The Australian fascination with cruise vacations is most noticeable when visiting any of our major ports. More than 40 large cruise ships can be seen plying Australian waters during the peak sailing season. Between them, the vessels are scheduled to make over 900 calls to Australian ports this summer. A typical cruise includes luxury accommodation, self-contained entertainment, gourmet dining and fun for all the family – much of it included in the ticket price. Australian financial institutions also offer cruise holiday loans and cruise travel insurance for greater peace of mind while cruising.
Still, not everyone is convinced. Some prospective passengers believe that hidden fees and charges for entertainment, meals and day excursions will gouge into spending money. Other people simply can’t get their head around the fact that cruise vacations are so inexpensive. For a price comparable to that of a hotel stay, you can cruise the high seas, visit exotic locations and even party all the way if that’s your style. The additional expense of cruise travel insurance should be factored in as part of the vacation, while a cruise holiday loan can commit funds toward the adventure.
What is a cruise holiday loan?
The cost of your cruise vacation may need to be supplemented by a loan. The opportunity to join friends or family on a cruise vacation is tempting, and getting left behind isn’t an option. A cruise loan could be the answer. A type of personal loan, cruise loans are offered by many financial institutions, and rates are very competitive thanks to the growth of the cruise industry in Australia.
A cruise loan can be used to cover all your holiday expenses or to supplement savings. As with other loan types, a cruise loan can be repaid weekly, fortnightly or monthly, depending on your lender’s requirements. Many lenders also offer an extended interest free period. With sound financial management a cruise loan can be conveniently paid off without any additional fees or interest. A cruise loan will typically include:
- The ability to use the loan for any type of domestic or international cruise.
- Cruise loans of up to $40,000 depending on your personal financial status.
- A dedicated cruise loan account manager to oversee your cruise loan funds.
- Competitive interest rates and flexible repayment schedules.
Interest-free repayment schedules can extend up to 18 months or more, allowing plenty of time to repay the loan. However, it’s important to keep up with repayments as interest rates can skyrocket to more than 20% once the interest-free period is over. When all is said and done, a holiday is an investment in personal well-being and some financial outlay is required. A cruise loan is money well invested on long-term health and satisfaction.
Not listing all banks and online lenders, but here are a few:
What is cruise travel insurance?
Many Australians adopt the ‘no worries’ easy-going principle when travelling. As admirable and care-free as it sounds, such an attitude can negatively impact the vacation, especially if things go wrong. Cruise travel insurance is the answer. After all, we insure our house, car, possessions and family while at home, and escaping to the high seas is no reason to neglect all of the above. Cruise travel insurance can be taken out as an individual or for your entire group booking, meaning every member of your cruise party can be covered for almost any eventuality.
It’s logical. To truly get away from it all and fully enjoy the cruise experience necessitates everything else being protected in case of accident or incident. Cruise insurance can cover every aspect of your journey, from personal health to replacement of valuables. The significance of cruise insurance is multiplied when family and friends are in your tour group. Everyone should be covered for sickness, loss or damage. Cruise travel insurance will assist with:
- Medical expenses, both domestic and overseas.
- Global emergency response and assistance.
- Cover for lost, damaged or stolen luggage.
- The facility to reschedule or cancel travel plans. (check with insurance provider for terms and conditions)
- Provision of alternative accommodation or flights due to bad weather or unforeseen circumstances.
- Theft of passports or other important documents.
It’s important to note that Medicare and private health cover doesn’t apply once your ship has left port, even if your cruise remains within Australian waters.
Cruising is easy. Everything is laid-on for maximum cruising pleasure. A responsibly managed cruise loan coupled with cruise travel insurance will cover all bases and allow you to enjoy the cruise to your full potential.
Using a credit card can be an option as well to pay for a cruise holiday but conditions and interest rates are quite different compared to cruise holidays. Discussing it needs a new blog post but in the meantime I suggest looking for a low rate or rewards cards at one of the credit card comparison site. For readers in New Zealand I suggest starting with www.creditcardscompare.co.nz.
