Question: Does ANY policy cover missing the cruise because flight is cancelled?

[NightOne]

Does ANY policy cover missing the cruise because flight is cancelled?

 

As I understand it even CFAR policies require 48 hours notice for cancellations in order to be covered. Based on what I have seen there is not a single trip insurance policy that will cover you if you the airline cancels your flight(s) causing you to miss the cruise. (even if you are flying the day before the cruise)

 

The Southwest issue that happened over the holiday is a perfect example of this. CFAR would not cover it and nothing else I know of would cover it.

 

Can you address this?

 

Thanks

[dice02]

Had that happen a few years ago.  Going with HAL had booked thru them.  Got iced in in Dallas, missed ship in Tampa, they got us to Key West and was able to catch the ship.  HAL air took care of it all, luggage didn’t make it till San Juan, but insurance will pay up to $500 for clothes, I spend $200 on mine.  My wife, spend hers then the rest of mine.

so, if you booked through the cruise line air they will take care of you.

It has happen twice.

[Babr]

4 hours ago, dice02 said:

Had that happen a few years ago.  Going with HAL had booked thru them.  Got iced in in Dallas, missed ship in Tampa, they got us to Key West and was able to catch the ship.  HAL air took care of it all, luggage didn’t make it till San Juan, but insurance will pay up to $500 for clothes, I spend $200 on mine.  My wife, spend hers then the rest of mine.

so, if you booked through the cruise line air they will take care of you.

It has happen twice.

 

I think the OP means missing the cruise entirely. Most policies will pay for you to catch up to your cruise under Trip Interruption. The difference is that you have to make the arrangements yourself.

[disneylover89]

Great question!

 

[jaclarkfamily]

We insured with Aon through our Carnival booking for our December 2022 trip which was then interrupted by the SW Air fiasco.  I called the day before we were to board and informed them it was now impossible for us to arrive on time.  Then I filed a claim immediately and have received full compensation.  Carnival refunded their end (port fees) and cancelled our extra orders (water, prepaid gratuities, etc.) We only ended up being out the $190 it cost us for the insurance. 

Edited February 12, 2023 by jaclarkfamily

[NightOne]

20 hours ago, jaclarkfamily said:

We insured with Aon through our Carnival booking for our December 2022 trip which was then interrupted by the SW Air fiasco.  I called the day before we were to board and informed them it was now impossible for us to arrive on time.  Then I filed a claim immediately and have received full compensation.  Carnival refunded their end (port fees) and cancelled our extra orders (water, prepaid gratuities, etc.) We only ended up being out the $190 it cost us for the insurance. 

 

Where did you purchase the policy? could you give us some more details on the policy?

Thanks

[Babr]

https://affinitytravelcert.com/document/pdfs/Carnival_TX_05_21.pdf

 

AON through Carnival would be the Carnival Vacation Protection plan - available only if you are cruising with Carnival.

 

The post did not say what reason he used on the claim form, but Carnival requires that the delay be caused by weather and result in losing 50% of trip. See Number 9 under covered reasons for cancellation in the above link to the policy.

 

Some of the first Southwest cancellations were caused by weather, but many were caused by failures in scheduling crews and equipment. Unless you could provide documentation that your cancellation was caused by weather, you still aren’t covered.

 

That is the crux of the matter. Does anyone cover an IT system failure, which is what kept SW from flying when others had returned to service?

[shadowlover]

But if your flight was cancelled and you attempt to rejoin the cruise you usually are covered by trip interruption... if the trip interruption becomes long (greater than 50% of your trip) aren't you then covered for cancellation??

[Babr]

19 minutes ago, shadowlover said:

But if your flight was cancelled and you attempt to rejoin the cruise you usually are covered by trip interruption... if the trip interruption becomes long (greater than 50% of your trip) aren't you then covered for cancellation??

I think the problem was that people did not have the option to try to catch up to the cruise because they could not make other arrangements. Southwest was not able to accommodate the number of people they cancelled, and other airlines were also fully booked.

 

Otherwise, I think you are correct.

[shadowlover]

Just now, Babr said:

I think the problem was that people did not have the option to try to catch up to the cruise because they could not make other arrangements. Southwest was not able to accommodate the number of people they cancelled, and other airlines were also fully booked.

 

Otherwise, I think you are correct.

I guess that is my question... if you can't catch up then the interruption becomes a cancellation right?  Seems as though this would be a big problem if the insurance company refused to refund.  I would rethink purchasing insurance.  It seems there is a glitch to coverage for so many reasons...

[Babr]

1 hour ago, shadowlover said:

I guess that is my question... if you can't catch up then the interruption becomes a cancellation right?  Seems as though this would be a big problem if the insurance company refused to refund.  I would rethink purchasing insurance.  It seems there is a glitch to coverage for so many reasons...

The catch here is that IT failure is not a covered reason for cancellation. Weather, labor strikes, mechanical failure - yes. Logistics failure - no.

[NightOne]

20 hours ago, shadowlover said:

But if your flight was cancelled and you attempt to rejoin the cruise you usually are covered by trip interruption... if the trip interruption becomes long (greater than 50% of your trip) aren't you then covered for cancellation??

 

That may work for a short cruise but not necessarily and 7 day or longer cruise.

[shadowlover]

6 hours ago, NightOne said:

 

That may work for a short cruise but not necessarily and 7 day or longer cruise.

Not sure I understand.  If it's a longer cruise you have a lot longer to catch up to it.  Trip interruption insurance would kick in...

[NightOne]

16 hours ago, shadowlover said:

Not sure I understand.  If it's a longer cruise you have a lot longer to catch up to it.  Trip interruption insurance would kick in...

 

I was only addressing the insurance paying out for trip cancellation.

[Hlitner]

Listen up folks, forget anecdotal advice, what folks said happened last year, two years ago etc.  You need to READ THE POLICY before you purchase.  Many travel insurance policies have changed their language as the result of the COVID related issues and the the more recent airline fiascos.  

 

If you do not want to take the time to read the policy (including the definitions and fine print) than contact a decent Travel Insurance broker (Steve from the Tripi insurance store is often mentioned on these boards) for advice.  Brokers generally sell policies from multiple insurance companies and the good ones will ask you questions, determine your needs/wants, and suggest some products that best meet your own criteria.  There is no one policy fits all as we all have our own risk tolerance, and various other issues (such as pre existing conditions).

 

Also keep in mind that your liability for trip cancelation is generally limited by the cost of the trip. You were going to take that trip anyway, spent the money, so you will generally survive (financially) the loss even if you lost all that you paid for that trip.  But your liability for medical emergencies and evacuation is almost unlimited.  The road to personal bankruptcy is paved by unexpected medical expenses.

 

Hank

[InsureMyTrip]

[NightOne]

5 hours ago, InsureMyTrip said:

 

Would the Southwest Airlines incident this past December have been a covered reason on any policy?

[Max and Ruby]

On 2/21/2023 at 2:33 PM, NightOne said:

 

Would the Southwest Airlines incident this past December have been a covered reason on any policy?

I'm in the same boat.  I still have not had a "decision" made on my travel insurance (Travel Guard), but Southwest's reason for the cancellation was "staff rest" so I'm pretty much screwed.  And earlier this year, AON denied my trip interruption request.  Southwest AGAIN cancelled  my flight in April, but I was able to fly 1 way on another airline carrier. However, since the reason for Southwest's cancellation was not a covered reason, AON would not reimburse me the $500 it cost me to get to the pier on time.

 

These flight fiascos (even flying in the day beforehand) has changed my future cruise plans.  2 of my cruises are ones I can drive to (NJ).  And had I not had so much money invested in airfare with Alaska Airlines, I would have cancelled my Alaskan cruise this summer. 

 

Good luck! I'll be watching this thread, but I think I'll be using a Travel Insurance broker the next time I get the itch to take a FL cruise I need to fly to.

[NightOne]

On 2/23/2023 at 12:19 PM, Max and Ruby said:

I'm in the same boat.  I still have not had a "decision" made on my travel insurance (Travel Guard), but Southwest's reason for the cancellation was "staff rest" so I'm pretty much screwed.  And earlier this year, AON denied my trip interruption request.  Southwest AGAIN cancelled  my flight in April, but I was able to fly 1 way on another airline carrier. However, since the reason for Southwest's cancellation was not a covered reason, AON would not reimburse me the $500 it cost me to get to the pier on time.

 

These flight fiascos (even flying in the day beforehand) has changed my future cruise plans.  2 of my cruises are ones I can drive to (NJ).  And had I not had so much money invested in airfare with Alaska Airlines, I would have cancelled my Alaskan cruise this summer. 

 

Good luck! I'll be watching this thread, but I think I'll be using a Travel Insurance broker the next time I get the itch to take a FL cruise I need to fly to.

 

It seems like all the people selling the travel insurance policies dance around this question until you nail their foot to the floor and then the go silent. 😞

 

I would like a real answer at some point in the future. (from someone) 

[Max and Ruby]

16 minutes ago, NightOne said:

 

It seems like all the people selling the travel insurance policies dance around this question until you nail their foot to the floor and then the go silent. 😞

 

I would like a real answer at some point in the future. (from someone) 

I hear you!  This flight business has changed my mind on what my future trips look like.

[Bo1953]

On 2/10/2023 at 1:34 PM, NightOne said:

Does ANY policy cover missing the cruise because flight is cancelled?

 

As I understand it even CFAR policies require 48 hours notice for cancellations in order to be covered. Based on what I have seen there is not a single trip insurance policy that will cover you if you the airline cancels your flight(s) causing you to miss the cruise. (even if you are flying the day before the cruise)

 

The Southwest issue that happened over the holiday is a perfect example of this. CFAR would not cover it and nothing else I know of would cover it.

 

Can you address this?

 

Thanks

While it is thought that this was not answered directly by IMT, on 22 Jan you posted a similar question and there was a response... possibly not to your liking???

 

Yes, cancelled flights are covered for 'specific' reasons which must be documented accordingly when filing a claim.

 

Now if one believes that they are not getting a direct answer to which they can hold someone responsible for providing the information, the final fall back is 'how does the policy read on the issue'.

 

If it is not directly addressed in the policy one wants to purchase, then take it that the specific peril you want information on, is not covered!!!

 

Yet many know that flight cancellations or delays are covered for specific reasons, which are detailed in the policy.

 

Either read the policy and weep or jump for joy or call and point to the specific lines in the policy which you believe covers you and ask for more details BEFORE purchasing. It is how the policy reads vs what some seller or poster tells you.

 

Take the position that if your situation is not specifically included, then it is excluded, this way you will not be upset thinking it was otherwise.

 

Have you sought out a travel insurance broker/agent in your local community? Maybe your homeowners or auto insurance company can help you find coverage you want/need?

 

bon voyage

[NightOne]

On 3/6/2023 at 2:20 PM, Bo1953 said:

While it is thought that this was not answered directly by IMT, on 22 Jan you posted a similar question and there was a response... possibly not to your liking???

 

Yes, cancelled flights are covered for 'specific' reasons which must be documented accordingly when filing a claim.

 

Now if one believes that they are not getting a direct answer to which they can hold someone responsible for providing the information, the final fall back is 'how does the policy read on the issue'.

 

If it is not directly addressed in the policy one wants to purchase, then take it that the specific peril you want information on, is not covered!!!

 

Yet many know that flight cancellations or delays are covered for specific reasons, which are detailed in the policy.

 

Either read the policy and weep or jump for joy or call and point to the specific lines in the policy which you believe covers you and ask for more details BEFORE purchasing. It is how the policy reads vs what some seller or poster tells you.

 

Take the position that if your situation is not specifically included, then it is excluded, this way you will not be upset thinking it was otherwise.

 

Have you sought out a travel insurance broker/agent in your local community? Maybe your homeowners or auto insurance company can help you find coverage you want/need?

 

bon voyage

 

All of the policies I have seen require cancellation to be more than 48 hours away for it to be covered. Once you get within 48 hours then it is not covered. So the Southwest Airlines debacle would not be covered.

 

If you have a policy in mind that covers situations like the Southwest one I am more than happy to take a look.

[Bo1953]

26 minutes ago, NightOne said:

 

All of the policies I have seen require cancellation to be more than 48 hours away for it to be covered. Once you get within 48 hours then it is not covered. So the Southwest Airlines debacle would not be covered.

 

If you have a policy in mind that covers situations like the Southwest one I am more than happy to take a look.

You are correct, most policies do require cancellation (CFAR especially) 48 hours.

 

None that I Am aware of covers your scenario, with the exception, possibly, of Berkshire, check them out.

 

Otherwise it is self-insurance on that type of peril, as SW is providing flight certificates for that debacle, then you will need to determine from any travel insurance policy if trip interruption or other peril clause is applicable to that situation. 

 

Good luck and bon voyage

[NightOne]

32 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Otherwise it is self-insurance on that type of peril, as SW is providing flight certificates for that debacle, then you will need to determine from any travel insurance policy if trip interruption or other peril clause is applicable to that situation. 

 

 

Which none of them seem to cover. You end up eating the entire cost of the cruise even though you have a travel insurance policy. 😞

[Jersey42]

1 hour ago, NightOne said:

All of the policies I have seen require cancellation to be more than 48 hours away for it to be covered. Once you get within 48 hours then it is not covered. So the Southwest Airlines debacle would not be covered.

 

If you have a policy in mind that covers situations like the Southwest one I am more than happy to take a look.

 

43 minutes ago, NightOne said:

Which none of them seem to cover. You end up eating the entire cost of the cruise even though you have a travel insurance policy. 😞

 

The only policies I have seen that would partially cover the Southwest situation would be one of the cruise line policies.  Most of these policies offer CFAR coverage for the cruise only, and they usually let you cancel up until the scheduled cruise departure.  This is different from the 48 hour deadline for most third party CFAR plans. 

 

I say partially, because most cruise line plans will not cover the airfare.  Some will, if purchased through the cruise line.  Most of those that cover airfare purchased through the cruise line, will not offer CFAR for the airfare.  I believe Holland America will cover the airfare purchased through them for any cancellation.  There may be others, but you need to research.

 

CFAR from the cruise line is in the format of a 75% to 100% Future Cruise Credit.  Holland America is again an exception as they provide a 90% cash refund.

 

Cruise line policies may have helped in the Southwest situation, but they have their own disadvantages including:

• Limited medical coverage
• No waiver of pre-existing conditions
• Limited or no coverage for items not purchased through the cruise line
• Usually no coverage for pre or post cruise travel not purchased through the cruise line