Must cancel cruise leaving tomorrow , no insurance

[newcruzer2]

We are booked on a cruise leaving tomorrow. We didn't get the insurance , (yes yes I know but we weighed the pros and cons)

My question is..... although I am Fully prepared and going to, pay for a vacation I can't take now.....Is there ANY up side to informing princess, that I will be a NO SHOW(booked thru princess No TA)

[Thrak]

OUCH! Hope it was a short and inexpensive cruise. :eek:

[RocketMan275]

Call Princess and explain the situation. Any answer you get here will be speculation.

[newcruzer2]

Call Princess and explain the situation. Any answer you get here will be speculation.

 

Ok , will do, ty

[rkmw]

sorry you have to cancel out but you will get your port fees back but thats all, next time take out insurance

[moki'smommy]

While the policy is that you will not get a refund, I've read of some people being able to get something back or a credit toward another cruise when the situation was a death in the immediate family. No, that is not the written policy, but some employee decided to make an exception.

 

Bottom line--let them know but don't expect anything. If nothing else, they might be able to give someone else an upgrade to your cabin!

[fishywood]

I am pretty sure you need to call them to at least get your Government Taxes and Fees plus any items you prepaid for refunded. They don't just automatically process the credit if you are a no-show/no-call the day of the cruise.

 

Whether you simply want to take the loss and move on, or as the other responses propose throw yourself at the mercy of Princess with your best explanation hoping for an exception to be made for you, is an entirely personal decision. Speaking only for myself I would much rather not exacerbate whatever personal feelings I may be having over the situation by making a long-odds play for some future credit. But as we don't know your situation or how much money is involved (and I'm not asking) no one should judge you whichever way you go.

Edited November 3, 2015 by fishywood

[newcruzer2]

Update on what happened when I called princess.....

She said I could get my taxes and port fees returned($140), which at this point I was grateful to receive, since I had never been in this situation before and was happy to recoup Any money. And since it was only a 4 day cruise, Fortunately I am only out of pocket 600. Which is a good chuck of change, but I knew I was making a gamble to start with. And will be unable to get away in The next 12 months so the insurance wouldn't have helped....but thanks to the cc. community I at least have my taxes and port fees back :)

[gotta cruise again]

So very sorry to hear you won't be able to take your trip. We have gone without insurance before (forgot to add it before the deadline!), I sure was sweating bullets prior to the trip and we were careful while on the trip in hopes of avoiding injury.

 

Glad to know you were able to recoup some of your expenses!!

Edited November 3, 2015 by gotta cruise again

[wowzz]

Obviously a personal question, and I can understand if you prefer not to answer, but why did you not take out insurance ?

[cheeseclan]

Why do you say insurance would not have helped? If it was a covered reason then you would have gotten your money back. If a non covered reason then you would have until Dec 31, 2016 to use cruise credit.

I have only once skipped insurance and ended up being on crutches the entire cruise since i did not want to cancel. Not fun at all but did not want to lose the $. Also have used the insurance to get medical refunded when my DS got sick on the cruise.

[Treven]

Been there, done that. Two weeks prior to a cruise I fell & broke my leg in three places and tore 3 ligaments around my ankle - also no insurance.:(. I lost about $4k, the entire cost of the cruise. I now have ins for every cruise.

[pris993]

Insurance .... I actually saved lots of money not taking out insurance for over 30 years....we have cruised well over 50 time all over... we just started to taking out health and emergency evacuation insurance about 3 years ago, since we are in good health, but are aging now 68 and 85 years old. We have bought an annual plan now with Travel Guard.

 

In 30 year, had only insect bite and ear infection once... We are very healthy at home too.

 

WE self insured our travel expenses... if we lost it, so be it. We often book and cx, change our minds... so buying insurance did not make a lot of sense of us.

[newcruzer2]

I did a lot of research on cc about insurance before I booked and then to get exact answered called the insurance co princess uses. They told me if I used the cancel for any reason clause to cancel, they would put a credit for the $ of the cruise in my princess account but these funds ....Must be used within 12 months, I asked for clarification, since I have a cruise book Dec 2016, they said no funds must be SAILED WITH by nov3rd... so If couldn't apply to Dec 2016 cruise and I don't have any time off until Dec 2016, then I figured, if funds couldn't be used/applied to Dec 2016 and I wouldn't have time to sail before Nov 3, 2016, then the Insurance was NOT useful to me.

[Apastron]

If you used a credit card, (it's probably a long shot) but it might be worth checking to see if it includes any type of travel insurance on purchases.

 

One of the many reasons that my wife and I use our Chase Sapphire Preferred card when we book cruises is because it includes automatic trip interruption/cancellation insurance. That way if we skip the "for any reason" cruise insurance, we are at least still protected for the medical reasons that have caught others. We have never had to use it, but at least we gain a little extra peace of mind.

[cactusrose]

Update on what happened when I called princess.....

She said I could get my taxes and port fees returned($140), which at this point I was grateful to receive, since I had never been in this situation before and was happy to recoup Any money. And since it was only a 4 day cruise, Fortunately I am only out of pocket 600. Which is a good chuck of change, but I knew I was making a gamble to start with. And will be unable to get away in The next 12 months so the insurance wouldn't have helped....but thanks to the cc. community I at least have my taxes and port fees back :)

 

If you used a credit card to pay for the cruise, check with the credit card company. Some have trip cancellation and interruption.

 

Oh my Apastron, I didn't see your post before I posted this. We have a Chase United Explorer card that also has the same coverage.

Edited November 4, 2015 by cactusrose

[cruisequeen4ever]

Glad you at least got the partial refund, and so sorry to hear you can't take your cruise! Hope everything's ok!

[wowzz]

I'm assuming here that when folks talk about not having insurance, they're talking about cancellation insurance, rather than medical insurance. I can't imagine anyone foolhardy enough to travel to the US from Europe, or vice versa, without having medical cover. I know cruising is always seen as safe, but you've only got to break your leg on some Italian cobbles whilst ashore, and the costs will be horrendous.

As a Brit, I get reciprocal free health care in other EU countries, which is fine for the likes of Germany, France Spain etc, but even so, for the modest cost of an annual insurance policy, I wouldn't dream of travelling without cover.

[Wichenford Wolf]

I'm assuming here that when folks talk about not having insurance, they're talking about cancellation insurance, rather than medical insurance. I can't imagine anyone foolhardy enough to travel to the US from Europe, or vice versa, without having medical cover. I know cruising is always seen as safe, but you've only got to break your leg on some Italian cobbles whilst ashore, and the costs will be horrendous.

As a Brit, I get reciprocal free health care in other EU countries, which is fine for the likes of Germany, France Spain etc, but even so, for the modest cost of an annual insurance policy, I wouldn't dream of travelling without cover.

 

Travel insurance is so cheap compared to the cost of the cruise that I don't understand the logic of not taking out a policy.

 

Our only claim happened when my wife broke her ankle three years ago a month before a cruise. The insurance paid out £5,000 for the cost of £50. We were able to take a replacement cruise later that year as a consequence. And because the £50 was for an annual policy, there was effectively no cost to the insurance on that trip! Future premiums have not been affected - it's still £50 (this covers the whole family).

 

Seems like a no-brainer to me, but each to his or her own.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Wichenford Wolf

[wowzz]

Travel insurance is so cheap compared to the cost of the cruise that I don't understand the logic of not taking out a policy.

 

Our only claim happened when my wife broke her ankle three years ago a month before a cruise. The insurance paid out £5,000 for the cost of £50. We were able to take a replacement cruise later that year as a consequence. And because the £50 was for an annual policy, there was effectively no cost to the insurance on that trip! Future premiums have not been affected - it's still £50 (this covers the whole family).

 

Seems like a no-brainer to me, but each to his or her own.

 

Hear, hear!!

[moki'smommy]

I'm assuming here that when folks talk about not having insurance, they're talking about cancellation insurance, rather than medical insurance. I can't imagine anyone foolhardy enough to travel to the US from Europe, or vice versa, without having medical cover. I know cruising is always seen as safe, but you've only got to break your leg on some Italian cobbles whilst ashore, and the costs will be horrendous.

As a Brit, I get reciprocal free health care in other EU countries, which is fine for the likes of Germany, France Spain etc, but even so, for the modest cost of an annual insurance policy, I wouldn't dream of travelling without cover.

 

This is exactly why I buy the insurance--my medical insurance specifically excludes any care outside the US. I could afford to lose the cost of a cruise (wouldn't be happy, but...), but the cost of a hospitalization or medical evacuation could be huge.

[RocketMan275]

I'm assuming here that when folks talk about not having insurance, they're talking about cancellation insurance, rather than medical insurance. I can't imagine anyone foolhardy enough to travel to the US from Europe, or vice versa, without having medical cover. I know cruising is always seen as safe, but you've only got to break your leg on some Italian cobbles whilst ashore, and the costs will be horrendous.

As a Brit, I get reciprocal free health care in other EU countries, which is fine for the likes of Germany, France Spain etc, but even so, for the modest cost of an annual insurance policy, I wouldn't dream of travelling without cover.

 

It depends. There are many who do not have health insurance and do not see the need for it. Usually, they are young. Health care is a significant expense. They are 'bullet-proof'. Normally, when they get married, they opinions change. A lot of folks simply don't understand. They think are covered out of country when they are not.

 

I worked for a company several years ago that would pay for health insurance or you could opt out for a significant pay raise. A lot of folks choose the pay raise.

[wowzz]

It depends. There are many who do not have health insurance and do not see the need for it. Usually, they are young. Health care is a significant expense. They are 'bullet-proof'. Normally, when they get married, they opinions change. A lot of folks simply don't understand. They think are covered out of country when they are not.

 

I worked for a company several years ago that would pay for health insurance or you could opt out for a significant pay raise. A lot of folks choose the pay raise.

 

We are talking here about holiday insurance cover, which to my mind is not the same as health care. An annual worldwide travel insurance policy [which includes medical insurance] costs me less than $200. A single trip policy would cost less. I do not think this is a significant expense.

[cheeseclan]

As far as using the cancel for any reason credit: i had called last week and asked for info in case my husband had to cancel for any reason for our Dec 2015 cruise.

 

Princess said : whether we cancel today or dec 2015 we have until DEC 31 2016 to use the credit. I called back and was told that same answer again; It does not matter when you cancel in that year but it must be used by DEC 31 of the next year for sure.

[NC&KY]

I did a lot of research on cc about insurance before I booked and then to get exact answered called the insurance co princess uses.

Even if you booked through Princess instead of a TA (and that's a completely separate debate), you could have used a different insurance company that might not have been so restrictive in payment options. There are lots of tools for comparing, e.g., https://tripinsurancestore.com/ and http://www.insuremytrip.com/ that you might consider next time. Glad this trip was short enough self-insuring didn't hurt too badly.