howmuch!

Ah Ok, a man after my own heart - fail to prepare, be prepared to fail - or words to that effect.

Have a good trip when you eventually go.

Jim - it sounds like you have booked and are about to leave shortly. Or are you just doing some ground work in case temptation gets the better of you?

We did the west side staycation in Aug last year. Tours for us, Belfast, Glasgow and Snowdonia were excellent and quite cheap (£25/30 each). They were all afternoon trips (probably as we booked the cruise last minute). The Snowdonia one from Holyhead was unfortunately not Covid safe in my opinion. We assembled in Broadway lounge for 45 mins as tenders to shore were running behind schedule. Although bus seats had been pre-marked for social distancing, passengers sat where they liked. On the return to ship (late due to late start), bike tour bikes filled one tender, and so every seat on our tender was filled, and more!

9 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

Thanks howmuch - I had a feeling that would be their response. I have written to them anyway so will update you with any reply.

We had 14n booked for Jan 4th, but on the strength of LV and Marella responses, and then Omicron struck, we changed to a land holiday in April, while we had the option.

5 hours ago, paulatsea said:

Does anyone know what Marella policy is on covering offloading costs ? Wrong forum I know but can’t find anything - think i will write to them .

Thanks 

Paul - I tried via 'chat' back in November, and received the following responses from Marella/Tui -

Me -  We have a cruise booked for January, and I would like to know - in the event that myself or my wife tested positive during the cruise, and were disembarked into a quarantine hotel on shore, what assistance will Marella give. 

I have been made aware that even comprehensive insurance will not cover costs for the ‘non-positive' person who tests negative.

Agent says - Hi Mike, I will just get the information we currently have.

Me - I'm aware this senario has happened on at least one cruise in the Med this autumn. RCL, Celebrity and some other lines have stated no passenger will suffer financially, which presumably means they will cover costs not picked up by your insurance

Agent says - Thank you for waiting Mike. I have had a look and been advised the following:  Costs for such an event would not be covered by TUI. This is an insurance matter and different travel insurance providers offer different things so we would be unable to comment.

Me - Have Marella actually examined their recommended Insurers cover for such an event? I thought that my LV cover was adequate until I posed the question. From postings on Cruise critic P&O thread, many major insurers aren't covering this. Hence some cruise lines stepping in.

Agent says -Unfortunately we wouldn’t be able to comment on other companies. Marella wouldn’t cover the cost it would be the insurance company that you would need to speak to if this was too happen whilst on board the ship.

Me - Can you confirm that if I purchased the insurance from you, that we would be covered. The cover that is available when you book a cruise

Agent says - You would need to read through the booking terms and conditions for the Insurance as this will advise what is covered in the cover you was looking too book.

Me - Cruise with Confidence doesn't ring true based on what you have told me. Can I have a copy of the chat please

17 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

Yes it is confusing. It is not well written.

It should have been written by Megabear2 for clarity

This would be my advice -

When I looked at 2 weeks on ship vs 1 week cruise and 1 week AI stay for January the price difference was quite small, and the AI drinks and service in a hotel doesn't compare to ship. I would do 2 weeks B2B on the Explorer, or possibly a hotel stay before the cruise to avoid that 'let down' feeling when in hotel after a cruise

Perhaps someone has complained having used such a cabin and had difficulties.

I imagine there is a 'spectrum' of needs amongst disabled passengers, and the cabin isn't able to meet everyone's requirements

7 hours ago, johnnylikely said:

I have LV travel insurance- I'm not up to date with their Corona cover etc 

But the couple of times I needed to claim (gran passing, missed ports etc), they paid out without question. Better than AIG who didn't classify my aunt's death as 'family'!

We have been with LV for several years (excluding 20/21), and have also had an excellent claims experience. When my wife developed a bad chest infection (which started on a sea day, otherwise we would have been ashore looking for medication), Marella medics managed to run up an £1800 bill on-board in 2 days, and LV paid directly to them without quibble. They have also paid for missed ports on 2 occasions, so I was quite surprised when I queried the position regarding Quarantine hotels, but it seems to be the position for most insurers.

7 hours ago, Brummijam said:

Is the Explorer doing the Canary’s cruise still carrying out lateral flow testing the night before embarkation?

According to the website, the 9pm LFT is still a requirement for cruises

11 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

If the on board quarantine system is effective, why should it bother any port of call how many passengers are there?

I agree, but its happening to some ships in the Caribbean this season.

On 1/29/2022 at 11:05 AM, paulatsea said:

I have the max amount of premium bonds - over the last 2 years I have had 1.5% return. 
still waiting for the big one.

I did wonder who was collecting my share 🤣 So much for levelling up 

Presumably it has 2 benefits to the cruise line -

1. Less chance of Covid spreading further on board

2. Less chance of being denied entry to ports as infection rates are lower

9 hours ago, seapals2 said:

Mostly the passengers, from what I’ve been reading, that have gone into isolation/quarantine have had no serious symptoms.  Often saying no symptoms at all so in a way a different situation to what has happened in the past when passengers have been taken ill and often needed hospital care.

I think this is the crux of the matter for Insurance cover - which part of the policy is appropriate when medical intervention may not be required, even for the person testing posative, when isolation costs can be a few thousand pounds.

After a number of questions posed by myself to the underwriters, LV have responded with - 

There is no specific provision for Quarantine Hotel costs under our policies.

There are areas of the policy - Curtailment and Cancellation - that may provide some re-imbursement of financial outlay, but this is unlikely to cover all expenses if quarantined as far as I can tell.

If I am reading this correctly. the section below, taken from the Spanish Protocol - Health Measures for restarting Cruises appears to confirm, that all cruise lines should provide full care costs including repatriation, via an insurance policy purchased by the cruise company, not the passenger - 

HEALTH CARE COVERAGE GUARANTEE

In case of an event on board, all the derived costs must be covered by the shipping company by subscribing an insurance policy that includes agreements with health centers and other established establishments in which to accommodate the people who need it.

Before the start of the cruise, operators should ensure that this requirement can be met in all the Spanish ports on the itinerary. At least:

1. Agreements with healthcare facilities and other establishments on land, including:

a. All the needs of patients diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as their adequate treatment and follow-up: • In health centers (both conventional health care facilities and intensive care with mechanical ventilation if necessary). • In establishments (hotel rooms or apartments for single / double use with their own bathroom on a full board basis).

b. The quarantine of contacts in suitable arranged facilities on a full board basis, including maintenance, follow-up and medical assistance if necessary.

The healthcare facilities and accommodation arranged for health care and isolation of cases, as well as for the quarantine of close contacts, must be adequate for this purpose, having planned a sufficient number depending on the number of people on board.

2. Carrying out confirmatory tests on the cases and contacts that are necessary.

3. All possible transfers that may occur, including those made from the ship to the health care center or to the agreed establishment, from the accommodation or hospital to the ship, from the ship to the airport and air transfers.

4. The repatriation of patients / corpses, as well as any necessary crew changes.

If you booked online, your luggage labels are usually available about 3 days before sailing to print off (or they were last August). As we booked less than 2 weeks before sailing, we couldn't choose a cabin, but to my surprise, the cabin number was already allocated when we printed the luggage labels - so we new before setting off from home which cabin we were in.

You will have luggage labels from the airline, attached on check-in, so I would save your own paper labels until you retrieve your luggage in the Canaries, and put them on before boarding the transfer bus. Otherwise paper labels will probably disappear during baggage handling

I agree that prices are higher since Covid struck, particularly in Med.

Oct 22 14n start at £1750 for an inside cabin. Previously never paid more than £100/night, and generally less.

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

How much! I will forward this to FCA as an additional reply about LV confusion.  I've also included the text of Teddy123's next post as it seems very relevant.

 

It would appear LV have a rather difficult policy to understand and also their customer service doesn't understand it fully in light of three different individuals receiving three different takes on the policy.

Thank you Megabear your efforts are really appreciated. 

I have just received a response to my second set of questions from LV insurance - 

Dear *****

Answers for your additional questions

 Q1.The cost of quarantine hotels and food, exceed the £!50/day ‘confinement’ benefit by quite a margin. As Covid 19 is an illness, that could be serious for people with underlying health conditions, are all the costs expended by the ‘positive’ person, covered in full by the Medical Section D?

1. The £150 Cabin Confinement is per person. It is a benefit aimed at compensating Cruise customers should they need to stay in their cabin for a period of time due to illness. In the circumstance where this confinement is carried out “off shore” we would still look to pay this benefit.  It is not therefore a benefit aimed at covering costs of quarantine hotel. There is no specific provision for Quarantine Hotel costs under our policies. For customers who are ill and require medical treatment (either whilst in the Quarantine Hotel or in a medical facility) medical expenses are covered by Section D.  E.g medicines, consultation with a doctor, or hospital treatment

Q2. In order to be released from quarantine, supervised PCR and/or lateral flow tests are required. Are these expenses covered by the Medical Section D?

2. There is no provision for the costs of testing within the Travel policy. Costs of testing (pre-departure, post departure or during a period of isolation) are not covered.

I haven't heard anything, but as none of their economies rely heavily on tourism (unlike Spain), they have sometimes denied docking full stop, to avoid spreading the virus.

TUi probably have a price model called ' The customer never wins unless we are desperate for revenue'

I believe its Saga that give the difference back, which I think it's because early bookers get the lowest prices, whereas its the opposite with Tui (in normal times)

LV underwriters have been busy. This is the response I received this afternoon from them- 

Q1. Since taking out the policy, I have been trying to confirm the exact cover provided for cruise passengers, and the sections of the policy that provides this cover, when one passenger tests positive for Covid 19, and their partner tests negative, but being a close contact is also isolated on board, and then if both people are disembarked and placed into separate rooms in a quarantine hotel, as I believe the associated costs could exceed £2000 each.

If you need to isolate on board the ship, OR if you are ordered to quarantine on land (Section N Part 4)

1.       If you have an Essential policy: We’ll pay you £100 for each 24 hour period, up to a maximum £1,000 in total, that you have to stay in your cabin on the orders of the medical officer of the cruise vessel.

2.       If you have a Premier policy: We’ll pay you £150 for each 24 hour period, up to a maximum £1,500 in total, that you have to stay in your cabin on the orders of the medical officer of the cruise vessel.

Q2. I received verbal confirmation by telephone that, with an Essential policy, the negative passenger would not be covered at all, but upgrading to a Premier policy would provide £1000 cover through the ‘Additional Transport and Accommodation section of the policy, so I upgraded the policy, at a cost of £75.

Section N Part 4 above covers the person who has tested positive and/or a person of close contact following orders of the medical officer of the cruise vessel to isolate in the cabin or, if necessary, disembark and quarantine in a hotel on land. If an additional traveller is not ordered to isolate or quarantine, no cover is provided under Section N however Section C for Curtailment can be used. This means if you were ordered to disembark the ship for a quarantine hotel, your spouse is covered to claim for lost holiday costs if she also disembarks. This is paid for each full 24 hour period lost.

Section K for additional transport and accommodation provides £1,000 cover if you are forced to stay longer at your destination following a quarantine period and your pre-booked transport could not be rescheduled.  

I have followed this up with a couple more questions - 

1. The cost of quarantine hotels and food, exceed the £!50/day ‘confinement’ benefit by quite a margin. As Covid 19 is an illness, that could be serious for people with underlying health conditions, are all the costs expended by the ‘positive’ person, covered in full by the Medical Section D? 
2. In order to be released from quarantine, supervised PCR and/or lateral flow tests are required. Are these expenses covered by the Medical Section D?

Explorer 2 acting as isolation ship perhaps??

Looking at the problem from a different direction, the experience of people who have been in the unfortunate position of being debarked from a cruise, and how they went on financially, would be extremely useful. There have been many passengers in that position who sailed with Marella in the past couple of months, but hardly anyone is posting on that thread, and my attempts to find information via Face-ache has also yielded very little.

Has anyone else found anything in this respect.

LV seem to be at odds with that approach, as annual policy holders do not need to inform LV of health changes until renewal. Regarding 'negative passengers and cover - 

I've lodged a complaint with LV, based upon the email received by 'Carpgirl' from LV showing that 'negative' passengers were covered for quarantine costs, which is the opposite to what LV had previously told me by telephone on 2 occasions.

When they clarify their position on this to me in writing, I'll provide an update