cruisine21

On 7/20/2023 at 8:43 PM, roaming_kiwi58 said:

 

For many years I used Southern Cross for insurance for my husband and myself, for many land tours and cruises all over the world. Over the years we claimed 3 times – once for a broken camera, once when my husband became ill in Poland and once for travel delay expenses when American Airlines cancelled our flight from Puerto Rico to Dallas and left us stranded in San Juan for three days. No complaints with SC handling of any of the claims, happy with cost of premiums.

 

IWe thought this was appalling. You buy insurance to cover the unexpected, but when the unexpected happens the insurance company removes all your cover!? What is the point of buying the insurance? I cancelled the Southern Cross policy altogether – had to pay a $35 admin fee.

 

If Southern Cross cancelled the policy they should be giving you a refund. I would be lodging a complaint and taking it further.

19 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Although I haven't done this as an excursion I have driven that route privately. The scenery is stunning. You will probably get a chance to take some photos of Milford Sound on the way in and from where the tender drops you off. And you'll probably get plenty of photo opportunities along the way. Queenstown is a lovely lakeside town and a trip on the Earnslaw is always fun. The drive from Queenstown to Dunedin is also lovely. It's an expensive excursion but do it if you can, you'll see much more of the beautiful NZ countryside that you would on the scenic cruising.

We have just driven from Dunedin to Cromwell to Queenstown. We are staying in the Central Park Apartments in Cromwell. They are next door to the Highlands Motorsports. I highly recommend a visit including the ‘Loo with a view’. Also the Transport and Toy Museum in Wanaka is the best car, toys and plane exhibition we have ever seen. We arrived back from having lunch in Queenstown today the owner of our apartment had taken our washing out of the dryer and put in our room and turned the heater on. You can’t get much better service than that.

Unfortunately with Qantas unless your 

condition is covered under the list of ‘Automatically Covered Pre existing Medical Conditions’ you can get cover. A few of my conditions aren’t on the list’.

I’ve been waiting for 7 months on a refund from Holland America. The travel agent I used is blaming the wholesaler for the delay.

Years ago when we cruised into Wellington we did a ships tour to a sheep property.

59 minutes ago, Jean C said:

Hahaha, I nearly always get the pat down 🥴

Same here

We went to Norfolk Island in May. My daughter did our family tree and found out we were a First Fleeter. My relative Ann Forbes spent 3 years on Norfolk Island as a convict. She was the oldest surviving First Fleeter. A 750 page book ‘Transported to Paradise’ was written on her. 
We are going back in March next year for 10 days for First Fleeters Week.

1 minute ago, Galesa said:

Quite happy to hold that risk, however, for pre-travel cover. I'm very confident these conditions will not impact our ability to travel. It's being stranded in Africa that's the worrying aspect of travelling without EMC cover.

The problem is insurance companies will go to extreme lengths not to pay out on a claim.

2 hours ago, Galesa said:

Choice now is to risk not having cover for those conditions or obtain expensive TI from Covermore. At least we're covered for now. Probably need full cover for SAfrica. 

You could alway use the Westpac Insurance for yourself and see if 1Cover and Insure and Go will cover your wife.

We used rental car protection.com.au for Norfolk Island in May but it looks it’s looks like they have gone out of business now.

That could have been a serious issue if we had an accident

We have just booked with Economy Car Rentals for 2 weeks in NZ. We have used them quite a few times without any issues

On 7/1/2023 at 4:08 PM, Patois said:

I certainly agree with Galesa it is a real pain. I would like to know when a pre existing condition no longer becomes pre existing. I also have suffered from Angina but my cardiologist now reckons I am a much lower risk after treatment than I was before but all insurance companies still charge extra regardless of any medical opinion. I won't even start to on about the total rip off that domestic travel insurance is.

 

I’ve found Domestic TI to Norfolk Island to be just as expensive as international even though it doesn’t cover medical while on the island.

On 7/1/2023 at 4:08 PM, Patois said:

I certainly agree with Galesa it is a real pain. I would like to know when a pre existing condition no longer becomes pre existing. I also have suffered from Angina but my cardiologist now reckons I am a much lower risk after treatment than I was before but all insurance companies still charge extra regardless of any medical opinion. I won't even start to on about the total rip off that domestic travel insurance is.

 

9 hours ago, sanne said:

Good to hear you’ve managed to find TI that suits you. Unfortunately iCover doesn’t cover over 80 year olds. 

The Westpac TI only covers up until 81.

Thanks everyone. I’m covered by the Westpac Altitude Black Card if I end up cancelling if I get Covid before traveling. I ended up going with 1Cover because they covered all my pre-existing conditions. It makes it very difficult as we get older,

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

ANZ use Allianz, before that QBE. 
Allianz I found rather tough, knocked me back several times. Last cruise, I used NRMA they use Covermore.

Westpac use Allianz as well.

I’ve just been on the online chat with 1Cover. I’m borderline Osteopenia/Osteopenia. 1Cover won’t say they are not medically trained so can’t give advice.

14 hours ago, Hogbay said:

 

Declined before you even travel, insurance companies are in the business of rejecting claims 🙄. We don't trust card insurance . 

My sister uses Westpac Altitude Black and had to claim when she was sick and had to reschedule her flight without any issue.

10 minutes ago, possum52 said:

Yes they will, but the insurance company has the final say and if they won't cover you, that's it. 

And I’m not seeing a specialist for that condition

15 minutes ago, FeebeeH said:

The reciprocal agreement would possibly cover the health care, but wouldn't cover any expenses such as cancellation of the trip, accommodation costs, changing flight bookings etc. if you had to cancel your trip due to any recurrence of known medical conditions.  Last year I contacted my travel insurance to let them know I had to have an abscessed tooth removed 5 days before flying over to NZ for a 5 day holiday, but I was on antibiotics & the treating dentist advised I would be ok to travel with the antibiotics & pain medication (panadol, neurofen).  The travel insurance rep told me if I went ahead with the holiday although I would be covered for health treatment in NZ (reciprocal rights) I wouldn't be covered for any of the items mentioned above if I cancelled whilst in NZ.  She strongly suggested that I cancel the trip beforehand & I'd get my full refund.  I didn't (the toothache settled down 2 days before my trip) and we had a wonderful time.  I've now booked a different insurer for my February 2024 trip...and had quotes from some insurers not covering me for pre-existing medical conditions (not serious ones).  Found one that would but have to pay more to be covered.  Are you able to cancel & get refund of your insurance & shop around for one that will cover you..?

It’s credit card insurance so I haven’t paid the medical premium. I didn’t pay for my husband because i prefer that we are in the one policy

None of the conditions are serious

We are doing a land holiday to New Zealand. I disclosed my pre existing medical conditions to Westpac Altitude Black insurance - Allianz but they will only cover my husbands conditions but not mine.  I rang Allianz but they couldn’t tell me what condition was declined.

We have just booked out first cruise since Covid  Royal Carribean Brilliance of the Seas Blue Suede Cruise in November. We have never done a music cruise before but love Rock N’ Roll. I found out about it from Issi Dye.

News is that the cabin was guttered

A fire started on decks 10 and 11 at 3:30am in the morning. The ship is near Batemans Bay. Apparently everyone is ok.