Cruise Care Insurance for RCCL

[shorbr]

Is it really necessary to buy insurance for your cruise? It seems like it has so many restrictions and seems like it is a waste of money to purchase.

 

No flames please.

[luvscruising2007]

No it is not necessary.

However, many things can happen that cruise insurance will compensate you.

Things happen prior to a cruise that you cannot foresee. Cruise insurance can compensate you.

Medivac is very expensive and again one never knows when you may need this. Lost luggage, trip interruption, the list can go on.

If you can afford to lose your money then don't get insurance. But then don't complain that you didn't get anything from RC because you didn't get insurance.

It is definitely your choice but I would not book a cruise without it.

[tropicbird]

To me the biggest part of the cruise insurance is the medical evacuation, as noted in the previous post. Recall that the hospital care in many of the ports of call are not what one might consider equal to that provided in the United States. Evacuation by private jet to a US hospital can cost $$$$$.

 

Travel insurance is a cheap way to ensure that if something unforeseen happens, you won't go broke trying to get the care that you need.

 

While the cruise lines all offer, and actively sell, travel insurance, it's nearly always cheaper to shop it your self. Recently we bought an Oasis trip for three. TA offered insurance for something like $125 a person. Using a website that can be found by searching for "insure my trip", we got similar coverage for all three of us for $121. That's cheap peace of mind.

[GTO-Girl]

Always get it and pray I never need it!!!!

[Cigar King]

I don't buy insurance. We have very good health insurance, so we're covered on that end. For me the insurance would just be about losing the vacation. By now we have taken enough vacations that I figure we could lose a cruise, and still be ahead of the game. Basically, we're self insured.

 

That being said, right now we're still relatively healthy. At some point that will change and our risk will go up, and I will likely begin to purchase insurance.

 

The point is, everyone should do their own risk assessment, and then decide what, if any, insurance is right for their needs.

[Candleonwater]

I buy insurance because I'm a worrier.

 

I just did a search on 3rd party insurers... there are SO many options, and it made my head hurt reading all of the terms. It does seem like, for what RCCL charges per person, I can insure both of us... one sticky point seems to be limitations due to when insurance was purchased: w/in XX # of days of deposit vs prior to final payment

[shorbr]

I buy insurance because I'm a worrier.

 

I just did a search on 3rd party insurers... there are SO many options, and it made my head hurt reading all of the terms. It does seem like, for what RCCL charges per person, I can insure both of us... one sticky point seems to be limitations due to when insurance was purchased: w/in XX # of days of deposit vs prior to final payment

 

So do you purchase through RCCL? My head hurts too for looking into so many options. I would just like to be able to 'cancel for any reason' because of what we went through on our last cruise during "Sandy". It was rough for one day, but when we arrived it was absolutely beautiful. In hindsight, I would have cancelled with knowing about the arrival of the hurricane.

[Candleonwater]

Actually, I take it ALL back. For my cruise (final payment is tomorrow), Cruise Care is $178 for the 2 of us. The plan through 3rd party..., is $142, not that significant a savings. And I did just notice that 3rd party insurance does NOT offer "cancel for any reason".

 

Fortunately I've never needed to use the insurance, so I don't know really what it covers. Last I recall (someone please set me straight if this has changed) you can cancel for any reason, but only get 75% back, or maybe 75% towards a future cruise?

 

Still sounds better than NO insurance...

 

So do you purchase through RCCL? My head hurts too for looking into so many options. I would just like to be able to 'cancel for any reason' because of what we went through on our last cruise during "Sandy". It was rough for one day, but when we arrived it was absolutely beautiful. In hindsight, I would have cancelled with knowing about the arrival of the hurricane.

[tropicbird]

Remember that even if you have "great medical insurance" that insurance may not work in Jamaica, Honduras, or 250 miles out to sea (it will certainly not in the latter case, your only choice is the shipboard medical office, which does not take insurance, but you might be able to submit for reimbursement later with your home plan, but don't count on it).

 

The one thing your regular insurance is almost certainly NOT going to do is to pay for medical evacuation (i.e. a jet back to the US for treatment). You could easily pay many tens of thousands of dollars for that.... out of your own pocket. A lot to self insure.

 

Just search CC for threads on "cost of medical evacutation" to see real cases with real $$ amounts. Scary. And even if you are perfectly healthy, you can always fall and break something... and they don't set broken bones in the ship's medical office :-)

[emilygrace]

Some friends were on a Med cruise this past September (not on RCL) and one of them fell in their suite and broke her foot while the ship was docked in Monte Carlo. She was taken to the Princess Grace hospital where she remained for 3 weeks (other health issues, had to be stabilized before surgery was allowed, etc). The other friend chose to continue on with the cruise (it was with a group of friends). Travel insurance (3rd party) paid for:

 

her hospital stay (3 weeks), surgery, etc.

flight changes for her traveling companion, since they had post cruise plans that were now changed

a private nurse flown from the US to Monaco to accompany the injured woman back to her home in Hawaii, flying first class because she needed to keep her leg elevated

 

When she finally returned home and saw her doctor (or orthopedist) he said the work on her foot was exactly what he would have done.

 

I'm just relating this story because even if you have the best medical insurance I doubt if it would pay for anything not medically related, like change of flights for the traveling companion, and probably not for the private nurse in attendance on the patient's flight home (Monaco to Hawaii, whew!), in first class!

[fishin' musician]

Typically cruiseline insurance covers only the cruise; third party insurance covers the entire vacation... flights, transfers, hotels, cruise, etc...

[Sea and Me]

I would never leave home without it. I had the experience of using insurance twice. The first was on the way to Hawaii when I got dehydrated and needed to go to the medical center. I spent 2 1/2 hrs. there on an I.V. My medical insurance is a great plan however, since we were in International waters it didn't pay a dime!! Once we were home I had to submit a claim to my medical insurance provider and they refused it. Then I submitted it to my travel insurance provider and they paid the full amount $546.00 without hesitation!!!!

Even if your healthy you just never know what will happen. As I said I wouldn't leave home without it!!

Carol

[LadeeBug100]

If you book a cruise using a next cruise certificate and purchase 3rd party insurance, which date should you use for initial trip payment?

 

The date the NC was purchased or the date you actually booked the cruise?

 

I know when you make your reservation RCCL uses the NC date as your booking date.

Has anyone had any experience in this situation?

[tropicbird]

>>If you book a cruise using a next cruise certificate and purchase 3rd party insurance, which date should you use for initial trip payment?

 

The date you book the cruise and apply a deposit to that booking.

[fleckle]

Is it really necessary to buy insurance for your cruise? It seems like it has so many restrictions and seems like it is a waste of money to purchase.

There is not a "one size fits all" answer to this question.

 

For some people buying additional travel insurance would be throwing away money because it would only duplicate insurance coverage that they already have from other sources.

 

For those who have no other coverage, purchasing travel insurance really is necessary, unless you are in the income bracket of a Bill Gates or Warren Buffett.

Unknown possible expenses for emergency medical care and/or air evacuation could be devastating to many without insurance coverage, even if they are willing to risk losing the cost of the cruise.

 

 

The standard advice is to check to see what insurance coverage you already have before deciding whether or not you need to buy more.

For example, in the USA those on regular Medicare alone are not covered when traveling outside the country.

But millions of American seniors have Medicare Advantage plans that do include emergency medical treatment and air evacuation when traveling abroad.

 

[shorbr]

Many years ago I was booked for a cruise in the month of December. Five months prior to the cruise I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I figured I could still go and my last chemo treatment was scheduled for the week that I was supposed to be away. Just thought I could go on the cruise and have the chemo a week later. So in my mind I thought that I could still fit in the cruise in my schedule. My surgical oncologist said it would not be a problem, but the medical oncologist was totally against me going. I was devastated, not because of losing money, but because I really wanted to go, thinking it would be my last cruise. Oncologist told me there would be future cruises...and she was right...there has been.

 

I had insurance, but just counted it as a loss since it was so close to the date.

 

I thought I would give RCCL a call knowing that I could not get any kind of refund. Would you believe it, they refunded my entire package???

 

Yes, I love RCCL, but my husband is the one who thinks it is a waste of money. I just wanted to know where I could purchase insurance for "cancel for any reason" since the Cruise Care insurance I purchased from RCCL doesn't seem to have this option.

[3some]

Yes, I love RCCL, but my husband is the one who thinks it is a waste of money. I just wanted to know where I could purchase insurance for "cancel for any reason" since the Cruise Care insurance I purchased from RCCL doesn't seem to have this option.

 

RCCL does include "cancel for any reason". The insurer (Berkley) will refund 75% of the cruise non-refundable cost. I always get this insurance with RCI and Celebrity and had to use it in 2011. My SO, who owns a business, had to cancel a week before our cruise for business reasons. Since we were traveling with another couple, I went without him, so just his fare was refunded.

[Clarea]

RCCL does include "cancel for any reason". The insurer (Berkley) will refund 75% of the cruise non-refundable cost. I always get this insurance with RCI and Celebrity and had to use it in 2011. My SO, who owns a business, had to cancel a week before our cruise for business reasons. Since we were traveling with another couple, I went without him, so just his fare was refunded.

I thought this was a credit for a future cruise, not an actual cash refund.

[linkerbink]

Back in 2002, a few weeks prior to a cruise to Alaska our mother was hospitalized and was not able to cruise. She lived with me so we (sister and I) cancelled as well. Fortunately, we had insurance and our fare was refunded in full. Imagine...3 people in a balcony cabin to Alaska = $$$! We ALWAYS get the insurance!

[FLACRUISER99]

Typically cruiseline insurance covers only the cruise; third party insurance covers the entire vacation... flights' date=' transfers, hotels, cruise, etc...[/quote'] RCI Cruise care covers flights even if they art independently booked! See page three http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/RCICruiseCare.pdf

[3dog]

The point is, everyone should do their own risk assessment, and then decide what, if any, insurance is right for their needs.

 

This is the best piece of advice here: what do you have to loose, and is it worth insuring (keep in mind, the cost may be more than just canceling a cruise). I suspect many (if not all) of us have uninsured motorists insurance on their policy, and it is doubtful that most of us will use it. So is it wasted money? Yes, if you never use it, but no if you ever needed it. We believe the cost of not having it justifies the premium.

 

Being in good health myself, in some cases I am willing to self-insure for medical situations, and eat the cost of the cruise should I need to cancel if the cost is on the lower side (sort of a subjective number) and if it is primarily domestic travel. But for long travel and/or expensive trips, I usually consider and acquire travel insurance (though, I almost always use independent insurers, as I can tailor the coverage to what I think I need, and is always cheaper than what the cruise line offers - not to mention that it will include air travel).

[north29]

I just pickup for my family some trip insurance that will help me get home alive or dead, also pays for spouse travel as well and help with my medical needs/assistance, for $109 dollar a year. My health insurance covers me for 80% of my medical needs/assistance, but getting us home from a long trip from any where in the world, would be super expensive. For shorter trips/cruises this is worth the price, and not buy trip insurance. I would still get regular trip insurance for long trips especially in foreign countries. Even a short cruise in the Bahamas, and with a accident/medical issue, and getting home, without trip insurance would be expensive depending on the medical condition.

[cruiselvr04]

Always get insurance for the evac alone. We are healthy but that doesn't mean you can't have an accident. We have seen a lot, mostly older folks, but also a 16 year old who broke his femur on the sports court. Can not imagine that evac cost! I buy through trip advisor and get just enough to cover say 250,000 for evac. Less then 10% of cost of trip gives us peace of mind. Hope we never use it!

[Kellie Poodle]

You can purchase stand-alone medical evacuation insurance from MedJet Assist. If you are an AARP member, there is a discount.

 

The difference between MedJet Assist and the insurance companies is that your doctor and the treating doctor agree on the need for you to be at the hospital at home.

 

The insurance companies are not always agreeable about evacuation. In our case, though the insurance company had admitted the need to get my DH to a more competent hospital, they refused to do it. The insurance company's medical decisions were made by a paramedic on their payroll. Their bottom line is very important to them. Insurance companies are not philanthropists!

 

I still purchase travel insurance, but I have a MedJet Assist policy on top of it, just in case. This suits our situation.

[3some]

I thought this was a credit for a future cruise, not an actual cash refund.

 

That's what the documentation says and what I expected, but here is the email I got:

 

Please note that we have completed our review of the Trip Cancellation claim for xxxxxxxx.

 

Within the next 2 business days a check will be mailed, along with any applicable explanation of payment, to the address provided with your claim information.

 

Sincerely,

Berkely