Early Saver/Travel Insurance

[IAMCRZIN]

If i book early saver and have travel insurance and have to cancel for any reason AFTER final payment what happens to my deposit???

[kwagmyre]

After final payment, there is no more "deposit", there is only your total cruise fare, regardless of how you booked. If you then cancel, you are subject to the standard cancellation penalties, which get worse closer to the sail date.

 

The travel insurance is separate from all this. After you cancel, you would then have to provide whatever documentation for whatever reason for whatever portion they would be refunding to you.

[IAMCRZIN]

So if i have insurance and i have to cancel for weather reasons and i have made my final payment i should get my money back after providing insurance with proper documentation regardless of how i booked?? Is that correct??

[Herfnerd]

Depends on whether the reason for the cancellation is covered under your policy, but in general - yes.

[Ken076]

So if i have insurance and i have to cancel for weather reasons and i have made my final payment i should get my money back after providing insurance with proper documentation regardless of how i booked?? Is that correct??

 

the Long Answer!

 

Canceling After final payment deadline (no matter how you booked - ES, Past Guest.....) you're subject to the penalties indicated in the Cruise contract, which increase to 100% the closer to sailaway that you cancel. At that point you will have paid for the cruise in full and Carnival would keep the penalty amount and Carnival would refund to you any excess above the amount of the penalty.

 

Each Travel Insurance Policy lists the specific reasons that you can Cancel and be reimbursed - you need to be aware of these and meet them. If you meet the cancellation reasons then you'll file a claim with the insurer and hopefully be reimbursed (by the Insurer). WRT weather - you need to carefully read the Policy's weather cancellation coverage - some only cover weather cancellation for instance in the event of a NOAA warning 48 hours prior to sailaway, or if Weather prevented you fromreaching the Port for departure, etc. Generally you can't cancel "because you're concerned about or afraid of the weather". [the Carnival Policy's Weather Cancellation Policy: If National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issues a Severe Weather Warning or Watch enroute to, or at, the port of embarkation within 48 hours of your scheduled departure; or the airline, bus, train or cruise ship is delayed due to inclement weather which prevents you from reaching your port of embarkation and this delay causes you to miss more than 50% of your cruise vacation.]

 

You can purchase "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage usually at a 50% added premium, but you have to carefully check the Policy wording as most don't cover 100% (usually 50% to 80%), some cover a decreasing percentage the closer to sailaway that you book, and some you can only cancel up to xx hours before sailaway. Carnival Policy (not the best for Medical and Emergency Evac coverage, though) includes a 75% "Cancel for Any Reason" but this is a future Cruise CREDIT - not a REFUND.

 

Regardless of insurance, Carnival itself will refund your prepaid "Govt Fees and Taxes" if you don't sail.

 

If you're in the process of choosing a Policy, you might want to carefully read the different Policies for the one that satisfies your specific concerns.

You may want to look at "Cancel for Any Reason" but carefully check & understand the percentage coverage "restrictions". You can also limit your "risk" by flying early the preceding day and/or choosing straight-through flights with no connections.

 

ken

[thephantomsgirl]

There are many sites to look at travel insurance like Insuremytrip.com or The Trip Insurance store. I like the Trip Insurance Store as you can actually call and tell them what are your concerns and criteria and they'll help you figure out what policy or policies work best.

 

Remember, for CFAR (cancel for any reason) insurance there are time limits as to how far after your initial trip deposit you can add it. The one I am going to pick for the cruise I just booked is 21 days.

 

Also you will want to consider what the look back periods for pre-existing conditions if that is a concern. The one I am going to purchase is 60 days. Which is important to me as I had an ER visit in the beginning of June. So I will make sure I purchase before my 21 days is up, but AFTER a date for the 60 day period.

[Ken076]

There are many sites to look at travel insurance like Insuremytrip.com or The Trip Insurance store. I like the Trip Insurance Store as you can actually call and tell them what are your concerns and criteria and they'll help you figure out what policy or policies work best.

 

Remember, for CFAR (cancel for any reason) insurance there are time limits as to how far after your initial trip deposit you can add it. The one I am going to pick for the cruise I just booked is 21 days.

 

Also you will want to consider what the look back periods for pre-existing conditions if that is a concern. The one I am going to purchase is 60 days. Which is important to me as I had an ER visit in the beginning of June. So I will make sure I purchase before my 21 days is up, but AFTER a date for the 60 day period.

 

If your Policy also offers "Waiver of Pre-Existing conditions" then purchasing within the required (14-21) days to get "Waiver of pre-existing conditions" then there's no look back period and your ER visit is immaterial. ken

[IAMCRZIN]

the Long Answer!

 

Canceling After final payment deadline (no matter how you booked - ES, Past Guest.....) you're subject to the penalties indicated in the Cruise contract, which increase to 100% the closer to sailaway that you cancel. At that point you will have paid for the cruise in full and Carnival would keep the penalty amount and Carnival would refund to you any excess above the amount of the penalty.

 

Each Travel Insurance Policy lists the specific reasons that you can Cancel and be reimbursed - you need to be aware of these and meet them. If you meet the cancellation reasons then you'll file a claim with the insurer and hopefully be reimbursed (by the Insurer). WRT weather - you need to carefully read the Policy's weather cancellation coverage - some only cover weather cancellation for instance in the event of a NOAA warning 48 hours prior to sailaway, or if Weather prevented you fromreaching the Port for departure, etc. Generally you can't cancel "because you're concerned about or afraid of the weather". [the Carnival Policy's Weather Cancellation Policy: If National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issues a Severe Weather Warning or Watch enroute to, or at, the port of embarkation within 48 hours of your scheduled departure; or the airline, bus, train or cruise ship is delayed due to inclement weather which prevents you from reaching your port of embarkation and this delay causes you to miss more than 50% of your cruise vacation.]

 

You can purchase "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage usually at a 50% added premium, but you have to carefully check the Policy wording as most don't cover 100% (usually 50% to 80%), some cover a decreasing percentage the closer to sailaway that you book, and some you can only cancel up to xx hours before sailaway. Carnival Policy (not the best for Medical and Emergency Evac coverage, though) includes a 75% "Cancel for Any Reason" but this is a future Cruise CREDIT - not a REFUND.

 

Regardless of insurance, Carnival itself will refund your prepaid "Govt Fees and Taxes" if you don't sail.

 

If you're in the process of choosing a Policy, you might want to carefully read the different Policies for the one that satisfies your specific concerns.

You may want to look at "Cancel for Any Reason" but carefully check & understand the percentage coverage "restrictions". You can also limit your "risk" by flying early the preceding day and/or choosing straight-through flights with no connections.

 

ken

 

Ken...Thanks for this explanation....i understand it better than anything i have read about insurance!!

 

Yes i am in the process of choosing a policy also....there is no flights...we would be driving to the port city the day before and that is why i was concerned about the weather...in Texas the weather is so unpredictable! Especially in January!

 

Thanks everyone for your response!!

[Ken076]

Ken...Thanks for this explanation....i understand it better than anything i have read about insurance!!

 

Yes i am in the process of choosing a policy also....there is no flights...we would be driving to the port city the day before and that is why i was concerned about the weather...in Texas the weather is so unpredictable! Especially in January!

 

Thanks everyone for your response!!

 

If you're driving and the day before, you've pretty much limited your risk. Especially If you're "younger" you can get a much less expensive and higher coverages than Carnival's Policy. If you're taking kids, I'd look at one of the Policies that covers kids free with Adults (TravelInsured and TravelEx and....). If you're "Military qualified" you can get a slightly better deal on TravelInsured via USAA. ken