Cruise insurance covers travel danger

A leading maritime organisation has sought to dampen holiday-makers' fears that cruise ships will be targeted by pirates; though consumers can still benefit from cruise travel insurance policies for delays and theft.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) emphasised that the speed and design of passenger vessels had so far ensured that no cruise-liner has been hijacked by pirates.

This advice arrives as a report released by the not-for-profit organisation reveals that there were 293 incidents of piracy against ships in 2008, which is an increase of 11 per cent on 2007's figures.

Pottengal Mukundan, director of the IMB, suggested that the risk posed to passengers from pirates is very small.

He said: "There has not been a passenger vessel which has actually been hijacked so far, mainly because passenger vessels are very fast."

Last week, Saga Holidays announced that it will be conducting its third mystery tour cruise, in which passengers are not informed of the course of the ship and only know the date of their return.