Q: July 2019 cruiser with new Breast Cancer

[duncmelsmom]

I just found out I have breast cancer and don't have trip insurance.  I'm not sure what the treatments will be and/or if I can actually take the cruise.  I go for an MRI Nov 6 to determine the source and "type".

 

This cruise will be for our 25th Anniversary.

What if I can't cruise?  Have any of you experienced something similar?  I've looked at trip insurance but see info about pre-existing medical issues.  I guess I'm still in that category??  

Thanks for your help.  It's a long way before we cruise.  Maybe this cancer will be good and gone by then!

Edited October 27, 2018 by duncmelsmom

[cherylandtk]

Sadly, buying trip insurance won’t do you any good at this point.  

 

Until you know what your treatment will be and how long it might take, you probably should not plan on anything non-refundable for the next 8-10 months.  A lot will depend on what stage and histotype you have, and it will take a lot of tests over the next month to determine that answer.  If you still have several months before your final payment, you could wait until a week or so before and make a decision then.

 

Lastly, there are a lot of us out there that used to be in your position...medicine has made great strides in treating this, so keep up the positive attitude!

 

[virginiab]

Six years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the beginning of June. At the time I had a November cruise booked. Once I knew I would need chemo, I looked at the schedule for chemo versus my cruise plan. I would finish chemo a couple of weeks before the cruise and it seemed to me that my immune system would still be pretty vulnerable. So we cancelled the cruise before the final payment was due. I had booked Early Saver fares, so Carnival kept $50 per person and held the rest of our deposit to use for a future cruise. Once I saw how my recovery was going, I booked a cruise for the middle of January. 

 

My advice would be to keep an eye on the date that final payment is due, and be prepared to cancel at that time if you need to. Whatever your treatment plan turns out to be, I hope it will be pretty easy to deal with and that we will see you back aboard soon!

Edited October 27, 2018 by virginiab

[duncmelsmom]

Ut oh...both of your advice sounds like we shouldn't have paid in full.  It's paid for.  All $3680 with 2 Cheers packages.  Thanks for your encouraging words.  There have been so many who have fought cancer.  I'm going to be another one of those people!  There are too many trips to be had!

[Bevv]

5 minutes ago, duncmelsmom said:

Ut oh...both of your advice sounds like we shouldn't have paid in full.  It's paid for.  All $3680 with 2 Cheers packages.  Thanks for your encouraging words.  There have been so many who have fought cancer.  I'm going to be another one of those people!  There are too many trips to be had!

If you decide to cancel, and booked early saver, you will get back all of your cash besides 250. per person.  Of that 250. , 200 per person is held for future cruise credit, the other 50.

 you lose.  

You can wait till 90 days before the cruise to make the decision

 

If it was another rate you will get ALL of your money back,

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by Bevv

[duncmelsmom]

Oh wow!  I did book Early Saver and had no idea this was the case.  THANK YOU!  We have time to decide then.  Fabulous and thank you!!

 

[Bevv]

5 minutes ago, duncmelsmom said:

Oh wow!  I did book Early Saver and had no idea this was the case.  THANK YOU!  We have time to decide then.  Fabulous and thank you!!

 

I hope all goes well with your treatments and you are on that cruise!  If not then you will have one to look forward to when treatments are all done.

 

[bakersdozen12]

31 minutes ago, Bevv said:

 

If it was another rate you will get ALL of your money back,

 

 

That depends on when she cancels. Other rates are still subject to cancellation penalties after final payment date. 

[Homosassa]

Been there, done that, had to buy much smaller tee shirts after bilateral mastectomies.

 

First thing, take a deep breath.  Until you know the final diagnosis and pathology, you don't know whether you will be able to cruise or not in nine months.

 

There is a good chance you will be able to go.

 

I was diagnosed, left on a seven day cruise and then came home for surgery and chemo.

 

My spirit lifter after my second chemo (two were still left and then a year of herceptin) was to call and book a cruise ten months from that second chemo. And that cruise was great.

 

Please check out the website www.breastcancer.org  It has a wealth of information and the community boards will give you a lot of support.

[kctwinmommy]

We went with friends on a cruise 2 years ago, and it was about 2 months after she was diagnosed. Now, I don't know her exact kind and all the details, but she obviously had some treatments. I "think" she didn't have surgery though. But she was still able to go. Now, she was doing any crazy activities, it was just a Caribbean cruise (and they've done at least 10 I'd guess!), so it was just a time to get away with us. She just had to take it easy, stay out of the direct sun for any length of time, and couldn't really go swimming. But we still had a great time!

 

Like the other person said, don't make any decisions yet. You may find that you have time and can still enjoy your cruise. Wishing you the best!

[riclop]

It's best to call them because given your problem they may let you cancel and give you your $$$ back without penalty.

[duncmelsmom]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

Been there, done that, had to buy much smaller tee shirts after bilateral mastectomies.

 

First thing, take a deep breath.  Until you know the final diagnosis and pathology, you don't know whether you will be able to cruise or not in nine months.

 

There is a good chance you will be able to go.

 

I was diagnosed, left on a seven day cruise and then came home for surgery and chemo.

 

My spirit lifter after my second chemo (two were still left and then a year of herceptin) was to call and book a cruise ten months from that second chemo. And that cruise was great.

 

Please check out the website www.breastcancer.org  It has a wealth of information and the community boards will give you a lot of support.

I've been looking for a board to check out...THANK YOU!!!  I know this stuff isn't easy to share or relive and I appreciate your info soooooo much!  I just had to read this to my hubby!  ❤️

[duncmelsmom]

Thanks you guys!!  I love the info you're giving.  There is lots to think about, but I won't know much until I meet with the oncologist.  I'm just trying to get my ducks in a row, and you guys have helped TREMENDOUSLY!!  Happy cruising you all!!

[ScreenSwoons]

Praying for your fast and complete recovery.

[Homosassa]

13 hours ago, duncmelsmom said:

I've been looking for a board to check out...THANK YOU!!!  I know this stuff isn't easy to share or relive and I appreciate your info soooooo much!  I just had to read this to my hubby!  ❤️

After I made my post, I realized it was twelve years ago in October of 2006 that I received my diagnosis and went on the cruise.

 

Funny story about booking the cruise after my second chemo. The medication I was given for nausea did its job but it also made me a little loopy. My speech would be slurred.

 

While booking the cruise, I had to spell my home town (Homosassa) and besides slurring the s's, I kept putting too many s's in the spelling. I kept trying and telling the agent,"I'm not drunk, it's the drugs."

 

She was very polite and kept telling me to take my time.

 

 

[Mama Mona Lisa]

I booked our cruise in January, 2017, 8 days Eastern Caribbean leaving December 1, 2018. In April, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. By that time I had already paid my trip in full and booked our sons trip. I told my oncologist that I was going on vacation and it was non-refundable. He laughed and said no problem, that I would only miss 1 treatment. So hopefully it won't be a problem.

I wish you a lot of luck and prayer for a speedy recovery. Hope you'll be able to go.

You're a warrior and will get through this with flying colors. THINK PINK!!!

[LuckyStar]

15 hours ago, duncmelsmom said:

Thanks you guys!!  I love the info you're giving.  There is lots to think about, but I won't know much until I meet with the oncologist.  I'm just trying to get my ducks in a row, and you guys have helped TREMENDOUSLY!!  Happy cruising you all!!

If life has taught me anything, a positive attitude and a will to beat this will help you in a big way.  Prayers your way that all goes well.  Please stay in touch on the boards, many of us will be thinking of you and your long term prognosis.

[duncmelsmom]

1 hour ago, LuckyStar said:

If life has taught me anything, a positive attitude and a will to beat this will help you in a big way.  Prayers your way that all goes well.  Please stay in touch on the boards, many of us will be thinking of you and your long term prognosis.

Thank you and thanks to all!  I'm watching The Magic Pill on Netflix.  It's definitely something to think about.  I highly recommend it to anyone; good food for thought.

[LuckyStar]

19 minutes ago, duncmelsmom said:

Thank you and thanks to all!  I'm watching The Magic Pill on Netflix.  It's definitely something to think about.  I highly recommend it to anyone; good food for thought.

 

My sister told me about this show.  I need to put it on My List. 

[virginiab]

I second the recommendation for breastcancer.org. There is a wealth of information there and the message boards are awesome!

 

Usually, waiting for a diagnosis and treatment plan is the most crazy-making part of having cancer. It is good to be able to split your attention a bit by also thinking about cruising.

 

I had a different cancer a year ago and had to go to out-of-town specialists to find the experts in treating it. It took a while to get the appointments and we ended up with appointments to see a medical oncologist and a surgical oncologist 3 days before a planned cruise. So we packed for the cancer center and we also packed for the cruise. I made sure I had all the phone numbers to cancel our cruise travel arrangements. 

The medical oncologist said this was a very fast-moving cancer and I should start chemo next week; they would make arrangements so I could do that close to home rather than at their center. I asked if we could wait and start in two weeks. He said we should really start next week. I explained about our vacation plans, including the fact that they were cancellable. He thought about it a minute and said that we were in for a rough 8 or 9 months of treatment and that a cruise before we started might be just the thing.

I spent the couple hours as we were driving to the airport on the phone with the medical folks at home, asking them to make the arrangements so we could start as soon as we got back. They got that done by the time we got back to the USA after the cruise.

The end of the story is that there was a lot of chemo, some surgery, and a good result in the end.

Followed, of course, by another cruise.

 

Hang in there. Many thing will become clear once you know what you are dealing with. My thoughts are with you!

[martinchem]

First of all I wish you good luck on your unchosen path, my wife went through this six years ago. We had cruises booked before and after surgery including follow up chemo, radiation and herceptin because she was her2 positive. Her doctors were able to work around our vacations and we really didn't have to change any of our plans. We had insurance but it wouldn't play into reimbursement because the treatment course didn't effect dates of cruises.

[richard1s]

Last year my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and we were in a similar situation. Her doctor advised that we should go on our cruise and she should do her best to have a good time under the circumstances. 

 

We went, she tried her best to be rationalize it all and we (most importantly she) had a great time. I love and admire my wife for her courage and attitude. 

 

Upon return, her prognosis was good - outpatient surgery, about 33 days of radiation treatment and finally she was declared "cancer free". I wish you the very best and hope for the exact same outcome (or even better)!

[duncmelsmom]

What amazing stories of success!  This little comma in my sentence of life won't slow me down.  Hopefully I'll have many days of cruising ahead of me.  Thank you so much for your stories.  They are really helping me to see that I'm not so alone with this ugly disease.  ❤️ y'all!

[factotumdeb]

I read this post and had to reply. I was diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer 12/16, my husband and I had already planned our 40th anniversary cruise, and did not get insurance, we both felt we were healthy at the time. Then life changed in a heartbeat. I talked to my oncologist and he said going away would be good for us and he was able to work my treatments around my vacation. I did end up getting travel insurance with a pre-existing condition, just in case. We ended up going and have alot of good memories from that trip. Whatever you choose to do, Duncmelsmom, and whatever you may be facing, I wish you the best and good health. I too, agree with breastcancer.org as a great site for help, support and accurate info. 

[duncmelsmom]

factotumdeb, I hope I can be just as able as you were.  Thanks for sharing your experience.  It helps so much to know I'm not alone!