Insurance question - Please help!

[sona2013]

Hello there,

 

First time cruiser here, booked on Carnival Miracle to Alaska for next summer. I have question on when to purchase insurance. My final payment date is Apr 3rd. The vacation planner on Carnival said that I can get my full deposit back before Apr 3rd, if I change my mind. When do I purchase my travel insurance, now or after Apr 3rd? We do not have any pre-existing conditions. Please advice.

 

Thanks,

Sona

[GTO-Girl]

Hello there,

 

First time cruiser here, booked on Carnival Miracle to Alaska for next summer. I have question on when to purchase insurance. My final payment date is Apr 3rd. The vacation planner on Carnival said that I can get my full deposit back before Apr 3rd, if I change my mind. When do I purchase my travel insurance, now or after Apr 3rd? We do not have any pre-existing conditions. Please advice.

 

Thanks,

Sona

 

We never purchase our trip insurance through the cruiseline because we find much better coverage at a better price through a third party. Most policies require that your purchase within 14 days of "booking" your cruise to cover any pre-existing conditions, but you can certainly purchase your policy much closer to your sail date if that's not a concern for you.

 

You might try pricing some at www.insuremytrip.com just to compare.

 

Hope this helps!

[jkrislc]

It really depends on whether you will need a preexisting medical condition waiver or not. Some policies do not count preexisting medical conditions if purchased within 14-21 days of making the deposit. The preexisting conditions could also apply to non-traveling family members who may fall ill before or during your trip resulting in a need for you to cancel. Other policies also allow for a refund of the policy if cancelled before the trip. You really need to shop around.

 

I would not recommend cruise line insurance as it doesn't cover as much and won't cover things like air and hotel if purchased separately.

[Colorado Kat]

I would look at non-Carnival insurance. Not allowed to give names, but you could google.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I would look at non-Carnival insurance. Not allowed to give names, but you could google.

 

why can't you give the names?

 

We use Travel Guard or travel insured. We book it through insuremytrip.com.

 

Bill

[Coopie]

We always book through Carnival, just easier. I used to not pay my insurance until the day I paid my final payment. Reason being, if you cancelled (this was many years ago) you lost your insurance cost but not any other $$.

 

Now I just pay it along with down payment and if you need to cancel you get that back also. We had to cancel our Jan 2014 cruise a few weeks back, prior to final payment, and got down payment and insurance $$$ back.

 

I would check with them though. Not sure if it matters which way you book.

[CoconutJD]

If you want "cancel for any reason" coverage, the insurance typically has to be purchased within 14 days of booking.

[sona2013]

Thanks everyone.

 

Coopie - That's exactly the reason I do not want to buy insurance right now. I looked in squaremouth dot com and insuremytrip dot com. I'll go with Travel insured.

[Vitamin_Sea]

never do insurance!

[bigdog1958]

never do insurance!

If you are just referring to trip cancellation insurance, I would agree, not worth it... However, if you become ill or injured on the ship and have to be taken off by air ambulance, you are looking at between 15,000 and 20,000 dollars, and most health insurances will not pay, so that is why I buy insurance..

[ManyMore]

Not sure why someone would think it isn't worth it to get it. First if you get it through the cruise line they cover just the cruise, not any other travel. Second, you may feel you will go no matter what, I used to think that way as well until I worked in the cruise industry. Not everything that changes your travel plans has to do with you. We had a ship come in a day late and many people then had added expenses they didn't expect, hotel, tranportation and food. You can never count things out from happening.