GeezerCouple

If you mean are you missing anything about the annual plan limitations... probably not. There can be many limitations with annual plans, which is why many of us don't use them! Not having pre-existing conditions doesn't really matter in terms of having a catastrophic medical event far from home, given they can happen with accidents... or with the first emergence of some previously unknown medical issue. We always get coverage separately for each trip. You might want to check with a travel insurance broker such as www.TripInsuranceStore.com They deal with several insurers, so they have a nice variety of types of plans. CALL them; don't rely upon the limited online plan summaries that can't possibly include all of the information that *might* be relevant to your specific situation. Starting coverage within 10-20 days (varies by state) of the very first payment generally offers the most choices of plans. GC

Yes, ' ...paying with points is still within the definition of "paid." ' But that's not the *only* requirement. I think this part quoted by the OP may clarify this: The problem seems to be that some of the "transportation" (indeed a major portion if there are long flights, etc.) were NOT paid using the "Eligible Card". And the plane is definitely a common carrier (assuming no private jet rentals!). [This problem has been discussed somewhat on FlyerTalk, also.] Further, if one wants to "ignore" the awards flight entirely... then you wouldn't have met the "round trip" requirement. This is just one reason why we stick with third-party (independent) travel insurance. Some of the restrictions or dis-allowed costs for charge card or cruise line insurance or protection just don't work for us. Worse, they can be so quirky that we might not realize our trip wouldn't qualify for some reason... until we file a claim and it's denied. Not good! There are indeed some policies where one must include ALL pre-paid costs, even if refundable. However, it one doesn't need that type of policy, then one wouldn't need to cover *all* costs. It can be VERY helpful to speak with a travel insurance broker, someone who is familiar with assorted policies from a variety of insurers. Then you'd have the best chance of finding a policy that "works for you". And someone to help IF you have a claim! GC

Yes. I would ALWAYS suggest *calling*. And especially when you have a question! 😉 Why rely upon some arbitrary people here on the internet [including us!] when you can ask the primary source? It's fine to start here on CC, but don't rely upon any information that might be critical (affecting deadlines or coverages, etc.). That's because we may not quite understand "your" situation, or because insurance in your state (or country!) may be different. Always keep in mind that others may have actual experiences that differ from your situation in some unknown way, so what is a "correct answer" for them might *not* be what is correct for your situation. And IF it is a company that is "on line only", then I'd get use a different company. What happens if you have some sort of problem? That's when being able to call and speak to someone can make all the difference! Also, *discussing* the trip with an agent/broker can sometimes elicit information such that they recommend considering a different policy (to save money or to get more appropriate coverage, etc.). Note: We are among those who recommend www.TripInsuranceStore.com And here's a very recent experience... from just *yesterday* (!) We took out a very small policy in June to get the pre-existing converage started. We also wanted the overseas medical "just in case", of course. But we were going to be staying with friends in Italy (not a cruise this time) and using points for airfare, so very little out of pocket. Again, it was mostly for the medical coverage this time (most of our claims have been for expensive trip costs lost... thus far). This was to be our first post-Covid trip, on Monday. (This was on Friday.) And we never added any additional coverage. I called TIS yesterday afternoon.... We have ALWAYS gotten CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason), but I had forgotten that we did NOT get it for this trip, for the very first time. The reason, I belated remembered, was it was a new type of policy, VERY inexpensive but without CFAR, and with so little at stake, why pay the extra, etc.) So of *course*... I forgot we didn't have CFAR and called TIS yesterday to start a very small claim - but we paid for the insurance, so we should make the claim, right? 😉 Ooops! I was reminded that we did NOT have CFAR this time! Okay, no big deal. The "loss" was only 3 figures (unlike other very large claims). A very short time later, TIS called me back: "Because you didn't file a claim, you can appy the premium to another trip within 2 years, so should I have a voucher sent to you?" Me: "Yes, please." 🙂 Because it was a different policy from our usual policy, and *very* inexpensive, I hadn't even thought about this. [It had been "my fault" for saying "thanks and g'bye" and hanging up too soon once I was reminded we didn't get CFAR. And I would never have given this a second thought if they hadn't called me back. And we very likely *will* use the very small voucher!] As always, the customer service at TIS is really special. GC

(Why are you only asking "anyone from this thread"? If we hadn't already answered above, I think our information would be just as relevant. 😉 ) We ALWAYS start by insuring only the very first payment, whatever it is (it might not be an official "deposit" for something, but for a cruise trip, it usually is). And then as we add other payments, we call and update the coverage. We are always very careful also to make *any* payments within the 10-20 days [varies by state] each time so we are covered for any pre-existing conditions. So we usually call the same day of any relevant payment, or first thing next day so we don't, er, forget! We also *always* use www.TripInsurance.Store.com after learning about it here on CC >10 u\years ago (wow, time flies!). In our case, TIS has recommended policies from Travel Insured (the actual insurer), but they work with several good insurers. Someone else might have specific circumstances or preferences such that they'd recommend a different insurer or policy, etc. And YES, we make sure it is PRIMARY coverage for medical! (I think we might pay $25 extra per policy for that. Now we usually just ask something like, "Do you still recommend the same policy for us?" and all but once the answer was "Yes". 🙂 ) GC

Help ON the ship, after boarding? Do you mean something like someone with a wheelchair to help push your husband if he gets too tired to use the Rollator? No it is incredibly unlikely that there would someone to help with that, unless you have called for medical assistance to get to the medical center for some attention to a one-time medical event/injury/etc. And if someone did offer assistance on a one-time urgent need, they aren't going to be providing that very often. They just don't have the spare staffing for that type of thing. They aren't expecting to be providing wheelchair assistance to passengers having difficulty "getting around". You are expected to be able to "help yourself", have a traveling friend/family member to help, OR bring along someone to assist. Suggestion: if you think he might need a wheelchair for you to help him by pushing, then either bring one, or rent one and have it waiting in your cabin when you arrive on board (and then just leave it then when you disembark). Then you'd be all set. 🙂 GC

One thing to keep in mind about the larger ships that have "quiet areas" or even separate special, restricted areas (Yacht Club, Haven, etc.) is that... there are likely to be times that you are in the "main areas". And that might be a bit more crowded and noisy, or even a lot more crowded and noisy. We did that *once* - and said, "Never again!" It was just as expensive as the smaller and generally nicer ships (keeping in mind that "nicer" is in the mind of the beholder, but OP is *not* looking for crowded, loud, very active cruises). And the "smaller, special area" was very nice indeed (and we weren't even in one of the newer ones). But the main dining room, even walking to the main dining room, or any other "general public" areas... it was beyond hectic. Note: We took this particular cruise over the holidays, which only added to the "activity" and the number of children on board, and that was not good planning on our part. Live and learn, etc. However, it was not at all like being on something like Oceania's Riviera. We did that the next holiday season, and it was like night and day. On the other hand, some people may *prefer* that combination! A somewhat quieter area when they are in that kind of mood, but all of the facilities and activities of a larger ship with a wider variety of offerings when *that* is what they want... The best of both worlds! There are many different cruising experiences. The trick is to try to figure out what is likely to work best for you and your companions, if any. And then perhaps try something else if some of it appealed, but some didn't... Any one cruise/ship/line is not likely to be perfect, but a goal should be to find the best match overall for what you prefer. For example, if we were traveling with our grandchildren, Oceania would not be our choice for that trip, although for some itineraries such as Alaska, they do offer special sailings with special programs for children. Again, "something for everyone"! 🙂 But do some background research to help find what is best for "you". Asking about specifics here on CC is a great place to learn more. GC

Have you looked into Oceania cruises? They are a bit more expensive, but they have a range of accommodations from inside or ocean-view cabins, to veranda cabins, to various sized suites. (Their penthouse suites are very nice, but they aren't "suites" one might think of with separate rooms. We find those a great match for us, including some of the extra services.) Once one is out of their room or suite, everyone is treated pretty much the same. Just about the only exception is that there is a spa area and that is key-card controlled, or a per-day fee, and there is a separate hot tub/therapy pool there, but not much else... so you don't miss out on much. If you want late evening night-club type activity with loud music, this is *not* the cruise line for you! 😉 Is this for your first cruise, or do you have some experience, such as with RC or? GC

For ANY travel insurance policy, make sure you understand the terms and conditions. With annual plans, also pay special attention to things that might be different from getting separate "per-trip" policies. Some things to check include (this is NOT a complete list) how pre-existing medical conditions are handled, and also the total amount of coverage available for the entire year. You wouldn't want to run out while there are still trips pending, especially if it might be too late on short notice to get suitable per-trip coverage, etc. GC

Ah, right...! We both really regret not going to Antarctica, even a sail by (I'm not able to get to shore there anyway, but DH could)... while we were still healthy enough! We're still doing pretty well, but we each have had the occasional need for an ER, and, well, there's not really even any medivac from down there... Chances are excellent we wouldn't have a medical emergency "just then", but... the stakes are just too high. We'd be willing to splurge for that trip, but it's not to be. At least we got almost all of the other "wish list" trips done, with a few yet to go, but nothing too exotic. GC

I'll post for Mr. GeezerCouple: His regret? Not starting cruising *much* sooner! My first cruises were back in the mid-1970's. Once Mr. GC and I were a couple, much later, I begged and *begged* him to "just give it a try". But... nooooo. 😡 He finally agreed to take one relatively short cruise (1 week) "so we could bond" with kids and a grandkid. [Ha! I just *knew* once he tried it, he'd be hooked! 😉 ] Sure enough, we barely got home before we booked a nicer cruise about 3 months in the future. And to this date, he still jokes, "why didn't we do this sooner!?!" 😁 GC

If you read the 4th post above, I mention our experience. That was from Newark, but there was also a flight from JFK. Back then (pre-Covid), the Newark flight was non-stop. The JFK flight could be ticketed as "one flight", but back then, it stopped in Frankfurt, and some passengers could get off or on, although others would continue straight through. That was a different plane than the Newark plane, at least then. The flight through FRA had the top F Singapore Suites, so I don't know if J (business) was the same as the J on the plane used from Newark. Last time I looked, I think there was only one flight from the NYC airports, going via FRA. So our experience, especially in terms of the specific "seat/beds" may not be the same (?). But I think the same Book the Cook food was available. And of course, our flight had no stop. I don't know if the JFK flight allowed passengers to get off to stretch their legs or not. The time just flew! 😉 And previously, our longest flight had been East Coast to Tokyo... and then a bit longer when we flew home "via" Hong Kong (we spent a couple of days there "on the way home"!). GC

Welcome to CruiseCritic! Especially if this is your first cruise (or first foreign trip), given your health issues, please consider getting travel insurance. If you get the right policy for your needs, that should include coverage for medical treatment as well as for costs loss if illness interferes with your travels or requires that you head home early, etc. You might want to browse through the travel insurance section of CC, as well as asking your own questions: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/ Importantly, "pre-existing conditions" usually have a very different meaning in travel insurance policies than we usually think of in everyday life. However, the *best* thing is to get a policy that does NOT exclude coverage for anything relating to pre-existing conditions at all. We ALWAYS get this type of policy, and have never been questioned about whether any medical condition was "pre-existing"; it's just not relevant. However, one *must* be "fit to travel" on the day one purchases the travel insurance policy. And it's often the case that these policies must be purchased within 10-20 days of the FIRST trip payment (refundable or not). There are some policies that allow later purchase, but be sure to double check. We are among those here on CC who recommend www.TripInsuranceStore.com They are a travel insurance broker and work with several insurers, so there is a variety of policies they can help you to choose from. They can also help with claims if you wish, should a claim be needed. We have had several claims, including a few large ones, and all have been paid without difficulty. TIS helped us to select the policies, and they helped us a bit with our first claim, and also with some difficulties we had overseas trying to continue our travels after some time in hospital. We needed some special arrangements to get to the "next stop", and we did *not* want to go home, although that would have been covered, including all costs of the rest of the trip. CALL them; talk to them. They'll ask some questions to help them try to find the best policy for your specific needs and preferences, including your specific medical condition. And ENJOY your cruise! GC

We took the Newark-Singapore flight at the end of November, 2019. That flight is closer to 18-19 hours. At the time, it was the longest non-stop passenger flight, which is why we routed ourselves that way. (A couple other slightly longer flights are gearing up; not sure if they've started yet.) Now that we have more time to travel, we are trying to make the flights themselves part of the experience, even if it takes longer - as long as it is flat bed. (Yes, really!) We went business class, thanks to awards, and it was wonderful. The bed was slightly odd; it was more square than rectangular, so to get the most length, one might want to be diagonal. Neither of us is especially tall, so it was no problem. Also, we are very spoiled, also thanks to awards, so we do compare premium seats/beds to F in Cathay Pacific or JAL. (The CX F beds are ~33 inches wide, almost like a regular twin bed... amazing!) Singapore has a "Book The Cook" available for J (business) and F, so we took advantage of that. I had The Best Airline Food Ever, although that isn't necessarily saying much. The first "dinner" type meal was a sort of short ribs, and it was SO flavorful (difficult to do at altitude) and tender that I would have been *delighted* to have it at a fancy restaurant. Yes, really. There were a couple of choices available for F that weren't on the "J list", but I couldn't have enjoyed anything else more! It was an extremely pleasant flight. 🙂 The main surprise was that we flew EAST; we had assumed we'd go WEST. Next thing we knew, we are over the Atlantic, and then... Moscow is below us (this was 2019; no way is that the same route now!). And watching the flight map, then I noticed we were passing a bit north of Kabul! Eerie feelings being over that area... I'm not sure what the exact flight path is now. At our ages, we can no longer fly long-haul "sitting up". It becomes absolutely *painful* (not just "uncomfortable"), and then we need a few days to recover. Given we can fly with awards, we can easily avoid anything less than Business. (Thus far, at least.) Note: The sign up bonus points really add to the totals quickly! We wanted to try Singapore Suites, but I don't think it's likely using awards nowadays, and we sure aren't paying cash for *that* level! Even Cathay now seems to restrict F to one award per flight, so no more "GeezerCouple in CX F"! However, we are glad we had the experience. 😉 GC

This ^^ - definitely! GC

We are with CDNpolar! (It seems that's becoming a 'thing' here! 😉 ). If the price isn't a dealbreaker, then do try Oceania, although we haven't been on them since pre-Covid. And we have not been on the smaller ships. Those cabins just seem too, too small, and even the PH... still quite small, especially for the price. We love the Riviera (yes, the coast of France and Italy, too, so you might get double - heh!). That seems "right sized" to us, including "places to go and sit", restaurants, and even the therapy pool in the Spa (certain cabins/suites have access, others may need to pay a daily fee). But that's "us"; I cannot stand cold water, so very few regular pools ever appeal. The T pool isn't large enough for swimming, but it's bigger than a hot tub... and just as warm! We did take a Christmas/NYE cruise in the Caribbean on one cruise on the Riviera, so there were some children there. O even set off a little area for them. But we NEVER saw even one of them, except at the NYE festivities, and even then, they were hardly noticeable. That's not surprising, I suppose. (Compare that to our ONLY mass-market holiday cruise... NEVER again, and I'll stop there! 😱) Our last cruise, just before Covid was on HAL, and we weren't sure what to expect, and our expectations weren't high. But DH saw an ad for a NZ/Australia cruise on somewhat short notice at a very nice price, so we got our air tickets (F and business, thanks to awards... no way that distance sitting up anymore, not at our ages) and booked. It may well have been because of the distance AND it not being a holiday time, but I'm not remembering any children at all. We were very impressed with the ship as well as the itinerary. Point is, the passenger mix probably reflects the dates, the length, and the region of the cruise. Now, we'd still prefer Oceania's Riviera, but we wouldn't hesitate to sail with HAL again as long as it wasn't a short holiday-time cruise from an "easy to get to" port (e.g., Miami, etc.). However, we have pretty much decided NOT to travel during major holiday times, regardless of where or how. (We've found the sweet spot is after Thanksgiving through about a week before Christmas. DH's birthday is the end of November, so that has worked out nicely.) Or we go in mid/late May, before the full tourist season (and that gets us close to our anniversary!). Double check and compare the ports of call, as those can certainly be high points of a Med cruise. ENJOY!! [Do at least consider travel insurance. We learned about that here on CC before our first "big cruise trip", and... we used that travel insurance instead of losing 100% of everything! So we "don't leave home/go overseas without it..." 😉 At least make sure you have sufficient medical coverage; that's not particularly expensive if you aren't also insuring a big trip cost.] GC

🤣 In which case, "not to worry"! It will take years and years and YEARS to be implemented... if ever! GC

Oh my!!! (A private fear come to life, but not with huge luggage.) You certainly made the right decision! Thank you for being so observant *and* thoughtful! GC

We are among the many here on CC who have been pleased with the services of TIS. We've had several claims, and all have been paid promptly. Especially because you have some possible complications (medical conditions) and want coverage for several trips and types of trips, it would behoove you to discuss all of this with Steve or someone else at TIS. IF you rely upon travel insurance offered by any charge cards, please double check any exclusions to see if they apply to you. GC

Once again, this is probably something that is different in the USA vs in Canada. [We've never viewed any sort of regular Canadian travel insurance policy, so we can't really make informed comparisons. And much of what we have managed to understand, which admittedly isn't much, is courtesy of @CDNPolar .] However, we do know what many USA-based travel insurance policies do. And the CFAR is often (usually?) part of the main policy, but the traveler may need to have paid extra for that coverage. The CFAR may pay 75% in cash back, while some other policies (e.g., through a travel vendor) may only offer a cruise credit and possibly with a time limit. I think there IS at least one cruise line policy that may offer "money back" (??). So the third-party CFAR coverage would usually not have anything to do with whether one had used "medical coverage" or not, especially if both coverages are from the same insurer/same policy. (They'd presumably *prefer* to pay 75% for the CFAR, rather than 100% of losses for the regular coverage! Again, this seems to be an Canadia-USA travel insurance difference?) If the cruise line also has some coverage to get the CFAR, I'd think one would have had to also pay for the cruise line coverage, which often has a "lesser" coverage than third-party policies. I can't imagine many USA-based travelers wanting - or needing - to buy a third party policy AND also paying for a full cruise line police, but there might be times when that is useful and cost-effective (?). And I agree that @Buckimion should be able to have the physician state that there should be NO travel (or not X far from home, etc.) while on the waiting list. And that should then be the regular, medical full coverage (meaning 100% of all losses). This isn't a discretionary, "change of mind" type of cancellation by any means! Ask the insurer for their medical claim cancellation form. Do this ASAP, so it is "timely", especially if it is not yet 100% penalty. The insurer has the right to be able to pay the losses at the time of the known loss, rather than waiting til the very last minute, long after the need to cancel was known, when the losses might be greater. [If it isn't definite that the trip must be cancelled, that's different. But that doesn't seem to be the case here.] And Buckimion, GOOD LUCK and hope your place on the list gets you what you need soon and that you have a comfortable recovery! GC

I'm glad you got travel insurance. And although it's not helpful when "others" chime in when they may not have all the answers, etc., to be fair, most people who "chime in" are trying to be helpful (I am, right here, right now! 😉 ) and many may have no idea that they don't know, and that they don't know what they don't know, etc. I suspect that you have "chimed in" on some other topics on other occasions, trying to be helpful. Rarely are we "experts" in the field we are discussing, or where we are trying to give advice. [I think one general time that people who are responding DO make some sort of clarifying comment is when attorneys include the familiar "IANAL" = "I Am Not A Lawyer", or sometimes "IANYL" = I Am Not Your Lawyer"... And some online forums specifically prohibit any type of medical advice, for obvious reasons: Most of us are not physicians, and probably none of us is a physician with medical knowledge about the person asking...] I think the best "take away" from this is to read and absorb what others post, but without relying upon most (or even much!) of it as though it was "accurate". Absorb the generalities, or perhaps use some of the information to help you ask better questions of those who are more qualified. Or... learn even to KNOW that there might be others who "know more". For example, we NEVER thought about travel insurance (!) until shortly after joining CC, as startling as I find that now. But... we didn't know what we didn't know. 😲 So as soon as it was mentioned, and during the critical several weeks while we were planning a major cruise (+ fancy hotel stay + first ever business class long-haul air travel), I quickly looked into it, and we contacted www.TripInsuranceStore.com because a lot of people here seemed to be recommending them. ==>> And less than 2 weeks before our planned departure date, DH had a medical emergency. We were at the 100% penalty for everything stage. The only travel we did for several weeks was local, among assorted physician and hospital appointments. (Fortunately, he recovered well, almost fully.) And there were *so* many times one of us mumbled something like, "I'm SO glad we got that travel insurance so we won't have to pay AGAIN when we finally do take this trip!" Yes, we could "afford" the loss; the money was long since paid, etc. And we could have "afforded" to pay again. However, this was by far the most expensive trip since our honeymoon, meant to celebrate a major birthday and an advance celebration of a retirement. IF we had "lost" that money, we have zero question that we'd have been *so* ticked off that we simply wouldn't have planned anything "fancy" again. And what a SHAME that would have been! We've since had some wonderful trips (cruises and land, or both), almost all of them costing *more* than that "very special trip"... because we had such a good time when we DID start traveling again. 🙂 We've had several other claims, including a few more large claims, and all were paid without any quarrelling. Pay careful attention to the TERMS of your policy and HOW to file a claim, including the need for receipts and notes from any relevant physicians, etc. Without the necessary documentation... claims probably won't be paid. This is where working with an agent or broker helped a *lot*, especially that first time. And also another time, some years later, when we needed help figuring out how to 'continue' with our plans after time in hospital, rather than heading home, which would have been easier. Sorry for the length. But it's worth it to do the reading and, in our opinion, to find experts and work with them (e.g., a travel insurance agent or broker). Now... we understand a great deal, but *then*? Almost zippo! And we still usually "double check" with the travel insurance experts about whether, say, our "regular policy" is still appropriate for this new trip..." GC

Do continue to ask questions here... and don't rely upon those "others" who may not understand your question or the appropriate answer. WHY would your friends "lose "thousands" if they had to cancel" so they are going even though she "fractured her ankle"? This is exactly a reason that one gets travel insurance, and "CFAR" isn't needed for something that is regularly covered. And a "fractured ankle" would be covered in any regular travel insurance policy that I'm familiar with (although, to be clear, I'm not an expert on ALL such policies!). CFAR is needed when one wants to cancel for some NON-covered reason. That might include wanting/needing to attend someone's graduation (that one didn't know about when one booked, probably). Or "not liking the weather forecast" even though there are no "official storms" being tracked. Or even "not liking a major change in the itinerary"... Did you get travel insurance yet, or not? I'm not familiar with Canadian coverages, but others here are. You may still be able to get it, but probably not with CFAR. Do double check about pre-existing condition coverage, so you know what you are/are not getting. Note: I went on a 12 day cruise shortly after having found out how horribly bad a torn rotator cuff feels! Yes, we could have gotten a full refund due to insurance, but we decided it would be nicer to do some of the recovery on a cruise. So DH had to help me dress, and the waitstaff quickly realized that cutting up some of my food was appreciated, so DH had just a bit less that *he* needed to do, etc. And I saw a lot of the hair salon! Also, knowing that we *could* get our money back took some pressure off, and made the decision truly "our choice" without much pressure of any kind. We were VERY glad we went! We do always get CFAR, but we have never needed to use it... yet. However, there have been times when it was nice to know we had CFAR *IF* we wanted to use it. (In our policies, CFAR pays 75%, not 100%, but that's a lot better than losing the entire cost. We've had several claims, including a few large ones, but never quite needed the CFAR, although once it came very close.) ENJOY your cruise! GC

You need to double check, carefully, the AC requirements/restrictions on luggage size and weight. It's usually *not* simply "number of pieces". ETA: And don't rely upon others' reports about "what is allowed". Check online yourself. It wouldn't do any good if you show up at the airport to check a huge bag, find it's too big (or has a big surcharge because it's too big), and then say something like, "... but my sister's travel agent said..." You should be able to find this information on their website. It may be different for domestic vs. international, and also for coach vs. business or first. GC

I'd definitely suggest you work with a broker. We've been using www.TripInsuranceStore.com - and one of our "big trips" was much more expensive than any other of our trips. (It wasn't a cruise, but it was much more than even our most expensive cruise, and we cruise in suites.) They helped us get the coverage we needed. CALL them, so they can help you with your specific situation. (I might suggest speaking with Steve, the owner; he's the one who helped us with that particular policy.) Note: We've also had claims on some of the policies they sold us (not for the 'big trip'), and all were paid promptly. ENJOY your trip!! GC

I forgot to mention, but to make the best use of their comparisons for *your* purposes, CALL them. Don't rely upon the online search, which just can't be specific enough, given all of the many choices and different personal situations. And the personal situations might even be different from one trip to another... They are incredibly patient with questions like "What about if... or what about if...?" And they can help with claims if desired. Note: We have NO relationship with them other than that we learned about them here on CC just over 10 years ago, and we've had excellent service, including with *claims* (not just purchasing policies that may not be used for a claim, which is the hope, of course). GC

Here is a link to the CC section on Travel Insurance: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/ Also, don't just compare prices! Double check what IS covered, and, importantly, what is NOT covered. There can be very big differences in the coverages, in ways that may make the difference between being paid for a claim or not. We *always* purchase travel insurance from a third party. In our case, it's from www.TripInsuranceStore.com, but there are other brokers, agents, and insurers, etc. (We've had many claims, including some large ones, and all have been paid without quarrel.) GC