If trekking to an ice-covered continent doesn’t satisfy your appetite for adventure, you’re in luck. Antarctica offers plenty of opportunities for kayaking, skiing and sledding. If you plan to participate in an adventure activity, consider upgrading your Antarctica travel insurance policy to cover any resulting emergencies.

Even the most comprehensive policies typically exclude the following.

• Foreseeable events: To qualify for coverage, an event must be unforeseeable. That means you don’t know about it ahead of time. Travel insurance doesn’t cover foreseeable events, which are events that a reasonable person traveling to your destination would know about. For example, if the Air Line Pilots Association announces a strike, you have reasonable knowledge that your flight is likely to be grounded.
• Natural disasters that occur before you purchase travel insurance: If an earthquake hits after you’ve already purchased a travel insurance policy, your insurer should reimburse you for your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses. If it hits before you purchase insurance, however, you won’t be covered.
• Preexisting medical conditions: A preexisting medical condition is a condition that you had before you purchased travel insurance. For example, if you’ve had diabetes for years, you have a preexisting condition. Travel insurance typically doesn’t cover any medical costs associated with these health issues. However, you may be able to purchase a preexisting condition waiver , giving you extra coverage during your trip.
• Normal pregnancy: If you’re pregnant on your trip , your insurance plan won’t cover routine obstetric care. Some insurers cover the cost of treating pregnancy-related complications, but it depends on the terms of your policy.
• Risky/illegal activities: Travel insurance doesn’t cover losses associated with criminal activity, alcohol consumption or the use of illicit substances. Standard plans also exclude adventure sports. If you plan to participate in adventure activities, consider purchasing an add-on. A travel insurance add-on augments the coverage bundled into your original policy.
• Claims without adequate documentation: If you can’t prove that you suffered a covered loss, your insurance company may deny your claim. Therefore, it’s important to keep receipts, medical records and other documents. For example, if you have a medical emergency requiring evacuation, you should keep copies of your medical bills.

Based on our sales data, visitors who purchased travel insurance through our website paid an average of $324 for a 17-day trip to Antarctica. Therefore, we can assume that a plan costs around $19 per day .

To give you more insight into how much travel insurance costs for a trip to Antarctica, we got quotes from some of the top providers. All of our quotes follow the guidelines of having at least $100,000 in emergency medical and at least $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage.

We used these parameters for our quotes:

• Age: 50 years old
• State of residency: California
• Destination: Antarctica
• Trip Length: 14 days
• Time of trip: November 2024
• Trip cost: $8,000

In this first example below, we’ve displayed quotes for basic travel insurance coverage. These plans cost around $3 to $5 per day.

Example Where Plan Doesn’t Reimburse the Full Antarctica Trip Cost

This next example shows our quotes for more comprehensive travel insurance that include trip cancellation and interruption coverage. These plans range from around $26 to $58 per day .

Example Where Plan Does Reimburse the Full Antarctica Trip Cost

Factors that impact the cost include:

• Age . Older people have an increased risk of chronic health conditions. Therefore, it’s more expensive to insure an older person than it is to insure someone in their 20s or 30s.
• Trip length . Long trips cost more than short trips, so you need additional coverage to ensure you have the right amount of protection.
• Add-ons . If you purchase add-ons, your plan will cost more than a basic insurance plan.
• Number of travelers . It costs more to cover multiple people than it does to cover one person.
• Coverage limits . If you choose a plan with high coverage limits, you’ll pay more than someone who selected a plan with low limits. For example, it costs less to insure 75% of your trip than it does to insure 100% of your trip.

Follow these tips to find the best travel insurance for Antarctica.

Think about how you’re getting there.

Antarctica is a remote destination, so each trip includes multiple legs. The more complicated your itinerary, the more likely it is that something will go wrong, whether it’s a baggage delay or a medical emergency.

Make a list of the activities you plan to do.

If any of them qualify as adventure activities, you may need to purchase an add-on. Otherwise, your standard plan won’t cover any expenses arising from your participation in adventure sports.

Buy insurance as soon as possible after you book your trip.

The longer you wait, the more likely it is that something will happen, rendering you unable to get coverage for certain events. For example, if a landslide occurs before you buy a policy, you won’t be eligible for reimbursement if you have to cancel due to landslide damage.

Request quotes from multiple companies.

Our online comparison tool makes it easy to compare cost and coverage details.

Is travel insurance required for Antarctica?

Yes. Because it costs so much money to get there, all tour operators require travelers to carry medical insurance. We recommend purchasing additional coverage to ensure you don’t lose a significant amount of money due to unforeseen events.

What is the average cost of a cruise to Antarctica?

A standard cruise to Antarctica costs anywhere from $3,000 to $20,000. It may cost much more if you book a luxury cruise. This doesn’t include transportation to the departure port or activities that aren’t part of the cruise package.

Can tourists fly to Antarctica?

No commercial airline offers flights to Antarctica. To get to your destination, you need to fly from Punta Arenas or take a boat from southern Chile.

Can you take a private trip to Antarctica?

Yes, it’s possible to take a private expedition to Antarctica. However, we advise you to use a reputable tour operator instead, as tour professionals know the area and understand how to navigate the rough waters.

How much does medical evacuation from Antarctica cost?

It depends on what type of transportation you use and where you need to go. However, Squaremouth advises travelers to purchase at least $100,000 in medevac coverage. This seems like overkill, but it’s extremely expensive to evacuate via helicopter or boat.

Leigh Morgan is a seasoned personal finance contributor with over 15 years of experience writing on a diverse range of professional legal and financial topics. She specializes in subjects like navigating the complexities of insurance, savings, zero-based budgeting and emergency fund development.

In the last five years, she’s authored over 300 articles for credit unions, digital banks, and financial professionals. Morgan is also the author of “77 Tips for Preventing Elder Financial Abuse,” a book focused on helping caregivers protect the elderly from financial scams.

In addition to her writing skills, she brings real-world financial acumen thanks to her previous experience managing rental properties as part of a $34 million real estate portfolio.

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Travel Insurance

Antarctica travel insurance can help cover trip cancellation, curtailment, or interruption. These plans can also cover expenses that might arise as a result of loss, damage, injury, and delay, or other inconvenience occurring to or otherwise involving a passenger (e.g. assistance if your luggage is lost). Many Antarctic travel insurance policies include medical coverage during travel.

Medical Insurance

In most cases, trips to Antarctica require proof of out-of-country medical coverage. Your insurance plan must cover personal injury, medical expenses, repatriation expenses, evacuation expenses, and pre-existing medical conditions.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

Antarctic Cruise companies often require a policy that will cover air evacuation from Antarctica (King George Island) to Punta Arenas, Chile. Several companies offer medical evacuation insurance for Antarctica. Evacuation from Antarctica can cost more than US$150,000 per person, prompting some cruise operators to set that amount as their policy minimum.

Antarctic medical evacuation policies usually cover the cost of any medical care needed during transportation (e.g. doctor, medical supplies, etc). When the patient is delivered to the closest hospital, the coverage provided by an Antarctic medical evacuation insurance policy ends. Any further medical costs are not covered by Antarctic medical evacuation policies. Therefore, additional medical coverage is needed/required.

As these three types of policies can overlap or leave gaps when purchased separated, most cruise operators recommend their passengers purchase comprehensive Antarctic medical travel insurance.

Comprehensive Medical Travel Insurance

Comprehensive Antarctic Medical Travel Insurance policies typically include:

• Medical Evacuation and Repatriation in remote areas, including Antarctica.
• Evacuation travel insurance coverage of $150,000 per person (limits vary by cruise operator)
• Insurance to cover flight cancellation & change of dates
• Out-of-country medical treatment
• Insurance for loss, damage, injury, and delay, or other inconvenience occurring to or otherwise involving a passenger.

Each Antarctica travel insurance policy has its own features that should be reviewed carefully based on the circumstances of the traveler. The policies offered in different countries may vary, sometimes in significant ways, from what is described above. With this in mind, we recommend that travelers seek the advice of a travel insurance specialist when selecting the coverage that is appropriate for their trip.

Start your journey today

At LANDED, we do not sell insurance; however, we can help you understand the details of the policies your Antarctic travel requires. Speak to one of our Antarctica experts today.

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Home » Travel Insurance » Reviews » Best Travel Insurance For Antarctica Cruises

Best Travel Insurance for Antarctica Cruises

Written by Antonio Cala

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Table of Contents

Embarking on an Antarctic cruise is a mesmerizing adventure, offering voyagers a chance to witness the planet’s southernmost landscapes and wildlife. However, this once-in-a-lifetime trip carries unique risks and challenges, from unpredictable weather patterns to remote locations far from conventional medical facilities. 

This highlights the importance of selecting suitable travel insurance that caters specifically to the needs of Antarctic travelers.

When travelers consider insurance plans for an Antarctica cruise, they must look beyond standard travel insurance provisions. Proper coverage should include high limits for emergency medical expenses and evacuation, as the cost of airlifting from such remote regions can be astronomical. 

In addition, considering policies that cover trip cancellations and interruptions can save travelers from significant financial loss due to the volatile conditions typical of Antarctic travel.

It’s essential to examine the finer details, such as coverage for adventure activities, which many travelers partake in during their cruise, like kayaking or polar diving.

For a comprehensive exploration of insurance options designed specifically for adventure travelers, be sure to explore our master guide  The Ultimate Guide to Adventure Travel Insurance .

Quick Recommendations

If you want some quick recommendations, here is our infographic to help you choose the best insurance for your next adventure cruise to Antarctica. 

Antarctica Cruise Insurance Overview

Understanding travel insurance for antarctica.

Although some Antarctica cruises offer medical & evacuation insurance with every booking, it’s highly recommended you purchase a separate travel insurance to protect yourself and your investment.

In the case of most of Polar cruises, what you really need is a policy with a high trip cancellation/interruption insurance since these trips normally have a high dollar amount.

If your cruise trip doesn’t include medical/evacuation coverage, you should definitely get a policy that offers that, since you will going as remote as it gets. 

In the following section, we will get into the specifics of what a typical insurance policy for an Antarctica cruise covers and does not cover.

What Does It Cover?

An insurance for a cruise to Antarctica works like a traditional travel insurance policy, offering you protection for the following:

Medical Expenses

If you experience an injury or illness while exploring the icy wilderness on your Antarctic cruise, the importance of specialized insurance cannot be overstated. Tailored for the unique conditions of polar expeditions, this insurance ensures that you are covered for emergency medical expenses incurred in remote regions, including potential evacuation and treatment costs.

The coverage addresses a range of health concerns, from minor ailments to serious medical emergencies. Whether you require prompt medical attention or advanced care, a robust insurance policy provides the necessary financial backing to support you through the unforeseen medical challenges that can arise in the harsh and isolated environment of Antarctica during your voyage.

Baggage Coverage

Should your personal effects, such as your camera or other items, become damaged, stolen, or lost during your Antarctic expedition, securing appropriate insurance is essential. Insurance policies crafted for such circumstances typically offer personal luggage coverage.

The extent of coverage can vary significantly, with protection ranging from modest sums to substantial amounts. This enables you to file a claim to assist with the costs associated with repairing or replacing your vital gear crucial for your journey through the extreme conditions of the Antarctic.

Trip Cancellation or Interruption

In the event that an injury makes you cancel your Antarctic cruise, having specialized insurance for those situations is invaluable. This type of insurance offers the ability to seek compensation for the segments of your voyage that were unavoidably missed due to unexpected developments.

Emergency Evacuation

Undoubtedly, the most critical form of protection for any polar journey, including an Antarctic cruise, is emergency medical evacuation coverage. This provision guarantees that you can be swiftly conveyed to the nearest appropriate medical center for care or potentially repatriated to your home country should the situation necessitate it.

What Doesn't Cover?

Every insurance provider sets their own parameters regarding the scope of their coverage and the exclusions that apply. The most common exceptions include:

Ignoring travel advisories: If you decide to embark on a journey despite warnings from authorities like the U.S. Department of State, your insurance policy may not offer protection. This is very unlikely to happen for Antarctica, but you never know. 

High-risk pursuits: Some insurers may exclude coverage for specific high-risk activities that are offered on the most adventurous and specialized Antarctic cruises, such as ice diving or glacier mountaineering. It’s important to check whether the pursuits you intend to engage in during your cruise are covered or if you need to secure additional or specialized insurance.

Best Travel Insurance for Antarctica Cruises in 2024

Our Pick For

Americans who need high medical coverage

Nationalities:  Only US citizens and residents are eligible.

Pre-existing conditions:  Pre-existing conditions can be covered for Trip Cancellations and Interruptions, as long as you purchase your plan within 14 days of your initial trip deposit, and are medically able to travel when you purchase your plan.

Seniors Over 65:  There is no maximum age limit.

Trip Duration:  All plans cover trips up to 180 days.

Groups:  Insurance policies for solo travelers, couples and families are available.

• Pros & Cons

Reasons To Buy

The prices are very competitive.

Plans are very customizable with plenty of extras available and the option of removing items you don’t need.

Pre-existing medical conditions accepted.

24/7 chat available with the Faye Mobile App

Reasons To Avoid

Only available to American residents.

Emergency Medical Expenses: Up to $250,000. If you experience sudden illness or injury in-trip, including COVID-19. We can cover prescription drugs, hospitalization and physician costs.

Emergency Evacuation: Up to $500,000. Coverage of transportation in the case of illness or injury that is acute, severe or life threatening when adequate medical treatment is not available in the immediate area.

Trip Cancellation: Up to 100%. If you need to cancel your trip for covered reasons, including if you get sick, contract COVID-19, or a travel provider goes bankrupt. We can cover flights, hotel bookings, tickets & activities, and quarantine accommodation.

Trip Interruption: Up to 150%. When you must unexpectedly cut your trip short or extend it for covered reasons, including if you contract COVID-19.

Trip Delay: Up to $4,500. Up to $300/day, for delays of more than 6 hours. When you’re stranded in transit due to reasons outside of your control such as flight delay or theft of passport.

Lost or damaged Belongings: Up to $2,000. Reimbursement for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage, including clothing, personal items and professional equipment like a phone or laptop.

Cancel for Any Reason: Up to 75% of Trip Cost. The ability to nix your trip for reasons other than those covered in your plan’s trip cancellation coverage, including fear of contracting COVID-19, as long as you purchase this coverage within 14 days of your initial trip deposit and cancel at least 48 hours in advance of your scheduled departure date.

Pet Care: Up to $2,500 in veterinary expenses & 
$250 for kenneling. Coverage of veterinary expenses if you take your furry friend along (including pet sickness or injury), or kenneling costs if you arrive back home later than expected.

Adventure & Extreme Sports: Up to $250K (international trips) or $50K (domestic trips) for accidental & sickness expenses. Medical and transportation coverage if you become injured while participating in an adventure or extreme sport, like skydiving, bungee jumping, motocross or free diving.

Faye insurance  provides American residents one of the biggest medical coverages on the market at a very competitive price. 

If you live in the US and your Antarctica cruise doesn’t include medical/emergency insurance with your booking, then Faye is the best option for you. It provides the highest medical coverage available and 100% of your trip in case of cancellations.

We recommend  Faye  for Americans who  want a complete travel protection for their cruise to Antarctica, including high medical coverage ($250k medical & $500k evacuation), trip protection cancellation & interruption, and baggage coverage.

Americans who don't need high medical coverage

Nationalities:  All nationalities are covered, as long as they are US residents. 

Pre-existing conditions:  Yes.

Seniors Over 65:  Senior travel insurance package is offered to seniors over 65.

Trip Duration:  Travel Select and Travel Basic plans cover trips up to 364 days. Travel America plan covers trips up to 14 days. 

Groups:  Individual and family plans available. 

Destinations covered:  Covers worldwide, except Ukraine, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Belarus, and Russian Federation.

The price is competitive.

Pre–existing conditions accepted.

Covers worldwide, except Ukraine, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Belarus, and Russian Federation.

Only available to US residents.

They receive mixed reviews online.

Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expense: Up to $50,000. It comes with a dental coverage sublimit of $500

Emergency Evacuation: Up to $500,000. It comes with an escort coverage limit of $25,000.

Trip Cancellation: 100% of insured trip cost. It comes with a limit of $50,000.

Trip Interruption: 150% of insured trip cost. It comes with a limit of $75,000.

Trip Delay: Up to $2,000. The policy comes with a daily sublimit of $200 and a minimum delay of 5 hours

Baggage & Personal Effects: Up to $1,000. Items sublimits apply.

Additional Medical Coverage. Increase your medical expenses coverage by $50,000 and up your medical evacuation coverage by $500,000.

Adventure Sports. Get protection for participating in professional athletic events, ziplining, skydiving, mountain climbing, and traveling on any air-supported devices.

Cancel for Any Reason. Protect yourself against the unexpected – whatever it maybe – and cancel your trip for any reason up to 48 hours before your scheduled departure date.

The Travelex Select Plan is the best option for American residents going on Antarctica cruises that already provide medical/evacuation insurance included with the trip. 

It covers 100% of your trip in case of cancellation (up to $50,000).

Travelex is particularly appealing for the more traditional Antarctica cruises , where medical coverage is often included, and the priority is safeguarding your trip investment against potential cancellations.

Non Americans + Expensive cruises

Travel Guard

Nationalities:  Only residents of the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and UAE can purchase a Travel Guard insurance policy. 

Seniors Over 65:  Travelers aged 65-75 are covered.

Trip Duration:  All plans cover trips up to 364 days.

Groups:  One children aged 17 and under is included with an adult policy at no extra cost.

Highest medical  expenses and trip cancellation/interruption coverage combined under the same policy.

Pre-Existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver Available (must be purchased within 15 days of the Initial Trip Payment).

Not all nationalities are covered.

Must be less than 75 years old.

Travel Medical Expense/Dental Expense: Up to $100,000/$500. Travel Medical Expense pays for medical expenses incurred due to a Sickness or Injury that happens while on a Trip. A $500 sub-limit applies for dental expenses.

Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains: Up to $1,000,000. Covers evacuation expenses as directed by a Physician to the nearest adequate medical facility or home in the event of death or if medically required.

Trip Cancellation: Up to 100% Insured Trip Cost. Reimburses nonrefundable, Unused payments or deposits if you must cancel your Trip due to an illness, Injury, or death of you, a Family Member, Traveling Companion or Business Partner, or for other covered reasons. Maximum of $150,000.

Trip Interruption: Up to 150% Insured Trip Cost: Reimburses nonrefundable, Unused payments or deposits if you must interrupt your Trip due to an illness, Injury, or death of you, a Family Member, Traveling Companion or Business Partner, or for other covered reasons. Maximum of $225,000

Trip Interruption – Return Transportation Only: Up to $1,000. Reimburses the additional Transportation expenses incurred by you to reach the Return Destination if your Trip is interrupted by one of the Unforeseen events shown in the Policy Trip Interruption section.

Trip Delay: Up to $1,000. Reimburses up to $200 per day for Reasonable Additional Expenses until travel becomes possible if your Trip is delayed for more than 5 hours due to covered reasons.

Baggage Coverage: Up to $2,500. Reimburses you if your luggage is lost, damaged, or stolen while on your Trip. Coverage is primary.

Trip Saver: Up to $5,000. Reimburses up to $5,000 for meals, Hotels and additional Transportation if the Insured must begin their Trip sooner than the originally scheduled Departure Date due to Inclement Weather or Common Carrier changes.

Baggage Delay: Up to $500. Reimburses you for the purchase of necessary personal effects if your bags are delayed for more than 12 hours.

Missed Connection: Up to $1,000. Reimburses you if Inclement Weather or Common Carrier causes cancellation or a delay to your point of departure of regularly scheduled airline flights for three or more hours. Does not apply if you do not leave adequate time between connecting flights.

Security Evacuation: Up to $100,000. Coverage for security evacuation, Flight Guard® and Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption due to a riot or civil disorder.

Cancel for Any Reason Bundle. Reimburses up to the Maximum Limit shown on the Schedule of Benefits if you cancel your Trip for any reason, not otherwise covered under the Policy, up to 48 hours prior to your scheduled departure.

Adventure Sports Bundle. Removes the exclusions for adventure and extreme activities from all benefits on the Policy.

Pet Bundle. Daily benefit for boarding, and a medical expense coverage for illness or Injury of dog or cat while traveling. Includes coverage for Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption if your Pet is in critical condition or dies within seven days prior to the Departure Date.

Wedding Bundle. Trip Cancellation due to wedding cancellation. Coverage does not apply if you are the bride or groom in the wedding.

The Travel Guard Deluxe plan is the best option if you don’t live in the USA and want a high trip cancellation coverage (up to $150,000), a medical coverage up to $100,000 and emergency evacuation up to $1,000,000. 

Please note Travel Guard doesn’t receive the best reviews online.

Non Americans + Budget + Not very expensive cruises

World Nomads

Nationalities:  Most nationalities can purchase insurance from World Nomads, including residents of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, Australia, or New Zealand. However, as of the current writing, most European residents are unable to buy a World Nomads policy.

Pre-existing conditions:  Not covered.

Seniors Over 65:  Travelers aged 70 and over are not covered.

Trip Duration:  All plans cover trips up to 365 days.

Prices and coverage vary greatly by the country of residence.

Some European nationalities are not covered.

Pre-existing medical conditions not covered

Max age is 70 years old.

Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expense: Up to $100,000. Coverage is for medical expenses for emergency treatment of an accidental injury that occurs during the trip. Emergency treatment must be medically necessary and performed during the trip. Refer to the certificate / policy for complete details.

Emergency dental treatment: Up to $750. Coverage is for emergency dental treatment for accidental injury to sound, natural teeth. The injury and treatment must occur during the trip.

Emergency Evacuation: Up to $500,000. Coverage is for an accidental injury or sickness occurring during the trip that results in your necessary emergency evacuation. An emergency evacuation must be ordered by a physician who certifies that the severity of your accidental injury or sickness warrants your emergency evacuation. Refer to the certificate / policy for complete details.

Trip Cancellation: Up to $10,000. Reimburses for prepaid, non-refundable cancellation charges if you must cancel your trip (after the effective date) due to covered sickness, accidental injury, or death of you, a family member or traveling companion; inclement weather, unforeseen natural disaster at home or at your destination, strike or other covered reasons. Refer to the certificate / policy for complete details.

Trip Interruption: Up to $10,000. Reimburses for prepaid, non-refundable, unused expenses if you must interrupt your trip (after departure) due to a covered sickness, accidental injury, or death of you, a family member or traveling companion; inclement weather, unforeseen natural disaster at home or at your destination, strike, or other covered reasons. Refer to the certificate / policy for complete details.

Trip Delay: Up to $3,000. Coverage is for unused portion of pre-paid accommodation or additional expenses, on a one-time basis, if you are delayed en route to or from the trip for 6 or more hours due to a defined hazard as explained in the certificate / policy.

Baggage & Personal Effects: Up to $3,000. Reimbursement is for loss, theft or damage during the trip to baggage and personal effects (including sporting equipment) owned by you, provided you have taken all reasonable measures to protect, save and recover the property. Per article limit of $500.

Activities covered based on 4 groups. You pay more for higher group. The Explorer plan includes more activities than the Standard Plan. Extreme activities not covered (cave diving, free soloing, etc)

The  World Nomads Explorer Plan  is a great option for non-Americans if your trip cost is under $10,000. It offers good medical coverage ($100k), emergency evacuation ($500k) and some equipment coverage (up to $3,000) under the same policy.

We recommend World Nomads if you’re looking for an affordable travel insurance for an Antarctica cruise that is less than $10,000.

Comparison Table

When selecting insurance for your Antarctic cruise, a key factor is determining whether your cruise operator provides complimentary medical and/or evacuation insurance as part of your package.

For American residents whose Antarctic cruise includes medical/evacuation coverage, an optimal choice is Travelex – Select . This plan offers comprehensive coverage, reimbursing 100% of your trip cost in the event of cancellation (up to $50,000).

If you are an American resident and your Antarctic cruise package lacks medical/evacuation insurance, Faye stands out as a superior selection. It offers extensive medical coverage, accommodates pre-existing conditions, has no age restrictions, and also covers 100% of your trip cost if you need to cancel.

Non-US residents embarking on a less costly Antarctic cruise (under $10,000) may find the Explorer Plan from World Nomads to be a fitting option. It provides significant medical coverage at an affordable rate.

Lastly, for non-US residents setting out on higher-priced Antarctic cruises (over $10,000), Travel Guard – Deluxe is a potential choice. This plan can cover up to $150,000 for trip cancellation or interruption. However, it’s important to note that this provider may not have the most favorable reviews online.

Other Adventure Cruise Destinations

If you would like to read more about insurance options for adventure cruises from around the world, you can check out the other articles we’ve written below:

• Travel Insurance for Antarctica Cruises
• Travel Insurance for Alaska Cruises
• Travel insurance for South Pacific Cruises
• Travel Insurance for Australia Cruises
• Travel Insurance for New Zealand Cruises
• Travel Insurance for European River Cruises
• Travel Insurance for Viking River Cruises

Other Travel Insurance Reviews

If you would like to read more about insurance options for other type of adventure trips, you can check out our other reviews below:

• Travel Insurance for Ski Trips
• Travel Insurance for Hiking Trips
• Travel Insurance for Mountaineering & High Altitude Trekking
• Travel Insurance for Mountain Bike Holidays
• Travel Insurance for Adventure Cruises
• Travel Insurance for Diving Liveaboards
• Travel Insurance for Adventure Motorcycle Trips
• Travel Insurance for Everest Base Camp Trek
• Travel Insurance for Mount Kilimanjaro Climb
• Travel Insurance for Seniors Over 65
• Travel Insurance for People with Pre-existing Conditions

Antarctica Cruise Insurance Reviews Online

During your research, you might want to consider checking out articles from various publications that provide insights into the best insurance companies for Antarctica cruises.

Below are a few articles that caught my interest.

How To Find The Best Antarctica Travel Insurance For You – AntarcticaCruises.com

Antarctica Travel Insurance – LandedTravel.com

About the Author

Antonio was born and raised in Southern Spain, and quit his job in 2013 to travel the world full-time with his wife Amanda for 10 years straight. Their passion for adventure took them to visit 150+ countries.

They cycled 25,000km + from California to Patagonia, sailed over 10,000NM around the Caribbean & Sea of Cortez, rode their motorbikes 30,000 kms+ across West Africa (Spain to South Africa) and visited Antarctica, among many other adventure expeditions.  Today, they’re still traveling,  currently around the USA with an RV.

Traveling to so many places, remote destinations and by different means taught them a lot about travel insurance, which policies to hold depending on the area and the type of adventure they were doing. Antonio now publishes regular content to help other travelers choose the best travel insurance for adventure trips.

Together, they also run the travel community Summit , the RV site Hitched Up , the boutique accommodation blog  Unique Places  and the popular newsletter Adventure Fix , where they share their knowledge about the places they’ve visited and the ones still remaining on their list.

Antonio Cala

Co-Founder of Adventure Fix

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Travel Insurance for Antarctica Cruising- What You Need to Know

Antarctica Antarctica Facts

Planning a visit to Antarctica is an exhilarating process yet although choosing the right insurance cover for your trip isn’t nearly as glamorous as choosing which cruise ship or flight option you’ll take, it is just as important. If not more so. Travel insurance for Antarctica is a requirement when travelling to such a remote destination, so here’s what you need to know.

Frequent travellers attest to insurance being one of the most important components of any trip, be it to the country next door or, in this case, to the end of the world. And as you consider visiting the most remote, hard to reach and inhospitable place on earth, the right insurance cover plays an even bigger role. Evacuations from Antarctica over the last few years have highlighted just how imperative it is to be fully covered for all eventualities this far south. Because as exciting as a visit to Antarctica may well be, you do want to remember it for all the right reasons. An expedition to Antarctica is, for many, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s essential to protect your investment, and yourself, with the right insurance policy.

We’ve compiled this handy guide about the best Antarctica travel insurance for Australians, to better help you choose the right cover for your trip.

Is a travel insurance Mandatory when visiting Antarctica?

While it’s technically not mandatory to buy insurance cover when visiting Antarctica, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a single responsible tour operator who doesn’t demand it. And for very good reason. Due to the remoteness of the destination, medical attention and evacuations are exorbitantly expensive, so much so that many – operators and past guests alike – deem it ‘insanity’ not to purchase insurance cover when visiting Antarctica, especially when one is investing large sums of travel-funds to travel there in the first place.

For the great majority of Antarctica tour operators, insurance is indeed mandatory, although the level of cover demanded can vary a great deal. This is when it pays to read the fine print when booking your expedition so that you’re fully aware of what kind of cover you are required to have. If you’re not requested to have suitable insurance at the time of booking, it’s highly advisable to contact your travel agent immediately and ensure that everything is in order. When booking travel insurance for Antarctica, make sure you are covered from the moment of purchase, thus covering yourself for a possible cancellation of your trip. It is always wise to purchase insurance at the same time as booking your trip – just in case any unforeseen circumstances stop you from travelling.

What should I be covered for?

Any travel insurance policy you purchase should cover you for accidents, emergency evacuation, sickness, loss of baggage and belongings , as well as alterations to your pre-booked travel plans due to local issues, and disruption to travel .

Bad weather – When undertaking an expedition to Antarctica, there will be many things that are outside your control, and insurance should cover you accordingly. They say that weather cares for no man and this is definitely true in this part of the world. Trip delays and unforeseen disruptions are not uncommon in Antarctica – mainly due to weather and sea conditions – so a solid insurance policy which covers bad weather is an absolute must.

Activities – Considering there’s a tonne of fun stuff you can do in Antarctica (just take a look at the 10 Best Things to Do in Antarctica ), it pays to have insurance which covers you for all the fantastic additional activities you can indulge in, including camping, kayaking, SCUBA diving and more. This is arguably the most important aspect of your insurance policy: make sure you know exactly what you’re covered for. Interestingly enough, you’ll discover that many insurers will rarely openly list all these kinds of extra-curricular activities, so it is up to you to investigate your policy thoroughly, and ascertain if your intended activities are covered. And be warned: some Antarctica travel insurance policies stop covering you the moment you disembark your expedition cruise ship. So look for one that doesn’t.

Specific destinations: It’s important to find a policy that will cover all your intended destinations in Antarctica. Some policies, for example, may not cover for travels further south than the  Antarctic circle , so if travelling to East Antarctica or undertaking a Polar Circle expedition, you’ll need to find a policy which will cover those too.

Emergency evacuation – If there’s one emergency you really ought to be covered for, it would have to be evacuation and repatriation back home. From the furthest reaches of Antarctica, the difficulty and expense of such a (still rare) event carries mind-boggling costs. For Australians, it’s recommended that the cover for evacuation and repatriation amount to no less than AUD $1,000,000. Many operators will demand a policy with unlimited coverage for emergency evacuation.

Monetary level of cover – This is a highly subjective topic, although tour operators and ships do dictate a minimum amount of cover, both for delays and evacuation insurance. The amount for which you are required to have cover is something you can enquire at time of booking, although what you should choose to have can indeed be higher. As an example: imagine your trip is delayed at port by quite a few days, so many in fact, that you must now return home due to time restraints. A standard ‘trip delay’ payout on many policies could well be only AUD $500…but you certainly wouldn’t be happy with that if you’ve forked out AUD $25,000 for the trip. Insurance policies for Antarctica expeditions are standardised, so it’s up to you to find a level of cover that you’re comfortable accepting, aside from the mandatory amounts dictated by your tour operator.

Transit – If your itinerary involves departing from destinations in Argentina,  The Falkland Islands  Uruguay, or Chile, you must ensure you are covered whilst transiting to your cruise/flight of choice. Also please note that if you are an Australian booking an  Antarctic cruise from Australia , your regular health insurance is not enough! You also need to have evacuation insurance and a specific policy that will cover you for all the above scenarios.

Who should I book travel insurance for Antarctica with?

When it comes to purchasing insurance for expeditions to Antarctica, we recommend going with well-established insurers with commendable reputations. Personal recommendation from friends or family members who have been bodes well, but so does surfing the web for forums on the subjects. These Tripadvisor and Whirlpool forums, for example, contain a lot of useful info as travellers share their personal experiences and information they have gathered. You can use an online insurance calculator (like compare the market  ) to swiftly compare quotes, before delving deeper into the fine print of each policy. At the very least, you’ll see which companies deal with Antarctica expeditions, so you can research each one individually. Your country of residence will play a big part in which insurance covers are suitable, so make sure to include your country of origin, as well as age and medical conditions.

Another word of warning here: many Antarctica insurance policies will claim to offer you cover which runs in the millions of dollars for medical emergencies, and the tens of thousands for loss of personal belongings (forgot to consider insuring your expensive camera gear? It’s never too late!) yet it’s only upon studying the fine print that you discover endless exclusions, such as for pre-existing conditions or purchase of second-hand goods. We really can’t stress enough how important it is to know exactly what insurance cover you’re purchasing.

Ask your tour operator – Of course, all tour operators dealing with expeditions to Antarctica will have their preferred insurers, companies they have used for many years, whom they trust wholeheartedly. Should you still be confused by the end of your search, and be none the wiser, do trust your tour operator. If they are responsible, professional and experienced in Antarctica voyages, they’ll be working with an insurance company to match.

Here at Chimu Adventurers , we are your Antarctica experts (not insurance experts!) but we will endeavour to help you find the insurance cover which suits you best. We work with several travel insurance companies that will cover you for your Antarctica expedition, depending on your circumstances. For a consultation, contact our experienced staff today. If you are looking at another policy which you have found yourself, please speak to our destination specialists to see if the cover is sufficient for the cruise or Antarctic experience you are taking. We would also be more than happy to find you an insurance cover policy, even if you’re not traveling to Antarctica with us!

Booking a  trip to Antarctica  can be daunting, but it really doesn’t have to be – the right insurance cover will ensure the only thing you have to worry about, as you set off to explore the icy wonders of this incredible continent, is just how many unforgettable experiences you’ll have and memories you’ll bring home. The right insurance will take care of all the rest.

And finally, make a cuppa and have a read of our comprehensive Antarctica Resource Centre  collection, which details all the possible ways you can reach this incredible continent, the costs involved, the best cruise ship to choose and the time-frames involved with an expedition to the end of the world.

If you are interested in knowing more about life insurance for seniors check out an excellent guide to over 80 life insurance .

For everything else, simply contact us for more info.

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Antarctica Travel Insurance

When visiting Antarctica, choosing which cruise adventure you are going to take might seem like the most important decision of your trip, but due to the remote and harsh nature of the Antarctic, travel insurance can be just as important.

Although everyone hopes they will never have to use there travel insurance, emergency evacuations can occur on your Antarctic cruise, so it is essential to make sure your policy covers everything from pre existing conditions to trip cancellation.

Is it compulsory to have insurance for Antarctica?

While there is no legislation that states you must have insurance when travelling to Antarctica, all cruise ship operators will require you to supply them with your travel insurance details before allowing you to board their vessel.

Due to its remote location and complications surrounding medical evacuations, repatriations from Antarctica are likely to cost in the hundreds-of-thousands of dollars range. 

What should it cover?

At a minimum, you must ensure your policy covers you for accidents, emergency evacuation insurance and repatriation, sickness and medical evacuation, loss of baggage or belongings and alterations and disruptions to your pre-booked travel plans due to local disruptions or trip delays.

It is also become more common for travel insurance providers to require you to specifically select 'cruise' on their policy, so look out for this option. 

On top of these things, you will also be exposed to extreme weather and the problems associated with it, such as delays or even evacuation. Make sure your policy covers weather and hasn’t got a disclaimer with wording such as excluding events seen as ‘acts of God’ or ‘natural and expected conditions’.

You will also need to find a provider that covers the range of activities that your cruise will be offering. You may be hiking, kayaking or camping or just walking on the shore. Many insurance companies exclude a lot of sports and its important to find out exactly which ones they will cover. Some insurance policies won’t cover you as soon as you disembark the boat, which on a trip like this could be disastrous.

Make sure you provider covers you for all destinations you will travel to. Some providers only cover to the Antarctic Circle, meaning that trips to East Antarctica or the Deep South and Antarctic Circle voyages won’t be covered.

Although extremely rare, emergency evacuation can carry excessive costs and most cruise ships will require a minimum of $1,000,000 coverage with many requiring a policy with unlimited emergency coverage that includes repatriation back home to Australia or your country of residence.

Although it’s an Antarctic cruise, logistics require you to travel to destinations in South America and/or the Falkland islands, so it’s important that your coverage includes destinations of transit.

Even though you may have purchased travel insurance, its important to read the fine print, especially regarding an expedition style trip.

Ask your provider:

• Does your policy cover ‘cruise’, ‘cruise ship’ or ‘expedition cruise’?
• Does your policy cover me to disembark and explore in Zodiac and by foot? 
• Does your policy covers remote area emergency and medical repatriation to the highest possible limit?
• Have you made your travel insurance provider aware of any prior medical conditions?
• Does your policy have some level of service provider insolvency protection?

What hidden surprises should you watch out for?

Many policies refer to weather evens as 'acts of God' and exclude covering them in their policy. Delays or cancellations due to bad weather or big seas is not uncommon so it is essential that you have a policy that covers you for events caused by bad weather.

Another exclusion often not highlighted is what activities are covered. Some sports can be covered but incur exceptions, such as skiing, but only skiing within a ski resort. Other policies can end as soon as you step off the boat. So if your cruise includes any onshore activities, it’s important to make sure you are covered.

A warning of wording! Many Antarctic insurance policies will claim to offer you cover which runs into the millions for Antarctic expeditions or thousands for loss of gear. However you will find an endless list of exclusions in the fine print. Emergency evacuation from your Antarctic cruise may be void if it’s a pre existing condition, or equipment not covered if purchased second hand. Make sure you understand exactly what you are covered for and what exclusions there are!

Which provider should I chose?

There is a world of information out there and making the decision can become overwhelming. Its good to chose a reputable provider who has experience in Antarctica expeditions and adventure travel. Good online forums such as Trip Advisor and Whirlpool provide a world of information, shared by people who have already done the trip.

If all this information is too much, iExpedition recommends Sure Save's Comprehensive Insurance policy  and provides their guests with a 30% discount on these premium polcies once your cruise is confirmed. 

Recommended Extra coverage

Many policies have extras you can discuss with them, including the level of cover you will receive due to delays or cancellations. This should be discussed with your provider prior to travel to make sure your level of cover is what you are comfortable with. Some insurance providers only offer up to $250 per day of delay or cancellation, which for a trip that could cost $25,000, wont cover much. You can also discuss the level of cover for expensive items such as camera’s or laptops to make sure you have an agreed value. You never know when a seal might want to snatch up that nice new camera. Even things such as credit card loss can be included, with your insurer providing travellers cheques to get you out of trouble. 

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Travel Insurance for Antarctica

Home > Destinations > Travel Insurance for Antarctica

To travel on board an Aurora Expeditions’ voyage to Antarctica, all passengers require travel insurance with emergency evacuation cover to help protect you against unplanned changes that may result from sickness, accident, loss of baggage and personal belongings, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and travel disruption.

We recommend that you purchase your insurance at the same time as you book your trip to ensure you are also covered against trip cancellation.

Aurora Expeditions recommend NIB travel insurance for Australian travellers. If you take out an alternative policy, you should check that it provides adequate coverage as above.

International travellers are required to book travel insurance via a local insurance provider in your home country.

Please advise Aurora Expeditions of your policy details on your Personal Details Form.

To arrange your travel insurance or for more information please contact Aurora Expeditions  or your travel agent.

Request a customised quote

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Antarctica Travel Insurance Requirements

Last updated: 03/07/2024

Travel medical insurance is required for trips to Antarctica. However, the required amount of coverage can vary depending on a traveler’s plans and tour operator. In general, a minimum of $100,000 in evacuation and medical coverage is required.

The Emergency Medical benefit can reimburse travelers for the costs of medical treatment in the event of an illness or injury during their trip. This includes physician services, ambulance expenses, and other costs of treatment.

The Medical Evacuation benefit can transport a traveler to the nearest adequate hospital in the event of a medical emergency. If the treating physician determines they should return home for better treatment, this benefit can also cover those costs.

Squaremouth’s Antarctica Travel Insurance Recommendations

Squaremouth recommends medical benefits for all international travelers, due to the potential for high out-of-pocket bills while overseas. However, because of the nature of trips to Antarctica, these recommendations may differ. Squaremouth breaks down what you need to know about travel insurance for your trip to Antarctica.

For international trips, Squaremouth typically recommends travelers buy a travel insurance policy with at least $50,000 in Emergency Medical coverage, and at least $100,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage. However, due to the remote location of Antarctica, Squaremouth recommends a policy with at least $100,000 in Emergency Medical, and at least $250,000 in Medical Evacuation. This coverage is usually offered as a refund. This means the traveler is typically required to pay their medical expenses upfront and are reimbursed when they return home.

As long as a traveler meets the specific required amounts of medical coverage, they can gain entry into Antarctica. This medical insurance is the only coverage required in order for a traveler to enter Antarctica, however, most policies are comprehensive and include a variety of other benefits, without increasing the cost of a policy. This includes coverage for delays and lost or delayed luggage.

Additionally, depending on each visitor’s trip plans, a policy with Sports & Activities coverage can ensure a traveler is covered while participating in adventurous activities, such as snow trekking.

Antarctica is one of the most expensive countries to visit. The average trip cost to the country is more than $19,000 in 2022, according to Squaremouth’s data. Due to this significant financial investment, travelers who have prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses for the Antarctica trip should purchase a policy with the Trip Cancellation benefit. This benefit can reimburse all of their prepaid and non-refundable trip payments if they need to cancel due to an illness or injury, inclement weather, or terrorist incident, among other events.

Policies with the Trip Cancellation benefit also include Trip Interruption coverage. Trip Interruption provides the same covered reasons as Trip Cancellation, however coverage begins after travelers have left for their trip. This means they can be reimbursed for unused trip expenses if they need to cut their trip short for a covered reason, such as an illness or injury.

Click here to begin your search for Antarctica Travel Insurance.

Antarctica Travel Insurance Trends and Data

Destination Rank: 47

Percentage of Squaremouth Sales: 0.55%

Average Premium: $1,113.78

Average Trip Cost: $17,531.56

Squaremouth Analytics compares thousands of travel insurance policies purchased pre- and post-pandemic to identify changes and trends in the industry.

Helpful Resources

• U.S. Department of State – Antarctica

Available Topic Experts for Media:

Squaremouth's destination information is free and available for use within your reporting. Please credit Squaremouth.com for any information used.

Squaremouth's topic experts are on hand to answer your questions. Contact a member of our team for media inquiries about Squaremouth Analytics or to schedule an interview.

Steven Benna, Lead Data Analyst: [email protected]

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Travel Insurance for Antarctica

Home > Destinations > Antarctica > Travel Insurance for Antarctica

To travel on board an AE Expeditions’ voyage to Antarctica, all passengers require travel insurance with emergency evacuation cover to help protect you against unplanned changes that may result from sickness, accident, loss of baggage and personal belongings, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and travel disruption.

We recommend that you purchase your insurance at the same time as you book your trip to ensure you are also covered against trip cancellation.

AE Expeditions recommend NIB travel insurance for Australian travellers. If you take out an alternative policy, you should check that it provides adequate coverage as above.

International travellers are required to book travel insurance via a local insurance provider in your home country.

Please advise AE Expeditions of your policy details on your Personal Details Form.

To arrange your travel insurance or for more information please contact AE Expeditions  or your travel agent.

Request a customised quote

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Travel Insurance for Antarctica

Home > Destinations > Antarctica > Travel Insurance for Antarctica

To travel on board an Aurora Expeditions’ voyage to Antarctica, all passengers require travel insurance with emergency evacuation cover to help protect you against unplanned changes that may result from sickness, accident, loss of baggage and personal belongings, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and travel disruption.

We recommend that you purchase your insurance at the same time as you book your trip to ensure you are also covered against trip cancellation.

Aurora Expeditions recommend NIB travel insurance for Australian travellers. If you take out an alternative policy, you should check that it provides adequate coverage as above.

International travellers are required to book travel insurance via a local insurance provider in your home country.

Please advise Aurora Expeditions of your policy details on your Personal Details Form.

To arrange your travel insurance or for more information please contact Aurora Expeditions  or your travel agent.

Request a customised quote

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Travel insurance: simple & flexible

You can buy, extend and claim online, even after you've left home. Travel insurance from WorldNomads.com is available to people from over 140 countries. It’s designed for adventurous travellers with cover for overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities.

Insurance for residents of multiple countries:

Insurance for USA-based travelers:

Do I need Cover?

Travel insurance is essential.

For all the expeditions covered in this website, it is mandatory that you obtain adequate travel and medical insurance , including emergency evacuation coverage. You can obtain an instant online insurance quote through World Nomads via this page on our website. Be sure to select the 'Explorer' cover alternative. We can also obtain quotes for you with many other insurance providers. Or, you may choose any regular travel insurer in your country.

It is most important to read the specific terms of cover and to have emergency medical evacuation coverage and sufficient trip cancellation cover for the cost of your trip.

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• SeabournShield

Worry less about the unexpected, either before your cruise or while you’re away. SeabournShield is a package of both travel insurance benefits and non-insurance services to help provide reimbursement for losses that may occur while you cruise. SeabournShield may be added to your booking up until time of final payment. Information requested in the notification includes:  

SeabournShield Travel Insurance  

Travel Insurance benefits are underwritten by Nationwide  

SeabournShield Cancellation Enhancement If your trip cost exceeds $50,000 per guest limit and you cancel your cruise vacation due to a covered reason, you will be provided a future travel credit equal to the amount by which the cancellation fees imposed exceed the $50,000 per guest cash reimbursement limit. In addition, if your Trip Cancellation claim is denied due to a Pre-Existing Condition, Seabourn will provide you with a future travel credit equal to the cancellation fee amount. This feature is provided by Seabourn Cruise Line and is a non-insurance service.  

SeabournShield Worldwide Emergency Assistance 24-hour assistance services include pre-cruise health, safety and weather information; assistance with travel changes; lost luggage assistance; emergency cash transfer assistance; emergency medical and dental assistance and lost travel document assistance. Non-insurance assistance services are provided by LiveTravel. SeabournShield becomes effective when the plan cost amount is received by Seabourn Cruise Line (in addition to any required cruise deposit amounts and/or payments). The Travel Insurance portion of SeabournShield provides insurance coverage that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this insurance coverage with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker.  

Important: This is only a brief description of SeabournShield. To obtain your state-specific Certificate of Insurance providing the terms, conditions and exclusions, visit  http://www.affinitytravelcert.com/docs/nwespr02 .  

Cruise bookings that include private jet service are not eligible to purchase SeabournShield. SeabournShield is not available to residents of Puerto Rico or Québec.

Travel Insurance

An illness, an accident or an unexpected situation can arise before or during any type of vacation. Such an event might cause you to cut short your cruise or cause your trip to be canceled altogether. Unfortunately, most cruise lines impose penalties for canceling a cruise, up to and including loss of the entire cruise price.

Because a cruise is a significant investment, most cruise lines offer some form of insurance to protect their passengers from financial loss in the event of an emergency. Details and prices vary from cruise line to cruise line, as do coverage limits and exclusions.

If you decide to purchase insurance, you will have two options, to go with the cruise line's plan or to use our independent insurance provider, Generali Global Assistance. Use the summaries below to compare policies and prices.

Generali can provide insurance coverage to all customers, regardless of their country of citizenship, except residents of the province of Quebec, Canada.

For more information or a complete copy of a policy, ask your Vacations To Go cruise counselor.

Independent Insurance Coverage

Generali Global Assistance

Cruise Line Coverage

Will I get seasick on a cruise? Here's what travelers should know.

Mackenzie Pollock had a feeling she’d get seasick on her first cruise .

The 29-year-old Oregon resident tends to get carsick, so when she felt nausea on a Caribbean sailing with Princess Cruises in February, it wasn’t a surprise. And she came prepared. 

Pollock talked to her doctor before the trip, who prescribed Scopolamine patches. She also stocked up on Bonine tablets after seeing videos about it online. “I’m a librarian,” she said. “I do copious amounts of research on everything.”

There were “days here and there” during the 20-day trip when she felt sick, like when they went in and out of Florida and sailed through a thunderstorm. But between the two medications and other coping strategies like sitting on her suite’s balcony, she was able to manage it and enjoy her time with family.

Getting seasick can put a damper on a cruise, but there are ways to keep it from ruining your trip.

Why do people get seasick?

Seasickness is a form of motion sickness. That happens when there is a difference between the information you get from your visual system, your inner ear and receptors in your muscles, according to Dr. Kathleen Cullen, a professor of biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University. In a cruise ship cabin, for instance, the surroundings might appear stable even while the vessel is moving.

“And this mismatch between what your visual system is experiencing and what your balance organs are telling your brain about how you're moving is sort of an alert signal to your brain that something is wrong,” said Cullen. “So, it's a sensory conflict that actually is the big problem.”

Motion sickness symptoms can include nausea, dizziness and vomiting. 

Some travelers are more vulnerable than others, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those include kids between 2 and 12, and people who have a history of migraines, vertigo and vestibular disorders. “Pregnancy, menstruation, and taking hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives have also been identified as potential risk factors,” the health agency said on its website .

On the other hand, people older than 50 are less likely to develop it, and toddlers and infants are usually immune.

What is the worst cruise for seasickness?

While modern cruise ships have stabilizers that reduce their roll, some itineraries are more prone to choppy waters.

“If you're doing a transatlantic over to England , the North Atlantic can be pretty gnarly, especially in the winter,” said Rusty Pickett, a travel adviser and owner of Shellback Cruises. The Drake Passage, a feature of many Antarctica expedition sailings , is also notoriously treacherous.

Travelers can seek out calmer seas, though. ( Click here for USA TODAY’s guide to the best times to cruise by region.)

Where is the best cabin to avoid seasickness?

The bow of the ship tends to bounce up and down, said Pickett. “Lower in the ship, middle (and just aft of middle) minimizes the movement,” he added.

Booking a stateroom with a window so you can keep an eye on the horizon or getting fresh air – like Pollock did on her balcony – could also be helpful, Cullen said.

Short vs. long cruises: Which one is right for you? Here's how they compare.

How do I stop being seasick on a cruise?

Travelers can bring medications and other remedies with them. Prescription Scopolamine patches can help get passengers “over the hump,” Cullen said. There are also other over-the-counter medications like Dramamine.

Those can make users drowsy. Travelers should talk to their doctor about their options ahead of their cruise.

Ginger candies or ginger ale – made with real ginger – and acupressure wristbands may also be helpful.

After you board, Cullen recommends watching the horizon on the ship’s outer decks. “That's a pretty good way to keep yourself, initially, from getting motion sick if you're prone to it,” she said.

The CDC offers other suggestions , including lying down, closing your eyes and sleeping; limiting caffeinated and alcoholic drinks; eating small portions of food often; and not smoking.

What other options do passengers have?

Cruise ships generally have onboard medical staff that can treat a range of ailments, and Pickett said the vessels keep a supply of seasickness medication on hand.

During an Antarctica expedition I took with Aurora Expeditions in December, crew members also placed barf bags around the ship that passengers could grab if they felt sick while outside their rooms.

Pollock said feeling seasick didn’t put her off cruising, and she and her family plan to take another. “It was frustrating when it happened, but it didn't overshadow the trip at all.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Protect Your Trip »

The 13 best solo cruises for 2024 (no supplement fare).

Set sail for a solo adventure at sea.

The Best Solo Cruises

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Relax by the pool, attend shows, dine with new friends and more on your next solo cruise.

Whether you're embarking on your first cruise alone or you've been on solo cruises before, single travelers will find more options than ever when it comes to cruising solo. Many cruise lines offer single staterooms with the same amenities as other cabins, at a price similar to what you'd pay with double occupancy fares. You'll also find special promotions where the single supplement fee is reduced or waived, making it more affordable to reserve a spacious stateroom or luxurious suite with even more amenities – including personalized butler service, an added perk of booking with many luxury lines .

If you're ready for a maritime adventure, an extended vacation or simply a quick getaway from home, these top cruise lines offer some of the best options for solo travelers on waterways around the world.

Lines with solo accommodations and waived fees

Norwegian cruise line.

Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Launched in 2010, Norwegian Epic was the first cruise ship in the industry to feature studio accommodations for solo travelers. Norwegian Cruise Line offers this category on nine of the 19 ships in its fleet, including the newest ship, Norwegian Viva. These cabins, at an average size of 100 square feet, are designed and priced with the solo traveler in mind. They have no single supplements – and studio rooms on board Norwegian Bliss even boast virtual windows.

Guests of the studios get access to the private Studio Lounge. In this exclusive space, you can socialize with other solo travelers and enjoy complimentary refreshments. There are also singles meetups throughout the voyage and plenty of fun-filled onboard activities to mingle with like-minded cruisers. Solo travelers can check out all the fun for singles on Norwegian Viva this winter on a cruise to the Caribbean , or in spring 2024 as the ship sets sail for the Mediterranean .

Book a Norwegian Cruise Line voyage on GoToSea, a service of U.S. News.

MSC Cruises

Courtesy of MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises offers interior and balcony solo cabins for single cruisers on its Meraviglia-class ships: the MSC Meraviglia, Bellissima, Grandiosa, Virtuosa and the newest vessel in the fleet, MSC Euribia. The second-newest ship, MSC World Europa, has 28 cabins – 10 Studio Interior and 18 Studio Ocean View staterooms – designed specifically for solo travelers. MSC World America, set to debut in 2025, will also feature the solo studio staterooms.

During voyages with MSC Cruises , single cruisers are invited to a complimentary, hosted cocktail party to mix and mingle with other solo travelers. The daily program is also an excellent source to discover additional activities, entertainment and opportunities to meet other cruisers. You'll have onboard special events like the themed 70s-inspired Flower Party and the White Party, where the ship is decked out in festive white decor and guests don their best white attire. In addition, there are various sports tournaments, or you can show off your culinary expertise during a MasterChef competition.

MSC's Caribbean and Bahamas cruises departing from Miami and New York City feature an overnight visit to Ocean Cay, the line's private island and marine reserve. While there, singles can participate in fun-filled evening activities like a Champagne Sunset Cruise or a glow paddleboarding excursion in the lagoon, then attend the lively Luna Libre Party and the lighthouse show.

Find an MSC Cruises itinerary on GoToSea.

Holland America Line

Michel Verdure | Courtesy of Holland America Line

Three of Holland America Line's newest ships each offer 12 solo cabins to accommodate single travelers: the Pinnacle-class Nieuw Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Konigsdam. These ocean view staterooms range in size from 127 to 172 square feet and feature the same amenities as the double occupancy cabins but with a double bed. The cruise line's Single Staterooms are priced for one person. If a guest chooses to book a different stateroom, single supplements for double occupancy cabins are as much as 100% over the standard fare, depending on the voyage and the cabin category.

Long committed to solo travelers, the line offers many activities where guests can meet other singles such as wine tastings, cocktail mixers, exercise classes, daily quizzes, sports challenges and more. If you're a solo traveler and a member of AARP, Holland America is now the exclusive cruise benefit provider to AARP's members. Solo cruisers will have access to an AARP member-only onboard credit that ranges from $50 to $200, depending on the itinerary and stateroom category.

For itineraries, Holland America's Alaska cruises and cruisetours are perfect for solo travelers, offering many opportunities to connect with fellow cruisers. Another favorite for singles is the line's fall voyages sailing from Boston to Québec City or Montreal.

Explore Holland America Line deals on GoToSea.

Royal Caribbean International

Michel Verdure | Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International features studio staterooms on select ships that range in size from 101 to 199 square feet. These solo accommodations include interior rooms, virtual balcony staterooms and a super studio ocean view stateroom with a balcony. The cabins do not carry the single supplement fee singles encounter when booking other types of staterooms, making them an attractive option when traveling alone.

Once on board the ship, solo cruisers will have countless options to engage and socialize with other travelers. When it comes to dining with Royal Caribbean , make a reservation at the Japanese restaurant Teppanyaki for an entertaining meal with new friends, or join fellow foodies for the intimate Chef's Table experience (the dining venues vary by ship). Singles can also participate in onboard activities like trivia contests, drink seminars, escape rooms, dance classes and pool parties.

If you need more thrills to stay busy and to meet people, Royal Caribbean's ships feature world-class shows and entertainment alongside adrenaline-pumping rides and attractions. If you're sailing in the Caribbean, there are plenty of opportunities to meet and chat with other passengers at the line's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Compare Royal Caribbean International cruises on GoToSea.

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Luxury line Atlas Ocean Voyages offers single cruisers 183 square feet of beautifully appointed space in solo accommodations that come without single supplement fees. These ocean view staterooms feature a queen bed, a panoramic picture window, a private spa bathroom with a rain shower and body jets, a stocked minifridge replenished daily with personal favorites, and other luxurious amenities. Single guests can also book other stateroom or suite categories with single supplements starting at 50% of the double occupancy price.

The line's three intimate yacht-style cruise ships – World Navigator, World Traveller and the new World Voyager, whose inaugural season begins in Antarctica in November 2023 – are all-inclusive . Meals at all the dining venues, premium beverages and wines, gratuities, culturally immersive excursions, and more are included in the fare. With fewer than 200 guests on board, there's an atmosphere of conviviality on these ships – especially when exploring remote destinations with like-minded and adventurous travelers during expeditions in Antarctica and the Arctic.

Read: The Top Cruises on Small Ships

Celebrity Cruises

Tim Aylen | Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises' new Edge-class ships offer some of the best options for solo cruisers. The line's two newest vessels, Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent (set to debut in late 2023), each boast 32 single staterooms with an Infinite Veranda. In addition, Celebrity Apex has 24 solo cabins, and Celebrity Edge features 16 staterooms for individual guests. These one-person accommodations offer a minimum of 131 square feet of space and the same upscale amenities you'll find in other category staterooms on their ships. Solo guests can look for special promotions where the single supplement is waived on select Celebrity voyages throughout the year.

Once on board the vessel, check out the daily program for activities conducive to meeting others – like wine tastings, cocktail-making classes and more. You'll also enjoy thrilling top-notch entertainment around the ship in The Theatre, The Club and Eden. A few popular cruises for singles are the line's Caribbean and Mexico itineraries on Celebrity Beyond.

Book a Celebrity Cruise on GoToSea.

Virgin Voyages

Courtesy of Virgin Voyages

The hip vibe on board the adults-only Virgin Voyages ships is ideal for solo cruisers looking to meet other travelers. Its superyacht-style ships – Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady – offer 40 interior cabins ranging in size from 105 to 177 square feet. There are also six Sea View staterooms with portholes boasting between 130 to 190 square feet of space. These Insider and Sea View cabins are designed and priced for single travelers, with amenities like high-tech mood lighting and roomy rain showers. The line also runs promotions where solo cruisers can book double occupancy staterooms without paying a single supplement.

Activities and festival-like entertainment around the ships foster fast friendships. Diners will enjoy the interactive experience at Gunbae, the lively Korean barbecue venue. The "grog walk" is a fun pub stroll where solo sailors can join fellow mates while sipping and snacking their way through all the signature bars. For even more fun, check out the evening shipwide events such as the themed Scarlet Party, which features live music and immersive experiences. The line also hosts meetups for singles throughout each voyage.

Read: The Top Adults-Only Cruises

Avalon Waterways

Courtesy of Avalon Waterways

Avalon Waterways' river and small-ship cruises traverse waterways around the world, including in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. The company waives the single supplement on a selection of staterooms, including its Panorama Suites, on select European and Asia departures. The company recommends booking early as the specially priced cabins do sell out. Solo travelers make up about 10% of the passengers on this river cruise line .

Avalon's fleet of Suite Ships operates in Europe and Southeast Asia and features cabins with a minimum of 172 square feet. About 80% of the staterooms are Panorama Suites, which have 200 feet of living space, beds with a view and the river cruise industry's only open-air balcony. With Avalon excursions, solo cruisers have opportunities to meet like-minded guests during immersive tours, cooking classes, wine tastings, yoga or fitness classes, biking or hiking trips, and more. Single guests can choose to dine at tables for just two people or ones that can accommodate up to eight passengers.

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AmaWaterways

Courtesy of AmaWaterways

Two single occupancy staterooms are available on four of AmaWaterways' river cruise ships: AmaDolce, AmaDante, AmaLyra and AmaCello. These accommodations do not have single supplement fees. Solo cruisers can also book staterooms with a 20% single supplement on select sailings in Europe and Southeast Asia. (Note that this pricing does not apply to certain stateroom categories and suites.)

With the friendly, small-ship atmosphere, solo cruisers will find it comfortable to socialize with other passengers and the crew. Onboard activities and immersive excursions also create opportunities for fostering friendships, especially among like-minded travelers. Excellent options for solo cruises include themed sailings centered around music and wine or the magical Christmas markets itineraries along the Danube, Rhone and Rhine rivers.

Explore AmaWaterways deals on GoToSea.

Lines with discounted supplement fares

Courtesy of Azamara

Azamara's special offers for solo travelers include reduced single supplements of 25% to 50% of the double occupancy rate on select sailings. The line's four midsized sister ships – carrying no more than 700 passengers – are mostly all-inclusive. Amenities included in the cruise fare include most meals; standard spirits, wines and beers; bottled water, soft drinks, and specialty teas and coffees; shuttle service in port; gratuities; and complimentary AzAmazing Evenings ashore or Destination Celebration experiences on the ship. Dining at the two specialty restaurants is an additional cost unless guests have accommodations in the Club World Owner's Suites, Club Ocean Suite or Club Continent Suite.

Single guests on Azamara cruises will find events during the sailing and venues around the ship where you can mix and mingle with other solo travelers and chat with the friendly crew. Intimate and culturally immersive excursions also create opportunities to meet passengers with similar interests. Azamara Onward, the latest ship, boasts the new Atlas Bar, a great spot to meet other travelers.

For itineraries, Azamara's signature "Country-Intensive Voyages" are a favorite of solo cruisers, including the 10- or 11-night Greece Intensive Voyage. For an extended sailing, check out the festive 12-night Carnival in Rio Voyage, which features a stop in Rio de Janeiro during the city's famed Carnival.

Compare Azamara cruises on GoToSea.

Cunard Line

Courtesy of Cunard Line

Cunard Line features dedicated solo staterooms on its three ships, priced at approximately 166% to 174% of the equivalent double occupancy cruise fare. Guests can choose between a spacious Britannia Inside or Britannia Oceanview cabin, or opt for a larger stateroom with a single supplement. For a little "me time" pampering while on board, solos will appreciate 24-hour room service, complimentary Penhaligon's toiletries and a chilled bottle of sparkling wine. Single guests will also be invited to get-togethers. You can either dine alone at venues around the ship such as the main dining room or choose to share a table with other passengers.

With an international mix of travelers, single cruisers will find many opportunities to meet and chat with others, especially during a Transatlantic Crossing. During the sailing, you'll find many enriching and relaxing activities that encourage socializing. According to Cunard , there's a sense of camaraderie and a passion around the voyage – and the unique travel experience of crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

Find a Cunard Line cruise on GoToSea.

Silversea Cruises

Courtesy of Silversea Cruises

Luxury line Silversea Cruises offers 25% single supplements on various voyages throughout the year, including expedition cruises to destinations like the Galápagos Islands , Antarctica and the Arctic, and Greenland. The line's all-inclusive fares include luxurious ocean view suites, gourmet dining, complimentary wines and spirits, gratuities, onboard enrichment and entertainment, shore excursions, and more. Solo travelers will even have personalized butler service to indulge their every whim.

The line's fleet of a dozen intimate ships, carrying no more than 728 guests, offers a clubby atmosphere perfect for meeting solo and like-minded travelers. Single guests will also have the opportunity to engage with other solo passengers during a welcome reception with Champagne at the beginning of each voyage. Popular itineraries for Silversea's single cruisers include its Transoceanic journeys, a bucket list trip for many cruisers .

Explore Silversea Cruises deals on GoToSea.

Courtesy of Seabourn Cruise Line

Seabourn has special offers throughout the year where solo cruisers can take advantage of reduced pricing equal to double occupancy fares or discounts on the single supplement starting at 25% above the double occupancy fares. These rates are available on select voyages, including expedition cruises. Frequent solo cruisers and members of the luxury line's Seabourn Club Diamond Elite will also find reduced single supplements on Diamond Elite Single Supplement Sailings. In addition, club members receive invitations to exclusive events, where they can meet and mingle with fellow cruisers. Solo passengers are also invited to sit with the ship's officers, crew and entertainers at dinner – and there are hosted get-togethers for single travelers.

Solo cruisers will enjoy beautifully designed oceanfront suites and all-inclusive amenities on board Seabourn 's intimate ships. These perks include world-class dining; complimentary premium wine and spirits; a spa and wellness program in partnership with Dr. Andrew Weil; included gratuities; and the line's enrichment series, Seabourn Conversations. Single cruisers looking for an extended holiday will enjoy longer voyages on the line's newest purpose-built expedition ship, Seabourn Pursuit.

Compare Seabourn cruises on GoToSea.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Gwen Pratesi has been an avid cruiser since her early 20s. She has visited destinations around the globe on nearly every type of ship built, including the newest megaships, luxury yachts, expedition vessels, traditional masted sailing ships and intimate river ships on the Mekong River. She used extensive research and experience as a solo cruiser to write this article. Pratesi covers the travel and culinary industries for major publications, including U.S. News & World Report.

You might also be interested in:

• The Top Party Cruises
• The Top Transatlantic Cruises
• The Top 3-Day Cruise Itineraries
• Solo Travel for Women: The Best Places and Tips
• The Best Cruise Insurance Plans

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