AVirginia woman was playing poker on a cruise ship when her husband noticed her speech was slightly unintelligible. Assuming she was just a little "tipsy," from a couple of alcoholic drinks and the excitement of the game, he never expected to hear his wife lean over and say, "I . . . I . . . I think I'm having a stroke."

Regardless of where a person is traveling in the world, whether by sea, land or air, medical emergencies can and do happen. That's why travel industry professionals urge customers to prepare for the unexpected by getting adequate travel insurance coverage.

According to Cruise Lines International Association, a record-breaking 11 million-plus passengers boarded cruise ships in 2005. Along with that growth is an ever-evolving menu of cruise ship travel protections.

In a world where flight delays are not the exception but the rule, there are policies for a range of travel-related needs. Such examples are coverage if you miss a connecting flight to your cruise, the cost of treatment in the cruise ship medical department, trip cancellation/interruption and medical and evacuation coverage.

"There are a lot of folks who just think that it's never going to happen to them," said Mark Cipolletti, vice president of Access America, one of the leading travel insurance providers in the United States. "They don't realize that when you're traveling out of the United States or your network, it's highly likely that your health insurance plan is not going to cover you."

Cancellation insurance is the main reason why people buy travel insurance today. . But for the greatest peace of mind, particularly when going on extensive journeys abroad, a more comprehensive coverage is advised.

For example, should you require emergency assistance that involves emergency medical evacuation services, the cost can be prohibitive. Depending upon where you are in the world at the time of the accident evacuation costs can range from $15,000 to over $100,000. For uninsured travelers, payment is expected, in full, before services are rendered.

"People who have a 'Med Evac' policy with us have worldwide medical transportation benefits up to $1 million and we co-ordinate those services for you," said Cipolletti, whose company has a 24-hour Emergency Hotline and a staff that speaks 37 different languages. "When you're properly insured, you always have an advocate who's there to help you with your emergency medical needs."

At Covington International Travel, nearly half of the leisure client bookings involved the purchase of travel insurance. Their customers rank "peace of mind" at the top of their benefits list.

"A client broke his hip while traveling in Costa Rica," said Susan Morris Morrow, manager of the Leisure Division of Covington. "It would have cost $36,000 to have him medically evacuated if he did not have medical coverage."

"I think a travel agent can be a lifesaver, particularly in the case of medical emergencies, " said Martha Meade, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. "There's a lot a travel agent can do."