NCL's Travel Protection Plan

[albertamom]

I was just wondering how many of you have used NCL's Travel Protection insurance. What are your thoughts? I have never bought travel insurance for other holidays, but I am considering it if I book a cruise. I would be booking through NCL's website.

[sparks1093]

I think many on here would recommend using a different insurance company. You may find and compare policies on insuremytrip.com and you will find a significant savings.

[hateswaterloves2cruise]

I have used NCL's travel insurance several times. On a trip we had planned for Jan 2011 DH got sick about 2 weeks prior to cruise and ended up in hospital. I had to cancel our cruise. We got a complete 100% refund in a few weeks time.

I went on the website mentioned but was more confused than helped with working out what I wanted. DH is 80 and the costs were higher than NCL.

I will never book a cruise without insurance.

[woodburykt]

We had to cancel our cruise the day before we were to sail this past Feb due to the passing of one of our traveling companions father.

We had purchased the "platinum" insurance via NCL and we received a 90% future cruise credit. The entire process was completed in 6 weeks.

[sparks1093]

we received a 90% future cruise credit. The entire process was completed in 6 weeks.

 

That's one of the big differences between NCL's insurance and insurance purchased from a different company- insurance purchased from a diffrent company would have paid 100% and in cash (provided of course you've done your due diligence and made sure the policy covered that).

[mitsugirly]

I have always purchased the insurance with my TA (who uses a certain insurance company all the time for it).

 

My question is...Do you have to purchase the insurance with them? (the TA) or can you find your own insurance and use it? How does it all work?

[Sauer-kraut]

I usually purchase on my own. I have to do the research and figure out what I want coverage for. I have also purchased through the cruiseline. I actually think doing it on my own is better because I can pick and choose price and coverage.

[mitsugirly]

I usually purchase on my own. I have to do the research and figure out what I want coverage for. I have also purchased through the cruiseline. I actually think doing it on my own is better because I can pick and choose price and coverage.

 

So where do you start? You just look for a regular insurance agency? Or do you do it online?

[Sauer-kraut]

So where do you start? You just look for a regular insurance agency? Or do you do it online?

 

Ahhh...the helpful people on C.C. Actually I contacted my regular insurance agent and he said they do not carry travel insurance as it is specialized and short term.

 

SO, to insuremytrip.com I went. Its confusing and you really need to get an idea of what you want; cancel for any reason, cancellation, delay, lost luggage, etc. Actually at that website you can pick up to 5 different policies and companies that offer travel insurance, and compare side to side. There is also live telephone help.

 

I ended up for my land vacation to get flight cancel/delay, medical coverage and cancel for any reason only because heaven knows what will happen between now and Wed. night. I like the fact that I will get my money refunded and not some kind of future cruise credit.

 

Good luck with your quest, be diligent. :)

[mitsugirly]

Thanks for the info. I'll check that site and others. I guess I never realized you could take it upon yourself to find your own instead of booking with the TA you booked your cruise with. :p

[Love Overboard]

I was just wondering how many of you have used NCL's Travel Protection insurance. What are your thoughts? I have never bought travel insurance for other holidays, but I am considering it if I book a cruise. I would be booking through NCL's website.

 

I see by your handle that you may be Canadian, if so stay away from NCL and American Insurance as the coverage is not the same.

I looked into it years ago and realized a lot of them including NCL talk about coverage over and above the US Medicare coverage that individual (Americans)may or may not have which I don't know much about as we too are Canadian.

Another concern is that if you have to be transported back to Canada our hospital costs are much much higher than US costs and you won't be fully covered.

I also think that there may be some provincial difference ie Ontario verses Alberta so I suggest you shop locally for travel Insurance before you do anything.

[mitsugirly]

 

SO, to insuremytrip.com

 

Ok, I just got home and checked out the site. I'm a little confused. When you are filling out the information and it ask you "trip cost", what are you putting there? The amount of the cruise total? The amount of the cruise and your airfare total? I'm clueless as to what amount they are looking for.

[rfkeith10]

We just returned from a 14 day cruise on board the Pearl. The DH of our M & G organizer fell and broke his leg and hip early in the cruise. They were medivaced from Guatemala back to their home in Arizona.

 

The insurance they had, which is the same that we always purchase, took care of all the needs to include a lear jet and medical staff. I suspect that I'm not allowed to provide the name of the insurance company on this forum but if any one is interested I will share the name via email.

 

Bottom line, we always purchase travel insurance and hope we will never need it

 

Ray

[albertamom]

I see by your handle that you may be Canadian, if so stay away from NCL and American Insurance as the coverage is not the same.

I looked into it years ago and realized a lot of them including NCL talk about coverage over and above the US Medicare coverage that individual (Americans)may or may not havewhich I don't know much about as we too are Canadian.

Another concern is that if you have to be transported back to Canada our hospital costs are much much higher than US costs and you won't be fully covered.

I also think that there may be some provincial difference ie Ontario verses Alberta so I suggest you shop locally for travel Insurance before you do anything.

 

Your intuition is indeed correct! I always purchase travel health insurance through Alberta Blue Cross, so would just be looking for trip cancellation insurance. I think that I will keep researching.

 

Thanks, everyone, for your input!

[mitsugirly]

We just returned from a 14 day cruise on board the Pearl. The DH of our M & G organizer fell and broke his leg and hip early in the cruise. They were medivaced from Guatemala back to their home in Arizona.

 

The insurance they had, which is the same that we always purchase, took care of all the needs to include a lear jet and medical staff. I suspect that I'm not allowed to provide the name of the insurance company on this forum but if any one is interested I will share the name via email.

 

Bottom line, we always purchase travel insurance and hope we will never need it

 

Ray

 

It's funny...last year we purchased the cruise insurance for the first time. The very first port we went to I fell and got dinged up pretty bad from head to toe. NCL was really concerned when they seen the bloody bruised up mess I was when I was hobbling back to the ship. They immediately sent buckets of ice and baggies for the swelling. I went to the front desk and ask about seeing a nurse or doctor and they told me it would be $100 just to be seen and they couldn't tell me anything over the phone (when I was on the phone with the actual nurse). I COMPLETELY forgot that I had purchased the insurance. :rolleyes: :mad: So, I iced my hand for days, continued with our plans in the ports...snorkeling and everything. When I got back home, I waited another week and it just wasn't getting any better. I went to the hospital to find out that my hand was broken in a place that 90% of the people that break their hand in that spot require surgery and rods and pins. :eek: I was very lucky that it didn't move and I just required a cast.

 

NEXT TIME I'LL KNOW! LOL

[Sauer-kraut]

Ok, I just got home and checked out the site. I'm a little confused. When you are filling out the information and it ask you "trip cost", what are you putting there? The amount of the cruise total? The amount of the cruise and your airfare total? I'm clueless as to what amount they are looking for.

 

I put in for my out of pocket expenses, so for a cruise its cruisefare and airfare. For my land based vacation coming up its just airfare.

[mitsugirly]

I put in for my out of pocket expenses, so for a cruise its cruisefare and airfare. For my land based vacation coming up its just airfare.

 

Ok, so I enter the cruise amount and the air fare...as in the TOTAL amount for the entire family correct? Or do you need a separate policy for each?

[Sauer-kraut]

Ok, so I enter the cruise amount and the air fare...as in the TOTAL amount for the entire family correct? Or do you need a separate policy for each?

 

Ouch, you got me there, I just travel by myself so I honestly have no idea. I hope someone else can help, or start a new thread so people can find it to answer your question.

 

Maybe it would be total price for ONE person and then buy 4 policies?

[mitsugirly]

I might have to do that if no one else can answer the question.

 

I did notice there are TONS of different packages. What is a normal rate for a package (meaning how much coverage do people usually take out)?

 

trip cancellation

trip interruption

baggage loss

baggage delay

medical dental

travel delay

 

I have no idea what a normal package should include in the amounts. :eek: :confused:

[whenisthemidnightbuffet?]

Ok, so I enter the cruise amount and the air fare...as in the TOTAL amount for the entire family correct? Or do you need a separate policy for each?

 

 

I'm assuming you are on in sure my trip dot com. Right next to the box that asks for trip cost you can check off the box that says for all travelers...... put in the cost of everything associated with the trip: plane, cruise fare. When you continue the questionnaire part of the estimator it will ask total number in your party and ages.:)

[whenisthemidnightbuffet?]

Ok, so I enter the cruise amount and the air fare...as in the TOTAL amount for the entire family correct? Or do you need a separate policy for each?

 

 

I'm assuming you are on in sure my trip dot com. Right next to the box that asks for trip cost you can check off the box that says for all travelers...... put in the cost of everything associated with the trip: plane, cruise fare. When you continue the questionnaire part of the estimator it will ask total number in your party and ages.:)

[che5904]

Your intuition is indeed correct! I always purchase travel health insurance through Alberta Blue Cross, so would just be looking for trip cancellation insurance. I think that I will keep researching.

 

Thanks, everyone, for your input!

 

You can go to CAA or most of the major banks have travel insurance. I know TD, Royal and Scotia all carry it. My visa gold with Scotia has travel/medical insurance included with it, my only issue now before my next cruise is to check and see if I need to top it up, as I never looked into “cancel for any reason”, since the only reason I would have previously cancelled was for sickness or death. Now that I know NCL could cancel on me for a charter, I intend to look deeper into it before my next cruise.

[Havin'fun]

I might have to do that if no one else can answer the question.

 

I did notice there are TONS of different packages. What is a normal rate for a package (meaning how much coverage do people usually take out)?

 

trip cancellation

trip interruption

baggage loss

baggage delay

medical dental

travel delay

 

I have no idea what a normal package should include in the amounts. :eek: :confused:

 

We have used insure my trip for all of our travel insurance needs. There is an 800 number on their website. Call them and they will ask you a few questions and then recommend 2-3 differenct policies. They have always helped us select the best policy for our needs. Good luck!

[che5904]

There is one major problem with picking an insurance company from a web site or out of the air.

 

You can't test drive insurances (like you can a car). So you have no idea how good or bad they are until you really really need them.

 

JMO

[sparks1093]

There is one major problem with picking an insurance company from a web site or out of the air.

 

You can't test drive insurances (like you can a car). So you have no idea how good or bad they are until you really really need them.

 

JMO

 

True, but if you search a company's name you'll find reviews, both here and on the internet. Plus all insurance companies are graded and that information is available to the public (I believe this grade is also disclosed on insuremytrip.com, and they also tell you which insurance company underwrites the insurance).

 

I always put in the total trip cost and set the start date as the day I leave home and the end date as the day I return home. That way the policy is in effect for the entire trip and not just the cruise. I buy a package insurance plan and while I don't buy the least expensive policy I do buy the policy that costs the least that provides the coverage I feel that I need, and I pick insurance underwriters that I am familiar with (i.e. I'll chose a police underwitten by Nationwide over one that is underwritten by a company I've never heard of, even if it is a little more expensive).