NEARLY a quarter of Australians who plan to travel domestically this year aim to do so on a cruise, according to a new consumer study released by Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI). The company polled 500 Aussies who “intend to travel domestically in the next 12 months” and found a...
NEARLY a quarter of Australians who plan to travel domestically this year aim to do so on a cruise, according to a new consumer study released by Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI).
The company polled 500 Aussies who “intend to travel domestically in the next 12 months” and found a 23% propensity to cruise, with demand strongest amongst families with children eight years and older (26%) followed by empty nesters (19%).
SCTI CEO Jo McCauley said the arrival of ships like Disney Wonder meant the popularity of domestic cruising among families “comes as no surprise”.
The company is responding to the demand by adding a new cruise add-on to its domestic travel insurance policy which first launched in late 2020 to support travellers during the pandemic.
“Now that the cruising industry is well and truly bouncing back, we’re responding to customer demand for cruise cover when travelling around the country,” McCauley said.
“There are significant costs associated with domestic cruises, and since the pandemic travellers are even more aware of the chance of canellations due to unforeseen circumstances; this was identified in our research as a key customer concern,” she added.
Key insurance needs include cancellation cover, the protection of travel costs associated with a cruise and valuables coverage.
The new policy extension supports customers with claims for lost or stolen items, cancelled or disrupted travel plans which mean they are unable to cruise due to missing their ship’s embarkation, and falling ill or being injured before departure. BP
