Cruise insurance oddities

[majortom10]

Have you asked if it covers cruises> Lots don't. Also, you need to look at cancellation and how much that is. I nearly chose a Basic policy and then read it only covers for £500 cancellation or nothing at all.

 

If you are referring to my post then it is not a basic policy and have had it for a number of years and have asked on the phone if it covers all aspects of cruising i.e. helilift in medical emergency and was told it covers all aspects of cruising up to maximum amounts as in all policies. Does not cover for missed ports or cabin confinement but didnt want that anyway.

[wowzz]

Believe it or not but its fact annual worldwide travel insurance for myself and my wife both late 50s. By the way I am not in the habit of lying.

To be clear, I was not implying that you were lying, just that the price was extremely cheap.

I have never been able to get an annual worldwide policy anywhere near that price with any insurance firm, so obviously you have got a great deal.

 

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[suekay]

We usually go to a comparison site (Moneysupermarket) and complete the medical questionnaire. The price difference in quotes is tremendous. Well worth doing

 

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[suekay]

For anyone who has medical issues that result in significant premiums, if they are / were public sector employees (civil servants, local government, NHS, teachers, police, fire, Armed Forces, etc) which enables them to join the Civil Service Sports Club then the CSSC does an annual insurance policy which requires no medical declarations.

 

It covers people aged from 50 to 79 for worldwide cover (trips up to 65 days (45 for Caribbean, USA or Canada) with no medical screening, and covers cruise ship evacuation (but not missed ports).

 

It isn't particularly cheap at £195 for an individual, £275 for a couple, or £295 for a family and it is an odd annual policy that it runs from 1st April no matter when you buy it.

 

However maybe worth looking into for those who have had substantially higher quotes.

That is a really good price for anybody with substantial/multiple but stable health problems. At the moment we are covered by our bank after paying a supplement, but we may take advantage if the supplement is too high when we renew at the end of this month

 

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[Eveglos]

We used to get Travel insurance as part of our Home insurance. Good job I read the small print one day as it turned out it no longer covered my husband once he hit 65. We had in fact been on holiday without him being insured!

[Tafia69]

(I know of people who were confined to cabin for several days with noro-virus. They then had to get a taxi ride home as the cruise company and/or the coach company said they could not use the coach transfer due to the noro-virus. They tried to claim from their travel insurance as the taxi ride cost hundreds of pounds. Claim was refused as " the taxi ride was in UK" )

 

I find the above a little hard to believe. I contacted NV in the last 36 hours of our holiday on Arcadia. We too travel by coach and my OH was also told we couldn't use the coach but ....... no need to worry as we would be disembarked when everyone else had left and PO was providing a taxi home to the North West free of charge.

 

I am most disappointed that you suggest that either I made up the story about my neighbours who had to pay for a taxi home from Southampton or that he and his wife are liars.

 

 

I have no reason todoubt what they say especially as it was confirmed by the local travel agent who arranges the cruises for the neighbours and for us though they have been on 46 and we went on our first in April.

 

 

Perhaps you will contact The Scottish Sun to ask for a correction to the story reported this year that two Scots OAPs on a cruise were told by P and O that they had to find their own way back to Scotland at a taxi cost of £1250 after becoming infected with influenza B on the same ship our neighbours were on though the cruise was a month later.

 

 

Story reported here:

 

 

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/2127356/flu-cruise-po-taxi-banned-coach-glasgow-southampton/

 

 

If the link doesn’t work just Google ‘Scots OAP caught flu on a dream cruise forced to pay £1250 for a taxi’

 

 

I can fully understand why P and O made that decision but surely the OAPs’ travel insurance should have paid for the taxi due to the problem starting on the ship when it was abroad.

 

BTW for some reason words in this post seem to be losing their spacing. That is not my doing as I have tried to correct it by editing.

Edited June 5, 2018 by Tafia69
Words losing spacings

[picsa]

I am most disappointed that you suggest that either I made up the story about my neighbours who had to pay for a taxi home from Southampton or that he and his wife are liars.

 

 

I have no reason todoubt what they say especially as it was confirmed by the local travel agent who arranges the cruises for the neighbours and for us though they have been on 46 and we went on our first in April.

 

 

Perhaps you will contact The Scottish Sun to ask for a correction to the story reported this year that two Scots OAPs on a cruise were told by P and O that they had to find their own way back to Scotland at a taxi cost of £1250 after becoming infected with influenza B on the same ship our neighbours were on though the cruise was a month later.

 

 

Story reported here:

 

 

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/2127356/flu-cruise-po-taxi-banned-coach-glasgow-southampton/

 

 

If the link doesn’t work just Google ‘Scots OAP caught flu on a dream cruise forced to pay £1250 for a taxi’

 

 

I can fully understand why P and O made that decision but surely the OAPs’ travel insurance should have paid for the taxi due to the problem starting on the ship when it was abroad.

 

BTW for some reason words in this post seem to be losing their spacing. That is not my doing as I have tried to correct it by editing.

 

Well I don't believe it.

 

The Sun story doesn't mention insurance at all.

 

My insurance policy (and I cannot believe it is unusual) defines a journey as beginning and ending at home, not in Southampton docks.

 

If the coach was part of the P&O package then unless their T&C's allow them to ban you from the coach and abandon you then it is their responsibility to get you home if they don't want you on the coach.

[balf]

If you are referring to my post then it is not a basic policy and have had it for a number of years and have asked on the phone if it covers all aspects of cruising i.e. helilift in medical emergency and was told it covers all aspects of cruising up to maximum amounts as in all policies. Does not cover for missed ports or cabin confinement but didnt want that anyway.

 

Never rely on assurances given over the phone. Everyone needs to read the insurance contract carefully. Having said that Aviva are not a cowboy company but you should check via paper docs.

 

DAVID

[Tafia69]

Well I don't believe it.

 

The Sun story doesn't mention insurance at all.

 

My insurance policy (and I cannot believe it is unusual) defines a journey as beginning and ending at home, not in Southampton docks.

 

If the coach was part of the P&O package then unless their T&C's allow them to ban you from the coach and abandon you then it is their responsibility to get you home if they don't want you on the coach.

 

What you believe is irrelevant. My previous post was in answer to the person who found it hard to believe that my chum had to pay for a taxi so I provided a link to another couple who had the same experience to prove that it can happen.

 

I presume when you say you don't believe it you are referring to the insurance company refusing the claim. Well my buddy was so incensed that he had to pay for the taxi and that the insurers said it wasn't covered that he cancelled his next cruise with the same company even though that meant he lost his deposit. Luckily for him he can well afford to do so. Does anyone believe that an insurer will never try to avoid a claim by quoting a clause on Page 47, para 3 subsection j of the terms and conditions? "You should have read the small print sir"

 

Our first cruise in April was with P and O on the Ventura and it could not have gone better. Everything was so well organised; it was a seamless experience. Someone said Celebrity are better but I don't see how they could be. We are going with P and O again in September on Azura.

[jeanlyon]

If you are referring to my post then it is not a basic policy and have had it for a number of years and have asked on the phone if it covers all aspects of cruising i.e. helilift in medical emergency and was told it covers all aspects of cruising up to maximum amounts as in all policies. Does not cover for missed ports or cabin confinement but didnt want that anyway.

 

Hi, I just did a quote with Aviva for myself, as I have a policy with them for something else and you get 20% discount. The quote was £130 for worldwide including US & Canada which is actually not bad. I don't know what age group you are, probably a lot younger than me at 71. However, I didn't put in any medical conditions, but then did it again with one medical condition, diverticular disease. It shot up to £241!! even though I have no problems at the moment.

[majortom10]

Hi, I just did a quote with Aviva for myself, as I have a policy with them for something else and you get 20% discount. The quote was £130 for worldwide including US & Canada which is actually not bad. I don't know what age group you are, probably a lot younger than me at 71. However, I didn't put in any medical conditions, but then did it again with one medical condition, diverticular disease. It shot up to £241!! even though I have no problems at the moment.

 

We are both 59 and have been insured with Avia for a number of years so dont know if loyalty brings the price down. One thing I did find strange we were insured for my wife with high blood pressure and high cholesterol and when renewed also said that I had recently been diagnosed with enlarged prostate and when that was put in the price came down a few pounds. I did query to confirm it was right and was told yes.

[my marina bay]

I am most disappointed that you suggest that either I made up the story about my neighbours who had to pay for a taxi home from Southampton or that he and his wife are liars.

 

I am sure you believe their story it just differs with what I believe as I have been in exactly the same situation. I have no interest to look at the Sun article as my condition was NV not the flu.

 

For your information there were around a dozen of us with NV all supposed to be on coaches and PO provided a free taxi for everyone some travelling a lot further than us.

Edited June 5, 2018 by my marina bay

[Tafia69]

I am sure you believe their story it just differs with what I believe. I have no interest to look at the Sun article as my condition was NV not the flu.

 

For your information there were around 14 of us with NV all supposed to be on coaches and PO provided a free taxi for everyone some travelling a lot further than us.

 

The Sun article refers to a couple who were told they could not get on the coach because of illness, regardless of whether it was flu or NV. I can understand why you don't want to read it as it proves what I said about the taxi ride was done to others as well as my neighbour.

[balf]

We are both 59 and have been insured with Avia for a number of years so dont know if loyalty brings the price down.

 

Usually the opposite.

 

David

[my marina bay]

The Sun article refers to a couple who were told they could not get on the coach because of illness, regardless of whether it was flu or NV. I can understand why you don't want to read it as it proves what I said about the taxi ride was done to others as well as my neighbour.

 

Did your mother never tell you not to believe everything you read in newspapers ;-)

[picsa]

What you believe is irrelevant. My previous post was in answer to the person who found it hard to believe that my chum had to pay for a taxi so I provided a link to another couple who had the same experience to prove that it can happen.

 

I presume when you say you don't believe it you are referring to the insurance company refusing the claim. Well my buddy was so incensed that he had to pay for the taxi and that the insurers said it wasn't covered that he cancelled his next cruise with the same company even though that meant he lost his deposit. Luckily for him he can well afford to do so. Does anyone believe that an insurer will never try to avoid a claim by quoting a clause on Page 47, para 3 subsection j of the terms and conditions? "You should have read the small print sir"

 

Our first cruise in April was with P and O on the Ventura and it could not have gone better. Everything was so well organised; it was a seamless experience. Someone said Celebrity are better but I don't see how they could be. We are going with P and O again in September on Azura.

 

Your story from your "friend" continues to make no sense, blaming an insurance company and then cancelling a cruise.

 

You would have to be fairly dim not to just sort out a different insurance company.

[jeanlyon]

We are both 59 and have been insured with Avia for a number of years so dont know if loyalty brings the price down. One thing I did find strange we were insured for my wife with high blood pressure and high cholesterol and when renewed also said that I had recently been diagnosed with enlarged prostate and when that was put in the price came down a few pounds. I did query to confirm it was right and was told yes.

 

Certainly age would make a big difference. It was still a good quote for me for Worldwide for an annual policy, so I shall look at them again. In fact as we are not going worldwide I shall certainly look at them for Europe only.

[Tafia69]

Did your mother never tell you not to believe everything you read in newspapers ;-)

 

Wriggle wriggle. I rest my case. :-)

 

Safe sailing.

[Tafia69]

Your story from your "friend" continues to make no sense, blaming an insurance company and then cancelling a cruise.

 

You would have to be fairly dim not to just sort out a different insurance company.

 

How could he sort out a different insurance company for an existing claim?

 

It was P and O that told him he must take a taxi. I did tell him he should have argued with the insurers more. Another reason for cancelling was the the cruise he cancelled was on the same ship. He said he felt like a leper as they were confined to the cabin with food brought in.

 

We went on that ship a few weeks later with no problems at all.

Edited June 6, 2018 by Tafia69
Further info

[picsa]

How could he sort out a different insurance company for an existing claim?

 

It was P and O that told him he must take a taxi. I did tell him he should have argued with the insurers more. Another reason for cancelling was the the cruise he cancelled was on the same ship. He said he felt like a leper as they were confined to the cabin with food brought in.

 

We went on that ship a few weeks later with no problems at all.

 

Shifting sands in your story.

 

So to sum up -

 

- He couldn't be bothered to push the insurance company.

 

- He cancelled with nothing to do with insurance but didn't fancy that ship any more.

[kruzseeka]

Shifting sands in your story.

 

So to sum up -

 

- He couldn't be bothered to push the insurance company.

 

- He cancelled with nothing to do with insurance but didn't fancy that ship any more.

 

There is clearly an issue wrt different insurers/policies - and perhaps too the passenger's determination to challenge it.

However that doesn't address the differing responses passengers have apparently had from P&O. Some appear to have had no support (whether or not their insurance coughed up) and others seem to have been looked after by P&O. I'd be interested to know why that was.

There are inconsistencies in P&Os response in other respects too. Our friend was on the delayed Ventura last month with ports missed but she claims they had only some free wine as a sweetener. We missed ports last year - again because of mechanical problems and received some generous obc. I don't understand why we have this variation. Either a problem fits into a category which would indicate some compensation is appropriate (for missed ports due to mechanical issues - or help getting home) or it doesn't! But we seem to hear such conflicting stories about how P&O have responded to what seems to me to be similar issues.

(I'm not in any way jumping on the compensation culture bandwagon here - the issue for me is consistency or in this case apparent inconsistency and the reasons for that!)

[FangedRose]

Perhaps those who had a taxi home paid for by P&O were with Intercruise as part of a Select Fare package? As Intercruise are P&O's official partner, P&O are obliged to get their passengers home. If you are travelling with Eavesway you are classed as an independent traveller and P&O have no obligation.

On a cruise several years ago a couple had their luggage taken off at the wrong ship. It was Eavesway and P&O did their best but it was pointed out that if they had been with Intercruise they could have free reign of the shops on board until they could be reunited with the luggage.

[CarlaMarie]

There is clearly an issue wrt different insurers/policies - and perhaps too the passenger's determination to challenge it.

However that doesn't address the differing responses passengers have apparently had from P&O. Some appear to have had no support (whether or not their insurance coughed up) and others seem to have been looked after by P&O. I'd be interested to know why that was.

There are inconsistencies in P&Os response in other respects too. Our friend was on the delayed Ventura last month with ports missed but she claims they had only some free wine as a sweetener. We missed ports last year - again because of mechanical problems and received some generous obc. I don't understand why we have this variation. Either a problem fits into a category which would indicate some compensation is appropriate (for missed ports due to mechanical issues - or help getting home) or it doesn't! But we seem to hear such conflicting stories about how P&O have responded to what seems to me to be similar issues.

(I'm not in any way jumping on the compensation culture bandwagon here - the issue for me is consistency or in this case apparent inconsistency and the reasons for that!)

 

I think you have summed this up very well. There are inconsistencies right across the fleet in the same company which doesn't make sense and is not good for the brand. This can be applied to many aspects - service, the way problems are handled, differing responses from p&o on the same enquiries such as tips etc...

 

In this instance, you would have thought there would be a policy that all ships must follow in certain situations of delayed departures and missed ports but it appears not and hence inconsistency is bound to occur.

[kruzseeka]

Perhaps those who had a taxi home paid for by P&O were with Intercruise as part of a Select Fare package? As Intercruise are P&O's official partner, P&O are obliged to get their passengers home. If you are travelling with Eavesway you are classed as an independent traveller and P&O have no obligation.

On a cruise several years ago a couple had their luggage taken off at the wrong ship. It was Eavesway and P&O did their best but it was pointed out that if they had been with Intercruise they could have free reign of the shops on board until they could be reunited with the luggage.

 

Ahhh..... now that does make sense. I can see how the responsibility for getting home if not on an Intercruise coach becomes the passenger's and not P&O's and explains why they would organise taxi transfers. Thanks for that clarification.

 

Still got a little query though. In the case of the passenger who had to arrange their own taxi, (perhaps booked with Eavesway), does it mean P&O told passengers they couldn't travel home on a coach which had nothing to do with P&O? Perhaps a public health issue? It would certainly not be in the other coach passengers' interests. But what if you were travelling by train? I'm a little bemused about how P&O could intervene and tell people that they couldn't travel by whatever means they'd planned other than for Intercruise coaches. (You can tell I like to understand why things are as they are - no axes to grind just a desire for logic! :confused:)

[Tafia69]

Shifting sands in your story.

 

So to sum up -

 

- He couldn't be bothered to push the insurance company.

 

- He cancelled with nothing to do with insurance but didn't fancy that ship any more.

 

Why is it there is always at least "one" on a forum who seems to know all?