A recent survey on cruising from Allianz Global Assistance reveals that more than a third (exactly 34.3%) of Americans tend to stay onboard their cruise ships when it’s time to visit ports of call. Why? The study reveals the main reasons for not disembarking to be safety concerns (36.2%) and disinterest in the destination (17.7%).
The justifications don’t get any better on from there: inclusive food/drinks on the ship (9.4%), not having pre-booked an off-board activity (8.3%), having visited the destination previously (6.8%), and lack of internet/mobile connectivity (4.8%).
That wasn’t all. Among the other revelations:
River cruising vs. ocean cruising
Just under three-fourths (73.9%) of the Americans surveyed prefer river cruising to ocean cruising, citing the following as reasoning: scenic view/ability to see the shore line (22.4%), shore excursions included in the price (13.5%), a lack of waves (12.3%), easier to disembark/being on land every day (12.2%), smaller ships (7.6%), and more socializing opportunities (6%).
“The one product that’s always on trend to put cruisers’ minds at ease is travel insurance,” said Daniel Durazo, director of communications for Allianz Global Assistance USA. “A big misconception we found in our survey was that many Americans (59.2%) believe their cruise line would be equipped to handle serious medical emergencies, when in actuality, cruise lines often require passengers to be transported to the closest medical facility for treatment.”
The cost of safety
The survey also revealed that Americans don’t understand the cost of an air ambulance. Being airlifted back to the U.S. via air ambulance (from Mexico or the Caribbean) due to a serious medical issue can cost up to $20,000. Half of respondents (56.1%) thought the answer would be less than $20,000.
This goes to show the need for education in the areas of cruise ship safety, travel insurance policies and—most of all—why it’s worth getting off the ship!
Travel insurance for cruising
The right insurance policy can cover medical bills and a medical evacuation in the worst-case scenario. It can even cover non-refundable payments if a traveler needs to cancel a cruise (reason must be covered by the policy). And last but not least, a good policy may cover the cost required to catch up to a cruise if a connection is missed at a port of call!
Disclaimer: Johnny Jet works as an ambassador for Allianz Global Assistance (AGA Service Company) and receives financial compensation.
For more information about Allianz Global, visit AllianzTravelInsurance.com.