You’ve booked your cabin, mapped the ports and packed the sunscreen. Hopefully, you also bought some insurance. But have you ever thought about what actually happens if a medical emergency strikes mid-voyage?

© Medjet

Most cruisers assume the ship’s medical center has them covered, but the capabilities and protocols for different ships and destinations vary widely. There are some good resources that explain how things work at sea, on a river cruise or in Antarctica, but in most cases, if your condition is serious, you’ll be taken ashore to a hospital in the nearest port. So, another important question is: How do I get home from there?

The medical evacuation benefits in most travel insurance (or credit card travel coverages) are mainly meant to get you to the nearest “adequate” facility in an emergency. Moving you further requires your transfer be deemed “medically necessary” — a high bar that leaves many travelers stranded far from their own doctors and family.

If you want the choice to get moved to a hospital at home, just because you prefer to be treated there, you need a medical transport membership like Medjet. They get you moved regardless of “adequate facility” or “medically necessary” determinations.