Options for canceling 1 leg of a B2B

[Todd R]

Hi all,

 

Been lurking for a long time, but never posted. This has always been a wealth of information for us as we've cruised, so hoping to get some insights.

 

We are scheduled to take a 14-day B2B around Norway starting next week. Unfortunately my wife needed last minute surgery scheduled a couple weeks ago. She's recovering slowly but still is weak and is convalescing. We're still trying to decide if we want to go ahead or not with our cruise, which we might skip entirely. If we do decide to go, she is leaning towards only going for 7 days, as 2 weeks is seeming like a lot at this point.

 

Although it would help from a recovery standpoint to start on the second week leg, we are leaning towards trying the initial 7 day leg as it is our daughter's 16th birthday the first week, and we'd like to celebrate on board.

 

Any idea what we should do beforehand? Should we contact HAL and let them know we will not continue on the second 7-day leg of the B2B or should we just let them know once on board? Is there any chance we can get any kind of future cruise credit for the second leg that we will miss?

 

We have travel insurance through an outside company. We should be able to get a full refund of all our travel expenses if we don't go on this trip based on the recent surgery. If we decide based on her recovery to only go 1 week, is it possible to get travel reimbursement for changing our flights to accommodate 1 week (not Flight Ease, changes look to be on the order of $1000). Any chance we can get reimbursement for the second cruise week which we'd be skipping? If so, do we need to work with HAL to have the trip charged as 2 separate cruises rather than a B2B? Is this even possible?

 

Sorry, lots of questions, thanks much for any insights! Her health is obviously most important. She's doing much better and the surgery was successful, thankfully. We thought we would just skip the cruise, but after 2 weeks of recovery she's going pretty stir crazy and the idea of continuing her convalescence aboard ship sounds like it might be just the thing.

 

 

[boulders]

Did you buy one of HAL's cancellation plans? Does your travel insurance have cancel for any reason protection? If you have either of these, you would be able to get reimbursed for one or both cruises. I would think that if you went on the first cruise but not on the second, that you would have a hard time convincing the insurance company that she was too ill to go on the second. 

 

It should be easy enough for HAL to split a collectors cruise into the 2 segments, assuming that the 14 day is also sold as two 7 day cruises. If the current price of the two 7 day cruises is a lot more than what you paid, it might not be worth your while though. 

[kazu]

Ok, I’m going to just give some advice (having to have emergency surgery and then fly home)

 

I can’t see where you are from on your profile but if it’s North America or even further away - I would give second thoughts to flying all that way for a 7 day cruise.  Europe is a different scenario of course.

 

It’s hard on someone recovering and you (and especially she) need time to recover from the jet lag etc.

How soon is your cruise?  Do you have a bit of a window?  If you do, with insurance in place I would do a wait and see how your DW is doing.  

Stir crazy is one thing - but flying is another.  If she’s improving enough I would do the whole 2 weeks even if it means you do small visits in ports and she can relax on the ship.

But to answer your question, yes HAL should be able to break up your cruise for you.  

If time is on your side, I would wait for the final decision.  If it is not, I wish you luck and warn on the toll a long flight takes on a person recovering (been there done that to get home - by the end, I wasn’t sure if I would make it).

[VMax1700]

3 hours ago, Todd R said:

We are scheduled to take a 14-day B2B around Norway starting next week

What is a 14 day B2B?  Is it a 14 day cruise with one booking number or is it 2 x 7 day cruises with two different booking numbers?  If you booked it as 2 separate cruises and have 2 booking number (a true B2B) then there is no difficulty in just cancelling one of them.  If it is a 14 day Collector (ie 2 x 7days cruises packaged together by HAL and sold as a 14 day cruise with one booking number, then you would need to contact HAL asap.  I really doubt if you would get any financial consideration from them except the port fees and taxes as it is so close to departure.

But phone them.  No one here knows for sure.  All we can do is express our opinion, which in reality, does not matter at all.

[Todd R]

Thanks for the feedback folks, esp kazu with your unfortunate direct experience in this.

 

We do not have insurance through HAL, nor cancel for any reason. But trip cancelation is available when there is a "medically imposed travel restriction", which the surgeon said they have no issue signing off on (which should tell us something). Time is not on our side, as we need to leave in 5 days, and yes -- from the U.S. Really, the air travel is about our only concern. If it was in our backyard, then a chance to recover on board ship would seem great.

 

Sorry, didn't know the lingo but it looks like a collectors trip is the right phrase. One booking number, treated as one 14-day cruise, but is actually two 7-day cruises. We got a very good rate for the 2 weeks, so I doubt there is any reason to try to have it re-booked as 2 trips. Getting some money back on port fees  wouldn't hurt, so that's something to look into.

 

I've already got a call in to our PCC, waiting to hear back.

[Nodakboiler]

Can you upgrade your wife's ticket to first class for a more comfortable ride?

[TiogaCruiser]

This is something you might want to run by the business that sold you the insurance. Was it a broker who knows their product?

 

 I’m wondering if insurance might question and refuse payment if you are choosing in advance to do only the first half of the cruise.

[tupper10]

I do not think travel insurance will pay if you only cancel 1/2 of this cruise even if HAL lets you do this.   You say that you booked this as one cruise, not 2.  All outside travel insurance policies require you to give the dates of travel and the cost.  I assume you purchased travel insurance for the 14 day cruise not two separate policies for two separate cruises. The doctor's certificate required for all claims will have to state the medical reason your wife cannot travel and also the dates that travel is restricted. The date will include the dates w/in the 14 day cruise.  You can't say she can travel for the 1st half and then not be able to travel for the 2nd 1/2. I also assume that given it is one policy you have to make a choice -either forego any claim at all or cancel and get a refund for the entire trip.    I would suggest you confirm this with you travel insurance agent/company in writing and spend some time reading the terms of your policy - not the one page cover sheet.  

 

So sorry that you have to deal with this we all look so forward to these trips.  Perhaps something closer to home may work for you?  

 

Whatever you decide good luck to you and glad to hear your wife did so well with her surgery.  

[RuthC]

You really need to get the doctor's evaluation of your wife's ability to travel to the cruise, and her progress on healing. I would want to know how long the recuperation period should last. 

If she is cleared to make the trip to the cruise, she may be better off staying for the second week. This will give her something different to do than just being at home, a full two weeks to recover, and she might very well have an easier trip home. She doesn't have to leave the ship at every port, or for very long if it is too much. She can take short excursions, and doesn't need to take one every day. 

I'm not a doctor, and don't play one on TV, but it is something to consider, along with her doctor's advice. 

[Haljo1935]

What I was going to suggest is the same solid feedback you've already received here.

Clarifying what the insurance will cover and its restrictions is key to helping you make the best decision. 

If she can make the flights, a 14 day rest aboard a ship is pretty good medicine 😊

Wishing her continued recovery. Please update as to the outcome  - we're curious. 

Safe travels!

[*Miss G*]

When you are speaking with your PCC, ask about the possibility of moving your payment to another sailing.  Recovery fluctuates in progression.  One day you’re feeling better and the next day you’re down for the count again.  Recovery on a ship sounds great until you throw in the travel there and back.  That’s not something I like to do even when I’m healthy.  But, as others say, I wouldn’t be shortening the cruise because that will add to the exhaustion and prolong the recovery.  I am sorry to hear of your wife’s surgery and hope she is feeling better soon.

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by *Miss G*

[Hlitner]

I would caution the OP that dealing with travel insurers is, often, much more complex than one would expect.  They do not just pay what you want, when you want.  If you do cancel part of the trip, it will complicate things and likely cause lots of grief/axiety as you later try to file a claim.  Ironically, cancelling the entire trip (as long as you can document that it is medically necessary to cancel) would likely be a lot easier in terms of a claim.  

 

If you do cancel half the trip, it will be very important to have that supported (with written documentation) by a physician,  If I were reviewing such a claim, I would be very suspicious of a partial cancelation, based on medical advice.  Claims examiners are suspicious by nature and saying that you are good to go for 1 week and not the other might be a hard sell.  

 

Hank

[DaveOKC]

Earlier this year I took a cruise about a month after a surgery.  While I was fine while on land, the movement of the ship was a bit of an issue.  It was not real bad, but enough so that I had wished that I had cancelled the cruise and gone later on.  Just something to consider.

 

[Todd R]

Thanks again for the replies and thoughts folks!

 

Probably no need to chime in on insurance issues at this point. It was pretty much a shot in the dark to understand if we could get any refund of costs for a partial trip. Figured that was probably a no-go, but thought I'd ask. At this point, we will either make no claims if we try to go on all or any portion of the trip, but will obviously make a claim if we don't go due to the recent surgery. I've read through the full documentation on our insurance as well as the claims documents. I don't imagine there will be an issue as the surgeon has told us that recovery would be 4-6 weeks and my wife should stay away from work for at least 3 weeks. Still, one never knows with insurance companies. I'd hate to find out that major surgery 3 weeks before travel isn't a covered reason for trip cancellation. That said, we might start getting cancel for any reason insurance going forward.

 

It really might be a very last minute decision on whether to go. Appreciate the insights on what it is like to travel from the folks who had surgery themselves. Recovery has definitely not been linear, but DW is feeling much better consistently, which is what is making her consider whether she'd want to go. 4 days ago it seemed impossible, then something to consider, and guess we'll wait and see what 4 days from now brings.

[mexico8]

Todd R.   I hope you post back once you make your decision.   Keeping my fingers crossed for your wife to feel well enough to take the cruise.  Wishing you the best.