A cruise holiday may seem like one of the safest ways to travel. After all, you are on a large, purpose built liner surrounded only by fellow holidaymakers, and it may be tempting to skip on getting cruise travel insurance. But this would be a grave mistake – there is plenty that can go wrong on a cruise holiday, and in some cases (such as medical emergencies) it is no exaggeration to say that cruise insurance can mean the difference between life and death. Here are five reasons to get insured before you go…

You have a medical emergency…

Bear in mind that the medical facilities on most cruise ships are extremely limited – the onboard doctor will be able to provide some basic medication and medical attention, but that will be it. More serious medical problems will require medical evacuation to a hospital, usually by helicopter. If you don't have cruise travel insurance, you'll be facing a bill for several thousand pounds – even worse, if you are uninsured you could be forced to take your chances with the medical facilities in the nearest port. If you are on a cruise in a Third World area, this could be disastrous – cruise travel insurance is essential for you to be covered in the event of a medical emergency.

Your cruise is disrupted by bad weather…

There's nothing that can ruin a cruise quite like a sudden batch of bad weather. Cruise insurance won't offer you any compensation for a little rough sea or a few days of rain, but sometimes the weather can be much worse than that – cruises can be delayed, disrupted or even cancelled if a storm or hurricane descends on your destination. If the weather severely disrupts your journey, you can claim compensation through your cruise travel insurance.

You are a victim of theft…

People often assume that they are safe from crime while onboard a cruise ship, but petty theft is as much a danger on a cruise as it is anywhere else; unlocked cabins and valuables that are left unguarded are open invitations to thieves. You should always take precautions with your valuables and use the ship's safe where possible, but if you do fall victim to theft your cruise insurance will cover the cost of the stolen items.

You have to cancel your holiday…

When you are first planning your cruise holiday, it may seem like there is no possible reason you would cancel your dream trip. But you may be injured in an accident, a relative may fall ill, you could be made redundant or even called up for jury service – in all these cases and more, cruise travel insurance will compensate you. Otherwise, you'll be left to foot the substantial bill yourself.

You take part in extra activities…

On many cruises you'll be given the option of taking part in a wide range of activities, both on and off the ship, ranging from scuba diving to rock climbing. But this is one area where, even if you have cruise insurance, you really need to check the small print – depending on the level of cover, it may not protect you. If you are going to take part in these kinds of potentially hazardous extra activities, make sure your cruise travel insurance will protect you if something goes wrong.