Cruise Insurance Question

[Chacooe]

I was wondering if your cruise insurance covers you if you get stuck in port because your ship left without you. What I mean is, let's say you book an excursion on-line and not through the Cruise line, will your travel insurance cover for a room, airfare to meet up with the ship, etc.

[travelntreats]

Better read up on your policy for that answer as with so many different carriers, no two are exactly alike !

[cruiseco]

the circumstance you describe is a trip interruption so that's the part of the policy you need to study. the policy information will list the covered reasons for trip interruption. for example most will cover if the interruption is due to a medical emergency. so if while in the port you sprain your ankle and by the time the local doctor takes x-rays and fixes you up the ship has sailed you'd probably be covered. just losing track of the time won't be covered by any plan. and even a medical emergency may not be. for example most policies have exclusions for high risk activities so if the sprained ankle is the result of a parasailing accident you may not be covered.

 

and be sure to check what the plan covers -- you want one that will cover the cost of a one-way last-minute air ticket to the next port of call (or home) plus expenses like hotels, meals, etc

[Ken076]

I was wondering if your cruise insurance covers you if you get stuck in port because your ship left without you. What I mean is, let's say you book an excursion on-line and not through the Cruise line, will your travel insurance cover for a room, airfare to meet up with the ship, etc.

 

Generally, if you took an excursion and it did not get you back in time for ship's departure you wouldn't be covered for catch-up expenses. Checkout Carnival Berkely's TripInterruption and Trip Delay coverage, and same for several 3rd Party Policies. ken

[cruiseco]

Generally, if you took an excursion and it did not get you back in time for ship's departure you wouldn't be covered for catch-up expenses.

 

 

Not necessarily so. For example this is from one CSA plan's covered reasons for trip interruption:

 

"Common carrier delays resulting from bad weather, mechanical breakdown of the aircraft, ship, boat, or motor coach on which the insured is scheduled to travel . . ."

 

With the following benefit:

 

"We will reimburse you for . . . unused land or water travel arrangements plus . .

tThe additional travel expenses by the most direct route from the point you interrupted your covered trip to the next scheduled destination where you can catch up to your scheduled trip. "

 

So if your sightseeing bus breaks down and you miss the ship you'd probably have a valid claim.

 

Their definition of "Common Carrier" is:

 

"Any land, water, or air conveyance operated under a license for the transportation of passengers for hire, not including taxicabs or rented, leased, or privately owned motor vehicles."

 

So if you're out doing some sightseeing in a taxi or you've rented a car and it breaks down causing you to miss the ship the coverage definitely would not apply.

[Ken076]

Not necessarily so. For example this is from one CSA plan's covered reasons for trip interruption:

 

"Common carrier delays resulting from bad weather, mechanical breakdown of the aircraft, ship, boat, or motor coach on which the insured is scheduled to travel . . ."

 

With the following benefit:

 

"We will reimburse you for . . . unused land or water travel arrangements plus . .

tThe additional travel expenses by the most direct route from the point you interrupted your covered trip to the next scheduled destination where you can catch up to your scheduled trip. "

 

So if your sightseeing bus breaks down and you miss the ship you'd probably have a valid claim.

 

Their definition of "Common Carrier" is:

 

"Any land, water, or air conveyance operated under a license for the transportation of passengers for hire, not including taxicabs or rented, leased, or privately owned motor vehicles."

 

So if you're out doing some sightseeing in a taxi or you've rented a car and it breaks down causing you to miss the ship the coverage definitely would not apply.

 

Cruiseco - Good Find! The CSA Policies come the closest on this coverage.

 

When I investigated this sometime ago, I talked to two different Claims Processors and they

suggested

that a tour operator

might

not

technically

be a Common Carrier, so that might or might not be a issue when filing a claim. I didn't pursue that any further.

 

In my (last year's) CSA Freestyle Policy the Trip Interruption coverage you mention includes the caveat that the delay must be 24+ consecutive hours and the definition of common Carrier doesn't exclude the taxicabs or rented, leased, or privately owned motor vehicles. I didn't research the 24 Hour thing any further either.

 

WRT the OP's original post, IMO if the tour Operator just got you back to the ship late, I don't think you'd be covered. If the tour operator DOES qualify as a common Carrier and experiences a weather mechanical breakdown delay, then you likely have a claim.

 

Out of curiosity, which Policy were you looking at?

 

ken

[cruiseco]

Cruiseco - Good Find! The CSA Policies come the closest on this coverage.

 

When I investigated this sometime ago, I talked to two different Claims Processors and they

suggested

that a tour operator

might

not

technically

be a Common Carrier, so that might or might not be a issue when filing a claim. I didn't pursue that any further.

 

In my (last year's) CSA Freestyle Policy the Trip Interruption coverage you mention includes the caveat that the delay must be 24+ consecutive hours and the definition of common Carrier doesn't exclude the taxicabs or rented, leased, or privately owned motor vehicles. I didn't research the 24 Hour thing any further either.

 

WRT the OP's original post, IMO if the tour Operator just got you back to the ship late, I don't think you'd be covered. If the tour operator DOES qualify as a common Carrier and experiences a weather mechanical breakdown delay, then you likely have a claim.

 

Out of curiosity, which Policy were you looking at?

 

ken

 

That was from the Comfort Plan which is still available through some sources. Best plan they ever put out.

[Ken076]

That was from the Comfort Plan which is still available through some sources. Best plan they ever put out.

 

Several of the sources I found indicate the Plan was cancelled in 2006 and replaced by the CSA Freestyle Plan I mentioned; the rates they quote are for CSA Freestyle.? The Comfort Policy was written to be a little more readable than most. ken

[cruiseco]

Several of the sources I found indicate the Plan was cancelled in 2006 and replaced by the CSA Freestyle Plan I mentioned; the rates they quote are for CSA Freestyle.? The Comfort Policy was written to be a little more readable than most. ken

 

http://www.travelprotect.com is one source

[sallyb]

I've always used Travelex, but what I'm really looking for is simply coverage for medical emergencies. I don't care about luggage or missing the ship, I just want a policy to cover me if I need to get flown out by helicopter or hospitalized in a foreign country. Anyone know of a policy just for medical?

[Ken076]

That was from the Comfort Plan which is still available through some sources. Best plan they ever put out.

 

Not a bad plan, and better written than many! I'd interpret from this plan that if you went on a Tour/Excursion and they did not get you back in time for ship departure due to inclement weather delay or mechanical breakdown delay, you'd be covered for catch-up expenses. ken

[cruiseco]

Not a bad plan, and better written than many! I'd interpret from this plan that if you went on a Tour/Excursion and they did not get you back in time for ship departure due to inclement weather delay or mechanical breakdown delay, you'd be covered for catch-up expenses. ken

 

That's how I read it too. I like it also for cruisers worried about a flight delay causing them to miss the ship.

[jtm22372]

check your primary insurance also i saved money by not needing the medical . i was pleasantly surprised to see my health insurance covers my family out of the country including medivac.So i only needed flight insurance cost me 47.00 for 3 of us