Poll: Take the Cruise Insurance or not...

[rockykat]

I always insure thru Travelguard. I want the pre-existing coverage. The cruise lines policy have a grey area when it comes to pre-existing conditions. You can't be treated for 3 months prior to your trip, or it will become pre-existing. I was also told just getting a new perscription from your doctor would fall into that catagory. I just wont take the chance.

[cjdixon4]

Don't understand really.........You spend thousands on a cruise/holiday. And then decide to save a few pounds/dollars on travel insurance. Don't know how much travel insurance is in the States, but not that much really in the UK. Not worth the gamble IMO.

 

 

paul.ed, I could not have positioned my thought any better than you did. I always simply consider travel insurance part of the cost of vacationing.

[orville99]

Even though I never thought we'd ever need it, until DW injured her leg on our last cruise that required medical attention. The costs that CruiseCare covered were 3-4X the cost of the insurance.

[m*u*g*]

I'd rather pay for insurance than have to deal with a bill for an illness on a ship or foreign port. Your personal health insurance may reimburse you for the ship's physician and facilities, but anything serious, they put you in the hospital at the nearest port or med-evac you there. One significant episode and there goes the budget for your next three cruises.

 

Not everyone who cruises is 30 years old and in perfect health. Some of us are, dare I say, a bit travel worn, and insurance is a must for us.

 

Not to mention leaving ailing parents we leave behind. We are in that stage right now.

[Ladysilver]

Do Not Buy Travel Insurance.

 

Cruise insurance for travel agents and cruise lines is a huge profit center built on individual paranoia and fear. It is pure sheltered income.

 

I'll tell you about FEAR. It's when your young daughter gets a life-threatening illness while you're on a cruise. Then you're put off the ship in a foreign country where you don't speak the language. Then you're taken to a little run down hospital and nurses and Dr's separate you from your daughter and you don't know what's going on. You're left standing in a hallway crying not knowing what's happening behind the door. Finally, after 4 hours, a Dr. is found that speaks a little English and lets you know you're daughter is in ICU (a 12 x 12 room with two beds). You can see her for 10 minutes, that's all. She's receiving IV fluids and powerful antibiotics. You're led off to a small dark room where you can sleep on a cot. The vending machines only take Mexican money, and of course you don't have any, so you're out of luck there. You're awake most of the night, pacing the hallway waiting for the next time the nurse will let you come in and stand my your daughter's bedside for 10 minutes. By the next morning, there's a phone call for you from the cruiseline insurance company. The voice on the other end of the line is like an angel, come to save you from this nightmare. The'll have a jet comming that afternoon to fly you and your daughter back to the states. At 4 PM, you're taken to the airport and when you see that beautiful lear jet and hear those handsome young pilots and paramedics speaking English, you know you're almost home. When you land in Houston and are picked up by a "real" ambulance and taken to a "real" hospital, you are SO THANKFUL YOU BOUGHT INSURANCE, you could kiss everyone!! After several cruises without it, we bought it "just in case." Please, I wouldn't ever want to see anyone go through what we went through. BUY THE INSURANCE!! It covered EVERY PENNY of that nightmare. We will NEVER cruise without it!

[cjdixon4]

I'll tell you about FEAR. It's when your young daughter gets a life-threatening illness while you're on a cruise. Then you're put off the ship in a foreign country where you don't speak the language. Then you're taken to a little run down hospital and nurses and Dr's separate you from your daughter and you don't know what's going on. You're left standing in a hallway crying not knowing what's happening behind the door. Finally, after 4 hours, a Dr. is found that speaks a little English and lets you know you're daughter is in ICU (a 12 x 12 room with two beds). You can see her for 10 minutes, that's all. She's receiving IV fluids and powerful antibiotics. You're led off to a small dark room where you can sleep on a cot. The vending machines only take Mexican money, and of course you don't have any, so you're out of luck there. You're awake most of the night, pacing the hallway waiting for the next time the nurse will let you come in and stand my your daughter's bedside for 10 minutes. By the next morning, there's a phone call for you from the cruiseline insurance company. The voice on the other end of the line is like an angel, come to save you from this nightmare. The'll have a jet comming that afternoon to fly you and your daughter back to the states. At 4 PM, you're taken to the airport and when you see that beautiful lear jet and hear those handsome young pilots and paramedics speaking English, you know you're almost home. When you land in Houston and are picked up by a "real" ambulance and taken to a "real" hospital, you are SO THANKFUL YOU BOUGHT INSURANCE, you could kiss everyone!! After several cruises without it, we bought it "just in case." Please, I wouldn't ever want to see anyone go through what we went through. BUY THE INSURANCE!! It covered EVERY PENNY of that nightmare. We will NEVER cruise without it!

 

Ladysilver....great testimony in favor of purchasing travel insurance! Glad that all ended well for your family.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

I'll tell you about FEAR. It's when your young daughter gets a life-threatening illness while you're on a cruise. Then you're put off the ship in a foreign country where you don't speak the language. Then you're taken to a little run down hospital and nurses and Dr's separate you from your daughter and you don't know what's going on. You're left standing in a hallway crying not knowing what's happening behind the door. Finally, after 4 hours, a Dr. is found that speaks a little English and lets you know you're daughter is in ICU (a 12 x 12 room with two beds). You can see her for 10 minutes, that's all. She's receiving IV fluids and powerful antibiotics. You're led off to a small dark room where you can sleep on a cot. The vending machines only take Mexican money, and of course you don't have any, so you're out of luck there. You're awake most of the night, pacing the hallway waiting for the next time the nurse will let you come in and stand my your daughter's bedside for 10 minutes. By the next morning, there's a phone call for you from the cruiseline insurance company. The voice on the other end of the line is like an angel, come to save you from this nightmare. The'll have a jet comming that afternoon to fly you and your daughter back to the states. At 4 PM, you're taken to the airport and when you see that beautiful lear jet and hear those handsome young pilots and paramedics speaking English, you know you're almost home. When you land in Houston and are picked up by a "real" ambulance and taken to a "real" hospital, you are SO THANKFUL YOU BOUGHT INSURANCE, you could kiss everyone!! After several cruises without it, we bought it "just in case." Please, I wouldn't ever want to see anyone go through what we went through. BUY THE INSURANCE!! It covered EVERY PENNY of that nightmare. We will NEVER cruise without it!

 

What a story, if that doesn't convince anyone, don't know what would.

BTW...we never leave home without it!

 

How is your daughter now? Do you mind if I ask what was her illness?

 

***

[KeywestK]

I can understand that folks who live in FL and frequently take short cruises, insurance might not be so important to them. For us, most of the time, cruises are a big financial investment, and I would not dream of traveling without it.

[jbond]

There was a time when we didn't take out travel insurance. Then, one morning we were all packed, ready to go to the airport and the whole world unraveled. It was September 11th, 2001. Of course we couldn't fly out to Barcelona to pick up our cruise on Legend of the Seas. We had over $16,000 invested in the cruise and we really thought that it was history. Fortunately for us, RCI were absolutely incredible in treating passengers caught in the fallout. We had booked air and pre cruise hotels with RCI, but no insurance. They refunded every penny as a future cruise credit. I learned a lesson and we never leave home without full insurance coverage.

[goouchjac]

We never leave home without it!

 

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Ditto:D:cool:

[critterchick]

Please don't take this bad advice. If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. You never know what just might happen.

 

It's not a matter not being able to afford it. It's a decision we make based on the potential cost if we have an issue that forces us to cancel the cruise, have cut it short or require medical care while travelling. Because we have medical insurance that covers us worldwide, we do not need to insure for that. So we choose to purchase insurance only if the cost of cancelling or interrupting the cruise would be more than we wish to incur. So far we have an imaginary bank of several thousand dollars from not purchasing insurance (based on the cost of all the premiums we haven't paid). It's called self-insurance.

 

Great post, most of the folks have no idea of the amount of liability(to their pocketbooks) they are exposing themselves if they have a sickness or accident in a foreign country.!

 

But some of us do.:)

 

Help me out here. Why do some here say they don't buy trip insurance for short cruises but do so for longer cruises? Is an accident or illness far less likely to happen on a short cruise?

 

I fell forward up the stairs of Jewel's atrium on the first night of the cruise and fractured a bone in the side of my ankle because my foot was caught under a step. That was the very first night, around eight PM. I just don't understand the reasoning behind not buying trip insurance for short cruises.

 

In my case, my medical insurance would cover the ankle injury, or any other injury or illness. And if my MIL, DF or dog passes, then it's not that expensive to get home from a short cruise from Florida or LA. But on a longer cruise, I'm more likely to be far from home and have paid more for the cruise than I want to lose, so I'm more likely to get insurance.

[dirtgirl]

I'll tell you about FEAR. It's when your young daughter gets a life-threatening illness while you're on a cruise. Then you're put off the ship in a foreign country where you don't speak the language. Then you're taken to a little run down hospital and nurses and Dr's separate you from your daughter and you don't know what's going on. You're left standing in a hallway crying not knowing what's happening behind the door. Finally, after 4 hours, a Dr. is found that speaks a little English and lets you know you're daughter is in ICU (a 12 x 12 room with two beds). You can see her for 10 minutes, that's all. She's receiving IV fluids and powerful antibiotics. You're led off to a small dark room where you can sleep on a cot. The vending machines only take Mexican money, and of course you don't have any, so you're out of luck there. You're awake most of the night, pacing the hallway waiting for the next time the nurse will let you come in and stand my your daughter's bedside for 10 minutes. By the next morning, there's a phone call for you from the cruiseline insurance company. The voice on the other end of the line is like an angel, come to save you from this nightmare. The'll have a jet comming that afternoon to fly you and your daughter back to the states. At 4 PM, you're taken to the airport and when you see that beautiful lear jet and hear those handsome young pilots and paramedics speaking English, you know you're almost home. When you land in Houston and are picked up by a "real" ambulance and taken to a "real" hospital, you are SO THANKFUL YOU BOUGHT INSURANCE, you could kiss everyone!! After several cruises without it, we bought it "just in case." Please, I wouldn't ever want to see anyone go through what we went through. BUY THE INSURANCE!! It covered EVERY PENNY of that nightmare. We will NEVER cruise without it!

 

A truly sobering and excellent post. I really have no other words - you put it so eloquently.

 

 

There was a time when we didn't take out travel insurance. Then, one morning we were all packed, ready to go to the airport and the whole world unraveled. It was September 11th, 2001. Of course we couldn't fly out to Barcelona to pick up our cruise on Legend of the Seas. We had over $16,000 invested in the cruise and we really thought that it was history. Fortunately for us, RCI were absolutely incredible in treating passengers caught in the fallout. We had booked air and pre cruise hotels with RCI, but no insurance. They refunded every penny as a future cruise credit. I learned a lesson and we never leave home without full insurance coverage.

 

 

Another great post. Thank you.

[auggiemom]

I wouldn't never ever go without insurance. I also ended up in the hospital one week prior to a family cruise with a life threatening issue. I thank God everyday that it happened before we went. We had insurance, the company was great to work with, and we got our money back.

[Ladysilver]

What a story, if that doesn't convince anyone, don't know what would.

BTW...we never leave home without it!

 

How is your daughter now? Do you mind if I ask what was her illness?

 

***

 

 

Thank you, she's fine now. Something I wanted to add....When we were there in that Mexican hospital, there was another couple from the same ship. Her husband had fallen and had a head injury. They had no insurance. I overheard the Director telling the woman just before we left (in very broken English), that she would need to contact the US Embassy for help. That was when I realized just how inportant it was to have the insurance! :eek:

[villager70]

We have taken insurance on all but one cruise. We have been with others that had to be medivacked to foreign port then flew both him and spouse home. He was in medical unit with bed Read other post were some say they have cruised a lot and saved all that insurance money. Well get a bill for over 31,000 and tell me about it. Also covered another we know who got sea sick went to rc doctor and had shot, got reaction and had to be put on iv's for two days. Insurance covered all. If you have kids,parents sibling's at home would definitely use.

also hope you never fall,have heart attack, stroke or similar or pass away as have been on seven ships were a death occurred. and insurance pays to send remains and escort home.

Guess we all have our reasons for and against but have seen post over the last few years where someone was so upset because just before the cruise, junior got sick, Hubby hurt his leg at work, Mom had attack and had to be hospitalized. and we didn't ever imagine that this would have happen or we would have got that insurance. If the lines gave in for those special unexpected emergencies they would not have anyone purchase insurance.Well if you don't think you are ever going to get sick or worst why buy health insurance either.

Bob & Nancy The Villages Florida

[Katana_Geldar]

You might save money in the long run without insurance, but if something happens you're out of pocket big time.

[SPacificbound]

It depends on what you want to insure.

 

If your main reason is medical and evacuation it is much less expensive to buy HTH for medical and Medjet for evacuation.

 

If your main concern is the cost of the cruise and medical/evac take a look at Insure My Trip.

 

The cost of the trip insurance is way more then the cost of just medical and evac.

[Katana_Geldar]

It also depends where you are. Full trip insurance is rather reasonable in Australia.

[Coralc]

My mom's house was cut in half by a falling tree in a windstorm, 10 days before were to sail on a cruise cruise.

 

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/plhunt2/Moms%20House%20Remodeled/MomsHouse12-3-2011011.jpg[/img]"]

 

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/plhunt2/Moms%20House%20Remodeled/MomsHouse12-3-2011009.jpg[/img]"]

 

We did have to get all the documents together and wait for the adjuster's report. But Royal Caribbean Cruise Care insurance did refund the entire cruise fare. They would have covered the airfare change fees too, but it was with Southwest, so there were no fees.

 

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that 3rd party insurance is based on your age. If you are 84, like my mom is, then it is much more reasonable to take cruise line insurance. The downside is that if 1 person takes cruise line insurance, everyone else in your cabin share has to take it as well.

 

But in this case, I was quite pleased with their response, and timeliness of payment. (since I had to fill out all the paperwork for her). :)

[Gilgo Surfer]

I have never used cruise insurance before, however I am thinking about purchasing insurance for the first time on my upcoming cruise in November.

 

I have no choice but to fly in the morning of the cruise (due to arrive at 9am FLL)

 

BTW: how far in advance must insurance be purchased?

[dirtgirl]

I have never used cruise insurance before, however I am thinking about purchasing insurance for the first time on my upcoming cruise in November.

 

I have no choice but to fly in the morning of the cruise (due to arrive at 9am FLL)

 

BTW: how far in advance must insurance be purchased?

 

 

It is usually recommended to purchase it when you're stable medically (past 90 days), but definitely before final payment with the non-refundable penalties kicking in. Some purchase it upon deposit. Insurance rates can rise, and some birthdays cause huge increases. Age 75 and 80 really kick it up!! :eek: Rates do steadily increase after 59.

 

There is no set date that it HAS to be purchased, unless you purchase cruise line insurance. YOu have to purchase that upon final payment. Private companies will insure you up until time of sail, but I don't recommend waiting that long.

 

Sad tale - just had people book a cruise, and they refused insurance. Husband was diagnosed with cancer, and surgery is scheduled the week of the cruise, so they had to cancel with 75% penalty. If they had purchased insurance, they would have gotten their money refunded.

[Ladysilver]

Coralc....Amazing pictures! I'm glad the cruise was covered by the insurance! You never know......:eek:

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Coralc....Amazing pictures! I'm glad the cruise was covered by the insurance! You never know......:eek:

 

 

Exactly!!! It doesn't have to be medical to cancel a cruise. :eek:

 

***

[Coralc]

I'm just really glad we took the insurance! :D:):D

[trafficbabe2000]

Job loss is NOT COVERED......