Serenade OTS 5 night Bermuda now 4 nights and insurance

[LadyBerard]

I bought a cruise travel insurance policy which has trip delay and itinerary change prior to departure benefits.  I bought this policy very soon after purchasing cruise (I don't know if I can state the insurance company).  Today, I received an email that our cruise on the Serenade of the Seas which was scheduled to depart Boston this upcoming Tuesday is now being delayed until a Wednesday departure due to the hurricane.  Now, we will only be in Bermuda one day, instead of two.  

 

I called the insurance company, and they said that because our port of call was not changed, we have no claim.

 

???????????????????

 

Itinerary Change (prior to departure)
Maximum Benefit up to $100 per Trip
Itinerary Change – Inconvenience (after departure)
Maximum Benefit up to $100 per Trip
Itinerary Change – Pre-paid Excursion (after departure)
Maximum Benefit up to $250 per Trip
Missed Connection (3 hours)
Maximum Benefit up to $500 per Trip
Trip Cancellation
Maximum Benefit 100% of Trip Cost
Trip Interruption
Maximum Benefit 125% of Trip Cost
Trip Interruption for any Reason
Maximum Benefit up to $250 per Trip
Trip Delay (6 hours)
Maximum Benefit up to $500 per Trip / $100 per day

 

 

ITINERARY CHANGE
In the event a Cruise makes a Change in Your Trip Itinerary prior to Your actual departure date we will pay up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.
Change in Your Trip Itinerary shall mean the Cruise has a documented change of Port of Call from the scheduled itinerary.
Verification by the Cruise of the change in the scheduled Trip Itinerary will be necessary for claim payment.

 

I'm very disappointed.

 

[GeezerCouple]

10 minutes ago, LadyBerard said:

I bought a cruise travel insurance policy which has trip delay and itinerary change prior to departure benefits.  I bought this policy very soon after purchasing cruise (I don't know if I can state the insurance company).  Today, I received an email that our cruise on the Serenade of the Seas which was scheduled to depart Boston this upcoming Tuesday is now being delayed until a Wednesday departure due to the hurricane.  Now, we will only be in Bermuda one day, instead of two.  

 

I called the insurance company, and they said that because our port of call was not changed, we have no claim.

 

???????????????????

 

Itinerary Change (prior to departure)
Maximum Benefit up to $100 per Trip
Itinerary Change – Inconvenience (after departure)
Maximum Benefit up to $100 per Trip
Itinerary Change – Pre-paid Excursion (after departure)
Maximum Benefit up to $250 per Trip
Missed Connection (3 hours)
Maximum Benefit up to $500 per Trip
Trip Cancellation
Maximum Benefit 100% of Trip Cost
Trip Interruption
Maximum Benefit 125% of Trip Cost
Trip Interruption for any Reason
Maximum Benefit up to $250 per Trip
Trip Delay (6 hours)
Maximum Benefit up to $500 per Trip / $100 per day

 

 

ITINERARY CHANGE
In the event a Cruise makes a Change in Your Trip Itinerary prior to Your actual departure date we will pay up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.
Change in Your Trip Itinerary shall mean the Cruise has a documented change of Port of Call from the scheduled itinerary.
Verification by the Cruise of the change in the scheduled Trip Itinerary will be necessary for claim payment.

 

I'm very disappointed.

 

 

There is no restriction on CC about naming travel insurers, and I  think many of us would like to know which company this is.

 

GC

[LadyBerard]

Nationwide Insurance..........Nationwide Universal Cruise policy.

[Saltyseadog57]

A port of call can be defined as a place where a ship stops on a voyage. It can be defined many other ways, but most commonly this is the definition. I do not want to give false hope as this issue will have to be litigated because the insurance company will surely fight it, but here goes. Your port of call was changed. The first day the port of call was "Bermuda" on the first day of arrival. Even if the boat does not move, in my humble opinion, the second port of call on the second day is "Bermuda."  This second port of call has now changed and no longer exists. This applies to cruise ships only because of what they are selling. They are selling visiting "a port of call" for a specific period of time and time is the term that is important. They have diminished the time at the port of call because each day can be defined as a separate "port of call." For example, you buy a cruise for seven days with three days at a specific port of call and then return to the original port of call (Embarkation and Disembarkation). If, because of weather, for example, they force you to leave immediately after arriving then your "port of call" is no long the original "port of call" you paid for. It has changed because the nature of the "port of call" has changed." A fine point for sure. Even if the ship continues to cruise for the full seven days, under your policy interpretation the  insurance company is not liable. Your leaving your "port of call" for any unanticipated and unforeseen reasons is exactly what the insurance is to cover.

[Babr]

Apparently they are defining a change of itinerary narrowly as a change in port of call without regard to the change of scheduled time in port.

 

is the cruise line offering any kind of compensation for the abbreviated schedule?

 

 

[klfrodo]

If the cruiseline is offering OBC or a % off on a future cruise, the insurance isn't going to pay you again. You can't double dip. Also, the cruiseline isn't changing your port of call. It's just changing the duration.

 

If Nationwides decision still doesn't sit well with you, then make a claim. When you receive the denial letter, file a complaint with your State Insurance Commisioner who regulates all insurance sold in your State.

Edited September 6, 2019 by klfrodo

[msmayor]

This is not a missed port of call...you are still going to Bermuda.  It is an itinerary change as your time in the scheduled port of call is different.

 

I'm assuming that the cruise line is already refunding one day pro-rata because of the change.  

 

The insurance for an 'itinerary' change on Nationwide's web site reads "Itinerary change causing you to miss a pre-paid excursion".    Are you going to miss any pre-paid excursions?  If not, there is no harm to you other than the disappointment of a shortened cruise.  Unfortunately, there isn't any monetary loss in that disappointment, so the insurance doesn't need to make any reimbursement.

[Jersey42]

12 hours ago, msmayor said:

This is not a missed port of call...you are still going to Bermuda.  It is an itinerary change as your time in the scheduled port of call is different.

 

I'm assuming that the cruise line is already refunding one day pro-rata because of the change.  

 

The insurance for an 'itinerary' change on Nationwide's web site reads "Itinerary change causing you to miss a pre-paid excursion".    Are you going to miss any pre-paid excursions?  If not, there is no harm to you other than the disappointment of a shortened cruise.  Unfortunately, there isn't any monetary loss in that disappointment, so the insurance doesn't need to make any reimbursement.

I think you have part of this right: If the cruise line completely refunds the OP for the lost day, the insurance will not let someone double dip.  Their take will be you did not miss the port and the cruise line provided pro-rata compensation for the missed day.  If the situation was different and both a day a port was completely missed, I think the OP would have been compensated. I still think the OP should pursue this if they are not being fully compensated by the cruise line for the missed day.

 

On your second point, the Nationwide policy has coverage for three different types of itinerary change. It is not just for pre-paid excursions. See below.

 

@LadyBerard I would love to know what the cruise line offered you and how it all ends up with Nationwide.

 

ITINERARY CHANGE

In the event a Cruise makes a Change in Your Trip Itinerary prior to Your actual departure date we will pay up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.

 

Change in Your Trip Itinerary shall mean the Cruise has a documented change of Port of Call from the scheduled itinerary.

 

ITINERARY CHANGE - INCONVENIENCE

In the event a Cruise makes a Change in Your Trip Itinerary after Your actual departure date we will pay up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.

 

Change in Your Trip Itinerary shall mean the Cruise has a documented; 1) fire; or 2) mechanical breakdown; or 3) virus that affects 30% or more passengers; or 4) an event on board that suspends 30% or more of the ship’s services for 24 hours; or 5) a delay leaving or arriving at/from a Port of Call of more than 3 hours from the scheduled itinerary.

 

ITINERARY CHANGE - PRE-PAID EXCURSION

In the event a Cruise makes a change in Your Trip itinerary after Your actual departure date that prevents You from participating in an event/activity pre-paid prior to departure and scheduled on Your Trip itinerary, nonrefundable pre-paid event/activity expenses will be reimbursed up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.

 

Benefits will not be paid if the event/activity is rescheduled during the course of the Trip.

[LadyBerard]

If anyone is interested in reading more information on this, it is on the RCL board on CC.  I just posted this on this board and on the RCL board for informational purposes to others who may misinterpret the terms and conditions of Nationwide's policy.  I will not file a written claim with Nationwide.  But I learned something about it.  :)  

[msmayor]

23 hours ago, Jersey42 said:

I think you have part of this right: If the cruise line completely refunds the OP for the lost day, the insurance will not let someone double dip.  Their take will be you did not miss the port and the cruise line provided pro-rata compensation for the missed day.  If the situation was different and both a day a port was completely missed, I think the OP would have been compensated. I still think the OP should pursue this if they are not being fully compensated by the cruise line for the missed day.

 

On your second point, the Nationwide policy has coverage for three different types of itinerary change. It is not just for pre-paid excursions. See below.

 

@LadyBerard I would love to know what the cruise line offered you and how it all ends up with Nationwide.

 

ITINERARY CHANGE

In the event a Cruise makes a Change in Your Trip Itinerary prior to Your actual departure date we will pay up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.

 

Change in Your Trip Itinerary shall mean the Cruise has a documented change of Port of Call from the scheduled itinerary.

 

ITINERARY CHANGE - INCONVENIENCE

In the event a Cruise makes a Change in Your Trip Itinerary after Your actual departure date we will pay up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.

 

Change in Your Trip Itinerary shall mean the Cruise has a documented; 1) fire; or 2) mechanical breakdown; or 3) virus that affects 30% or more passengers; or 4) an event on board that suspends 30% or more of the ship’s services for 24 hours; or 5) a delay leaving or arriving at/from a Port of Call of more than 3 hours from the scheduled itinerary.

 

ITINERARY CHANGE - PRE-PAID EXCURSION

In the event a Cruise makes a change in Your Trip itinerary after Your actual departure date that prevents You from participating in an event/activity pre-paid prior to departure and scheduled on Your Trip itinerary, nonrefundable pre-paid event/activity expenses will be reimbursed up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.

 

Benefits will not be paid if the event/activity is rescheduled during the course of the Trip.

 

Keep in mind though that in all these situations, the insurance company uses the terms "will be reimbursed up to the Maximum Benefit..."...which likely means that if the cruise line offers any type of credit for the changes, any insurance reimbursement may be reduced by that credit and could be zero.

 

The insurance benefit is only to make whole, not provide financial gain.  

[Jersey42]

48 minutes ago, msmayor said:

Keep in mind though that in all these situations, the insurance company uses the terms "will be reimbursed up to the Maximum Benefit..."...which likely means that if the cruise line offers any type of credit for the changes, any insurance reimbursement may be reduced by that credit and could be zero.

 

The insurance benefit is only to make whole, not provide financial gain.  

I agree that "The insurance benefit is only to make whole, not provide financial gain", and most plans will not let you knowingly double dip. The OP's Nationwide Universal Cruise plan's general provisions specifically says: "The applicable benefit amount will be reduced by the amount of benefits, if any, previously paid by Other Insurance policies. In no event will the Company reimburse You for an amount greater than the amount paid by You.".

 

The term "will be reimbursed up to the Maximum Benefit..." is a little different.  It means that they will not pay any more than the maximum benefit listed in the certificate.  For the OP's plan, the maximum benefits listed on page one of the certificate are:

 

Itinerary Change (prior to departure)

Maximum Benefit                                           up to $100 per Trip

 

Itinerary Change – Inconvenience (after departure)

Maximum Benefit                                           up to $100 per Trip

 

Itinerary Change – Pre-paid Excursion (after departure)

Maximum Benefit                                           up to $250 per Trip