Another boring Insurance question

Hi everyone, sorry to do this to you but it's driving me crazy.

I've researched this for over 18 months and thought I'd worked it out, now I'm not so sure.

Ok so we are on a cruise ship heading back to Sydney. For a reason that has nothing to do with us, the ship arrives at the OPT lets say noon rather than 6am.

My flight back home was booked for 12.30, obviously we've missed that flight.

Most people told me that in this situation we are covered by the Travel Insurance. But I believe that from reading carefully the PDS, that it is not covered. I'm sorry i don't have one in front of me now. So, I then thought that that situation would be covered by the cheaper insurance that you get when you tick the box as you purchase the airline tickets. Now i'm not sure that it covers this situation either.

I firmly believe that most people don't really know what they truly are covered for as most have never had to claim.

So does any of you fine people actually have experience in this area? Would love to know for sure. Unfortunately my calls to the O/S call centers gave me a different answer each time.

Many thanks

If that's what your PDS says well that's the answer (without reading it I can say no more). And what applies to one policy won't necessarily apply to another.

And you are dead right, most people have no idea what they're covered for.

But then many (maybe most) have no idea of all the T&Cs of their cruise.

And even if you read the T&Cs and PDS much of it seems subject to interpretation and the rest is unfathomable.

:confused:

And even if you read the T&Cs and PDS much of it seems subject to interpretation and the rest is unfathomable.

:confused:

Yep,thats why I was wondering if there was anyone who has experienced this situation on here. I know the Carnival Legend came in late a few weeks ago.

There are more questions than answers. Assume booked 12.30 pm flight was at a flight time recommended by cruise line. I guess it would depend on the reason your ship arrived in to Sydney late. Cruise lines have themselves covered for adverse weather conditions, which are outside their control, under their T&Cs.

Was the delay caused by a mechanic problem, which they knew about in advance? Did the cruise line give you access to a phone to phone the airline requesting a transfer to a later flight?

At times like this, I wish we could buy travel insurance which covers us for any reason, like in the US.

There are more questions than answers. Assume booked 12.30 pm flight was at a flight time recommended by cruise line. I guess it would depend on the reason your ship arrived in to Sydney late. Cruise lines have themselves covered for adverse weather conditions, which are outside their control, under their T&Cs.

 

Was the delay caused by a mechanic problem, which they knew about in advance? Did the cruise line give you access to a phone to phone the airline requesting a transfer to a later flight?

 

At times like this, I wish we could buy travel insurance which covers us for any reason, like in the US.

I thought the US policy was only cancel for any reason though, so may not cover this situation.

In a nutshell this is why I always suggest staying the night in Sydney when you return.

In a nutshell this is why I always suggest staying the night in Sydney when you return.

Totally agree GUT. As we live nearly 400 kms away from Sydney we always stay the night before and the night after plus a few more if we have any money left:D

Totally agree GUT. As we live nearly 400 kms away from Sydney we always stay the night before and the night after plus a few more if we have any money left:D

We don't fly, so it's not an issue, but I don't for the life of me, understand why people want the last day to be stressful.

We have a 2 to 3 hour drive, but go down the night before and stay overnight, because who wants to start their cruise stressed.

Not me.

Unfortunately my calls to the O/S call centers gave me a different answer each time.

Put in the claim.

The result will be your answer.

We don't fly, so it's not an issue, but I don't for the life of me, understand why people want the last day to be stressful.

 

We have a 2 to 3 hour drive, but go down the night before and stay overnight, because who wants to start their cruise stressed.

 

Not me.

There is no stress. My reasoning behind all this is that 95% of the time the ship will arrive back in Sydney on time (6ish). In this situation, we could easily catch a 10am domestic flight home. We all know that the cruise lines recommend not booking until approximately 5 hours after arrival.

So now you see where I'm coming from......what happens if I book a 10am flight and the ship is delayed getting in?

My feeling is you're on your own in this situation?

There is no stress. My reasoning behind all this is that 95% of the time the ship will arrive back in Sydney on time (6ish). In this situation, we could easily catch a 10am domestic flight home. We all know that the cruise lines recommend not booking until approximately 5 hours after arrival.

 

So now you see where I'm coming from......what happens if I book a 10am flight and the ship is delayed getting in?

 

My feeling is you're on your own in this situation?

By a fully flexible airfare and you are covered, as long as you let them know on the day.

another way is to to book the return flight with the cruise line because princess has EZair and they can book the flight 3hrs 30 after you are due to dock and if the ships late they have to change the flight,less stress and not worrying about the return flight

We have been late a couple of times when we are out of Brisbane it doesn't affect us because we have our car at Portside.

But from Sydney I do remember on the Jewel a couple of years ago they knew about it 2 days before as we we very late leaving the last port of call Noumea and they allowed free phone calls to change arrangements.

Also you were given a form to fill out with your out of pocket expenses. We were reimbursed for reasonable meal expenses and a nights accomodation. We did have to pay upfront but received a cheque back within 2 weeks.

We also stay the night before and are flexible about the night of return. You don't want to stress out if something does happen.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Happened to my sister a few years back on Sun Princess coming into Sydney from a NZ cruise.

They were due in at the usual 6 am ish time and if I recall correctly her flight to Melb was 1 pm.

At some time during the morning I am thinking about 8 am ish she managed to reach me on my mobile through no help of Princess to get me to solve her problem.

She was to fly Jetstar but when I contacted Jetstar the fee for changing her flight to a later time was more than just booking a new flight on virgin which is what I did. She could have put in an insurance claim but the excess was more than the virgin flight cost.

No help to them from Princess whatsoever.

The delay was due to bad weather.

We always fly in the day before cruising but sometimes will book a late in day flight home at the end. My thinking is that if we are delayed at the beginning of the cruise it could be disaster, but if delayed at the end it is more of a nuisance.

Only time we were late back in was with P&O. Phones on board were free to make alternative arrangements and they had contacted Virgin and Qantas who were helpful when changing flights. This was before everybody had mobiles, Free wine with dinner on last night. Pity I only manage one glass at the best of times.

Another time one day late in boarding due to weather, P&O paid for extra night in hotel in Auckland, reasonable expenses for food and gave us a cash credit on board.

Seems some cruise lines handle these situations much better than others.

Check what the policy covers in respect of "delays." Some will cover more, some won't.

I think a cruise specific policy will cover it whereas others may not!

If in any doubt, contact your insurer and get them to respond in writing and plain English to your specified scenario.

Short answer: Always check the PDS and trust that - ring the travel insurance company with a question if you want specific details as so many policies are different.

You are right, though, I remember a recent incident when one of the ships returning to Sydney was late by several hours. A number of people suddenly discovered they weren't covered by travel insurance because they'd booked flights within a certain number of hours of expected return. Same with departing - weather delays at airports around the country recently meant that dozens of flights were delayed into Sydney. In that case, Carnival waited and departed quite late in order to wait for passengers arriving by plane, however their insurance would not have covered them because they were flying in on the morning of the cruise.

Thanks to all of you for your advice. I've read the PDS for the main compaines people seem to use (& spoken toa TA), and now I'm convinced that for all of those insurers you are NOT covered in the situation we discussed.

I haven't spent as much time looking into the insurance that is an option when you purchase your airline ticket, but i'm sure that it's the same case (which I was very wrong about a year ago!). As MicCanberra correctly pointed out, a fully flexible fare solves this issue except when you are dealing with a total scab like me:)!!

Again, thanks to all of you for helping.

I think you can take out insurance just for your flights they were talking about it on another thread. Not sure how expensive it would be

If you are thinking about a forum that I'm thinking about, there is so much mis-information (lots just plain wrong) that I've given up commenting on there. But yes, I agree that it could be possible, but I have never seen it in black & white.

Some people claim to have been covered successfully in this situation, and I don't doubt them, but until I see it clearly written I won't be banking on it.;)