Trip insurance question

[Candleonwater]

Add this to the million and one trip insurance questions here. We sail in 94 days, so almost to final payment time. I usually just purchase the cruise care through Royal, but this time I didn't get anything. Now I'm faced with a dilemma. DD goes to school in Canada. Just found out her finals could be ANYTIME up to, and including, Dec 21. That would be fine, however we sail on Dec 21. After talking to people at school, they have a STRICT policy when it comes to taking exams early, and sadly traveling to the Caribbean for the holidays is not an acceptable excuse.

 

Trying to see what options I have for 100% refund for cancellation. It appears a lot of the policies won't work for us because we made our deposit on LAST Decembers Holiday cruise.

 

Not willing to gamble and HOPE she doesn't have an exam on the 21st... an exam on the 20th would suck, but she could drive all night if necessary. I even joked with her, maybe she could meet us at the first stop. She didn't find that humorous.

[Clarea]

You can still get Royal's Cruise Care and receive a 75% credit towards a future cruise if you cancel for a non-covered reason.

[setsail]

I am not sure what an exam has to do with insurance. Just cancel the cruise if you are before FP.

[Candleonwater]

I am not sure what an exam has to do with insurance. Just cancel the cruise if you are before FP.

 

Because we want to do the cruise?

[setsail]

Because we want to do the cruise?

So cancel the daughter then

[Candleonwater]

So cancel the daughter then

 

Not really excited about going on a cruise alone. Just trying to figure out if there's an insurance option that would allow us to cancel (without too much penalty) due to exam schedule.

[Havingfun2010]

Add this to the million and one trip insurance questions here. We sail in 94 days, so almost to final payment time. I usually just purchase the cruise care through Royal, but this time I didn't get anything. Now I'm faced with a dilemma. DD goes to school in Canada. Just found out her finals could be ANYTIME up to, and including, Dec 21. That would be fine, however we sail on Dec 21. After talking to people at school, they have a STRICT policy when it comes to taking exams early, and sadly traveling to the Caribbean for the holidays is not an acceptable excuse.

 

Trying to see what options I have for 100% refund for cancellation. It appears a lot of the policies won't work for us because we made our deposit on LAST Decembers Holiday cruise.

 

Not willing to gamble and HOPE she doesn't have an exam on the 21st... an exam on the 20th would suck, but she could drive all night if necessary. I even joked with her, maybe she could meet us at the first stop. She didn't find that humorous.

 

Well, are you talking about an adult, or child? If you daughter is an adult, than it looks like you have a gamble right now. Once she gets her exam schedule, make a decision with her. Can she drive (yes, people do this still).

 

As hard as this sounds, maybe you just drop her on the cruise, and let her know maybe next time.

[Ocean Dancer]

Follow Bob's advice or just reschedule. Even though you paid off your cruise, you are still out of final payment but not by much. Have you contacted the teacher and asked for the exam schedule? Can she take the exam early?

[Candleonwater]

Well, are you talking about an adult, or child? If you daughter is an adult, than it looks like you have a gamble right now. Once she gets her exam schedule, make a decision with her. Can she drive (yes, people do this still).

As hard as this sounds, maybe you just drop her on the cruise, and let her know maybe next time.

 

She's an adult, but as it's just the two of us, the cruise wouldn't be nearly as fun without her. Definitely would consider her driving in if the exam is on the 20th, but if the exam is on the 21st, not really an option.

 

Not sure if Royal would allow me to board, and her join us at the first stop? Starting to expand our options to a cruise leaving the following day out of Ft Lauderdale (currently leaving out of Baltimore), on a similar itinerary.

 

I just hate when life gets in the way.

[slyster]

I don't blame you for wanting her to go with you. I wouldn't go without my wife or without someone else to tag along with. Would a Baltimore cruise work as an alternative? Not sure of sailings on or around those dates.

 

Does she not have a syllabus yet? I thought exam dates were usually posted already?

[Ocean Dancer]

They are already booked on the Grandeur.

[katiel53]

Not sure if Royal would allow me to board, and her join us at the first stop?

 

I just hate when life gets in the way.

My guess, and it's a guess, is that Royal Caribbean won't let her join the cruise the next day as it is no longer a closed-loop cruise and unless the cruise is going to a destination such as Aruba or whatever else is determined to be ok with the feds, she'd have a fine to pay.

 

I purchase insurance through insuremytrip.com and perhaps you could find out if there is an option to cancel because of exams. I don't think there is, but I haven't had the need to check.

 

My best advice would be to change the trip to another cruise sailing the next day. It truly is a pain when life gets in the way. Good luck.

[Candleonwater]

I don't blame you for wanting her to go with you. I wouldn't go without my wife or without someone else to tag along with. Would a Baltimore cruise work as an alternative? Not sure of sailings on or around those dates.

 

Does she not have a syllabus yet? I thought exam dates were usually posted already?

 

Yeah, we are already sailing on Grandeur. Her Uni only gives a window of when the exam will fall Dec 7-21, or something like that. Some time in October, or November, they will let the professor know what classroom, time and date.

 

Like I said, just trying to figure out what my options are. With my luck, if I move the sailing to the Serenade (which leaves a day later out of Ft Lauderdale), her exam will fall on the first day available. If I stay with the Grandeur, it will be the 21st.... that's just how my luck is lately!

 

We just really enjoyed this sailing last year, and love sailing with the friends we have on this particular sailing.

[SRF]

Look at all the various insurance packages.

 

I know that the tripinsurancestore (or is it travelinsurancestore) gives you quotes and info for about 8+ policies.

 

And you can either chat with them online or call them to discuss your needs.

[squale2]

insuremytrip has a Nationwide policy that will cover 70% if you buy it before final payment

[Candleonwater]

I think I may have found, at least, a solution to getting the money back if we do have to cancel... CSA has this in their "Trip cancellation benefit", which I believe falls under the regular policy, not the "cancel for any reason" part: "Being required to take an academic examination ona date that has been fixed after your coverage waspurchased, and the examination date falls within yourTrip dates".

 

Doesn't satisfy my cruise vacation itch... but at least I wouldn't lose up to 25% of the cruise fare!

[Clarea]

I think I may have found, at least, a solution to getting the money back if we do have to cancel... CSA has this in their "Trip cancellation benefit", which I believe falls under the regular policy, not the "cancel for any reason" part: "Being required to take an academic examination ona date that has been fixed after your coverage waspurchased, and the examination date falls within yourTrip dates".

 

Doesn't satisfy my cruise vacation itch... but at least I wouldn't lose up to 25% of the cruise fare!

I would also ensure that the insurance did not need to be purchased before the exam was scheduled.

Edited September 18, 2017 by Host Clarea

[lbjen]

You probably want to look for an insurance that provides 100% refund under cancel for any reason.

[Candleonwater]

I would also ensure that the insurance also did not need to be purchased before the exam was scheduled.

 

Since we've been told the exam won't be scheduled until October or November, do you think that would suffice? Final payment is in a couple of days, so I'm going to have to move fast on this.

 

You probably want to look for an insurance that provides 100% refund under cancel for any reason.

Everything I'm seeing indicates the 100% refund under cancel for any reason has to be purchased within so many days of the initial deposit, and since that was paid almost a year ago, we fail to qualify?

[Clarea]

Since we've been told the exam won't be scheduled until October or November, do you think that would suffice? Final payment is in a couple of days, so I'm going to have to move fast on this. ...

That would be a question for the insurance company.

[setsail]

I would also ensure that the insurance did not need to be purchased before the exam was scheduled.

 

The t&c state that it does.

[rukkian]

I think I may have found, at least, a solution to getting the money back if we do have to cancel... CSA has this in their "Trip cancellation benefit", which I believe falls under the regular policy, not the "cancel for any reason" part: "Being required to take an academic examination ona date that has been fixed after your coverage waspurchased, and the examination date falls within yourTrip dates".

 

Doesn't satisfy my cruise vacation itch... but at least I wouldn't lose up to 25% of the cruise fare!

 

It sounds like it should be covered, but I could also see them denying it because you knew it was between 12/7-12/21.

[jamesr3939]

We had to cancel last October due to DS lost his job and was starting a new one. That's not a "covered" event, rather a "any reason" reason. I waited up until the last minute (16 days) just in case things changed, which they didn't. I had already made final payment. I got 25% back from RCCL in cash. I ultimately got 75% of the balance in Future Cruise Credit, which we are using in 20 days.

 

So you could wait until the date of final exam is posted and then cancel if you have to. All in all I was out about 25% total cost. However, had I waited two more days I would have gotten $0 back from RCCL and still only 75% of the balance on a FCC.

 

It's not a quick process it took about 60 days to get my FCC certificate numbers. BTW: FCC certificates are issued to the named pax not who paid the bill.

[MrsPete]

When can you find out her exam dates? Who at the school can you ask for details? I assume each professor sets his or her own exam date -- either the last class OR exam week?

 

My kids didn't /don't go to school in Canada, but their exam schedules were available right there on the registration schedule.

[jamesr3939]

I think I may have found, at least, a solution to getting the money back if we do have to cancel... CSA has this in their "Trip cancellation benefit", which I believe falls under the regular policy, not the "cancel for any reason" part: "Being required to take an academic examination ona date that has been fixed after your coverage waspurchased, and the examination date falls within yourTrip dates".

 

 

There's a similar clause for military deployments. But you have to have signed leave orders prior to buying the insurance and the problem with that is most commands won't let you put in leave requests until 30 days prior. We had to jump through that hoop for another son when we were doing a Club Med for Thanksgiving. However, as always there is a way.

 

But that wording sounds like it might work for you, since you have it in writing now that the date isn't fixed.