Jimsgirl

I am here, will answer more next week, getting ready to evacuate in advance of hurricane IRMA, as per my daughter who is my transport.

Lynn aka jimsgirl

Since you are emigrating I do not think you will just "walk of" in the same manner as normal cruiser passengers

It is some years since I was an "emigrant" however I think you may be given a large sealed envelope by the Embassy in London which will have to be given to a "special" immigration official as you leave the ship- not just stand in line and show your passport as other passengers do.

You will be given your "green card" by the special officer, He should already have it waiting for you.

I hope there are others who have "emigrated " via Cunard who can assist you.

There are a number of regulations you will need to attend to as you start your new lives. Do you have a job for instance (no I am not being nosy, ) just reminding you that you will need to comply with the :red tape" concerning buying a car, getting a driving license in the state you are going to live in. INSURING the car etc Paying US taxes ( called "withholding" )

It is important to set up a bank account ASAP, once you are in your new home town.

You may be tempted to "wait a while" but getting organized ASAP, is very important if you do not wish to be on the wrong end of some petty official.

Locating your luggage at Red Hook will not be easy (it is always a mad house - not Cunards fault , it just is), and you will have your dog to deal with as well - better have a big bottle of asprin handy!!!!!!

My very best wishes for your new life, in spite of all the years I have been here, I still drink TEA. Yesterday I had a very stressful morning , went into a café I often use here in town, sat down thankfully, and said to the young waitress, " Please bring me a pot of tea, before I make my lunch order" off she went came back with a glass of ICED TEA. my daughter who has been here over 25 years , LAUGHED and LAUGHED Heartless creature.

Lynn

Try Eurotunnel. Don't do America for those of a more mature age, but great for pre-existing conditions. You need to phone them as they don't do online quotes but very easy 5 main questions that you're not travelling to obtain treatment or against doctor's orders. I've had Breast Cancer, hip replacement and husband has Type 2 diabetes, high BP etc. Aged 56 and 59 and our joint annual policy is £76. All pre-existing conditions are covered.

From "jimsgirl"

$76 seems very low, given your medical history.

From experience it is ABSOLUTELY necessary that the ins. will pay for :-

Emergency medical care on board ship, transport to on shore hospital , all costs at that hospital (could be for over a week), cost of a nurse if need be to escort you back home to USA, cost of air fare (business class at least back to USA, cost of transport to your home town hospital (where hopefully Medicare/or similar will take over) Refund of the air you may have had at your normal debarkation. and refund of the days of the cruise you did not take. (in my case 12 days out of 29 days)

My Ins paid for all this , it cost the company $$$$$.They paid it without complaint.

The premium when I took out the policy was $100 per $1000 of the cruise cost.(just for that trip), but it was worth it.

.

I deliberately buy a glass of wine from the bar before entering the MDR.

 

One has no idea how long it will take for the sommelier to arrive at your table and it is by no means unusual for your first course to arrive before your wine. I also enjoy drinking my "aperitif" whilst perusing the menu.

 

It certainly beats spending your first 10 minutes trying to attract the sommelier's attention.

 

I now discover that I am beyond the pale :(.

Alas it is too long since I was able to cruise (health concerns) but I could not resist joining Cabinet in this thread.

I always BOUGHT a glass of the wine of my choice in the Chart Room to take into the DR. for just Cabinet's reasons. it was not possible to get the wine of my choice BY THE GLASS in the DR., and getting any wine by the glass in there takes for ever. Once , when I tried that , the glass of wine arrived AFTER I had received my desert.

It is NOT "bad form" and it is not because the passenger carrying it is "Cheap".

Best wishes to all passengers, wish I could join you.

It has been a long time since I wrote on Cruise Critic, Was on QM2 when a stroke ended my cruising days for good. Fortunately I had many cruises in my memories.

I lurk on here every day, my heart aches to "get under way"., but no company will accept me for travel ins, and limited mobility means I need a travel companion, which I do not have.

So I say DO THE MATHS. You must keep enough in savings for essentials, unexpected costs of health problems (pills can be expensive but sometimes we are misers only to leave a many dollars to or offspring who squander it in the blink of an eye, without even a thought.

Only this week I spent hours thinking about buying something selfish for myself, which was

stupid (only a couple of hundred dollars), only to hear from offspring how they were spending far more , going into debt without a thought , they are most certainly of the ME,ME,ME generation.

Think carefully what places do you feel you MUST see, perhaps you could part of a world cruise out overspending, you can enjoy XXX just as well in an inside cabin as in QG or PG. You can enjoy all the ship has to offer without buying that $60 bottle of wine at dinner.

Without being morbid also remember one day you may be a single instead of a couple , when memories mater more than dollars.

Best wishes.

Lynn

We've just watched her leave too. We'll be boarding her when she arrives in Southampton on 3 May - can't wait.

Have a wonderful trip Nicky, you know how I wish we were meeting 3rd May as we had planned before October last.

I will be lurking on CC as always.

Lynn

I will read all messages on this sailing, I should have been on board, had my name down for meet tomorrow, but on QM2 in October I had a stroke, off loaded in Belgium, flown home to USA by insurance, and now my handicaps mean my cruising days are over,

If you go to meet tomorrow, please give my regards to everyone , I truly WISH I WAS THERE. Best wishes to you all,

LYNN, aka Jimsgirl

No one is screwing anybody.

Your supplement is secondary.

In other words, you MUST submit for reimbursement to Medicare first. Then, Medicare will deny the claim. THEN, after you receive the denial, you submit to you supplemental insurance and they will then reimburse up to covered amount.

 

Does it make sense? No, but you're dealing with the Government. If you expected it to make sense, your expectations were too high.

Earlier threads will show I posted often on Insurance, I suffered a stroke "out of the blue" ( I travelled solo)while on a cruise last October. I had medical Insurance and medevac Insurance.

The kick in the rear came claiming for medical costs on board $3,000, and Hospital cost in Belgium.

Medicare will not pay for any treatments outside the USA, but the Insurance required a letter of rejection , Medicare will not issue this until AFTER you have filled out about 12 pages of paper work. just getting the paper work takes weeks.

The questions are ridiculous, i.e time ships doctor inserted the drip line, time they tested my brain responses. Even worse they asked the ZIP CODE for the ships position !!! How do you give a ZIP CODE for a ship sailing in the ENGLISH channel!!!! Then Medicare wanted the Medicare BILLING CODE for the charges!!!

How I was supposed to answer these questions, after a stroke did not concern Medicare, leave a question unanswered and back come the forms. It took months to get a refusal from Medicare, before my Insurance would even begin to process my claim.

So my advice is

a/ Get Medevac insurance if you want to get home from "wherever"

b/ Get PRIMARY insurance for medical costs if you do not want to spend months dealing with the Government Red tape.

c/ Unless you have a spare $30,000 hidden in your socks you need insurance

In my case because it was a stroke, I lost my ability to speak, I could not use my left leg, arm and hand, I could not get out of bed even to go to the toilet, and none of the nurses at the hospital spoke English believe me it was a nightmare, seeing an American nurse when she arrived from Care International , and told me she would take care of EVERYTHING was a miracle.

Care International paid up front for the nurse to take care get me out of the hospital, and Business class flight from Belgium to my home town hospital in Florida

BTW, you do have pay at time of service on board, (the cruise line bills your credit card ) and at the hospital in the foreign country (in their currency/ and with a credit card they will accept - yes the hospital only accepted certain credit cards, they refused the first but I did have another they agreed to accept).

In regards to this, I asked my HR person if our insurance covers us outside the U.S. and she said that it does if you can find someone who will accept it. I hope I never have to test it.

As someone who did have to test travel ins. may I offer some advice based on experience.

I had done almost 50 trips, never had to use ins, was healthy, senior travelled solo. I bought Ins even though I felt it would never be needed.

Oct 2024. on QM2, walking down hallway dressed up for semi formal evening, feeling fine, when wham I was hit by stroke. Short story, was rushed to medical centre, received treatment, then off loaded to hospital in Belgium. Ship sailed off without me of course.

Ins needed to pay for unused cruise days , total 12 , hospital in Belgium , no one spoke English , I had trouble speaking, no use of left hand, arm, leg, all alone , 7,000 + miles from home. My ins did cover, medical, costs, almost $4000, lost days another $4000, but the REALLY BIG ADDITIONAL COVER WAS getting back to USA.

Ins sent nurse to Belgium , with medical needs, she took care of everything for trip home. Car to airport , Business class trip 13 hours from Brussels to Fort Myers, car to hospital in Port Charlotte Florida. Very BIG $$$$ cost, not to mention personal care.

Buying Ins was the smartest thing I have ever done. My days for cruising are over, big regret, but I still scan these sites.

Have wonderful trips everyone but believe me Ins is never a waste of money, just be sure, it covers, ALL possible costs, but ABOVE ALL GETTING YOU HOME. Very essential

You may have to wait for claim, to be paid, that is a real pain in the rear, but worth the wait in the end. My guess is that the total cost of my stroke was close to $20,000 .

I have written this in another thread, but after reading "Sailboat Man " I do feel it might help repeating my remarks.

I did many cruises, bought insurance that was never used . Then in October, 7 days into a cruise (ship in middle of English channel 7,000 miles from embarkation) I had a stroke and was sent to hospital in Belgium. Claimed for 12 days unused cruise costs,($4,000+ ),$3,000 costs for emergency care in Ships medical centre, Hospital costs for 6 days stay there, but the real bonus of the insurance was being medi-vacced back to Florida.

The insurance paid for a nurse to come to the Hospital in Belgium, take care of arranging release, obtained medications, then a car wa provided to take us to Brussels for flight home. Business class for both of us back to Fort Myers Florida,I needed oxygen and medication during journey of 13 hours flying time (also neded help with personal needs as I could not walk, having lost use of left side of my body. A car to hospital in my home town, ( hospital arranged by insurance ), the nurse stayed with me until I was in bed in my room there. I could never have reached my home town without all that care. I travelled solo.

Since I never received a bill I cannot say how much it cost but anyone who has flown for 13 hours business class, plus 2-cars each with driver , can imagine the $$$$ for two people , plus paying the nurses fees for the 3 days needed.

My advice is that Insurance that includes return to home from wherever you are stricken is an absolute must.

In answer to Dickinson:-

Although I do not have an exact figure, I submit following facts.

Call International sent a Nurse to the Hospital in Belgium, she arrived late afternoon to arrange for paperwork and medication for 6 A.M next day release ( I had to pay the bill for the treatments at that time before Hospital would agree to release me next day. (she stayed in hotel overnight )

6.AM release Call International provided a car to take nurse and myself to Brussels Airport. about 35-40 miles

At Airport since we were booked into two business class seats for flight we were able to go into Lounge to wait for boarding.

In flight (seat reclined to flat so I could rest) Nurse provided needed Oxygen, and medication, also assisted me to toilet since I could not walk (no use of left hand arm, leg or foot.)

At Atlanta we had to change planes, Nurse attended to all details, passports etc. At Fort Myers FL (USA) Call International provided a car to take Nurse and myself to my home town Port Charlotte 30 miles away.

Car took us to local home town Hospital, where they were expecting me as Call International had informed them I would need admittance. Nurse saw me through admitting , until I was in bed in my Hospital room.

I am sure you can do the figures for cost of Nurse, 2 cars, 2 business class seats for flight of 13 hours about 8,000 miles , not to mention all the details needed.

Keep in mind even if you're healthy, you could trip and break a leg and get stuck in a Caribbean hospital.

 

I read about a situation where the spouse of a man who was hospitalized on an island basically got cornered in closet by a doctor who insisted she had to pay him before her spouse left the hospital. It's not like the US where you can expect the medical community to treat you and send a bill later.

 

 

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I too was "healthy" , but on a cruise in October, was on my way to a musical hour before dinner, when WHAM I suffered a stroke, no warning at all. Fortunately I had purchased Ins. I was treated as emergency in ships Medical centre, bill almost $3000.00 immediately billed to my credit card. Then off loaded to hospital ashore in Belgium, there 7 days, had to pay bill BEFORE they allowed me to leave, (Chase Visa refused as Chase not known by Hospital., accepted Bank of America Visa ). Very glad I had two different credit cards.

I am still waiting for Berkely Care to refund me for the two treatment bills.

I was Medically evacuated home by air through Call International part of my Travel Ins. they booked me with a nurse in attendance with Delta Business class ,flight was 13 hours, delivered me to home town Hospital in FL. Fantastic. It was then that medicare /suppl. picked up bill

Berkely has paid me for the 12 days I did not use of my cruise, but as said still waiting for approx. $3000.00 paid by me for emergency treatment aboard ship. I will get this but expect it to take until about April 2015.(6 months total) .

$20,000. would NOT have covered my Medical Evacuation. Believe me you DO NEED to think about that cost, no matter how healthy you may be today.

While I agree that "nostalgia ... isn't what it used to be" there are some aspects of the old days that would be welcomed by many on today's ships. When I first booked a balcony stateroom seven trips ago, my travel agent said that I would never again want to travel without a balcony. He was right about that. But I would gladly sacrifice this amenity and the general comfort of today's staterooms to enjoy the grandeur of the public rooms of, say, the Aquitania. Real wood panelling on ships is gone for good for obvious reasons, but it certainly added to the elegance.

 

There is no doubt that many passengers appreciate the varied dining options available today, especially the lido or cafeteria, but I am happy with traditional dining. The Tourist Class menus that I kept from my 1970s and 80s crossings on QE2 offered more choice than today's equivalent in the Britannia Restaurant. Even in Tourist, dinner was served with traditional "silver service" that even in today's Grills is offered only with a few of the a la carte items.

 

I am equally amused by those who say everything was better in the old days and those who say everything is better now. I suppose the ideal ship would be one that offered all the amenities - particularly the staterooms - that we have come to expect and the grandeur of the public rooms of the grand old liners. But, being realistic, I will continue to enjoy the current Cunard fleet which is very nice indeed.

I began sailing in l954, First Class did have to go down the hall for toilets and showers, but First Class did mean FIRST CLASS , it was SERVICE all the way even on deck. the menu even at breakfast was at least 4-5 pages of choices, every meal was "silver service". with a correctly laid table to match, (sugar was cubes with silver tongs and every passenger drinking tea had a choice of 4-5 different teas your tea was always served really hot in pot for one , your toast was served in a rack.

Of course every night was Formal dress, and if you were invited to sit at the Captains table you did so for EVERY MEAL ,EVERY day, not just one night for dinner --MAYBE-- IF THE CAPTAIN chooses to eat in MDR as is the case now - the female Captain chooses not mix with the Britannia passengers, not even by attending a Cocktail party in the Queens Room.

IMO Cunard have forgotten, that it is the PASSENGERS that are IMPORTANT, that it is the passengers whose fares pay the wages and the dividends - you cannot have these without passengers. Today passengers are after thoughts, -they are thought of in the same way as cases of "widgets " on a container ship.

Before booking your cruise, make sure you can even get insurance. Since you filed a claim because of a stroke, it could be listed in a general database and you could be listed as uninsurable. This might not happen, but it's better to know beforehand.

Thank you for your reply Kitty 9, I do not get on line as often as I used to do. Difficult to type with only my right hand usable, I "hunt and peck" but working on making my whole left side workable -maybe in next few months.

Your reply listed a problem I had thought might exist. I had never had to use the Medical Ins before. I know I could not risk a Transatlantic cruise (or B2B on Cunard), though I do hope that by end of 2015 I could risk a cruise up the East coast of USA within reach of excellent medical aid should I be so unfortunate as to need it.

Have a very good future.

Sorry to read you now need a scooter, we have met in the past , as I am ex Crystal cruiser

I have recently had to use Travel Ins.

I had a stroke whilst on QM2, Medical costs on board, were nearly $3,000 , charged to my credit card without any- by -my leave, (yes I know that is normal so please do not flame me, I am merely replying to the question of the thread.

Off loaded from ship to hospital in Belgium, had to pay hospital , bill before I could leave to be medically flown home by Call International

Points you should consider (IMO) having credit card available money to cover medical bills . Enough money in Insurance to cover cost of being flown home, business class (my flight was 13 hours Belgium to Florida plus the cost of a nurse attendant for the l3 hours.)

If you have to leave the ship because of your illness you might wish to consider adding Ins for Trip interruption. I lost 12 days out of the original 19 days.

Since coming home Medicare and normal Suppl. ins have been paying my USA hospital bills suffice to say, they amount to the cost of a World Cruise on Cunard.

Thank you BullDawg91, I was naïve even though I had done over 50+ cruises. I bought Ins, thought as long as I had the paid bill receipts, and Dr's reports it was simply a matter of making a claim to Berkely.

I cannot stress enough the need to ensure that you have credit cards with BIG amounts available to pay medical on board, and at foreign hospital (plus savings to pay off the cards when you get home or the interest rates will "kill you", while you wait and wait for reimbursement.).

It is also essential that you (or a companion get every scrap of paper possible , to PROVE any claim. Berkely did give the impression they thought I could have stayed on the ship "IF I HAD TRIED TO DO SO".

I finally have some good news:-

Berkely processed the Trip interruption part of my claim, the cheque for the missed portion was paid IN FULL today, on the "Carnival Cruise line account." though cheque is from Ins Co. Time 8 weeks from my filing claim

As the sum was for $$$$+ I am very pleased to receive this at this time, it will replace money into my savings which I had to use to repay credit card from which the medical bills were paid.

The Medical expenses also very high is still being processed , understand the delay as it involves three different medical bills, and one Dr 's report was written in a foreign dialect, think it will be paid in full though that time may be several extra months yet.

This probably is the place to give some advice (wanted or not)

As medical bills have to be paid at the time of the treatment , having credit card(s) with high limits makes good sense, fortunately I had a card with $$$$$ available .

I also had Medivac Ins, mine did cover a nurse escort , transport to major foreign airport, business class flight to USA airport, transport from there for admittance to my home town hospital (who had been notified to expect me) the nurse accompanied me until I was in to my room She was an angel. (the flight took 13 hours.)

Making sure your Medivac Ins cover is sufficient $$$$ is important.

It takes persistence , to deal with the Ins Co. I had several "run-ins" with Ins staffers who were too lazy to even check the claim when I phoned, but I phoned again and again until I reached a staffer who was willing and able.

Good wishes to all with claims still waiting to be resolved.

Thank you for your helpful reply,

I do not need any service, it is a daily struggle but I do live alone.

The one problem I have is not being able to drive now, only right side is usable , and have problem with perception of distance. Neither should be a problem on the ship as such ( still waiting for Ins to pay claim, but would chose another company if I ever cruised again.)

Interesting since the check says LTD carnival corp!

 

 

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That is very interesting. Hopefully I will be able to post re my own claim whenever they get around to paying me.

Travelling solo I had a stroke on QM2, had to spend 6 days in Belgium Hospital, and make a claim on Ins for Medi vac home.

I am recovering, still some loss of use on left side but I can and do manage to live alone

would like to cruise again, possibly with my 64 yr. old daughter,

Has anyone found restrictions from Travel Ins, pre existing condition or from cruise line in fear of a second stroke?.

Would want to stay coastal USA, as 6 days in "out of date , broken equipment hospital is an experience NOT TO BE REPEATED.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Thaank you

Sometimes you just have to wonder at the mentality of the staff

Today had another unprofitable conversation re my claim," Miss Dizzy Daffy" mentioned a pro rata daily rate for Trip interruption claim. Asked why pro rata she then said "Even if you were in a hospital in Belgium you may have received service from the ship????? Clearly a case of the brain behind the tongue being a drive- through!

I had a vision of my favorite waiter from the Chart Room (QM2) climbing into a helicopter on the QM2 halfway across the Atlantic , to bring my favorite cocktail to me in my hospital. room in Belgium (certainly would have helped the taste of the raw herring and dry rye bread which was the hospital meal).

Of course I would have sent him back for a bowl of nuts, being "unreasonable" in my expectations of service!!!!!!.

I called back to speak with another staffer, who did find the remark as ridiculous as I did, and who actually did look at my claim, and told me that although she was not the appraiser, it was noted on the claim that in fact I should receive the full rate for the missed days, which answer satisfied me greatly , it will still be several weeks before the final cheque, but at least I know now that something is happening.

I wait in a happier frame of mind.

I post that others may benefit from my experience. From the link provided I have learned from others.

I most certainly expect more delay, and more "shenanigans" from Berkely Care.

I agree. This link is one I am going to follow up .

I am NOT a woe is me type, although some posters have assumed I am stupid, and did not read the instructions

a/ That the paperwork was not filed correctly no matter how many times I say every piece has been filed correctly, signed,by doctors, verified etc etc.

b/ The Ins company do now admit they have had the claim for now nearly 6 weeks , but have NOT yet assigned a staffer to deal with paying the claim- only a data entry person to scan it into a computer -which act is still pending as" we are very busy"

c/ Cunard care is sold by only by Cunard Cruise Line which of course is NOT a Florida based company .

Yes it is my own fault for trusting Cunard would use a reputable company. Berkely Care is also NOT a Florida based company.

This does make a very BIG difference when it comes to getting help from the state.

d/ I think any cruiser needs to know these types of pitfalls if they are thinking of buying ins. from a cruise line. especially if they also use a travel agent outside their own state. Which is the reason I posted to this thread.

e/ Any international cruiser needs to know they may have thousands of dollars charged to their credit card at time of a severe mental and physical health problem , and then they will have to pay the debt to clear their card, which will diminish their savings - whilst they are still receiving medical care back in USA.-- that they will have to wait for 4 or 5 or 6 MONTHS for the Ins company to reimburse them (maybe ) the full amount. (maybe not).

Just hope it never happens to you.

YES I have filed ALL the paperwork CORRECTLY, inc. Medicare and Suppl. denials. for the treatment OUTSIDE USA but still no action on the claims by Insurance company, my paperwork is still lying unattended on someones desk, waiting to be scanned into the computer!

The Florida board does not oversee Travel Ins possibly because the incidents take place "internationally".