booksafe travel protection plan

• Travel Protection plans are available for guests to purchase in order to protect themselves against unforeseen expenses that they can encounter while traveling such as trip interruptions, loss of baggage or unexpected medical expenses.
• Purchase is optional. Norwegian Cruise Line highly recommends that every guest purchase Travel Protection to include trip cancellation coverage.
• Travel Protection plans are provided to residents of the United States.
• Canadian guests with existing reservations booked on or before February 15, 2023, will maintain BookSafe and/or Essentials eligibility.

U.S. Travel Protection Provider / AON Affinity Travel

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BookSafe Standard and Platinum Travel Protection: Standard and Platinum Travel Protection are travel protection policies that guest can purchase to protect themselves from trip interruptions, loss of baggage or unexpected medical expenses. For pricing, coverage details and information, please visit the terms and conditions pages listed above.

• The purchase of travel protection is optional . The only exception is if the destination jurisdiction requires insurance coverage. If so, the guest should be told that they may either purchase travel protection from NCL or from another agent. We cannot require any guest to purchase it from NCL.
• Guests may pay for Travel Protection at any time from deposit up to and including final payment.  Travel Protection is confirmed upon receipt of payment
• Guests may add Travel Protection to their reservation at any point OUTSIDE the cancelation fee period.
• Essentials can be purchased at any time once the reservation is paid in full and within the penalty period. Once purchased, it cannot be removed or refunded.
• Essentials coverage begins when the trip has started.

• If the guest pays their Travel Protection Premium at the time of deposit and later cancels  outside of the cancelation fee period, the Travel Protection Premium is fully refundable.
• To review the state-specific (based on guests state of residence) terms, conditions, and exclusions with BookSafe visit  https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/booksafe
• To cancel, guests should call Aon at the toll-free number listed above.
• If the guest pays the final/full payment within the cancellation fee period, Travel Protection can still be added to the reservation as long as it is done within 24 hours of the final payment.
• Travel Protection CANNOT be changed within the cancelation fee period.
• Travel Protection CANNOT be transferred from one guest to another .  If a guest with Travel Protection cancels and is replaced by another guest, the new guest has the option to purchase a Travel Protection  plan.
• Guests may decline to purchase Travel Protection.
• We cannot require guests to buy travel protection from us as part of the cruise or include it/require it as a condition to buy other services/products such as airfares, excursions, etc.

Essentials Post-Departure Travel Protection: Essentials Travel Protection is a travel protection policy that can be purchased after final payment has been made. NOTE: Essentials DOES NOT cover cancelation . For coverage details and information, visit  https://affinitytravelcert.com/document/pdfs/NCL-LandingPage-ESSENTIALS-7-2017.html     Tiered Pricing  is effective for reservations booked on January 27, 2023, and beyond.

Tiered Pricing for reservations booked on or before January 26, 2023.

• Essentials Travel Protection is available to Direct Guest and Travel Partners in the U.S.
• Guests can purchase Essentials Travel Protection via the Online Check-In (OCI) process or by contacting their travel partners.  
• Essentials can ONLY be added to the reservation after the final payment date.
• Essentials can be added to the reservation up to 24 hours prior to sailing.
• Effective 9/11/18 at 4pm EST, Essentials is commissionable at 10% for Travel Partner bookings.
• As of 12/3/18 at 4pm EST, the following agencies are not able to add Essentials Travel Protection.

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BookSafe and Essentials Travel Protection

Travel protection plans: booksafe platinum, booksafe standard, & essentials aug 24, 2023 • knowledge.

Sep 21, 2021 75 KB pdf

Sep 21, 2021 110 KB pdf

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Table of Contents

What is cruise travel insurance?

What does cruise travel insurance cover typically, how much is travel insurance for a cruise, do i need it if i have other travel protections, is cruise travel insurance worth it.

Cruise travel insurance covers the cruise itself, not related travel.

It's usually purchased through the cruise operator, typically before booking.

Check to make sure your credit card doesn't offer similar insurance before buying cruise insurance.

Cruising is one of America's favorite travel experiences. According to a 2021 report from Cruise Lines International Association, an industry trade association, 82% of cruisers will cruise again. As well, 62% of non-cruisers are open to the idea.

And why not? Cruises often give travelers the chance to experience multiple destinations plus enjoy onboard entertainment, activities and dining for a set, all-inclusive price . Cruises simplify budgeting in a year when travel prices have been hard hit by inflation .

But what happens if something goes wrong with your ship, or you can’t make it onboard because of health concerns? Cruise travel insurance might be the answer. It protects your payment and covers you against illness or injury.

Before you pay for a cruise travel insurance policy, here's a look at what it is, how it works and if it's worth it.

Cruise travel insurance is add-on insurance coverage that — just like travel insurance — will reimburse you for delays, interruptions, medical situations or other problems during the cruise.

Depending on which cruise line you're traveling with, you might be able to buy a travel insurance policy when booking your trip (through the cruise line directly) or at a later date (either through the cruise line or separately from a third party).

Protecting travel costs can be a smart money move. A September 2022 survey of 737 past cruisers by InsureMyTrip found that the average trip cost for an insured cruise vacation so far this year is $6,367, an increase of nearly 15% from before the pandemic.

Can you buy travel insurance after booking a cruise? It depends. Some cruise lines require the purchase of a travel insurance policy before the final payment date when charges become nonrefundable. Others require the purchase of coverage a certain number of days before departure. Read the fine print to find out the deadline to purchase and the specifics of its coverage.

Circumstances covered by cruise travel insurance vary by policy and by issuer. Many cruise lines partner with an insurance company to underwrite its policy benefits.

Some common benefits available as part of travel insurance from a cruise line include:

Trip cancellation and interruption . If you cancel your trip or unexpectedly cut it short for an eligible reason, such as severe weather or illness, you'll get back some or all of the upfront costs, depending on the policy.

Cancel For Any Reason . This coverage tends to be more flexible, forgiving and expensive at time of purchase. Policyholders can cancel for any reason not listed in the policy and still receive a portion of their trip cost back, either as cash or as a future cruise credit (assuming they meet other eligibility requirements).

Trip delay . Cruise delay insurance protection protects expenses if your trip is delayed beyond a set number of hours.

Baggage protection . This insures your luggage if it is lost, stolen, damaged or delayed, and gives money to buy necessary items until bags are recovered.

Medical coverage . If you get sick or injured during the trip, the policy covers treatment and related expenses up to a limit.

Emergency evacuation . When emergency evacuation is necessary, the policy covers the transport cost up to a limit.

COVID coverage . If your trip is canceled or interrupted due to COVID, the policy covers the unused prepaid expenses, medical treatment and emergency evacuation, up to policy limits.

When comparing policies, choose a policy that includes all of the benefits, protections and coverage limits that are important to you. While you may be tempted to choose the lowest-priced option, that policy may not have the coverage you need.

We examined cruise insurance prices for a seven-day trip in February 2023 from the U.S. to Mexico. The example traveler was 35 years old, from Georgia, and planned to spend $2,500 on the trip, including airfare.

The average price of each company’s most basic coverage plan was $124. These policies didn't include optional add-ons, such as Cancel for Any Reason coverage or coverage for pre-existing medical conditions .

Separately, we looked at five different cruise insurance add-ons for a similar trip. With this option, the average cost of basic coverage was cheaper than a standalone policy at $111.20. Keep in mind that cruise insurance policies offered by cruise lines typically cover the cruise portion of the trip only, but do include some Cancel For Any Reason coverage.

If you already have a standalone travel insurance policy or a credit card with travel protections, you may wonder if you need to purchase a cruise travel insurance policy.

Credit card travel insurance

Many travel credit cards include travel protections such as trip cancellation, interruption, delayed or lost luggage reimbursement, and emergency evacuation benefits. Before buying a cruise travel policy, compare the coverage benefits and limits to determine if you already have coverage with a credit card.

One benefit that cruise travel insurance policies offer that credit cards don't is the ability to cancel for any reason. Although you may not get back 100% of the cruise price, these policies allow you to cancel for any reason and get a portion of the price back as a credit toward a future trip. If the policy is priced low enough, it may be worth buying the insurance offered through your cruise line for that benefit alone.

Travel insurance policy

Standalone travel insurance policies can be purchased to cover one person or a family for a specific trip or multiple trips within a period of time. These policies are available at a variety of price points to meet a traveler's budget. When comparing policy options, you can balance price versus coverage options.

If you're traveling multiple times within a short period of time, it may be more economical to buy a more comprehensive travel insurance policy instead of separate policies for each trip.

Cruise travel insurance can be worth it to address your concerns about traveling and protect your investments. These policies offer numerous protections that will cover your expenses in case your trip is canceled, interrupted or delayed, or if you get sick during the trip.

Before buying this coverage, compare your options against your credit card benefits. You might also shop for general travel insurance policies to see if you can get a better deal than what’s offered through your cruise line.

If you’re not covered by your credit card, cruise travel insurance can be worth the added cost. It will give you peace of mind before setting sail, when signing up for that adventurous land excursion and when clicking "Book" for an expensive vacation in the COVID travel landscape.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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Travelers Plans How to Travelers Plans in The World

Booksafe travel protection reviews.

When planning a trip, we all hope for a smooth and stress-free travel experience. However, unexpected situations such as cancellations, delays, and medical emergencies can disrupt our plans and cause financial losses. That’s where travel protection comes in, and BookSafe is one of the leading providers of such services. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at BookSafe Travel Protection reviews and evaluate their coverage, benefits, and customer service.

What is BookSafe Travel Protection?

BookSafe is a travel protection provider that offers comprehensive coverage for various travel scenarios. Their plans cover trip cancellations, interruptions, delays, missed connections, baggage loss or delay, and medical emergencies. With BookSafe, you can protect your investment and have peace of mind during your trip.

BookSafe Travel Protection Plans

BookSafe offers two main travel protection plans: Basic and Elite. The Basic plan provides coverage for trip cancellations, interruptions, delays, and baggage loss or delay. The Elite plan includes all the benefits of the Basic plan plus coverage for medical emergencies, emergency evacuations, and 24/7 travel assistance.

Both plans offer a cancel for any reason (CFAR) option, which allows you to cancel your trip for any reason not covered by the plan and receive a partial refund.

BookSafe Travel Protection Reviews: Coverage and Benefits

BookSafe’s travel protection plans provide extensive coverage and benefits for various travel scenarios. Here are some of the key benefits:

• Coverage for trip cancellation or interruption due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness, injury, or death of the traveler or their family member
• Coverage for trip delay or missed connection due to common carrier delay, weather, or strike
• Coverage for baggage loss or delay, including reimbursement for essential items
• Coverage for medical emergencies, including hospitalization, doctor visits, and prescription drugs
• Coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation
• 24/7 travel assistance, including medical and travel referrals, emergency cash transfers, and passport/visa assistance

Overall, BookSafe offers comprehensive coverage for most travel scenarios and provides peace of mind for travelers.

BookSafe Travel Protection Reviews: Customer Service

BookSafe is known for their excellent customer service, which is available 24/7 via phone, email, or chat. Their representatives are friendly, knowledgeable, and responsive, and they strive to resolve any issues or concerns promptly. BookSafe also has a user-friendly website that allows customers to purchase and manage their travel protection plans easily.

BookSafe Travel Protection Reviews: Pros and Cons

Like any travel protection provider, BookSafe has its pros and cons. Here are some of the key factors to consider:

• Comprehensive coverage for various travel scenarios
• Cancel for any reason (CFAR) option
• 24/7 travel assistance and excellent customer service
• User-friendly website and easy purchase process
• No coverage for pre-existing medical conditions unless purchased within a specific time frame
• Some exclusions and limitations apply, so read the fine print carefully
• Higher premiums compared to some other travel protection providers

Overall, BookSafe is a reputable and reliable provider of travel protection services, and their reviews reflect their commitment to customer satisfaction.

Travel protection is an essential investment for any trip, and BookSafe offers a comprehensive and reliable solution for your travel needs. With their extensive coverage, cancel for any reason (CFAR) option, and excellent customer service, BookSafe is a top choice for many travelers. Before purchasing a plan, make sure to review the coverage, benefits, and exclusions carefully and consider your specific travel needs and risks.

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NCL – Booksafe Travel Protection

In my opinion, when it comes to having fun while exploring new countries and destinations, absolutely nothing beats taking a cruise. The moment you set foot on the ship your vacation has officially started, and you do not have to worry about dining and entertainment.

However, cruises can be expensive, and in order to get the best deal, many travelers opt to book months to a year in advance. The issue with this that travelers cannot predict the future, which means that things can change and taking time off for your cruise may no longer be possible. This could be due to anything, an illness, loss of employment, death of a loved one. And that is what can happen before the trip; there’s an endless number of things that can happen while you’re in the middle of your vacation.

Booksafe Travel Protection (BTP) is Norwegian Cruise Line’s travel insurance. With BTP you’re covered for many of the many things that can go wrong. For example, lost luggage and medical expenses transportation.

Medical Expense Transportation is the big one. There are many scary stories online of people that have been so sick on a cruise, that a helicopter was needed to transport them to the nearest hospital, which comes with a scary bill of up $50,000.

The prices are very reasonable. For a fare of $1000, the BTP price is $99 for Standard Plan and $159 for the Platinum Plan. Rates depend on the cruise fare.

For more info, please visit https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/booksafe

Photo by ben o’bro on Unsplash

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Norwegian Cruise Line's BookSafe Travel Protection Plan

Any vacation should be hassle free, and worry free. Like every other part of your cruise with us, we make it easy to relax and do nothing but look forward to a great vacation. We know travel plans can be disrupted by the unforeseen, so we are pleased to offer BookSafe Travel Protection.

You're covered for trip cancellation, trip interruption and trip delay.

Booksafe travel protection - standard plan, booksafe travel protection - platinum plan, essentials post-departure travel protection, if you need to file a claim, please visit  www.aontravelclaim.com.

This is not a complete description of all benefits and limitations. For full terms and conditions of coverage, ask your Vacations To Go cruise counselor. Prices, terms and conditions listed in this summary are subject to change without notice and need to be reconfirmed with your Vacations To Go cruise counselor at the time of booking.  If you book a Norwegian cruise, you can purchase insurance from Norwegian or from the independent insurance provider, Generali Global Assistance (formerly CSA Travel Protection).   Click here  to see details of the Go Plan from Generali Global Assistance. 

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NCL introduces Book Safe travel plan

By FIRELT5 , February 25, 2009 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Miami - Feb 25, 2009 ---

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) today announced its BookSafe Travel

Protection Plan, designed to provide a full cash reimbursement to

guests should they need to cancel because of job loss prior to their

cruise. NCL's BookSafe Travel Protection takes the worry out of

vacation planning, helping guests book a stress-free future cruise

despite uncertain economic times.

"In this challenging economic environment, we are offering a safety

net for guests who want to book a cruise, but are uncertain about what

the future holds in terms of their employment," said Andy Stuart,

NCL's executive vice president of global sales and passenger services.

"Our BookSafe plan enables guests to book with confidence knowing that

they will receive a full refund if they need to cancel their cruise

because of job loss."

In addition to the new job loss protection feature, NCL's overall

travel protection plan, administered by BerkelyCare and underwritten

by National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Penn.,

includes a variety of benefits and services so guests can plan and

enjoy their vacations with peace of mind. Benefits of the program

include: trip cancellation/trip interruption protection; medical

protection including emergency evacuation coverage; baggage protection

for lost or delayed luggage; and worldwide emergency assistance, such

as emergency cash transfers, medical consultation and assistance with

lost travel documents.

Effective February 26, 2009, guests who purchase NCL's BookSafe Travel

Protection Plan for any NCL cruise departing on or after May 1, 2009,

are eligible for reimbursement of any cancellation fees if an insured

guest loses their job as long as the person has been an active

employee at the same company for at least one year.

NCL's enhanced travel protection plan is available starting at $29 per

person, depending on the cruise fare paid. More information about how

the plan works can be found by contacting a travel professional who

specializes in NCL's Freestyle Cruising.

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Smart idea in these times, but I wonder if it is necessary since it is possible to purchase travel insurance which offers reimbursement "for any reason." I guess you would have to do a cost comparison. It would be good for people who don't otherwise purchase travel insurance but are simply skittish about the job situation.

Interesting also because there are at least three or four people posting within the past two weeks who are cruising after a sudden job loss.

Seems at least one Japanese car company is offering similar protection if you buy one of their cars and lose a job. Sad times.

These are certainly scary times. Our son and a son-in-law are both out of work right now, so we know up close and personal how frightening these times can be.

It would be newsworthy if it was included in your booking. Doesn't seem like a deal or newsworthy when you are forced to pay extra for it. Looks like the insurance company offering this and the cut they give to NCL is just profiting from fear.

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Help! I Missed a Cruise and the Cruise Line’s Own Travel Insurance Won’t Pay.

A young woman booked her first big trip, a Mediterranean cruise on Norwegian, but missed the boat when her flight was delayed. Since she bought the cruise line’s own travel protection plan, why is she stuck with the bill?

By Seth Kugel

Dear Tripped Up,

After graduating from college in 2022 and working for a year, I used my bonus and some of my savings to book a nine-day Mediterranean cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line for my partner and me. Our $7,657 cruise package included airfare from Atlanta to Barcelona, Spain, via Newark, and Norwegian’s own BookSafe Travel Protection Plan , which included travel insurance and also allowed me to “cancel for any reason” for a 75 percent credit. Weather delayed our first flight, we missed the connection, and United Airlines could not get us to Barcelona in time to embark. I called Norwegian and agents suggested I buy last-minute tickets on a different airline, but I don’t have that kind of money. And even if I did, there were no direct flights to later ports, and I was unwilling to risk missing another connecting flight. So we spent the night in the Newark airport, paid for a return flight to Atlanta the next morning and canceled the cruise and remaining air legs. I got $1,184 back right away from Norwegian, and then an additional $232 back (for my return flight) from travel insurance when I filed a trip delay claim, but a trip cancellation claim for the cruise was denied outright. I feel I should at least get the 75 percent credit — otherwise what was the protection plan for? Can you help? Ivy, Atlanta

You’re not the first traveler to write Tripped Up after missing a cruise because of flight delays on the very itinerary the cruise company booked for them.

You also went out of your way to solve this problem on your own, first, registering complaints with the Better Business Bureau, the Georgia attorney general, and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Florida (where Norwegian is based), all to no avail. Even when I offered to help, you didn’t stop and — before I could do anything — prodded Norwegian into giving you a slightly-more-than-75-percent credit, or $5,420, for a future cruise “as a gesture of good will.” Impressive.

I would have moved on to help another Tripped Up reader, but Norwegian’s use of the responsibility-shirking phrase “as a gesture of good will” bugged me. I wanted to know why BookSafe didn’t cover you, and what other cruise customers can do to protect themselves.

The BookSafe plan actually has two main parts: a travel insurance policy, administered by Aon Affinity and underwritten by Nationwide, and a “cancel for any reason credit feature,” provided by Norwegian itself.

I read through the fine print, and it turns out (and Aon confirms) the travel insurance portion does not provide reimbursement for a cruise if airline issues cause a traveler to miss it. But under the Cancel for Any Reason component, it looks to me as if Norwegian should have given you that credit with no hassle.

I tried to confirm that with Norwegian, but the company declined to answer most of my questions, instead responding with imprecise statements via email.

“Although Norwegian Cruise Line provides flight arrangements as part of its cruise offering,” the first email read, “we do not have control over the operations of the airlines and are not responsible for any flight modifications or cancellations.”

“It is because of the very nature of unexpected situations, such as this, that we strongly recommend all guests purchase travel insurance,” the statement continued.

But again, you purchased the travel protection plan and the insurance portion did not cover you. As for the Cancel for Any Reason credit component, Norwegian sent another email, which you forwarded, that read, “We are unable to issue credits for the penalties assessed to your reservation as this does not qualify under Cancel for Any Reason prior to departure.”

When you complained to the Better Business Bureau initially, Norwegian doubled down, giving it same wording.

I can’t understand why. For the credit to kick in, BookSafe clearly states you need only cancel “prior to the ship’s departure,” not prior to your flight’s departure. You forwarded me a cancellation document, dated the day you flew back to Atlanta — which was also the day the cruise set sail. That would seem to qualify, unless Norwegian determined the cancellation took place minutes or hours after the ship departed. That would be pretty disingenuous of them, considering you had been on the phone with them since the night before, asking about your options.

When I asked Norwegian about the original rejection, I got a statement saying you “had incorrectly filed a claim for a trip delay instead of a trip cancellation claim" and that the credit was “later added” to your account.

To me, that’s somewhere between muddled and false. What actually happened was that you filed a “trip delay” claim to Aon that turned out only to cover your flight back to Atlanta. (That’s what trip delay coverage does, cover unexpected expenses.) Then, you filed a “trip cancellation” claim, also to Aon, but that was never going to work: Trip cancellation coverage lapsed once you got on the plane and yet another kind of coverage, “trip interruption,” kicks in. But filing for that wouldn’t have done you any good: Norwegian’s trip interruption policy does not cover airline delays.

That’s why you ended up — after some blood, sweat and tears, that is — with the 75 percent credit from Norwegian.

It’s confusing, no doubt. You fell into a common trap about trip cancellation, delay and interruption policies — assuming that this coverage will pay for anything that is truly not your fault. But claims adjusters tend to be extremely literal in interpreting the fine-print list of “perils” or “hazards” your policy covers.

“If it’s there, you’re good, and if it’s not there, you’re not good,” said Stan Sandberg, a co-founder of TravelInsurance.com , a site that aggregates policies from different companies, providing convenient direct links to the state-specific policies.

I got curious and decided to compare the fine print of BookSafe with the default travel protection plans at cruise operators like Carnival, Disney, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Viking. I used the New York versions for consistency, and looked specifically at how well they covered issues caused by delays and cancellations of “common carriers” — airlines, trains and the like.

All the plans have “trip delay,” “trip cancellation” and “trip interruption” coverage administered by insurance companies. Most include a separate “cancel for any reason” credit portion that the cruise lines administer themselves. (Only MSC does not.)

I focused on trip interruption, which typically provides a maximum benefit of 125 or 150 percent of the trip’s value. That means a traveler could in theory be reimbursed for the full cost of the cruise, plus additional expenses incurred because of the interruption.

Three of the seven plans I looked at — Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and Princess — leave airline issues out of trip interruption benefits entirely, making it impossible, in a situation like yours, to claim the value of a missed cruise in its entirety. “That is shocking,” said Jason Schreier, chief executive of the travel division of Aegis General Insurance.

“Ninety-five percent of travel insurance plans you’ll find have common carrier issues in both trip cancellation and interruption benefits,” he said.

The other four cover delays to varying extents. Carnival mentions only weather issues. MSC and Viking cover mechanical problems, weather delays and strikes — pretty standard language, but not all encompassing. Only Disney’s plan allows trip interruption to kick in for “any delay of a common carrier,” as long as it causes you to miss at least half the trip.

Mr. Schreier of Aegis told me that the cruise lines themselves will often scratch common perils from custom plans to reduce liability. When I asked Norwegian about this, the company referred me to Aon Affinity. But Beth Godlin, the president of Aon Affinity Travel Practice, wrote that Aon “works with many different cruise lines” and customizes plans “to meet the needs of the cruise line.”

Finally, there’s that cancel-for-any-reason-for-partial-cruise-credit element. As we learned, Norwegian’s plan, as well as those of Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess and Disney, do include flight issues by allowing travelers to cancel right up to the ship’s departure. Only Viking’s is different — ending once you board your first flight. (Again, MSC does not offer this benefit at all.)

I’d warn against choosing a cruise line on the sole basis of whether its protection plan covers common carrier delays — you’d just be asking for something different to go wrong. But Ivy, as you use your credit, I’d consider putting in the time to look into buying a separate insurance plan, using comparison sites like TravelInsurance.com or Squaremouth , or going directly to companies like Aegis , which Mr. Schreier points out has a cruise-specific package and a “Stress Less” feature that might have paid on the spot for a flight on a different airline to get you to Barcelona on time.

Whatever you do, I hope you have a great cruise and can at least temporarily forgive Norwegian for what happened — as a gesture of good will.

If you need advice about a best-laid travel plan that went awry, send an email to [email protected] .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Seth Kugel is the columnist for “ Tripped Up ,” an advice column that helps readers navigate the often confusing world of travel. More about Seth Kugel

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

NCL Introduces Booksafe Travel Protection Plan

• February 26, 2009

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) today announced its BookSafe Travel Protection Plan, designed to provide a full cash reimbursement to guests should they need to cancel because of job loss prior to their cruise. NCL’s BookSafe Travel Protection takes the worry out of vacation planning, helping guests book a stress-free future cruise despite uncertain economic times.

“In this challenging economic environment, we are offering a safety net for guests who want to book a cruise, but are uncertain about what the future holds in terms of their employment,” said Andy Stuart, NCL’s executive vice president of global sales and passenger services. “Our BookSafe plan enables guests to book with confidence knowing that they will receive a full refund if they need to cancel their cruise because of job loss.”

In addition to the new job loss protection feature, NCL’s overall travel protection plan, administered by BerkelyCare and underwritten by National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Penn., includes a variety of benefits and services so guests can plan and enjoy their vacations with peace of mind. Benefits of the program include: trip cancellation/trip interruption protection; medical protection including emergency evacuation coverage; baggage protection for lost or delayed luggage; and worldwide emergency assistance, such as emergency cash transfers, medical consultation and assistance with lost travel documents.

Effective February 26, 2009, guests who purchase NCL’s BookSafe Travel Protection Plan for any NCL cruise departing on or after May 1, 2009, are eligible for reimbursement of any cancellation fees if an insured guest loses their job as long as the person has been an active employee at the same company for at least one year.

NCL’s enhanced travel protection plan is available starting at $29 per person, depending on the cruise fare paid. More information about how the plan works can be found at www.ncl.com or by contacting a travel professional who specializes in NCL’s Freestyle Cruising.

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