Postpone Cruise - Family Emergency

[landlady1952]

Asking for a friend and I have no experience with HAL. Family group are booked for an Alaskan cruise that leaves in 3 weeks. Was cruise for dads 80th birthday. Unfortunately he has taken ill and is in ICU. Would HAL allow group to postpone/ rebook for a later date? They are not going to ask for refunds but rather just rebook when dad is better and able to enjoy cruise. Does anyone think this is possible or have any experience in a matter like this. They do not have trip insurance and involves 12 people. Thank you

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smwg]

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news especially with everything you are going through, but without insurance your friend stands to lose a good bit of money by canceling. The closer it is the sail date the less money gets returned to you. They may already be in the timeframe where it is 100%. I doubt very seriously the cruise line will rebook without penalty. Never hurts to call the cruise line though. The worst they can say is, "no we can't give your money back or rebook the cruise." [emoji852]️

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[landlady1952]

I was hoping the rebooking angle might help but guess we will see. Told her to start calling and asking. Hoping for the best for them.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[msmayor]

It never hurts to ask, but your friend should have every expectation that they say no. It has nothing to do with being unkind or uncaring, but everything to do with the agreement between the passengers and the line. Booking and making that final payment, the rules are clear about what happens in the event of a cancellation. And even though 'they just want to move it, not cancel', this IS a cancellation. Anything the cruise line chooses to offer should be considered a gift.

 

I hope the medical situation improves quickly.

[summersigh]

I was hoping the rebooking angle might help but guess we will see. Told her to start calling and asking. Hoping for the best for them.

 

This is the reason DH and I never travel without at least cancellation insurance ... and these days based on his medical history we also do "pre-existing condition" on top of that.

 

Good Luck !!

[jtl513]

Sorry, but:

 

CANCELLATION POLICY

 

Cancellation fees apply to the entire cruise booking, including cruise fare, air add-ons, ground transfers, pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel and tour packages. Guests who cancel within the dates shown below for any reason, including medical or family reasons, are subject to the following per-person cancellation fees:

 

Caribbean; Panama Canal; Mexico; Canada & New England; Pacific Coastal; Pacific Northwest; Alaska and Alaska Land+Sea Journeys; Europe (except Prinsendam Europe, 30+ day Transatlantic and segments of 30+ day Transatlantic) and 27-day or less Hawaii sailings

 

75–57 days before commencing travel: an amount equal to deposit requirement;

56–29 days before commencing travel: 50% of gross fare;

28–16 days before commencing travel: 75% of gross fare;

15 days or less before commencing travel: 100% of gross fare.

Given that the resale of cancelled space will likely result in a lost opportunity to sell other space, these fees are due regardless of resale. Fees incurred as a result of cancellation cannot be applied to future bookings. Refunds will normally be made to your travel professional. Travel professionals may impose their own cancellation fees. Agency fees of any nature are a matter to be decided on solely by the agency and guests.

Edited May 14, 2016 by jtl513

[alwaysfrantic]

I think it will a 75% loss of fees. Unless HAL is different from other lines, they hold tight to the printed rules.

[innlady1]

We have had to cancel 2 cruises due to medical reasons. We always insure...we were disappointed we had to cancel...I can only imagine how upsetting it would have been to lose $$$ on top of it.

[Devinlad]

Just in case it might have been overlooked, if you used a travel rewards credit card to book the trip, check your cardholder agreement. My travel points card has a decent annual fee but that comes with insurance coverage that includes trip cancellation insurance for medical reasons.

 

Hope good health smiles on you all soon.

[chefestelle]

Good point Devinlad! That's why I always use that one credit card to book my trips - except this last one because TA used the wrong card on file (I use it for business which is fully refundable no matter what). But she had added the cancellation insurance so she had our backs anyway.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have had to cancel a couple of cruises -- we had HAL's insurance (we buy different insurance for medical problems) -- got back 90% of our money.

 

You mentioned that they leave in 3 weeks -- if that is the case, then they should get back 25% of their money.

 

But this needs to be done on Monday.

[take us away]

Hopefully they used a TA who can go to bat for them. Have moved from 1 cruise to another without penalty but that was an N of 1, not a group. Hope HAL has accommodations for the group on a cruise they want and HAL will allow a booking transfer so they do not have to cancel.

[serendipity1499]

We've often taken chances & never bought insurance as we were able to self insure.. However, they were for outside cabins of 10 days or less...We did save a great deal of $$$ that way..:)

 

Now we do purchase insurance, as we normally book the longer cruises & are also sometimes booking lanai's or balcony cabins...We now stand to loose much more if one or both of us has Medical problems.. I can't imagine not having insurance for a longer cruise or if a PAP is close to being 80.. :(

Edited May 15, 2016 by serendipity1499

[serendipity1499]

Hopefully they used a TA who can go to bat for them. Have moved from 1 cruise to another without penalty but that was an N of 1, not a group. Hope HAL has accommodations for the group on a cruise they want and HAL will allow a booking transfer so they do not have to cancel.

 

I doubt this will happen as it would not be fair to those who purchase insurance.. One of my close Friends was booked in a Balcony cabin with her DH & never took insurance...

 

Her DH passed away, & a few months later she decided to still go on her cruise, but a Friend of hers booked in place of her DH.. She still lost out as HAL considered this a cancellation & brand new booking..

[sail7seas]

Sorry to her your dad is ill. It if for such rfeSasons many of usbuy insurance. HaL WILL NOT LIKRELY JUST RsCHEDULE FOR YOU ALL.

Edited May 15, 2016 by sail7seas

[Krazy Kruizers]

In 2014 we had to cancel a cruise because of a snow storm that shut down several main airports on the east coast for the better part of 5 days.

We did have a back up cruise for the following month.

We had to cancel the first cruise -- got back 90% of the cruise fare. Then booked the new cruise.

No transferring money from 1 cruise to another.

[Fouremco]

In 2014 we had to cancel a cruise because of a snow storm that shut down several main airports on the east coast for the better part of 5 days.

We did have a back up cruise for the following month.

We had to cancel the first cruise -- got back 90% of the cruise fare. Then booked the new cruise.

No transferring money from 1 cruise to another.

From HAL or your insurance company? I assume the latter.

[summersigh]

In 2014 we had to cancel a cruise because of a snow storm that shut down several main airports on the east coast for the better part of 5 days.

We did have a back up cruise for the following month.

We had to cancel the first cruise -- got back 90% of the cruise fare. Then booked the new cruise.

No transferring money from 1 cruise to another.

 

The year we took the Christmas Cruise there was a huge blizzard shutting down the north east 2 days before the sailing - 400 people out of 1200 missed the cruise. No good way to catch up with the ship later as we had a sea day first, then private island, then another sea day before we finally got to a port.

 

Without insurance they'd have lost their $$. (coming from the southeast coast we did make the trip :))

[sail7seas]

ost of the major cruise lines to the same.

[grandmarnnurse]

We had to leave a cruise after only 2 days on the ship due to a family emergency back home. It was our first cruise--in 1995 for our 25th Anniversary--and we never insured it. Needless to say, we lost a lot of money. Not to mention the additional cost of booking an earlier flight home from a Caribbean island (St Kitts). [emoji22] Now, I never book a vacation without insuring it.

[sail7seas]

vBetty, I am sorry my typos are annoying you.

 

I havw explained a numb er of times, one of my hands is gigiving me a lot of trouble and ityping is hard ffor med at the moment.

Hope you can forgive/understand . .

Edited May 15, 2016 by sail7seas

[summersigh]

vI havw explained a numb er of times, one of my hands is gigiving me a lot of trouble and ityping is hard ffor med at the moment.

Hope you can forgive/understand . .

 

Sail ... I hope your hand feels better soon ... I can sympathize

[landlady1952]

Thanks everyone for all your thoughts and comments. I will pass them all on yo our friends. Just a very difficult situation for all of them. Not sure what they plan to do. [emoji45]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sail7seas]

Thank you Summer sigh//

Edited May 15, 2016 by sail7seas

[donaldsc]

Asking for a friend and I have no experience with HAL. Family group are booked for an Alaskan cruise that leaves in 3 weeks. Was cruise for dads 80th birthday. Unfortunately he has taken ill and is in ICU. Would HAL allow group to postpone/ rebook for a later date? They are not going to ask for refunds but rather just rebook when dad is better and able to enjoy cruise. Does anyone think this is possible or have any experience in a matter like this. They do not have trip insurance and involves 12 people. Thank you

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I do not know what they do but they should not either give you a refund or allow you to rebook. That is what you are supposed to buy insurance for. I am not contesting the fact that you have a legitimate issue but if they make exceptions for everyone who has a legitimate issue, why should anyone buy insurance.

 

DON