KenP

Here is  another data point on problems with AON paying claims.  I appreciate everyone's advice in this thread.  Bottom line:  Claim was finally paid 9 months after initial filing, with $200 interest. The action that got it paid was using Florida's handy Insurance Regulators webform to file a formal complaint (paid 2 weeks after filing complaint with state).

Details for those that are interested (copied from my complaint to the state).  Oh and by the way, because some people wonder, yes we were vaccinated with every available vaccine and boosters.

Travel Insurance Claim

Unpaid claim for $3000.

Underwritten by: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies, Columbus, OH

Program Name: Princess Vacation Protection – Platinum

Your plan is administered by: Aon Affinity

Date of Loss: August 27, 2022

Date filing Insurance Claim September 5, 2022.

Last Communication from Insurance: November 15, 2022

Claim has not been paid.

Claim has not been denied.

Being "ghosted" by the insurance company.

Last letter sent to Insurance company:Mar 7, 2023

Type of Claim:

Travel Insurance / Trip Delay home

Brief Summary of Claim:

Claimants took an Princess  cruise with travel dates of 18AUG2022-30AUG2022.  We bought travel insurance (Princess Platinum Vacation Plan) through the Princess cruise line 09MAY 2022.

 On 27AUG2022 Claimant#1 was diagnosed with COVID-19.  Claimant#2 Subsequently was also diagnosed with COVID-19. Both travelers were evaluated by MD and put under medical isolation.  Therefore both travelers were not able to take scheduled flight home on 29AUG2022, and instead had to isolate in hotel for additional days, at travelers own expense, including 29AUG2022-05SEP2022.  Travelers flew home 05SEP2022 after completing the medically required isolation.

Additional expenses (hotel room x 7 nights= $1943.19 , airline change fees =$1210) total $3153.19.

The policy has a limit of $1500 per person for Trip Delay, so the Total Claim should pay $3000.

4 minutes ago, Potstech said:

 

How many passengers do you think sign up just because the ship is going to Princess Cays?  Probably not many but I agree Princess will do all it can to get it back up and operating as it is a stop. I think more than a month easily as all the euipment will most likely have to be shipped in.

I have chosen itineraries that include a private island, such as Princess Cays, rather than Nassau many times.  I agree about the delay in rebuilding.  

Does the Caribbean Princess have any Messaging only plan (like Facebook Messenger , whatsap)?  Or is it just pay by minute  OR buy unlimited package, with nothing in between?

I was on the Regal in February 2018.  Several messaging apps, including Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, and imessaging were free to ALL guests, WITHOUT purchasing an internet package.  All that was required was to connect via wifi to the ships intranet  .  Again, no internet charges were incurred.  No cellular charges.  This was all by design of Princess, as part of testing of their newer faster internet MedallionNET (not available on all ships).  Note that facebook itself was NOT included. Email was NOT free.   The free messaging was advertised to guests (I believe in the patter even), and was no accident.  It was my impression that this was being tested by Princess and not something that was permanent.   But please correct me if I am wrong on this.

IT was being tested technically but also to see guests reaction to this.    

From a mailing from Princess today to those sailing on a February 2018 Regal Princess cruise:

Bluetooth tokens not for everyone:

"While your stateroom is not in the activated group receiving physical Medallions, you will still be among the first to enjoy a host of all-new Ocean Medallion vacation enhancements"

but enhanced wifi is available, and appears to be "unlimited" on a per device basis. No word on actual typical speed/latency:

"MedallionNet™: The best Wi-Fi and digital experience at sea: fast, reliable, pervasive and affordable with an access point in every stateroom, enabling you to easily share your Princess vacation experiences with family and friends on social media. During your preview cruise, MedallionNet is available for:

• $9.99 per device (for a 24-hour period) or
  
• $29.99 for up to four devices (for a 24-hour period) charged to the same stateroom folio or
  
• FREE for our Platinum and Elite guests (one device per guest)."
  

I have a Future Cruise Credit (not future cruise deposit) from a canceled cruise. (platinum insurance, cancel for any reason).

The future cruise credit amount exceeds the fare of next planned cruise.

The excess is like 75 USD. What happens with the excess? Can it roll over to an onboard credit? Does the excess remain as a credit for a different future cruise? Is the credit just lost?

Thanks.

Thank you for this update!

Was wondering if the TMO coverage map was true or not.

 

Does anyone know how the GPS map acquisiton (i.e. download the route before starting nav) is with TMO in Alaska?

Or do I have to load the local maps offline first?

Or do I need to get a standalone GPS?

 

We plan to do some self guided excursions via rental cars & was thinking about GPS usage.

I've done it with all three ways: with paper maps, with Garmin, and with Google Maps on phone.

I prefer google maps on the phone with a paper backup, because it means one less device to carry. It comes in handy in port for walking navigation. Downloading a map for offline use is an excellent idea. I forgot to do it for Alaska, so the maps just loaded slower (and used t-mobile roaming data) but did do it in advance of a previous trip to Grand Cayman.

Just to update this thread with a more recent experience, I used my t-mobile Simple Choice North American Plan in June 2016 without trouble in Anchorage, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska .

Skagway throughput is known to be sketchy for most carriers, and t-mobile was no exception.

200 MB of data is available monthly for roaming (t-mobile roams in Alaska). Tethering works (hotspot from phone). This was a convenient option for using my chromebook while on ship at port.

To my knowledge text and talk are not metered.

I used the CDS luggage storage services at Canada place in June 2016 and it worked well. They are located near the AVIS rental car counter, towards the left of the taxi line before you exit the inside.

THere was a line and it took about 25 minutes. They charged 40 Canadian and they do take major credit cards. This was for 4 bags transported to the YVR airport for a late flight. The CDS luggage storage pickup is located at international arrivals level 2 next to the Tim Hortons. They give you a baggage check tag plus a slip with directions to the location at the YVR airport. Note the Canada place luggage storage closes at 4pm so it worked out much better having the bags transferred directly to airport rather than trying to race back to canada place and haul the bags on the skytrain ourselves.

No reservations are required . I was happy with the service.

As a t-mobile customer, i noticed that they announced Sep 16 2015 that the Bahamas are now included in their 140 countries Simple Global Plan.

This includes 20 cents per minute voice, free texts, and free slow internet data (128 Kbps). No extra monthly fee and no signup required for Simple Choice customers.

I've used this service in mexico and honduras and it served my limited needs for communication well while on vacation.

has anybody tried t-mobile's new plan in the Bahamas yet? How is the coverage?

...

 

I have a coworker with T-mobile and he loves the international aspect of the new T-mobile choice plans. I even considered getting a T-mobile account for our cruise and then cancelling it when I get home since I won't have a contract. The problem is we are on the Honduras, Mexico, Belize route and only Mexico is included in their plan. The ship and the other two ports are not covered while on Verizon's $40 feature every port we will go to is covered.

 

...

ummgood, Honduras (including Roatan) is covered. If you look on t-mobiles page

http://www.t-mobile.com/optional-services/roaming.html

Honduras is in the South and Central America Section, not the North American and Caribbean.

Just got back from a western caribbean cruise. T-mobile simple choice cell phone plan was awesome. In Cozumel, Mexico and Roatan, Honduras, on shore we got unlimited inbound and outbound texts, 20 cents/min calls, and unlimited throttled data (128 kbps, which is slow, like twice dial up speed, but fast enough for google maps, facebook, email. High speed data is available for purchase). Not every country qualifies (for example, Belize was not included, and we didn't turn our phones on there. ). T-mobiles Simple choice international plan costs an additional ZERO $ on t-mobile simple choice plans. No prior activation is required. Just got off the ship and got text message from t-mobile announcing the service We even were cruising past Cancun, mexico and used that signal for 15 minutes. Well done t-mobile.

I prefer Emerald. Has center stairs and public forward outside viewing options. I have been on both.

Mojo65. What rate did you get at the best western Seabrook?