Name change and refund?

[SmilesYourWay]

My mom got some medical news today that will cancel her and my dad going on the cruise. She doesn't want me to cancel.  When I booked for the 3 of us, after given the total (cruise, port fees, taxes, insurance) I paid 1/3. My portion. Since I had read if there was a reduction in price but you couldn't get it if you had made final payment, I told my parents not to worry about paying until closer to May 31, the due date. The cruise is August 24.  Since they haven't paid anything yet, will their part of the insurance still have to be paid?  If one person takes their place will she get it at the same price of person #2 when I booked?  Since there will only be 2 people now instead of 3 will the 3rd person price be taken off the total?  I will (hopefully) be talking to the travel agent tomorrow.  I have not worked with her before so was hoping to get answers and insight from experienced cruisers before I talk to her. To be prepared. Thank you. 

[cr8tiv1]

You have lots of good questions.  The good news is that you are not in the final payment stage.  Is your deposit a refundable deposit?  Then you have nothing to lose if all of you cancel.  I hope you didn't make a payment in full either (good advice to your parents).  Since no insurance was purchased and you are still before final payment, it might just be easier to cancel everything and start again.

 

Do you have someone who will share the cost of the cruise with you (if not, you will be paying a single supplement at 100%/double)?  Are you keeping this booking because you have some outstanding sale promotions?  

 

Good luck in getting this sorted out.  

[SmilesYourWay]

I didn’t know there are non refundable deposits. So I don’t know if refundable or not.  Insurance was part of the total. We do have a friend that will go and share the cost with me. The room has $500 OBC. I was given the total price for all 3 of us. I paid 1/3 of the total (my part).

[flutprop]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 Are you keeping this booking because you have some outstanding sale promotions?  

 

Good luck in getting this sorted out.  

 

that would be the best reason to not cancel it all and start over. If you have a good promotion, or a good price compared to todays price for the same sailing, you definitely will not want to cancel fully and start over.

I don't know the answer as to the price if you change the name of a person in the cabin. On Disney, you pay the current fare, but I don't know how Princess works.

[Coral]

On most bookings, people do not pay for Princess insurance up front. They often just add it to the total and pay it with final payment.  You have to go out of your way to pay for insurance.

 

Definitely check with  your agent on the best way to proceed. You are in a good position since you haven't reached final payment.

 

Sorry about your Mom.

[skynight]

I would treat it in this manner.

Cancel one person, the 3rd person.

Change the name of the 2nd person. If you are the 3rd passenger you may have to change the names of both the 1st and 2nd passengers. There may be a small fee.

The promotion should remain the same.

No more deposits should be due and final payment date should not change.

The "3rd" person should receive their deposit refund as you are not inside of the penalty time. This assumes that you do not have non-refundable deposits. Refundable deposits are the norm, non-refundable deposits are connected with some promotions.

Also remember that when completing the pre-cruise immigration information on line that you have to enter a credit card. The replacement person may have a different credit card and different on board account.

[SmilesYourWay]

Boy, what a mess this is.  ☹️  And I tried to make it easy.  When I booked and was given the total I paid 1/3 which would be my part.  My parents hadn't paid anything yet.  But apparently payments aren't per person. So my payment was all of our insurances and part of my balance.  The insurance is non-refundable and non-transferable.  Since I may be having a friend go with me, the total price from 3 people to 2 people goes down $1164.  But still brings my price up $479. Was going to see about switching from mini-suite ( for 3 people) to balcony, but slim pickings. Forward, back or guarantee. Grand total for cruise, port fees, taxes & insurance for 2 in a mini-suite D616 is $5204. Is this a good price?  We get $500 OBC an $150 OBC (I think it will stay the same) from Travel agency.

[skynight]

You learned some about booking cruises and payments. We always wait until about a week before final payment date to pay. This gives the most flexibility. If you have to budget then place the funds into your own savings, not the cruise line's.

The price sounds correct for a mini suite. You probably can get a guarantee balcony for about $4500.

I'm guessing that you are on one of the 7 day Alaska voyages.

[happy cruzer]

So did you pay in full for Princess insurance?  If so and your mom's medical condition is not pre-existing by 60 days from when you paid, you probably have full cancellation insurance.  Hopefully someone can give you advice about exactly how that would work - of course that could be your TA.  I am thinking you do not need to be in any hurry to make changes since you will have insurance coverage.  You need to know the exact options.  You probably are insured against any increase in rates because of a relative's illness.  Probably can cancel this booking and start a new one on the same date or different but you will be out the cost of the insurance.  Make a list of all the options with important dates listed then decide.

[LessWorkMoreTravel]

Remember that your credit card may have some travel insurance as well.  Check that policy too.

[Coral]

28 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

So did you pay in full for Princess insurance?  If so and your mom's medical condition is not pre-existing by 60 days from when you paid, you probably have full cancellation insurance.  Hopefully someone can give you advice about exactly how that would work - of course that could be your TA.  I am thinking you do not need to be in any hurry to make changes since you will have insurance coverage.  You need to know the exact options.  You probably are insured against any increase in rates because of a relative's illness.  Probably can cancel this booking and start a new one on the same date or different but you will be out the cost of the insurance.  Make a list of all the options with important dates listed then decide.

I think a lot depends on if they bought Princess insurance or 3rd party insurance. Regardless, insurance is not refundable. If they bought Princess - it has a 60 day look back period on the day they bought it (regardless when they bought it).

[SmilesYourWay]

54 minutes ago, skynight said:

You learned some about booking cruises and payments. We always wait until about a week before final payment date to pay. This gives the most flexibility. If you have to budget then place the funds into your own savings, not the cruise line's.

The price sounds correct for a mini suite. You probably can get a guarantee balcony for about $4500.

I'm guessing that you are on one of the 7 day Alaska voyages. 

10 day Alaska 

[NavyVeteran]

Princess Vacation Protection is refundable before final payment, but most third-party insurance is not.

 

You will need to read the fine print in your and your parent's insurance policies. Many third-party insurance policies do not have a pre-existing conditions exception if you purchase the insurance when (or soon after) you make the initial deposit. You will need to check your policy.

 

You need to talk with your travel agent, since none of us can help you without reading your specific policy. The travel agent should have sent you a copy of the policy when you paid for it. If not, ask for a copy now. You need to discuss your exact situation and find out your specific coverage. Do not believe anything your travel agent or anyone else tells you unless it is in writing - you definitely need a copy of the policy you paid for.

 

If you and your parents have full insurance coverage, then you may be able to go solo without paying any extra. Many policies cover the additional cost of cabinmates cancel because of a covered condition.

 

It could make a difference whether you were listed as the first person, the second person, or the third person on the reservation, since normally the first and second person pay one price and the third person pays a reduced price. If your insurance covers you, then you may only need to pay that price (which may not be one third of the total price for three people) as well as the insurance cost for three people.

 

Depending on your insurance coverage, you may find that you are better off staying in the same cabin with one person than switching cabins or having a second person join you. Your travel agent should be able to help you. That is his job - especially if he sold you the travel insurance.

 

[SmilesYourWay]

I just sent an email asking to send insurance policy to me.

 

 

[SmilesYourWay]

2 hours ago, LessWorkMoreTravel said:

Remember that your credit card may have some travel insurance as well.  Check that policy too.

I checked the credit card companies.  One covered lost baggage, death and dismemberment.

One had trip cancelation & interruption up to $3,000 per person including family members. At no charge! Thank you so much for saying this. I will (hopefully) remember this for next time. 

[Colo Cruiser]

If they added private insurance and didn't tell you........

Sounds like you need a new travel agent.

[SmilesYourWay]

I was told the total price included insurance. I just wasn't sent a policy. I had first talked to an agent  who was very nice and put the cabin on hold while I contacted my parents to confirm with them.  By the time my parents got back to me and I called the agent back, she was on days off.  So I spoke to a different agent because I didn't want to miss out on the deal. The cabin on hold had expired and was no longer available but was able to get another one.  I talked to first agent after booking with second agent. Although first agent doesn't get commission from my booking, (since second agent made the booking), first agent is now my travel agent as I wanted to work with her and she agreed. I knew I had insurance, just don't know through who.    

[Colo Cruiser]

15 minutes ago, SmilesYourWay said:

I was told the total price included insurance. I just wasn't sent a policy. I had first talked to an agent  who was very nice and put the cabin on hold while I contacted my parents to confirm with them.  By the time my parents got back to me and I called the agent back, she was on days off.  So I spoke to a different agent because I didn't want to miss out on the deal. The cabin on hold had expired and was no longer available but was able to get another one.  I talked to first agent after booking with second agent. Although first agent doesn't get commission from my booking, (since second agent made the booking), first agent is now my travel agent as I wanted to work with her and she agreed. I knew I had insurance, just don't know through who.    

Thanks,

Princess does not include insurance........

So if they told you it was included then the TA provided their own insurance company and added it to your booking. I would not be comfortable with that. IMO it is another sales push for them to make more $$ on the booking.

[Coral]

I am not sure your parents situation - but some 3rd party insurance companies will allow you to move the cost of the insurance to another trip. So if you are able to cancel this trip and are able to go on another trip (all 3) - they will often transfer the coverage to the new trip so you don't lose the cost of the insurance. That is assuming you don't file a claim under the current insurance.

 

Yes - it is complicated.

 

I sort of get why they added 3rd party insurance - it is to protect your parents if they got sick and it would cover them for pre-existing conditions. Since multiple people were speaking with the agents (and multiple agents) - things got confusing.

Edited April 25, 2019 by Coral

[SmilesYourWay]

4 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Thanks,

Princess does not include insurance........

So if they told you it was included then the TA provided their own insurance company and added it to your booking. I would not be comfortable with that. IMO it is another sales push for them to make more $$ on the booking.

The fault is mine. To naïve. (and agent that booked us) Had I had the information I am learning now, I wouldn't have thought the insurance was through Princess.  I'm not dealing with the agent that made the booking. I'm dealing with the first one I talked to. My gut tells me, through our conversations, that had I been able to book through her, she would have explained everything (including insurance) to me. I believe in Karma. Taking advantage of a person's lack of knowledge or experience to put a few extra $$ in your pocket....you might get away with it for awhile.....but the day will come....

 

I'm reading up on travel insurance now. 😎

[SmilesYourWay]

6 minutes ago, Coral said:

I am not sure your parents situation - but some 3rd party insurance companies will allow you to move the cost of the insurance to another trip. So if you are able to cancel this trip and are able to go on another trip (all 3) - they will often transfer the coverage to the new trip so you don't lose the cost of the insurance. That is assuming you don't file a claim under the current insurance.

 

Yes - it is complicated.

 

I sort of get why they added 3rd party insurance - it is to protect your parents if they got sick and it would cover them for pre-existing conditions. Since multiple people were speaking with the agents (and multiple agents) - things got confusing.

No. It was only me talking to agents. Agent #1 was off for 2 days when I called back to confirm. So not confusing. I completed booking with agent #2.  But I am working with agent #1 again.  She informed me today that she contacted their accounting dept. and was informed the insurance is non-refundable & non-transferable. 

Our family friend who may go with me now, has insurance she can use. She had to cancel a cruise last year. Her family was going to go on a cruise. including her brother. He got sick and died. The cruise was cancelled. Insurance told her if she was to go on a cruise in the next two years she could use the insurance.