Europe River Cruise Insurance

Hi! I am not one to typically buy insurance for our vacations, but our 2017 river cruise vacation that we hope to book soon will be very expensive and I'm hoping to have some protection.

I hope I'm not breaking any CC rules by asking for specific companies, since I am asking about insurance and not TAs.

I am looking to protect my airfare, cruise, any non-refundable hotels or excursions if something goes wrong.

I have numerous credit cards that offer various levels of protection, but we are looking at Scenic and they don't have credit cards as a form of payment (unless you pay an extra fee), so those are out. Plus I would like to have something all encompassing.

I'm really not worried about evacuation or even medical.

Any cause cancellation would be nice, but at a min - it needs to cover the cruise line cancelling or changing our itinerary, airline problems, etc.

Thank you all for any and all advise!

Hi! I am not one to typically buy insurance for our vacations, but our 2017 river cruise vacation that we hope to book soon will be very expensive and I'm hoping to have some protection.

 

I hope I'm not breaking any CC rules by asking for specific companies, since I am asking about insurance and not TAs.

 

I am looking to protect my airfare, cruise, any non-refundable hotels or excursions if something goes wrong.

 

I have numerous credit cards that offer various levels of protection, but we are looking at Scenic and they don't have credit cards as a form of payment (unless you pay an extra fee), so those are out. Plus I would like to have something all encompassing.

 

I'm really not worried about evacuation or even medical.

 

Any cause cancellation would be nice, but at a min - it needs to cover the cruise line cancelling or changing our itinerary, airline problems, etc.

 

Thank you all for any and all advise!

I used Insure My Trip to compare policies from various companies before choosing one. Other insurance comparison sites are SquareMouth and Trip Insurance Store.

Allianz, Travelex and TravelGuard are all good companies. Each of these companies have many policies.

I would make sure Scenic is covered as a company in case the company goes under. Many years ago, I booked a cruise with AMA Waterways when they were fairly new. My usual insurer (Allianz) did not cover them for financial default so I booked with Travelex.

Also make very sure that the risks you want are actually covered.

it needs to cover the cruise line cancelling or changing our itinerary, airline problems, etc.

You generally don't need insurance for the cruise itself if the cruise line cancels, but if you are booking airfares separately and want the insurance to cover the cost of cancelling those if the cruise is cancelled then make sure that is in fact covered.

Similarly, a change in itinerary would not usually trigger the insurance if the cruise is going to go ahead. However, if the cruise line offers you the option to cancel then make sure your insurance will still cover the other costs if the cancellation was 'optional'.

Allianz, Travelex and TravelGuard are all good companies. Each of these companies have many policies.

 

....

I agree, and on 2 of our last 3 cruises we needed the insurance.

And, because of my more than 40 years in the insurance industry I make it a point to keep every receipt until we are safely home and all charges and bills have cleared, to closely read the policy requirements, and to follow them EXACTLY. I had to jump through their hoops (which I knew, because I read the policy), but the cost of medical evacuation after my heart attack, plus the surgery in Argentina (because I could not travel), plus the doctor-prescribed business class air home for me and my wife, were fully covered.

I used a credit card to pay for my Scenic cruises, I did use a TA and not directly with Scenic.

 

I'm really not worried about evacuation or even medical.

 

A medical emergency (accident or illness) can easily wind up costing much, much more than your cruise. Mort's experience is exactly why every overseas traveler should consider evacuation and medical insurance. Our medical insurance covers overseas charges and we also have an annual MedJet Assist policy for medical evacuations.

 

I had to jump through their hoops (which I knew, because I read the policy), but the cost of medical evacuation after my heart attack, plus the surgery in Argentina (because I could not travel), plus the doctor-prescribed business class air home for me and my wife, were fully covered.

Allianz came highly recommended to me by many colleagues in the travel business.

Like every other form of insurance. It's a gamble. You hope you don't have to use something you paid for.

True that if the cruise is cancelled, you'll get your money back but the real issue is YOU having to cancel for personal or health reasons.

Something screwy that a cruise line would not take a credit card for payment. I would look at another company. And you might choose one that didn't have ships getting stuck all over the river in the current low water conditions.

Check out Avalon and Amadeus. Their ships were getting through with little or no problem while Viking has had all sorts of interruptions requiring people to have to transfer to different ships, necessitating long bus rides.

I used a credit card to pay for my Scenic cruises, I did use a TA and not directly with Scenic.

Thanks. I forgot, we decided on Emerald (a child company of Scenic) rather than Scenic themselves. We haven't officially booked, so this could still change again. I want to pre-book soon though. We plan on going fall of 2017.

I agree, and on 2 of our last 3 cruises we needed the insurance.

 

And, because of my more than 40 years in the insurance industry I make it a point to keep every receipt until we are safely home and all charges and bills have cleared, to closely read the policy requirements, and to follow them EXACTLY. I had to jump through their hoops (which I knew, because I read the policy), but the cost of medical evacuation after my heart attack, plus the surgery in Argentina (because I could not travel), plus the doctor-prescribed business class air home for me and my wife, were fully covered.

Based on your knowledge and experience. Is there anything specific in the policy requirements that I should be looking for? It all seems so overwhelming to me.

Allianz came highly recommended to me by many colleagues in the travel business.

Like every other form of insurance. It's a gamble. You hope you don't have to use something you paid for.

 

True that if the cruise is cancelled, you'll get your money back but the real issue is YOU having to cancel for personal or health reasons.

 

Something screwy that a cruise line would not take a credit card for payment. I would look at another company. And you might choose one that didn't have ships getting stuck all over the river in the current low water conditions.

 

Check out Avalon and Amadeus. Their ships were getting through with little or no problem while Viking has had all sorts of interruptions requiring people to have to transfer to different ships, necessitating long bus rides.

The long bus rides is what I totally want to avoid if I can. I will look at Avalon. I don't think Amadeus has the route we want, but I will double check. Emerald and Scenic seem to have some problems, but not as many as others. I think their boats are shallower.

Recently, someone posted about having problems getting their non-refundable payments back when the cruise-line decided to move their cruise to different dates because they were offering to re-book them at the same rate on a different cruise or different dates.

They will take a credit card for payment, but you have to pay extra service charges to do it. To me, that is the same as not taking it. ;)

I'm just used to ocean cruising, so this is all so new to me.

Thank you one and all for your suggestions. Keep the info coming. I'm off to research now.

Call and SPEAK with the folks at "The Trip Insurance Store" . You can't get the info you need just from their website. You need to let them know exactly what you want to cover and what is not important. They can give you a variety of options.... Cancel for any reason is expensive and needs to be booked usually within a very few days of booking. DO NOT buy insurance from the cruise line, you end up with a credit and not cash!

Check out Avalon and Amadeus. Their ships were getting through with little or no problem while Viking has had all sorts of interruptions requiring people to have to transfer to different ships, necessitating long bus rides.

The long bus rides is what I totally want to avoid if I can. I will look at Avalon. I don't think Amadeus has the route we want, but I will double check.

I think Kenster meant AMAwaterways, not Amadeus.

I think Kenster meant AMAwaterways, not Amadeus.

Yes, he did. There WAS a ship named Amadeus out there when we were on the river. I don't recall if it was an AMA ship or not.

Also, check out getting flight insurance through the airline, rather than adding it on to your trip insurance. Our flight insurance through United Airlines cost us about $50 total for two people round trip Houston/Chicago/Vienna and AMS/Houston. And that was Business Class on the outbound.

Also, check out getting flight insurance through the airline, rather than adding it on to your trip insurance. Our flight insurance through United Airlines cost us about $50 total for two people round trip Houston/Chicago/Vienna and AMS/Houston. And that was Business Class on the outbound.

This can be good coverage and not so good! Make sure you compare the terms and exclusions. Before taking the airlines coverage.

If you travel regularly, our TA recommends not worrying about insuring your airfare. If disaster strikes, pay the airline fee and use the credit on your next flight. Over time this is much less expensive than buying insurance for every flight. [Note that I am assuming that you are buying travel insurance for the major portion of your trip, in order to have medical coverage outside your home country. I also advise joining MedJet Assist, which supplements all travel policies by putting you in control of when and how you can get flown home.]

Yes, he did. There WAS a ship named Amadeus out there when we were on the river. I don't recall if it was an AMA ship or not.

Sorry, my mistaken assumption. AMA ships are not named "Amadeus." AMA the river cruise line was originally named Amadeus, but they were forced to change names over a copyright problem. A different company -- Luftner -- has ships named "Amadeus xxx." So that makes three companies whose ships have managed to keep sailing this year -- all starting with "A" [easy to remember, if not to keep straight :)]

Sorry, my mistaken assumption. AMA ships are not named "Amadeus." AMA the river cruise line was originally named Amadeus, but they were forced to change names over a copyright problem. A different company -- Luftner -- has ships named "Amadeus xxx." So that makes three companies whose ships have managed to keep sailing this year -- all starting with "A" [easy to remember, if not to keep straight :)]

Yes - I cruised AMA when it was Amadeus Waterways..... It is sort of confusing. I feel old....

Does anyone have any thoughts on MASA (Medical Air Services Assn)?

Does anyone have any thoughts on MASA (Medical Air Services Assn)?

Can't help with the question, but have you asked over on the Travel/Cruise Insurance board?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=635

Does anyone have any thoughts on MASA (Medical Air Services Assn)?

Med Jet - a friends husband was injured and they took care of everything! To include a nurse to fly back home and straight to the hospital.

Don't know anything about the one you mentioned they may be great but with what happened last month.... Med Jet is what I know!

Med Jet - a friends husband was injured and they took care of everything! To include a nurse to fly back home and straight to the hospital.

 

Don't know anything about the one you mentioned they may be great but with what happened last month.... Med Jet is what I know!

And if you are an AARP member, MedJet has a discounted membership rate.

Be sure to also look at the terrorism clause. I thought we would be covered if we wanted to cancel now due to the current unrest in Europe , but we aren't. Since current attacks are not within a 150 mile radius of where we are cruising we can't cancel and get benefits, just checked this AM. Going forward I will buy "cancel for any reason" coverage. We have decided to still go next week, but will change our pre and post cruise stays to small towns instead of Berlin and Frankfurt, leaving the air reservations alone. Will still be fun, but we will just have to be more aware of our surroundings and avoid large venues.