In January, I  purchased a medical insurance travel policy for our planned cruise trip from Amsterdam, leaving July 18, 2021.  Like most similar cruises, this cruise was recently canceled.  So on Saturday, May 22, I emailed the agent, Insuremytrip.com, with a request for a refund or credit toward a future trip, since we wouldn't be traveling.  Imagine my surprise when, a few hours later I reviewed a reply reading,  "A refund has been  posted to your credit card and should appear on your next billing statement."  I also received an email from the insurance company, Seven Corners, confirming the above.   As I said, this was a Saturday!   All praise to Insuremytrip.com Customer Service, and Seven Corners insurance for such wonderful treatment.  

Do take your paperwork with you.  The ship may have no record of what you are due at the casino.  Show your email etc to the casino cashier.

HAL Alaska booking open 5-21.  

My TA just texted.  The Nieuw Statendam out of Amsterdam July 18 is cancelled.  Options are move to a Greek itinerary, get full refund or 110% FCC.   Volendam off through Aug 30,  New Statendam through Aug 22, and Eurodam no on Oct 31 and Nov 11.  

As predicted. HAL pulled the plug on the Nieuw Statendam cruises in Europe through Aug 22, per my TA.   Options are transfer to another cruise, full refund of 110% cruise credit.  I'll take the cash.  Iceland will have to wait another year. 

This from Cruiseindustrynews.com, April 24, 2021.  Note the last sentence

Holland America Line
First sailing: July 1, 2021
Ship: Volendam  
Region: Mediterranean

After trimming Mediterranean sailings until June, Holland America Line could return to service on July 1 with the Volendam. Unlike other Carnival brands, however, the company is still to announce a firm restart plan.

Good prediction, LaffNVegas.  We're booked on the 7-18 Amsterdam and an 8-21 out of Seattle as well.  We are in Sunny LV  and my goal was to escape the heat this summer.  My prediction is, no way will the 7-18 happen and probably not the Alaska out of Seattle.

This news clip may be relevant to our topic:

Carnival's Seabourn Scraps Certain European Sailings on Lack of Approval BY Dow Jones & Company, Inc. — 2:47 PM ET 04/22/2021   Carnival Corp.'s ( CCL      Loading...     ) Seabourn luxury line said it is scrapping certain European sailings on two ships as it doesn't anticipate receiving approval for all planned itineraries before their scheduled date. The cruise line on Thursday said it is canceling sailings on Seabourn Sojourn with departures through Sept. 25 and Seabourn Encore through Aug. 21.

Note from the TA today that my scheduled 8-21-21 Alaska cruise will not be on the Eurodam but on the Nieuw Amsterdam.  I read elsewhere that the Eurodam will be needed in Greece, but the news to me is that HAL still thinks Seattle Alaska cruises might still go.  

I am fully paid on the 7-18-21, fourteen days on Nieuw Statendam out of Amsterdam.  No way this cruise will happen but yet unlike other lines, HAL hasn't cancelled.  And they will book you today on the cruise.  I suppose they are not eager to refund our money and are waiting for me to cancel in return for future cruise credits, not cash.

  Some revealing new fine print from HAL press release today:

"In light of COVID-19, Holland America Line is currently enhancing health and safety protocols and how they may impact future cruises. Our actual offerings may vary from what is displayed or described in marketing materials."

Well, here's another ray of hope.  Opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal today.  The author, a research physician, makes a good case.

Thank you for the additional information, Chengkp75.  Your depth of knowlege is welcome, although discouraging  in this case.  I can only hope that we, and our Canadian friends, are vaccinated soon enough to salvage part of the Alaska season.  

11 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

That is a report of one of five commissioners, the one with the least time on the commission, and arguably the one with the least maritime experience.  It does not reflect the views of the commission as a whole.

 

The other commissioners know that waivers, which must be passed by Congress, are only proposed for "national security reasons", and if no US flag operator is providing the service.

I am booked on a HAL cruise to Alaska  for August.  I thought this news might be of interest here

Here's some hopeful news.  Like the OP, we have a HAL cruised booked for August, 2021.

 This quote below is from the website of the Federal Maritime Commission, dated Feb 10.  The writer is Commissioner Sola.

...In short, this action by the Canadian government may very well result in the loss of a second season for a significant portion of the Alaska cruise business.  Another lost season represents a potentially devastating blow to the livelihoods of thousands of Alaskans.  As noted in my report, the cruise industry generates tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs in Alaska annually. It is because of this that I encourage both the Biden administration and Congress to quickly review this issue and consider a limited exception to the PVSA while simultaneously engaging the Canadian government on the diplomatic front to address this particular problem"

Well, I have two cruises booked.  One in Alaska in August, 2021 (looks less likely today as Canada bans cruises for 2021, subject to change) and one in July in Europe.  But here is an optimistic note that Europe may happen: 

LONDON — Britain is on a pace to give the first shot of a two-dose coronavirus vaccine to its entire population by the end of June, if it can avoid supply and logistical issues that threaten to slow one of the world’s fastest rollouts.

The most vulnerable will get their first doses much sooner — likely over the next two weeks — which could dramatically reduce deaths. People over 70, care home residents and workers, health and social care workers, and those whose health problems make them extremely vulnerable are all on schedule to receive their first vaccine shots before Feb. 15. Together these groups have accounted for 88 percent of all Covid-19 deaths.

The timeline shows the promise of vaccination as a path out of the deadliest stage of the pandemic in the countries that are moving quickly. Early data out of Israel shows a significant drop in infection after just one shot, and a recent analysis suggested that the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine not only provides good protection against illness and death but also also has potential to reduce transmission of the virus. Scientists have said the results are promising but must still be confirmed.

As of Wednesday, the U.K. had vaccinated over 15 percent of its population, more than anywhere in the world aside from Israel and the United Arab Emirates. The United States was over 8 percent, and the European Union was below 3 percent.

I stand corrected.  No open Canadian ports = no Alaska cruises

We received the casino offer Dave OKC did.  We bit.  Even if Canada is closed, an Alaska trip Seattle to Seattle might skip Victoria and sailor on.  We just received our first Covid shot.  If there be restrictions on board, so be it.   I need a sail or two.  Jim

I am less pessimistic.  Why wouldn't a country, dependent in part on tourists, welcome passengers who could show a shot card for the Covid vaccine?   And why wouldn't HAL let them off and back on?

One thing is certain:  The rules on this original topic  will change by August 2021 (our cruise).  Look how much our personal worlds have changed in the last year.   Here are two things which will likely cause a change in our favor.

   1.  We'll get vaccinated. When we are vaccinated we will get a shot card  (like in the sixties Army) which will say what vaccine and when.  Show that for freedom to roam in most countries.

   2.  An instant Covid-19 test is developed.  No shot card ? line up for a test if you want to roam the destination.  Bon Voyage

Today I received an email from insuremytrip.com telling me that Nationwide has processed my request for a refund and will apply the refund to my credit card.  I had posted above, and like others have indicated, Nationwide has a four-month lag in processing these things.   Thank you insuremytrip. 

On 7/14/2020 at 7:11 AM, 13cheermom said:

So not sure where you purchased your insurance for Nationwide, but we also use the Nationwide plans through insuremytrip over many years now.  When our cruise got cancelled due to Covid-19, I contacted them and asked if it could be transferred to another cruise we had booked for next year.  I was told as long as it was within 18-months of original sailing then they would do it.  I did have to wait several months for the response from Nationwide, but I was fine with the end result.  Might want to reach out  to them and see if this is an option for you.  We have also been very pleased with their coverage and have received payments for port of call changes in the past, so would like to continue doing business with them.  Good Luck!

       Thank you 13cheermom,  I have been trying to get a refund or credit from insuremytrip/Nationwide and today I have hope.  What I learned is that Nationwide is dealing with refund/credit situations with a four month backlog.  Today, they are dealing with early May requests.  That means I should hear something in a few weeks.  Glad to apply the credit to a HAL cruise next July.  Keep trying OP.   

I received an email today.  My 14 day Northern Isles cruise on Statendam has been changed from 6-25 to 7-18 2021 and departs from Amsterdam instead of Copenhagen.  Looks like many changes for that ship, based on a delay in the launching of the Ryndam.  This change works for me, for many reasons.  One, more likely I'll have the vaccine by then.  Also, they added 250 in OBC for my trouble.

We'll cruise again when Dr. Fouci says it's safe.