HAL CPP Platinum Plan, Has anyone had to use it?

[Infrequentcruisers]

We are currently booked on a curise in late Sept., we have already paid the full amount of the cruise and there is a possibility we may have to cancel. (Health Problems) Has anyone had to avail themselves to the HAL Platinum Cancellation Protection Plan benefit and (a) how far in advance of your departure date did you make the cancellation; (b) what portion of the total amount (including air fares, hotels, etc.) paid did you receive as a refund and © was this cruise arranged by a TA or did you book it yourself and (d) how long after the cancelation did you receive your refund?

Thanks for any info on this subject.

Infrequentcruisers

[Jade13]

We are currently booked on a curise in late Sept., we have already paid the full amount of the cruise and there is a possibility we may have to cancel. (Health Problems) Has anyone had to avail themselves to the HAL Platinum Cancellation Protection Plan benefit and (a) how far in advance of your departure date did you make the cancellation; (b) what portion of the total amount (including air fares, hotels, etc.) paid did you receive as a refund and © was this cruise arranged by a TA or did you book it yourself and (d) how long after the cancelation did you receive your refund?

Thanks for any info on this subject.

Infrequentcruisers

 

Yes, my stepdaughter canceled 31 days out. You should received 95% back plus of course you don't get back the cost of the insurance with one exception.

 

Here is what I suggest you do. Find another cruise for next year. You can transfer the cost of the insurance to the new cruise as long as it is done at the same time. This can be a considerable amount as the insurance for a $2,600.00 pp (example) in the Med is now something like $359.00pp.

 

I do know that the insurance covers the air if purchased through HAL (mine was with FFmiles on the cruise where the 3rd pax canceled), I don't know anything about hotels but I believe everything bought through HAL is 90% back 24 hours before departure. If you make the 31 day mark it is only a 5% pernalty, so 95% back. Best refund I have found in the industry for "Cancel any reason."

 

Ok, I just realize your reason is health. You need a doctor letter. You should get 100% back minus the cost the insurance. You can reuse your insurance cost if you transfer to another cruise.

 

The booked excursions through HAL were automatically back on my credit card within 48 hours. The other was supposed to be 3 billing periods but I found out last week that I was missing monies, so I called my TA. The message I received is that HAL messed up and the money would be in my account by the end of this week. (That is another thread with the Seattle issues. I haven't talked to anyone but I suspect HAL may have processed my refund at 30 days - happened to be a Monday vs 31 days and that may be the difference.)

[janmcn]

Yes, my father became ill 5 days before we were due to sail (he died 2 days later), so we just called HAL, never had to fill out forms or anything. The refund appeared very quickly afterwards. We had taken out other insurance for a different part of the trip (land tour) and they made us jump through all kinds of hoops...death certificate AND Dr.'s letter, my letter explaining, etc. took a few weeks longer to get their refund.

 

We would never book another cruise without the Platinum plan...worth every penny since I have a mother and m-i-l who are in their late 80's, so the comfort of knowing that even the day before or during the cruise we are covered is great. (Not to mention our own possibilities.)

 

We were very pleased with it. The service was excellent. We booked through HAL directly (although I booked current cruises via a TA and got the same plan). We only needed the cruise portion covered (we were driving to the dock so had no hotel or other expenses.)

Jan

[tomc]

My mother picked up our travel docs for the cruise three weeks hence and booked her next cruise, came home and went to her Eternal Home suddenly. I don't remember what happened for several days (it was a big shock to us, as she was in perfect health), but I do remember calling whoever and they were quite good about it all and everything went smoothly.

 

Whatever hoops we jumped through were low and wide.

[Infrequentcruisers]

Thanks so much for the information tomc. We actually went through this in 2004, (had to cancel 3 weeks before the trip due to hurricance damage to our house) but had forgotten exactly what the procedure was, but I do remember we lost about 2K in the process.

Thanks again, Infrequentcruisers

[CoolChile]

INFREQUENTCRUISERS, HI ...

 

So sorry to hear you may need to cancel out of the Zui Sept 29. You've been through a lot with the hurricane damage 3 years ago and now with health concerns. I've just answered your qx'n about when you might hear about cabin assignment on the thread I started today: "SS cabins on the Zuiderdam .... " Go there, I'm too slow a typer to repeat here.;)

 

I wish you well and hope things turn out better than any of your night-time imaginings.