Trying to avoid losing my $1750 deposit!

[BrendaJ]

I myself have had doubts on whether or not to purchase cancellation insurance for a cruise. I used to always purchase insurance for land vacations (back when I was young and foolish, I did whatever my travel agent suggested). :o It seems that cancellation insurance for land vacations is somewhat cheaper than insurance for cruises. Not to mention, once you have paid your deposit on some package vacations, you won't get it back without insurance, no matter how far ahead you cancel. With some cruise lines, you can get your full deposit back, no questions asked, up to 70 days or so before the trip. So, you're really just insuring those 70 days (not sure about the number of days).

 

Never once have I ever needed to use insurance. That being said, a trip we booked two years ago, planning to go with friends, was marred when one of them had a serious accident and was unable to go. With no insurance, and the trip a week away, they lost a significant amount of money. As they don't travel very often, this seemed extra unfortunate.

 

I had always thought of cancellation insurance as protecting me against the very unlikely prospect of my health causing my need to cancel; I never thought about the health of family members as being an issue. Since Jim's parents and mine are getting older, we did purchase cancellation insurance for our next trip, because you never know . . . I have also found that, if I don't take insurance, I'm rather hesitant to play tennis vigorously or ride my bike to work for months ahead of time, just in case I end up breaking a limb. With insurance, at least I don't feel like I have to walk on egg shells prior to the trip.

 

I think buying insurance, for me, would depend on the cost of the cruise. I have a credit card that I pay $60 a year extra for that gives me "cancellation" insurance; however, I believe its coverage maxes out at $2,000 CDN, which would not go a long way with some of the trips we've been taking lately.

 

I do agree that having a good travel agent is paramount when problems do arise; I'm glad to have one I know I can count on and who will go to the bat for me if I need her to.

 

I'm glad the OP resolved their problem, and I agree that we could all show a little more compassion.

 

Brenda

 

PS Hello, Shakespeare - if you're still reading. :D

[BB5953]

For the record - While I do not want someone to loose $1750, I do not want to subsidize irresponsible cancellations.

 

Not to single you out Ocean Sailor because I think that the above is the thought of many replying harshly to the OP but how would X transferring his deposit from on cruise to another have any effect on you? It is simply moving revenue from on cruise to another?

[princessdi]

I believe in 'compassion' for my fellow human beings because……

 

In the end…..ONLY kindness matters…….

[Ma Bell]

The major reason to have cruise insurance is in the event you need to be air evacuated from the ship or you have a problem in another country. Your regular insurance won't cover the cost of the evacuation and it's very expensive. It's also good to have for trip interruption or baggage delay.

 

I'm happy the OP got his deposit transferred to another cruise, however I agree with those who think it's not fair for those who take responsibility for themselves to have to foot the bill for those who don't. Kindness has nothing to do with it. These are people who have the money to take a cruise, not a charity situation. Kindness works both ways.

[sasset]

As someone else asked, how do I foot the bill for MarkandStacie's situation and resolution?

 

Regards

[tgmtgm]

Sasset- I second your opinion. How do people feel that somehow they are going to be financially disparaged by the transfering or refunding of M & S's deposit amount? I am assuming that this scenario will be added to the ever popular and growing list of reasons people think the cruise lines raise fares. Boggles the mind sometimes.

 

Tony.

[cruiseco]

This is the protection offered by my Visa Gold card.

 

Travel Emergency Medical Insurance

(for customers < 65 )

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

(for customers < 65 )

Common Carrier Accident Insurance

Rental Car Collision/Damage Insurance

Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance

Lost Luggage insurance.

 

In addition, one way airfare home is included.

 

I would be interested to know if this is standard Gold level coverage for most cards. I pay $95 per year to have this, BTW.

 

As I am under 65, this serves my needs.

 

Insurance and credit card regulations are much different for Canadians than here in the US. Because nothing is for free, the cost of supplying that trip insurance coverage is built into the cost of using the card -- either through higher interest rates or fees. It's not very much because the cost is spread among all of the card users, whether they need/want it or not. It's like my car insurance would be lower if even those who don't own cars still had to pay a premium.

 

In the US the various states have pretty much decided that packing travel insurance into the credit card benefits by default is a no-no. They think that it's better for those that want or need travel insurance to buy it separately and that those who don't want it shouldn't have to subsidize the cost for those that do.

 

FYI -- some of the travel benefits found on cards like Amex or some other Gold cards are not "insurance." For example the emergency evacuation coverage is actually a pre-paid membership in some provider's network. It's more akin to joining AAA's roadside towing service. You're pre-paying a service, not getting insurance.

[Ma Bell]

As someone else asked, how do I foot the bill for MarkandStacie's situation and resolution?

 

Regards

 

Maybe I didn't make myself clear. As I said I think Mark and Stacie's situation was fair and see no problem with transferring their deposit to another cruise. I would have a problem with a refund.

[Happy ks]

So be it...look for sympathy elsewhere.

 

And if you think I'm a cheerleader for X...review my posts.

 

 

Quote "To know I will get no sympathy from you.

 

I did get some resolution for my situation. Basically doing what many people here have suggested worked out for my family. We will be sailing Celebrity a month later and I'm sure I will find it a wonderful trip.

 

It's amazing that it is 74 here today and I'm haveing a tedious discussion like this.

 

ttfn

 

 

 

 

I'm glad you got your trip resolved. I'm sorry you had to suffer some of the attitude here, people are sometimes not very nice when anonymous.

 

Why do people have to be so touchy around here? The guy came here to ask advice, not get lectured. I haven't been on the Celebrity board much lately, but I've read from a well known person on CC that she avoids this board because of attitude. Now I see why. I don't blame the guy at all for coming back with an up yours comment after reading some of the replies. Geez, we're here to help each other out, if you know an answer, give it kindly. Don't treat people here as the enemy.

 

Have a lovely cruise with your family.

[caviargal]

 

 

Why do people have to be so touchy around here? The guy came here to ask advice, not get lectured. I haven't been on the Celebrity board much lately, but I've read from a well known person on CC that she avoids this board because of attitude. Now I see why. I don't blame the guy at all for coming back with an up yours comment after reading some of the replies. Geez, we're here to help each other out, if you know an answer, give it kindly. Don't treat people here as the enemy.

 

Have a lovely cruise with your family.

 

Hi Kathy. It's not as warm and fuzzy as our fashion board, is it?

 

But the award for the nastiest board on this forum goes to Carnival.

[Ma Bell]

Sasset- I second your opinion. How do people feel that somehow they are going to be financially disparaged by the transfering or refunding of M & S's deposit amount? I am assuming that this scenario will be added to the ever popular and growing list of reasons people think the cruise lines raise fares. Boggles the mind sometimes.

 

Tony.

 

First of all let me say again that I have no problem with transferring their deposit.

 

It's really pretty basic economics to understand that there is a reason for penalties when cruises are cancelled within a certain time period. It's more difficult to resell the cabins the closer it is to sailing time without having to discount them. The cruiseline does need a certain amount of revenue to be able to maintain the standards of each cruiseline. If they refund money for one just because he doesn't want to lose his deposit, then I guess to be kind or fair, they should do it for everyone who asks. I guess then we could have a situation where people book multiple cruises and then decide at the last minute which one to take.

 

This is obviously an exagerrated example of why they don't refund deposits or payments within a certain time frame. It's called inventory control and you can be assured that if they didn't do this it would definitely affect the price of cruising. They would just have to start out pricing the cruises a lot higher to make up for the last minute fallout.

 

 

I paid for a cruise for my son and the rest of our family to Alaska. He had vacation planned with his company, but for reasons that couldn't be helped they couldn't let him off at that time. I lost not only the deposit, but the whole cruise fare. I sure didn't enjoy losing my money, but that's just an unfortunate thing that sometimes happens in life. I knew the rules and played by them.

[MarkandStacie]

So many nice replies and well wishers. Thank you to so many people who could understand my sistuation.

 

I did want to add that X was able to let my deposit go towrds a future cruise. Any cruise I chose, even if it were 14 months away, would have the deadline for the deposit of the original cruise. That way they are protected in me trying to get my funds back later. I am very happy about this arrangement. It also enabled me to take a cruise I would have never chosen.

 

It never was about getting my money back and certainly nobody's cruise fares or insurance are helping my family. They (X) have another cruise sold, my $1750, and two more rooms they can now sell.

 

All is well that ends well. The internet is often negative, but this was pretty nice. Did I mention it is 82 hear today, now that is niiice!

[RickandAnne]

So many nice replies and well wishers. Thank you to so many people who could understand my sistuation.

 

I did want to add that X was able to let my deposit go towrds a future cruise. Any cruise I chose, even if it were 14 months away, would have the deadline for the deposit of the original cruise. That way they are protected in me trying to get my funds back later. I am very happy about this arrangement. It also enabled me to take a cruise I would have never chosen.

 

It never was about getting my money back and certainly nobody's cruise fares or insurance are helping my family. They (X) have another cruise sold, my $1750, and two more rooms they can now sell.

 

All is well that ends well. The internet is often negative, but this was pretty nice. Did I mention it is 82 hear today, now that is niiice!

 

I'd like to add that, to any good company that values its customer loyalty, in extenuating circumstances rules can be treated as guidelines. People here can complain about the threat of having to sell a cabin late in the cycle for a reduced price (like this individual case is a back breaker for them in the larger scheme of things). But they fail to weigh that against the loyalty, good will and future revenue they may continue to realize from Mark and Stacy and others who may realize that there may be, indeed, some measure of compassion among the "accountants" that everyone here complains about at Celebrity.

 

I've been there, too, and lost money (when my son fell out of a fourth story window.). I'm heartened that Mark and Stacy struck a reasonable compromise and found satisfaction from the folks at Celebrity.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise. Did I mention it's in the mid 40's here, but we're coming south soon!

[madelinerose]

I'm sitting here in Baltimore, 2 hrs away from Solomons Island and thinking

82????? Well, according to weather.com, it's currently 64 in Solomons Island, 65 in Baltimore and cloudy in both cities. Am I missing something?

 

So glad your cruise issue worked out. ;)

 

Did I mention it is 82 hear today, now that is niiice!

[TWELVEOHONE]

Celebrity is pretty rigid with their policy, but with that said they also are are flexible when done properly

 

I have seen cases where it was necessary to cancel due to medical within the 70 days celebrity saying only deposit will be returned. My travel agent wrote them a letter telling about the situation and requested a credi toward another cruise. It worked they were given acredit good on another Celebrity cruise to be used within one year of date.

 

Will not say this always works but it did here.

 

This is advantage of using a good local travel agent, soemone to sit down with and heklp you

[MarkandStacie]

I'm sitting here in Baltimore, 2 hrs away from Solomons Island and thinking

82????? Well, according to weather.com, it's currently 64 in Solomons Island, 65 in Baltimore and cloudy in both cities. Am I missing something?

 

We live in Tampa now after 30+ years in Maryland.

[BB5953]

First of all let me say again that I have no problem with transferring their deposit.

 

Hi Ma Bell. Since I may have been the first to ask this question let me say it wasn't directed at any of your comments. If you read through you will see quite a few people say how they will wind up footing the bill. However if you read the OP you will see he never asked for a refund just to transfer the deposit.

 

This is a done issue but I just wanted to clear up my question.

[Ma Bell]

My wife and I have prior sailings on Celebrity and plan to do so again in the future. We have a problem with our current reservation. This is the first time we are cruisng with our 5 children and one of them has a problem that will stop her from coming. I contacted the company that booked the cruise and they told me Celebrity's policy is rigid. Since the cruise is still over two months away, I'm hoping someone will help our family. Since there our 7 of us forefiting our deposit is $1750! That is more than some one week cruises I have taken.

 

Has anyone had a similar problem and found a way not to lose almost two thosand dollars?

 

BB5953,

 

This is the original post. As you can see there was no mention of transferring the deposit to another cruise, just looking for a way to "not lose" his money. As the conversation and suggestions followed he suggested a "credit" or transferring his deposit.

 

As I said, I'm happy for Mark, but I can also agree that if this kind of thing were done for everyone, it would definitely affect the price of cruises.:)