Snow storm/no insurance question

[elliair]

This advice is ONLY for those who can afford the loss/catch up transportation and those who have or can add international health insurance.

 

Yes, I agree - key words IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT.

[Tutankhamen]

Yes, I agree - key words IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT.

 

Yes, that is what I said in my first post to which you challenged.

 

if you can afford to loose the money you are better off not getting the insurance

 

I would even argue that if you can't afford the loss of a cruise, you probably should not be on a cruise in the first place. But I won't argue that. I will say, if I couldn't afford the loss, I would not be booking a cruise.

Edited January 5, 2014 by Tutankhamen

[irishnyc]

I work for a major airline. If they decide to drive, tell them to call their airline and explain what they`re doing. If they don`t, they will be a "no show" and the return portion will cancel.

 

If they're driving, they'd need to drive their car back, too, so the return would need to be canceled anyway, unless they drive a rental down. ;)

[Dare2Believe]

Ahhh..seeing stories like these scare me! I hope it all works out for your friends...

 

I'm usually a summer cruiser, but we're flying out of NYC to Jacksonville next month, a day before the cruise, but I'm still nervous that something will happen with the weather and we will miss the boat! We have insurance, but I'm still nervous since I've never had to factor snowstorms into travel before..

 

I'm sure your friends will be purchasing insurance from now on, just to gain the peace of mind they're losing on this situation!

 

My fingers are crossed for them...

[junglecat]

This bunch can't afford any extra expenses. They are both lucky and blessed to have been able to go on this trip. They can't afford to pay for much else including additional air fare, bus fare, obviously they couldn't afford or I should say to save money they didn't purchase the insurance. The $50 it cost us to insure our trip would have been money well spent in my mind. Just got a text and they are in a car headed to Louisville for a 10 a.m. flight from there. Their 11a.m out of Indy has already been cancelled and the first flake hasn't fallen. Looks like things might just be looking toward their favor.

[junglecat]

DARE: No worries. We have cruised many times and left the day before and never had any issues. We did fly once down the day before and it was just too stressful! You will be fine and plan ahead and have a back up plan, just in case. Happy Travels.

[elliair]

This bunch can't afford any extra expenses. They are both lucky and blessed to have been able to go on this trip. They can't afford to pay for much else including additional air fare, bus fare, obviously they couldn't afford or I should say to save money they didn't purchase the insurance. The $50 it cost us to insure our trip would have been money well spent in my mind. Just got a text and they are in a car headed to Louisville for a 10 a.m. flight from there. Their 11a.m out of Indy has already been cancelled and the first flake hasn't fallen. Looks like things might just be looking toward their favor.

 

 

Well, have fun if you get there, I am sure you will have learned some lessons here. If not, more will come your way. I hope you made it - broke and on a cruise -- how miserable is that?

[kids-in-2-centuries]

I would try hard for a earlier flight or start driving now and forgo the plane ticket price. I live In Indianapolis and our cruise is on the 18th. If bad weather comes in we are keeping a eye on it and will get earlier flights.

 

Lilmizz we are just to your south in Seymour and will be on the Liberty sailing 1/18. What ship will you be on?:)

[v3cruiser]

I have a question in regard to the upcoming storm. Some friends are to leave Indy tomorrow at 11, but. . . . there is a horrible storm coming and we're to get 8 to 14 inches of snow overnight. Not to mention 13 below temps. Their cruise leaves out of Miami on Monday. Never have I done this, but to cut costs none of the group of four bought insurance. If they don't make it, in time, are they out everything? Does Carnival try and get them on another upcoming cruise? I'm going to assume if so, for a fee or a regular priced ticket and a new booking. I suggested getting in the car and heading south NOW, but what do I know. I'd rather have to make the drive than be out an entire cruise.

 

Um,

I dont know what the point of this post is- insurance is too expensive but the possibility of driving, gas, getting hurt on ship or excursion etc isnt? Or more so missing the entire cruise? Everybody makes thier own bed to sleep in i guess. I hope it all works out.

[elliair]

Um,

I dont know what the point of this post is- insurance is too expensive but the possibility of driving, gas, getting hurt on ship or excursion etc isnt? Or more so missing the entire cruise? Everybody makes thier own bed to sleep in i guess. I hope it all works out.

 

 

^^^^Better than I could have said it^^^^^^

[RuthlessBoss]

This bunch can't afford any extra expenses. They are both lucky and blessed to have been able to go on this trip. They can't afford to pay for much else including additional air fare, bus fare, obviously they couldn't afford or I should say to save money they didn't purchase the insurance. The $50 it cost us to insure our trip would have been money well spent in my mind. Just got a text and they are in a car headed to Louisville for a 10 a.m. flight from there. Their 11a.m out of Indy has already been cancelled and the first flake hasn't fallen. Looks like things might just be looking toward their favor.

 

Yes, they are on their way, but at an extra monetary and frustration output. So much for saving the cost of insurance. It's so rarely needed, so it is looked upon as an extra expense. Then, something like this happens.

[ccarpenter1963]

Well, have fun if you get there, I am sure you will have learned some lessons here. If not, more will come your way. I hope you made it - broke and on a cruise -- how miserable is that?

 

She won't get there. She isn't going. She is talking about her friends.

[RWolver672]

Point is, if you can comfortably afford to loose the money, odds are that you will come out ahead by not getting the insurance.

 

I don't think even Sam Walton can comfortably afford to "lose" money. Do you have a car and not have insurance? Do you not have health insurance? Do you not have life insurance? Even the rich buy insurance.

 

Our upcoming B2B cruise is costing us a little over $3000. The insurance cost less than $300. If we miss the cruise, we are out nothing. If we go on the cruise, we are only out the $300 so to speak. I'd rather lose the lesser amount than the higher amount. And I don't really feel like I've lost anything. I just consider it part of the cost of the cruise.

[Vitality08]

I don't think even Sam Walton can comfortably afford to "lose" money. Do you have a car and not have insurance? Do you not have health insurance? Do you not have life insurance? Even the rich buy insurance.

 

Our upcoming B2B cruise is costing us a little over $3000. The insurance cost less than $300. If we miss the cruise, we are out nothing. If we go on the cruise, we are only out the $300 so to speak. I'd rather lose the lesser amount than the higher amount. And I don't really feel like I've lost anything. I just consider it part of the cost of the cruise.

 

 

To me, there's a difference between the insurances you mentioned and trip insurance. Car and health insurance protects me from possibly owing huge amounts of money in the future...money I don't/won't have. Life insurance is in the same category. It replaces income that I would have earned to support my family in the future.

 

Trip insurance (the type people are suggesting the OP'S friends purchased) doesn't protect you against future expenses, it reimburses you for money you've already spent. If you think about it, if you miss a trip because of weather or what have you, you really haven't lost the money....you lost the experiences and fun you expected to have in exchange for that money but there's no added expenses related to simply missing your trip.

 

So in that sense, I don't think insurance is ALWAYS necessary. Like a previous poster said, most will make the trip and not need the insurance.

[readytotravel44]

Eager to hear how it all works out. Please keep us informed.

 

On a side note... It is not only weather. We were on the 12/22/13 Valor out of San Juan. Our friends were joining us from the UK. We all flew out on 12/20. We made it. They were late leaving Heathrow due to "mechanical delay" causing them to miss connecting flight in Philly. They spent 2 nights in Philly trying to get another flight. It was awful, than heavens for the 2-day cushion. They finally arrived at 6:15pm on 12/22. Luckily the ship from San Juan doesn't leave until 10, do they got on with no problem, but it was a stressful weekend for us all!

 

My point...anything could happen. Be prepared.

[RWolver672]

If you think about it, if you miss a trip because of weather or what have you, you really haven't lost the money....you lost the experiences and fun you expected to have in exchange for that money but there's no added expenses related to simply missing your trip.

 

How do you figure that? If I've paid for a cruise and don't go on it, I've lost the money. No, there isn't any added expenses related to it, but I've still lost the money because I paid for it and didn't get it. Any time I've paid for something and don't get it, I've lost money.

[CI66774]

Yes, they are on their way, but at an extra monetary and frustration output. So much for saving the cost of insurance. It's so rarely needed, so it is looked upon as an extra expense. Then, something like this happens.

 

That's always the dilemma. Spend the money, buy insurance, and not need it, or don't spend the money, don't buy insurance, and need it. It's always a gamble. If you gamble and lose (don't buy insurance but need it), you've got to suck it up as that's the choice one made.

[Tutankhamen]

To me, there's a difference between the insurances you mentioned and trip insurance. Car and health insurance protects me from possibly owing huge amounts of money in the future...money I don't/won't have. Life insurance is in the same category. It replaces income that I would have earned to support my family in the future.

 

Trip insurance (the type people are suggesting the OP'S friends purchased) doesn't protect you against future expenses, it reimburses you for money you've already spent. If you think about it, if you miss a trip because of weather or what have you, you really haven't lost the money....you lost the experiences and fun you expected to have in exchange for that money but there's no added expenses related to simply missing your trip.

 

So in that sense, I don't think insurance is ALWAYS necessary. Like a previous poster said, most will make the trip and not need the insurance.

 

Well stated. Insurance for trip interruption is like getting an extended warranty when making a purchase. If you can afford the "loss" you are usually financially better off skipping insurance and warranties. Yes, sometimes crap happens and the insurance will soften the blow, but that doesn't change the fact that they make money selling insurance. How? Because they get more revenue from the sales then they pay on claims.

 

Again, if you can afford to pay the catch up costs or willing to lose the money spent on a canceled trip AND you have international medical insurance, then I would suggest not getting the insurance.

[Cruzinbabe06]

If they're driving, they'd need to drive their car back, too, so the return would need to be canceled anyway, unless they drive a rental down. ;)

 

A rental is what I was referring to.

Edited January 5, 2014 by Cruzinbabe06

[asalligo]

Please keep us updated, I want to know if they made their cruise and if they hit further snags in travel.

 

Thanks

[txmom11]

Glad to hear the OP's friends got out in time.

 

DH and I get trip insurance because it gives me peace of mind. DD and SIL did not get insurance for our December cruise. We all live in the DFW area and we had an ice storm which hit December 5-6. We were scheduled to sail December 7th from Galveston. We couldn't leave until the 6th due to SIL's work. We were lucky, we made it.

 

DH's friend from work was sailing to Hawaii on 12-8. She had to pay an extra $3,000 because DFW was shut down several days. So she had to drive south (or west) and then fly to Hawaii. Pay extra because she missed the Mexico (only foreign) port. She started telling them at work about all the extra money the trip cost her, and DH asked her about insurance. Sheepishly, she admitted she never bought it, but she would always in the future. Lesson learned the hard way.

[9876]

It never fails...you always need the insurance when you have not purchased it. I must say though, I have had more than one experience that the knowledge that I did have insurance kept me calm when the possibility of travel problems reared its ugly head. Sometimes piece of mind is worth the 50 dollars it costs.

[RuthlessBoss]

Please keep us updated, I want to know if they made their cruise and if they hit further snags in travel.

 

Thanks

 

Yes, please let us know:)

[cruisinfanatic]

If the ship sails and they're not on it,,,,,, they get port fees and taxes returned. That's it, that's all.

They get taxes back, not port fees. Big difference

[dwaterhouse]

Just checked the departures out of sdf (Louisville) and all flights between 10-11 am have departed in time... Except 2 are delayed 25 minutes.. But they are going to NY.... So if the are connecting in Atlanta( which is usually were we connect) they should be fine.