Have You Ever Canceled A Cruise at the Last Minute?

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Have any of you ever canceled a cruise at the last day or two or even day of a cruise? If so, why and did you lose a lot of money as a result of the late notice?

 

I ask because with just four days to go before a cruise, I have broken my big toe. It is a bad situation with multiple fractures. Tomorrow I find out if I will need surgery or a cast or what, but the clock is ticking and I don't know how in heck I can manage a five day cruise when walking is very painful. In fact, I am told not to walk.

 

To save the cruise, I am considering asking RCI for a wheel chair, but that is a last resort. Whatever decision I make, I need to make it pretty fast. We have cruise insurance, but I fear we'll still lose some money.

 

My sister and her husband lost the entire cost of a ten day cruise when my father suddenly died just the day before they were to leave. They took the financial hit for obvious reasons, but I learned to always get the insurance. Still, today, here I am with throbbing toe and am deciding whether to tough it out somehow and take the cruise or be more prudent and stay home.

 

I believe some of you will have had similar experiences and if you would be willing to share what you decided and why, it would help me out a lot. I would really appreciate your input.

[Ohestu]

I would not depend on RCI for your wheel chair. Rent one for a couple of weeks from a local Medical Supply company and take it with you.

[JodiBB]

I've never cancelled a cruise per se, but we have had to postpone a vacation after I ended up in the emergency room (another post in itself) 3 days before our trip. We had travel insurance and my TA made a few calls. For an extra $40 to cover the flight change, we were able to postpone the trip by 1 full week without penalty.

 

We always get travel insurance..you never know when emergencies will arise.

[PurpleCow]

Heavysurf, I think your situation is exactly the kind of thing for which you purchased insurance. You should be able to cancel without any penalty. Contact your insurance company ASAP.

[K&RCurt]

We both came down with the flu which materialized on our flight to FLL the day before the cruise. We got to the airport, got a flight home and stayed in bed the whole week we should have been on the cruise. Insurance covered everything. The only problem was due to scheduling at work we had to wait an entire year to finally go on the cruise.

 

 

If I were you I would contact the insurance co and cancel. How much will you enjoy the cruise in your condition?

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Thank you all for your responses. The idea of Ohetsu to rent a wheel chair seems especially good as I recall having read here at this board about problems getting wheel chairs supplied by RCI at convenient times.

 

I'm going to wait until I see that orthopedist for what he has decided to do about my toe. If he decides on surgery, I can't go even with a wheel chair. If he decides on a cast or something simpler, I may try the wheel chair rental and tough it out.

 

Another thing I will do is read my Berklee Cruise insurance contract to see how late I can apply to cancel and if they pay for canceled shore excursions, etc. Maybe postponement is the best option after all. (Darn the luck!)

 

K & R Kurt, my heart goes out to you for the misery of having come down with flu on the airplane and have to spend what could have been a delightful vacation in bed.

[serene56]

some of your shore excursion if paid to a private vendor will give you some money back if cancelled within 48 hours or so. Let them know if you cancelled so they can allow someone else in your spot. One cruise we waited for someone who never came. the vendor thought they were just running late.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Serene, thanks for your advice. I booked the tours through RCI. Even if I do go on the cruise, I still have to cancel my tour, but my husband says he will still do his, even though he'll be alone. Wouldn't you know I had booked the seven hour tours with lots of walking?

 

I hope RCI tells the tour operator about the cancelation. It is too bad to have people waiting for no shows. I plan to go to the customer service desk as soon as I get on board IF I get on board, that is.

[kitty9]

I had to cancel two cruises at the last minute because of health issues. One was the day before and one was 5 days before. You absolutely MUST make sure your doctor certifies you are unfit for travel. I've traveled with a broken toe because my doctor said it didn't in any way hamper my ability to take a cruise and he wouldn't certify that I couldn't travel. Yes, it was a pain literally and figuratively, but I still went on the cruise. Once you have the doctor's statement, you have to submit all required documents such as hospital bills, pharmacy bills, doctor's notes and everything they ask for. Don't leave anything out because the insurance company is VERY picky.

 

You will have to rent a wheelchair or electric scooter, the cruise line does not provide them to anyone. If you are leaving from Southern Florida, there are companies that will deliver these things directly to the ship and pick them up at the end of the cruise.

[CaptData]

Do rent the wheelchair before hand. Also see if there is an H/C cabin available as wheelchairs do not fit throught normal doors and you will need the H/C shower to bathe. Bring large size garbage bags to help keep cast dry.

[Voyager]

Do rent the wheelchair before hand. Also see if there is an H/C cabin available as wheelchairs do not fit throught normal doors and you will need the H/C shower to bathe. Bring large size garbage bags to help keep cast dry.

 

H/C cabins are sold out months before the sailing, some ships only have a few! But, but it is a good idea to check. The garbage bags are a great idea for showering. I used the small white ones for bathroom trash bins. Trust me, I have had several surgeries on both feet, sometimse both feet at once and they are a god send. Dont forget the surgical tape to secure the bag around your foot. Works like a charm. I would also suggest a folding chair or a plasic chair at home when you shower. It really makes a world of difference when you can sit a take a nice shower. Heck, if you do go on the cruise (and I hope you can,) bring a folding chair with you. It will bring new meaning to the "Chair Hog."

 

-- Please, have a seat...... Party of one of course. Or.......?? :eek:

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Again, thanks to all of you for your excellent advice. I just didn't know about the wheel chair situation. The folding chair is a great idea to get off my feet in long lines. The plastic bag is a cool idea, too. I am very lucky and the doctor decided not to do a big cast, but instead put a big, thick wrap on my toe to stabilize the joint, so I have to keep that dry. Now I know how.

 

I've decided to tough out the cruise, but I don't think I'll actually need the wheel chair after all, but will carry a cane. It is amazing that RCI wouldn't have wheel chairs for passengers as most airlines do.

 

I'll look silly in formal attire with whatever shoe I can get to fit my huge wrapped toe into. It just might end up being much maligned flip flops. Maybe they'll be sequined, though.

 

I really appreciate the very useful ideas you all gave me. Kitty 9, how awful that you had to cancel TWO cruises for health issues! What a disappointment that must have been! I felt really bad for my husband who was so excited about going, but now we will go, even though he will do the shore excursions alone. It's better than sitting at home, though.

[Plant]

I don't know if you ever saw the Cosby show where Claire breaks her toe and has to go to a formal affair:eek: . She put a bag on her foot and decorated it with ribbons and costume jewelry. It was very funny and she looked great! Might be worth a try:) .

[DesrtDrmr]

HeavySurf, you can contact carevacations.com or Scootaround.com and rent a scooter, or folding wheelchair for your cruise. They will deliver it to/ and pick it up from your cabin. If you do not have a handicapped cabin, you will need a very narrow scooter, or a folding manual wheelchair.

You can call your airline, and tell them that you will need wheelchair assistance at the airport. When you check in, at the curb, or inside, they will have someone come get you in a chair, and wheel you through security and to your gate. There will be someone waiting for you at the door of the plane when you are ready to get off. They will wheel you to baggage, and to your transportation.

You can also call the cruise line and tell them you will need a wheelchair for boarding and disembarking. When you get to the port, you tell one of the cruiseline personnel that you need that, and they will have someone get you immediately, and wheel you through security and to your cabin........and at disembarkation, they will wheel you off the ship, to and through luggage and customs, and out to transportation.

You should tip all the wheelchair pushers you have, but it will certainly make your trip a lot more comfortable when you cannot walk much.

Have a great cruise!

[jlp20]

A year ago May, we had to cancel going on the Diamond Princess when my wife was hospitalized 5 days before the cruise. The factor the insurance looks at is the doctor FORBIDING your travel or being inpatient some time during the cruise period.

 

Get something in writing from your doc when you see him. Let him know you need the words like forbid or against medical advice to travel.

 

We only lost the cost of the insurance itself.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Again thank you all for your advice. Maybe it will prove helpful to others here as well as to myself. I didn't know about the doctor having to use the words "forbidden to travel." Luckliy I have decided to tough it out and go on the cruise because I don't think my doctor was in any frame of mind to forbid the travel.

(He was funny, though , and offered to go in my place!:) )

 

I'm going to go with a sturdy cane and hope I won't be sorry that I didn't rent the folding wheel chair. I probably won't decorate a plastic bag covering my foot as Bill Cosby's TV wife did, but I may have to decorate flip flops for formal night.

 

The advice about the detailed information needed to secure a medical cancelation on the insurance is very important. Who knows when I might need that information in the future and I'll be sure to get all the documentation needed thanks to the advice given here.

[dbookman1]

Hey All,

My family and I were on a Christmas cruise and the day before it left my sister was came down with strep, bronchitis and pneumonia (sorry about the spelling). Needless to say she stayed home. We called Carnival and explained what had happened. She didn't even have to send anything from the Dr. They gave us a $200 room credit and they gave her a voucher for a free cruise, she had to go with some one else so it was more like buy one get one free for the same class of room. It took a few calls to Carnival but they really treated us right and made sure that we will be sailing with them again.

 

PS. We all went on another family cruise in April, this time she made it and everyone lived happily ever after. The End....

[lv2crooz2]

Hi, If I may add my 2 cents.....We sailed on Mariner of the Seas in the spring and were happily provided with the use of a RCCL wheelchair for the entire cruise including shore excursions. We're sailing this weekend on princess and were offered a chair waiting at FLL by our TA. We will bring our own but I didn't want RCCL to be slighted as they were more than gracious. I hope everything is well on your vacation and you have a wonderful time. Smooth sailing Y'all:D

[girlbuffalo1]

They also have walkers on wheels that have a small bench to sit down on as well--at the medical supply store. My grandmother recently broke an ankle and it has been great--she usually gets along without it--but for longer walks--or days out doing things all day she can use it to keep her stable (much easier than crutches) and easier to fit through places and less cumbersome than a wheelchair. If she gets tired she can just turn around and sit on the little bench for a while (great for long lines)...just thought I would let you know such a thing exists--as I had never heard of it previously..