Cruise Insurance Well Worth It!

[Annefran]

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!!!!

 

You are NOT a sucker at all. Some people take their chances and don't buy the insurance. I have just always been one of those people that purchased it. Luckily we never had to use it over the past 10 years until this past January. Happy Cruising! :)

[BND]

We always get cruise insurance and in 13 cruises we haven't needed it, but that's okay. People post how they can go on another cruise for every x amount of times they buy insurance. Well, we could have gone on at least one additional one, but the reality is, if we ever needed insurance and didn't have it, it would possibly be a while before we could cruise again depending on the circumstances. It's just like auto, rental or homeowners insurance. I cant' tell you how many posts I've read by people who didnt' buy it and sometimes the cruiseline is accomodating and allows rebooking, but the bigger issue is if you have to leave mid-cruise and have to absorb those costs.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We always buy it ..

[Annefran]

We always get cruise insurance and in 13 cruises we haven't needed it, but that's okay. People post how they can go on another cruise for every x amount of times they buy insurance. Well, we could have gone on at least one additional one, but the reality is, if we ever needed insurance and didn't have it, it would possibly be a while before we could cruise again depending on the circumstances. It's just like auto, rental or homeowners insurance. I cant' tell you how many posts I've read by people who didnt' buy it and sometimes the cruiseline is accomodating and allows rebooking, but the bigger issue is if you have to leave mid-cruise and have to absorb those costs.

 

Yes exactly! A friend of mine was on a December Liberty of the Seas cruise a few years ago when we had that horrible snow storm along the east coast. We had a few feet of snow and the plows didn't plow out the streets for a couple days. Needless to say he couldn't get out of his street to make his flight, which of course meant he missed his cruise out of Florida. They lost not only all their cruise costs ($3,000+) but also their flight costs too. He told me NEVER again would he not purchase the insurance. You just never know............

[Bettytrouble]

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

 

You can buy it from RCI and many vendors at any time. You just won't be able to get the 'cancel for any reason " option that many policies have. To qualify for that, you have to purchase within a set number of days of your deposit. There are many great websites out there to compare plans. Read the policy from RCI on their website before you purchase as well.

 

A lot of policies will not cover illnesses that have been diagnosed under 60 days ( or 30) prior to your sail date.

 

I have played fast and loose in the past, but now am the caregiver for 2 elderly parents and need the piece of mind that I can get a refund if the take ill prior to sailing , and that I can get off the ship and expenses reimbursed if something happens during my cruise.

 

I AM NOT CLAIMING TO BE AN EXPERT AND THE DATES I USED ARE ARBITRARY, so no one yell at me, please.:rolleyes:

 

I did purchase a plan within a week of my sail date several years ago- final had long since gone by.

[cruzingduo]

We never sail without it. To date we have only purchased the cruiseline's insurance - Berkley. We have submitted a number of claims. One when my DH became ill just before our Panama Canal cruise. Another when we were on the new Oasis and my camera (which was in Dh's tux pocket) was broken when the elevator door closed so fast it hit and broke the screen on the camera.

 

My Mom is critically ill and since December we have canceled 5 cruises that were paid in full. Berkley covered all of them. I am not saying only to use Berkley, only that we have had good results. There are many other insurance companies out there.

 

We also purchase insurance when we do some land vacations. For us, it's better to have peace of mind

 

AnneFran - I hope your sister is doing well.

[Icantthinkofone]

I had to claim on my policy for my last cruise , I was very ill three weeks before we were due to sail , had I of gone I dread to think what would of happened to me !!

I was so glad I had the insurance we lost £100 each as excess but its better to lose that than the whole amount !!

The balance was paid out within a week which I thought was fantastic .

To travel without insurance is madness !

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

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

 

Sorry your sister got sick and had to cancel.

 

We will confirm taking travel insurance!! We never leave home without it.

DH had to use it last cruise. Our claim process was done in 2 stages, each took a few weeks to process, but we got every penny back.

Berkeley was wonderful to work with, they were there every step of the way.

 

Hope you and your sister can go on another cruise.

 

***

[labeachcomber]

Another vote for always getting travel insurance. You never know what might happen, and our regular medical insurance in the US won't cover a lot of stuff out of the country.

 

I do not, however, ever get the insurance from the cruiseline. I feel like I can get better coverage to suit my individual needs by shopping around. There are several great websites that will allow you to compare different plans and allow you to choose the one that suits your needs and your budget.

[Annefran]

To All: Thanks so much, my sister is doing much better and is pretty much back to her old self. :D I am going on another cruise this May on Freedom of the Seas with my DD and some friends. My sister & I need to figure out when we can cruise together again. Hopefully in 2014. I am trying to convince my sister, her hubby, my brother and his wife to all cruise with me on Explorer of the Seas in April 2014 to do a family cruise. Not having to fly is definitely a plus.

 

So happy to hear so many positive stories about your experiences with cruise insurance. Happy Cruising!

[reney313]

I have done all 3 options (No Insurance, Insurance from the cruiseline, and insurance from a 3rd party). I'm a little ignorant though when it comes to buying the policies.

 

Does anyone know when purchasing the 3rd party insurance and they ask for the date of payment if they mean the deposit or the final payment?

 

We just booked our cruise a few weeks ago and my dad purchased his last weekend. It is pricier than normal and we will be in the Caribbean so I definitely want insurance that both covers cruise cancellation and also medi evac. I was planning on waiting until closer to final payment time to get the insurance through a 3rd party. I'd hate to cancel well before penalty timeframe and be out the insurance amount? Or does that not make sense? Can we purchase through RCI up until final payment time?

 

Just thought I'd ask for others opinions.

[2InfinityNBeyond]

We always buy 3rd party insurance, because 1) coverage is much better - compare the limits and that's easy to see, 2) price of 3rd party insurance is less the closer you get to the time of the trip, and 3) some offer reasonable options for pre-existing medical coverage. The pre-existing medical coverage we've been getting through CSA for years covers pre-existing as long as you pay no later than final payment. If you buy it when you book the cruise, you pay much more for the insurance because there's a better chance that you'll cancel in that time. If you buy it at final payment, it's cheaper because less chance of you cancelling.

 

On a cruise from Hawaii to Vancouver, someone's appendix burst and spent a miserable 24 hours waiting for us to get close enough to U.S. coast for a helicopter to reach us. When we got within 100 miles, a helicopter and a C-130 aircraft (sent to help spot the ship and to refuel the helicopter) came to take that person off the ship. Just imagine what that cost! The cruise lines limit the medical evacuation to $25K-$50K - not enough for a rescue like that. Our CSA insurance, costing 1/3 less than the cruise line insurance, covers up to $1 million for medical evac. That's money well spent.

[critterchick]

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 have medical insurance that covers us internationally, including the cost of evacuation. We might have to jump through a few more hoops and wait longer to be reimbursed, but are willing to take that risk. As for cancellation, we have "banked" enough premiums to pay for several one-week cruises. For longer itineraries far from home, we still take insurance, but I often wonder why.

 

To All: Thanks so much, my sister is doing much better and is pretty much back to her old self. :D I am going on another cruise this May on Freedom of the Seas with my DD and some friends. My sister & I need to figure out when we can cruise together again. Hopefully in 2014. I am trying to convince my sister, her hubby, my brother and his wife to all cruise with me on Explorer of the Seas in April 2014 to do a family cruise. Not having to fly is definitely a plus.

 

So happy to hear so many positive stories about your experiences with cruise insurance. Happy Cruising!

 

Glad she's doing better!:)

[critterchick]

We always buy 3rd party insurance, because 1) coverage is much better - compare the limits and that's easy to see, 2) price of 3rd party insurance is less the closer you get to the time of the trip, and 3) some offer reasonable options for pre-existing medical coverage. The pre-existing medical coverage we've been getting through CSA for years covers pre-existing as long as you pay no later than final payment. If you buy it when you book the cruise, you pay much more for the insurance because there's a better chance that you'll cancel in that time. If you buy it at final payment, it's cheaper because less chance of you cancelling.

 

On a cruise from Hawaii to Vancouver, someone's appendix burst and spent a miserable 24 hours waiting for us to get close enough to U.S. coast for a helicopter to reach us. When we got within 100 miles, a helicopter and a C-130 aircraft (sent to help spot the ship and to refuel the helicopter) came to take that person off the ship. Just imagine what that cost! The cruise lines limit the medical evacuation to $25K-$50K - not enough for a rescue like that. Our CSA insurance, costing 1/3 less than the cruise line insurance, covers up to $1 million for medical evac. That's money well spent.

 

How much does a helicopter evacuation cost?

 

We prefer a "cancel for any reason" policy, and once that is added to the third party policies, we have found that they are more expensive than RCI's, especially when we factor in our ages. The cruise line policies are the same cost no matter one's age.

[TravelingAPor]

From all my research I have learned that buying from the cruise line may be better for the elderly and buying from a 3rd party is better for younger folks.

The price seems to be better following this advice. Third party prices may be higher for the elderly, while cruise ships do not take age into consideration.

[BND]

We always buy 3rd party insurance, because 1) coverage is much better - compare the limits and that's easy to see, 2) price of 3rd party insurance is less the closer you get to the time of the trip, and 3) some offer reasonable options for pre-existing medical coverage. The pre-existing medical coverage we've been getting through CSA for years covers pre-existing as long as you pay no later than final payment. If you buy it when you book the cruise, you pay much more for the insurance because there's a better chance that you'll cancel in that time. If you buy it at final payment, it's cheaper because less chance of you cancelling.

 

On a cruise from Hawaii to Vancouver, someone's appendix burst and spent a miserable 24 hours waiting for us to get close enough to U.S. coast for a helicopter to reach us. When we got within 100 miles, a helicopter and a C-130 aircraft (sent to help spot the ship and to refuel the helicopter) came to take that person off the ship. Just imagine what that cost! The cruise lines limit the medical evacuation to $25K-$50K - not enough for a rescue like that. Our CSA insurance, costing 1/3 less than the cruise line insurance, covers up to $1 million for medical evac. That's money well spent.

 

The Coast Guard does not charge for medical evacuations. Where the expense comes in is transport back home from a foreign port, whether by commercial jet or medical transport if the illness is serious enough. So, the medical evac insurance you purchase is not going to be used if you are evacuated by the Coast Guard.

[cloben42]

My first post here but I suppose it's a good place to start:o

 

We've had two medical emergencies with our son while on vacation in the United States (we're Canadian) and I can not tell you what a relief it is to know you are covered when you are scared and in an unfamiliar hospital. The one stay amounted to nearly $20,000 in bills and would have really hurt us if we weren't covered.

 

Secondly, on my very first cruise there was a hurricane that necessitated we stay out at sea for 3 extra days. You could literally *see* the people who had insurance and who didn't by the panic and frustration on their faces. They missed their flights, their post hotel reservations, and the ship cash machines were out of money. As we came into port there were at least 100 people up on deck holding their phones in the air trying to get a signal to make alternate arrangements (we couldn't dock where we were supposed to and people needed rental cars and hotels and flights). We were just able to email our agent, he took care of everything, and it was all covered.

 

I booked our first RC cruise today:D The very next thing I did was purchase insurance. It is worth every penny to us for the peace of mind.

[DebJ14]

Insurance does not just cover in case you and your traveling companion have a problem, but also covers you in case there is a problem with a family member. We've been on 48 cruises and always took the insurance. In 2000 DS had a car accident and the insurance flew us home from San Pedro Sula. In 2009 my brother was to sail with me, but he died suddenly. The money paid out for those two cruises more than paid for the cost of insurance on the other cruises when we did not have a claim. We used to worry because we DH and I both had elderly parents. Now they are gone and we worry it will be one of us who has the heart attack or stroke. We always compare the cost of third party insurance with the cruise line insurance (Berkeley)and take whatever is cheaper. We had a payoff from each type of insurance. I will say the third party insurance was faster in paying than Berkeley, but now that we are aging the cruise line insurance is often cheaper for us.