Cruise Insurance Well Worth It!

[Annefran]

Hi, just thought I would share my success story with having cruise insurance. My sister & I were booked on the Independence of the Seas this January 2013. Thank goodness we took the insurance because my sister became ill with diverticulitis a week before the cruise and we had to cancel. RCI was very accommodating and refunded all the pre-paid tips, excursions, soda/water packages etc to my credit card within a few days of cancellation. I submitted the paperwork along with my sister's doctor note to Barkley Insurance and got word today they will issuing us our checks within the next 2 business days. It took about a month for everything to go through. Lesson learned (at least for me) I will ALWAYS take the insurance, you just never know what life has planned for you. Happy Cruising!

[psupa]

Anne, so glad it worked out for you. Did you take the insurance with RCI.

 

Theresa

[LBumb]

never known when you will need it

[linkerbink]

I agree....we had to use our RCI insurance in 2002 when we had to cancel just weeks before our Alaska cruise because one of the members of our party (Mother) was hospitalized. The service was great and we got all our money back except, of course, for the cost of the insurance. Worth every penny!

[rednancy1]

We don't leave home without it.:)

[critterchick]

We don't leave home without it.:)

 

Sometimes we do.:p;)

[knittinggirl]

We had to cancel our very first cruise when DH broke his hip. We'd bought the insurance, and everything was covered!

[JM-1972]

I was really surprised to read that alot of people don't have insurance. I would never think about going on holiday without travel insurance. I know alot of you travel from a US port and return to a US port but what happens if you become ill on the ship and need medical treatment. I would imagine if you are evacuated by helicopter it is very expensive.

 

We travel in Europe where under the EU we can get free medical treatment under reciprical arrangements if we carry a EHIC card but we would still not travel without insurance.

 

We had to use our insurance when my husband needed an emergency eye operation on one of the Canary Islands. The hospital was over 1 hour drive from our hotel and my husband had to visit it twice by taxi, all the cost of this was covered by our insurance. They could not operate on the island and said we had to go to another island or go home asap. We decided to go home. We contacted our insurance company who organised an overnight stay on our journey home and flights home as they could not get a direct flight to our home. The insurance company covered all our costs including telephone calls and refunded us the 10 nights we lost of our remaining holiday.

 

I would never travel without insurance.

[Ladysilver]

Good for you! We always take the insurance. Like you, we needed it once and were SO glad we had it. We didn't loose a dime. :D

[Annefran]

Anne, so glad it worked out for you. Did you take the insurance with RCI.

 

Theresa

 

Yes Theresa we bought the insurance through RCI. This was the first time I ever had to cancel a cruise let alone a vacation. Extremely happy we did have insurance. A friend was booked on a cruise around the holidays a couple years ago when that huge blizzard hit the East Coast. He couldn't get out of his street because it tooks several days for the plows. They missed their flight and cruise, sadly they didn't have insurance and lost everything. He told me from now on they buy the insurance. You just never know!

[Annefran]

So glad you all had positive experiences also. Happy Cruising! :D;)

[rrodriquez2]

many world elite mastercards provide this service for free along with medical coverage. I've never had to use it but have had our lawyer look at it and it's free (part of the annual fee) and comprehensive.

[Esmerelda]

I'm so glad it all worked out. We have yet to cruise without insurance. Only had to file one claim (delay in luggage) in 9 cruises and had absolutely no problem.

 

You get it for the 'unexpected'.... Anything can happen at anytime.

 

I do hope your sister is feeling much better. Diverticulitis can be so nasty.

[Annefran]

I'm so glad it all worked out. We have yet to cruise without insurance. Only had to file one claim (delay in luggage) in 9 cruises and had absolutely no problem.

 

You get it for the 'unexpected'.... Anything can happen at anytime.

 

I do hope your sister is feeling much better. Diverticulitis can be so nasty.

 

Thaks Esmerelda she's doing much better now. Nothing worse than being on vacation and not feeling well.

[Annefran]

Just a quick follow up: we received our refund checks this past Friday from Berkley Cruise Insurance. It took about a month plus for all the paperwork to be reviewed and for us to get our refund checks. Not bad. See the system does work cruisers!!! Happy Cruising!!! :D

[George C]

I have done over 50 cruises without insurance, very lucky for me I never had a issue, but almost missed a recent cruise because of a bad back, will now get insurance.

[TravelingAPor]

I feel so much better after reading this post. I have cruised a few times before but never bought cruise insurance. This cruise is long and in Europe and I just purchased the cruise Insurance. I kept going back and forth. Buy it or save the cash.;) I spent the cash and hope I never use it.

[Annefran]

I feel so much better after reading this post. I have cruised a few times before but never bought cruise insurance. This cruise is long and in Europe and I just purchased the cruise Insurance. I kept going back and forth. Buy it or save the cash.;) I spent the cash and hope I never use it.

 

 

We will NEVER EVER cruise without it. Good choice! We got every cent back with the exception of the price of the cruise insurance. To me it's a no brainer. We have cruised for years and never had an issue. You just never know. Happy Cruising!

[tinatark]

Good to hear of your positive experience! I am making a claim right now for the cruise we had to cancel due to my mother in law's critical illness (she passed away on what would have been the Tuesday of our cruise). Used Travel Guard. We have never purchased insurance in the past - 8-10 cruises... will be getting it from now on!

[CHAMPDDS]

Is there a difference between cancellation insurance and medical (Evacuation type) insurance, or are they combined in one usually?

 

Also, my final payment is due April 2nd....Does it have to be purchased before the final payment date, or can it be done afterwards as well...

 

Sorry, kinda ignorant about this..

 

David

[TravelingAPor]

The reason I purchased it today, was that my final payment is next week and I wanted to be insured by then. I also wanted to buy the insurance before my 1 month from purchase of my cruise, date. You seem to have the same situation as me. I went with Carnival insurance because it was best for me.

You may have different issues. Good luck. ;)

[derekmcsd]

Wow, I always thought I was a sucker purchasing travel insurance. This was an eye opener. I will continue to do so. Figure if I can afford a vacation around 4 grand after everything, I can afford the small price of cruise insurance. Just a good thing you don't have to pay it all at once!!!!

[zap99]

A few years ago we were on the now defunct Ocean Village cruise in the Caribbean. A couple of days in I wasn't feeling too good and after nagging by the DW went to see the Doctor. I had pneumonia it seems. Enjoyed the cruise as best I could, but it cost £2,000. Good news was I had their insurance and got the money back less £25 excess. Good news 2 was I paid on my CC and got lots of Air Miles. Moral of the story is, don't go without insurance.

[nbsjcruiser]

Hi, just thought I would share my success story with having cruise insurance. My sister & I were booked on the Independence of the Seas this January 2013. Thank goodness we took the insurance because my sister became ill with diverticulitis a week before the cruise and we had to cancel. RCI was very accommodating and refunded all the pre-paid tips, excursions, soda/water packages etc to my credit card within a few days of cancellation. I submitted the paperwork along with my sister's doctor note to Barkley Insurance and got word today they will issuing us our checks within the next 2 business days. It took about a month for everything to go through. Lesson learned (at least for me) I will ALWAYS take the insurance, you just never know what life has planned for you. Happy Cruising!

 

Yep. Well worth the investment. We've used it twice in our 13 years of cruising. Once when I had an accident in Nassau and ended up going to hospital and a second time when a storm interrupted our travel to Florida to get to the cruise.

 

Never leave home without it.

[kc320]

Is there a difference between cancellation insurance and medical (Evacuation type) insurance, or are they combined in one usually?

 

Also, my final payment is due April 2nd....Does it have to be purchased before the final payment date, or can it be done afterwards as well...

 

Sorry, kinda ignorant about this..

 

David

 

 

Generally they are combined...but if you happen to have medical insurance that will cover you out of the states you can also purchase seperate cancellation insurance....check out insuremytrip for more information on the different polices...there are a couple plans that will cover pre-existing conditions when purchased within 24 hours of FINAL payment...but you are past that point now...you can still get coverage...but pre-existing conditions won't be covered...i