Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has released fresh insights into cruise-related claims from May 2024 to April 2025. The data highlights which states are most likely to claim, how Australia compares to New Zealand, and the true cost of medical treatment while cruising.
Tasmania tops cruise claim statistics
Travellers from Tasmania were the most likely to make a cruise-related claim, with 16 per cent of policies resulting in a claim. Victoria followed with 11.2 per cent, and Queensland with 10.1 per cent.
The full breakdown of claims as a proportion of policies sold is as follows:
- Tasmania – 16.0 per cent
- Victoria – 11.2 per cent
- Queensland – 10.1 per cent
- Western Australia – 9.8 per cent
- South Australia – 9.4 per cent
- New South Wales – 8.1 per cent
- Northern Territory – 6.3 per cent
- ACT – 5.6 per cent
With SCTI operating in both Australia and New Zealand, the team has also observed differences in traveller behaviour across the Tasman. Australians are 42 per cent more likely than New Zealanders to lodge a cruise-related claim.
Medical costs at sea remain significant
Cruise-related claims often involve incidents onboard or illness, with medical costs among the most common, and expensive, reasons for lodging a claim.
In one case, a traveller was billed:
- $5,465 USD ($8,500 AUD) for medical services including consultations, catheterisation, and diagnostic tests
- $565 USD ($878 AUD) for medical supplies such as bandages, drips and syringes
- $786 USD ($1,222 AUD) for prescribed medication
Another customer’s claim totalled more than $11,000 AUD, including $900 AUD for a telehealth consultation and more than $1,600 AUD for 17 hours of onboard medical care.
The average cruising claim came to $1,329 AUD — just 2 per cent less than the average claim cost for general overseas travel insurance, which was $1,359 AUD.
A reminder to add cruise cover early
Jess Strange, Chief Customer Officer at Southern Cross Travel Insurance, says the data is a timely reminder for travellers to include cruise cover from the outset.
“We’ve seen claims for prescription paracetamol on US flagged cruise ships sometimes in the region of USD200, so it definitely pays to have travel insurance,” says Strange.
“We know Aussies are a nation of cruise enthusiasts and while it’s a fabulous way to travel, there are some drawbacks that could result in costly medical bills if you choose not to take out travel insurance for your voyage.
“Often cruise ships are in remote places far out at sea, therefore if repatriations need to occur the remoteness and complexity of the repatriation process can make it more costly. In addition to this, cruise ships can be in locations where access to high quality medical care is not always possible, in which case transporting the customer to the nearest centre of medical excellence may involve an air ambulance, which is expensive.”
SCTI offers cruise cover as an optional add-on to its International Comprehensive and Domestic travel insurance policies.
