Insurance Question

[readytotravel44]

Generally we don't purchase the insurance. However, with our aging parents, who always join us, and the troubles the cruise ships have been having lately, not purchasing insurance is a risk we are not willing to take right now.

 

Here's the question.

 

Independent or Carnival?

 

Do either or both include compensating you for your flight if your cruise is cancelled? We are about to shell out big bucks for flight to Europe for our Baltic Cruise on the Legend. If something happens and we are cancelled, I want to be sure the flight costs are covered.

 

Has anyone had to use their insurance if booked independently from someone other than Carnival? Did it go smoothly?

[sirwired]

Well, for the recent troubles, Carnival has been refunding full cruse fare and non-refundable transportation expenses directly, with no insurance payment needed, which is good, because...

 

Incidentally, trips being cancelled in advance by the provider are usually NOT covered circumstances by insurance (mainly because they are pretty sure you'll be reimbursed by the provider themselves.)

 

And yes, lots of people purchase 3rd-party insurance; it's fine. 3rd-party insurance is usually cheaper, has fewer restrictions, and has broader coverage; 1st-party insurance is cheaper if the passengers are older, and often has a vaguely-usable Any Reason rider built in to the policy.

[cruiseco]

In events such as the recent Carnival problems the cruise line has (to the best of my knowledge) covered the expenses of the affected passengers so buying a policy solely to cover that type of situation might not be worth your money. But some insurers are better about this that others. For example, this is from a CSA plan's covered reasons for trip cancellation and trip interruption:

 

"2. arrangements canceled by an airline, cruise line, motor

coach company, or tour operator, resulting from

inclement weather, mechanical breakdown of the aircraft,

ship or boat or motor coach on which the Insured is

scheduled to travel, or organized labor strikes that affect

public transportation."

 

But note that this coverage would not apply in the case of those passengers who were scheduled to travel on the Carnival Sunshine who had their cruises cancelled because the ship would be late being launched. Those folks are at the mercy of Carnival choosing to do the right thing.

[dread_pirate]

Do either or both include compensating you for your flight if your cruise is cancelled? We are about to shell out big bucks for flight to Europe for our Baltic Cruise on the Legend. If something happens and we are cancelled, I want to be sure the flight costs are covered.

You can insure your flight with independent insurance. Some cruise line insurance policies do not let you insure your flight unless you book your flight through the cruise line (I know, for example, that Princess won't insure a flight unless it's booked through Princess Air.)

 

Read the fine print.