Queensland Coastal Cruise

[datone]

Am going on the Queensland cruise which goes to Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas and Willis Island (scenic cruising only). Paid with credit card and trying to work out if my complimentary credit card insurance would cover this trip as I am only covered for overseas trips. I believe the casino will be open at times and duty free can be purchased so assume the ship goes into international waters, so would like to know if this is considered overseas or not. I will ring the insurer but just wondering in the meantime if other cruisers have found out whether they have been covered. Thanks.

[soak01]

We have done this cruise twice on Rhapsody of the Seas. While it is considered a domestic cruise (i.e. no non-australian ports) so you only need to show your drivers licence as ID, the stop at Willis Island being international waters allows the cruise line to open the Casino and sell duty free throughout the cruise except when in port. Normally these open about an hour after departure.

 

Can't comment about other cruise lines, but on Royal Caribbean as it is a US ship, it is made clear that Australian Medicare and Private Health Insurance will not cover you and you need overseas medical travel insurance.

 

Have a great trip.

[GUT2407]

I DOUBT your CC insurance would cover it, however ask, what's the worst they can say "NO". Nothing lost.

 

If they say yes get it in writing.

[Newby58]

Am going on the Queensland cruise which goes to Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas and Willis Island (scenic cruising only). Paid with credit card and trying to work out if my complimentary credit card insurance would cover this trip as I am only covered for overseas trips. I believe the casino will be open at times and duty free can be purchased so assume the ship goes into international waters, so would like to know if this is considered overseas or not. I will ring the insurer but just wondering in the meantime if other cruisers have found out whether they have been covered. Thanks.

 

Hi datone,

I am going on this cruise as well :-)

Just last week I finalised some insurance for the family. I was told by the travel agent that the insurance is classified as international - Indonesia, NZ and South West Pacific, with the country most time spent in being "domestic cruise". That really doesn't help you much....

As the ship is US based, wouldn't it be in international Waters whenever at sea around Australia?

Cheers,

Cheryl

P.S. As I also wanted cancellation cover, I didn't use my credit card insurance .

[Beanb41]

No two insurance policies are the same, even when owned by the same underwriting company. If you are dealing through an agent then spell out to the agent what you are wanting the insurance for. The most important factor that you will want covered is medical with repatriation off the ship to home in event of a medical misadventure. Not all policies offer this as it is a specific issue that needs declaring and covering. This is where reading the fine print becomes important. If dealing on line ensure that you advise the fact that you are cruising. Most cruise insurance policies I have read specifically declare that a cruise is deemed international travel not domestic irrespective if not overseas ports are visited. This is because a helicopter may have to fly out into international waters to pick you up. You may have to pay a little extra but what is the cost of a helicopter emergency flight in comparison.

[Shazzajoy]

I have been on a couple of "domestic" cruises - i.e. to North Queensland and Tasmania. When I researched travel insurance, I was advised that especially for medical, you needed to be covered as though on an overseas international trip because the ship's Doctors are international Doctors - they don't come under the Australian Medicare Umbrella and they charge international rates. Again, from what I've read here on other CC reviews, they charge like wounded bulls.

[datone]

Rang Zurich this morning and they have advised that it is classified as international travel if there is no medicare on board and international doctors are used. If that is the situation, the credit card insurance covers it.