Cruise insurance

[jmatias]

We are going on our first family cruise next July on Disney.

This hurricane season is telling me that I should seriously consider travel insurance.

Any recommendations?

TIA

 

[marion10]

www.insuremytrip.com

 

[dougp26364]

BUY IT! Even if your not traveling during huricane season, things can happen to delay a ship from getting into port on time and causing flights to be missed. Accidents also can happen or illness can happen while on the cruise. The ships doctor isn't cheap.

We were recently delayed coming into port which caused us to miss our flight. The result was $1,600 in out of pocket expenses to get home. Insurance should cover this (I haven't gotten the claim back yet).

On our most recent cruise, one of the passengers daughters we ate lunch with fell and broke her elbow. I've seen people twist an ankle. I've seen people come down sick and require rehydration. Several people on our last cruise didn't get their luggage until the fourth day of the cruise. The list goes on. Travel insurance will cover most of these situations.

The above link to insuremytrip.com is a great place to look and compare policies. I never recommend anyone cruise or leave the country without travel insurance.

 

[grest]

We always buy cruise insurance; this is a costly trip, unlike exchanging a SA week and losing an exchange fee. Haven't had to use it yet, but that's too much to risk, IMHO.
Connie

 

[gidat1]

It all depends...

It all depends on what is the cost of the insurance, who offers it and what is covered. In my FL post I mentioned that due to Wilma my exchange this week in to west palm beach resort was cancelled by RCI. They kept my $ 149.00. They told me that I should have bought the insurance. The cost was $ 25.00. The coverage was measly $ 149.00 exchange fee. That is 1 to 6 ratio. To me that is not worth it.

Phil

 

[wauhob3]

It all depends on what is the cost of the insurance, who offers it and what is covered. In my FL post I mentioned that due to Wilma my exchange this week in to west palm beach resort was cancelled by RCI. They kept my $ 149.00. They told me that I should have bought the insurance. The cost was $ 25.00. The coverage was measly $ 149.00 exchange fee. That is 1 to 6 ratio. To me that is not worth it.

Phil

Doesn't it cover maintenance fees too if it's weather related?

 

[dougp26364]

Exchange insurance and cruise insurance are two different animals. There's a lot more risk involved, IMO, with a cruise than with an exchange. For instance, if you luggage is delayed on a cruise, it's not like you can pop out to Walmart or Kmart for some cheap clothing. Rental wear for formal night alone can get expensive. Delay's in the ships docking when you return can add up to some expensive last minute airline tickets. If the airline doesn't get you to the port on time for departure, you either eat the cost of the cruise or have to pay carriers to catch you up to the next port of call. If you miss you're cruise departure, you also have meal expenses and hotel expenses to think about. Recently, I had to shell out close to $1,600 when the ship was delayed by 8 hours in docking and 113 hours before customs would clear the ship so we could get off. All because of a fisherman's strike in Spain.

Plus, the travel insurance company helped us locate a hotel room within 5 km of the airport in a city that was showing sold out on every other search site. Travel insurance does so much more than pay for the loss of the vacation.

Even exchange insurance has more coverage than the cost of the exchange. It includes travel delay, trip interuption, lost baggage and other coverages. Imagine getting stuck in FL for another week because you were trapped by a huricane. The extra costs experienced are often covered to some extent by your travel insurance.

Or suppose there is a thunderstorm or snow storm at a connecting airport causing you to miss your connection and you can't get out until the next day (I've had it happen twice now). Airlines often don't just provide you with a hotel room. The best I've had any of them do for me was to provide me with a "reduced" cost room. Sometimes those aren't so great if you know what I mean. Travel insurance, even the exchange insurance, will often cover the cost of the hotel room and meals if you're delay is over either 6 or 8 hours (I forget which).

Travel insurance, even exchange insurance, is so much more than covering the cost of losing the trip.

 

[JEFF H]

Cruise only passengers do assume more risk.
If you purchase the Air/Sea package thru the cruise line they will be responsible to get you to and from the ship when there are ship or airline delays.

 

[philemer]

Doesn't it cover maintenance fees too if it's weather related?

Here's part of what RCI's Ins covers:
Vacation Cancellation/Interruption - In the event You are prevented from using Your Exchange and/or Bonus Vacation trip due to a covered reason (as defined below).

Covered Reason shall mean: (a) You, a Traveling Companion, or an Immediate Family member suffers an Accidental Injury, Sickness, or death; or (b) You or Your Traveling Companion (i) is hijacked, quarantined, required to serve on a jury, or subpoenaed; (ii) has a home made uninhabitable by fire, flood, volcano, earthquake, hurricane, or other natural disaster; or (iii) is directly involved in a documented traffic accident while en route to departure for the Exchange and/or Bonus Vacation trip; or (c) the Property at which you are scheduled to stay is made uninhabitable by fire, flood, volcano, earthquake, hurricane, or other natural disaster; or (d) the Common Carrier is unable to provide service to Your Exchange and/or Bonus Vacation trip destination due to a natural disaster at your Exchange and/or Bonus Vacation trip destination, the Insurer will pay benefits up to the maximum shown on the Schedule of Coverages for:

(a) Vacation Cancellation - Up to $500 Reimbursement of non-refundable Exchange and/or Bonus Vacation trip fees or cost; and/or Guest fee due to a Covered Reason. Reimbursement of annual time-share Maintenance Charges if your deposit is made ineligible by RCI due to a natural disaster cancellation.

(b) Vacation Interruption - Up to $500 for the unused portion of the confirmed Exchange and/or Bonus Vacation trip and/or the Common Carrier fee paid will be provided, less the value of applied credit from an unused travel ticket, to return home.

The balance can be seen here: http://www.rci.com/RCIW/RCIW_index?body=RCIW_MBInsurancePolicy

Part D. says they will now "restore original trading power of deposit"

Phil

 

[jmatias]

Thanks for all the replies....we are definitely leaning towards the insurance.

 

[sultan_sfo]

Trip "Delay"

My reading of the "Coverage" provided is that most plans cover only $500 per person for trip delays and that includes any air, hotels, and incidental expenses (meals, etc.). We were recently on a cruise (Oct. /06) that got delayed 6 hours but fortunately Delta did not charge us any extra for a later flight that had a few available seats which we were able to get. On our return, I have once again very carefully read the terms of the policies. I would definitely like to know whether your insurance reimburses you $1600. Thanks. /Sultan


Partial Quote:

We were recently delayed coming into port which caused us to miss our flight. The result was $1,600 in out of pocket expenses to get home. Insurance should cover this (I haven't gotten the claim back yet).

 

[Dave M]

Actually, trip interruption coverage from the major travel insurance companies (e.g., Access America, CSA and Travel Guard) typically starts at about $2,500 and goes up from there, depending on what policy is purchased. You can get coverage info at the link in Marion's post near the top of this thread.

 

[dougp26364]

My reading of the "Coverage" provided is that most plans cover only $500 per person for trip delays and that includes any air, hotels, and incidental expenses (meals, etc.). We were recently on a cruise (Oct. /06) that got delayed 6 hours but fortunately Delta did not charge us any extra for a later flight that had a few available seats which we were able to get. On our return, I have once again very carefully read the terms of the policies. I would definitely like to know whether your insurance reimburses you $1600. Thanks. /Sultan


Partial Quote:

It really depends on the insurance you purchase. For instance, the policy I was reading sold by Royal Caribbean would only pay $500. There's a lot of fine lines and hair splitting in the definitions of the insurance policies I've read that can make one nervous. The difference between trip delay and trip interuption is making me nervous as there is a difference in what they'll pay.

 

[sultan_sfo]

Trip Delay v/s Trip Interruption

As Doug also notes -- Trip Delay may not be the same as Trip Interruption! The permissible reasons for the two are different. Missed Connection, Flight Delays, etc. are not Trip Interruptions but Trip Delay. We had Travel Guard and fortunately we did not need to make a claim. We knew that we would miss our flight while we were still on the Star Princess and I read and re-read the actual policy while we were still on the ship to figure out our options.

BTW -- Doug. JBond wrote a very interesting post on the Barcelona RCI saga on the cruise critic board. A link to that post was placed on the Princess Board where I read it! I think if the Insurance does not pay the full amount, RCI will pick up the difference in your case. Wish you all the best. /Sultan

Actually, trip interruption coverage from the major travel insurance companies (e.g., Access America, CSA and Travel Guard) typically starts at about $2,500 and goes up from there, depending on what policy is purchased. You can get coverage info at the link in Marion's post near the top of this thread.

 

[Lglen119]

timeshare insurance covers cruise exchanges

Just found out that the annual timeshare insurance i bought through VacationGuard (http://www.VacationGuard.com) can be used to cover my cruise exchanges too, as cruise insurance definately does not cover my maintenance dues or exchange fees. Because i have their annual timeshare protection for my dues and other benefits, I can insure the costs for doing my cruise exchange for pennies compared to what the cruise line charges, http://www.VacationGuard.com/select), and I don't have to worry about pre-existing medical exclusions anymore becuase it's now waived under my VG policy.