to buy insurance ro not

[massagegirl]

This is my 3rd cruise and I have never bought it. My BF asked about it tonight. Wanted to get opinions from well traveled cruisers...What exactly does it cover?

[mstea]

Everything... Get it....

[jackjoyus]

Its very inportant to have the insurance, because you neverknow what will happen before or during the cruise. We alway have it, wouldn"t sail with out it.

[yancycruiser]

We always have it and partly because we both have elderly parents and know there is always a chance we might have to cancel.

[ctipton55]

Buy it! Too many people have had accidents, broken bones, appendicitis, family emergencies. It is well worth it.

Some suppliers are starting to require travelers to purchase it when traveling during hurricane season. Last year must have drove that decision.

[cherylandtk]

Here is a recent Poll on just that question, with many many commments and answers

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=87994&

[Times Prince]

My parents were cruisers before we started. They had several cruises which were cancelled for various reasons, including TA caused. With the insurance, it became a time and travel issue rather than loss of the cost of the cruise.

 

Because of their experience we've always bought travel insurance. When we had bronchitus in the month leading up to the cruise it really reduced our stress level knowing that if it continued we were not out the cost of the cruise.

 

Isn't that what insurance is for?

[jff50]

While the vast majority of people on these sites will tell you that anyone is nuts if they don't buy travel insurance, every situation is different. I would only buy it for one of two reasons. If I were traveling with someone that is elderly (with a high liklihood that they will have to cancel) or if my medical insurance did not cover medical evacuation and/or medical services provided on the ship or in a foreign country.

 

Medical expenses can be too significant to be uncovered, but you should check the coverage you have/your employer offers. Mine covers medical evacuation and medical expenses on the ship/out of the country.

 

You also need to look at what you are getting with the trip cancellation part of the coverage. In general, you are only buying coverage for an a covered event that would cause you to cancel at the last minute. Unless you are elderly, have a chronic illness, or are very risk averse this is not a good bet. Since I am not in any of these categories, I almost never buy cruise insurance.

 

Cruise lines and insurers sell this because there is a good profit margin in it. I don't buy it unless my situation/risk warrants the premium.

[Len3]

Buy it - one never knows what may happen!!!!

[chriscruise]

We are a family of four and usually travel at Spring Break. In our area that is March when the weather can still be very inconsistent. We buy trip insurance through insuremytrip.com since it covers your flights, lost luggage, flight delays, as well as cancelling for almost any reason. Medical evacuation is covered which is very expensive. They also offer concierge type services if needed. If there was a snowstorm and we were unable to fly out, it would all be covered. I would not buy insurance through the cruiseline as it much more limited and more expensive. We paid a total of $129 for all four of us and I think it is worth the gamble. It is as much as we'd pay for a dinner at a restaurant. We are all healthy, but we do have family members who are older and you just never know.

[Pam in CA]

If your own medical insurance covers everything and you can afford to lose the price of the cruise and air if you for some reason miss the ship due to travel problems, then by all means don't purchase the insurance.

 

From my standpoint, you never know when weather, airline flight cancellations or changes for whatever reason, or illness will prevent you from making your cruise. My daughter is in her 20s and got bronchitis a few days before the cruise. She was on antibiotics and made it, but a day or two later and she wouldn't have. I've missed the ship due to unforecast inclement weather and there are many stories of people who missed their cruise due to plane mechanical problems.

 

Yes, the cruiseline makes a profit on selling the insurance and ordinarily, I don't purchase trip insurance. But a cruise is a big investment and I know that anything, no matter what your age or family circumstances, can happen.

[geoherb]

My mother-in-law had to be evacuated from a cruise ship in Greece. She spent four days in a hospital. My in-laws' insurance covered the hospital charges, my father-in-law's hotel, the change in air tickets, plus it covered for a nurse's aid to accompany them on the return flight to the U.S. when my MIL was well enough to travel.

[Druke I]

geoherb

 

Your example is the reason I always buy trip insurance.

 

My wife and I both have some health issues, and don't want to get stuck with a large evacuation/hospital bill.

 

There are no guarantees in life.

[derf5585]

For the money I have spent for insurance I could have bought another cruise :mad: :mad:

[Druke I]

derf

 

Oh so true - but I still like the peace of mind that I think the insurance provides.

[AliceJ]

We took our first cruise in April. Our 5 y.o. had a medical issue while on board. We incurred expenses from the ship's doctor, the medical facility on St. Maarten, and the pediatrician on St. Maarten. Fortunately, the doctor on St. Maarten and the ship's doctor gave their okay for our daughter to continue the cruise. There was a very real possibility that we would have been asked to leave the ship in St. Maarten and not return. Imagine the expenses of hotel and last minute air-fare home!

 

Firm believer in insurance. No one ever plans on needing insurance, and hopefully you won't, but things happen.

 

Happy cruising!

[denfarwell]

I found the web site http://www.squaremouth.com to be extremely helpful in comparing coverages from 100 companies. The princess insurance for my upcoming cruise Oct 4 on the Sea Princes for ten days to Canada/New England would be $129. For $10 more I can get my whole trip covered (airfare & baggage loss, 4 extra days in Quebec City and three in NYC, trip interruption and cancellation, medical/dental, and a lot more). The site is a real supermarket. My mom who is going is elderly but even if she wasn't I would get it for protection. My Bliue Cross's International Division (I have a ppo) is supposed to cover me out of the country but the division's claim division is so terrible that I want additional coverage --just in case. Mom has military Tricare so she is covered for evacuation, etc.............., but what about MY expenses to accompany her if something happens?!

[denfarwell]

We also live in a hurricane zone (New Orleans) and this will be the first time we are leaving town in October (Oct 1!). Last year we were threatened with Hurricane Ivan only a week before our date to leave this year so trip cancellation/interruption is a must! Cruise alone insurance would not cover our possibilities. I think what Suzie Ormon on MSNBC warns people about is wasting money on unnecessary insurance and extended warranties. Risk assessment and risk management are key to decision-making. I don't need earthquake insurance in New Orleans and am extremely selective on extended warranties. I won't take the latter out on a new refridgerator but I will take one out on computer hardware. Last Jan Dell replaced my entire computer hardware (the mouse and keyboard still worked!) with only one week left on my extended warranty (extended to the max of three years). For an additional $79 I got the deluxe flat screen upgrade.

[custompcsys]

If the insurance is reasonably priced, I buy it (around $50 or less) for 2 reasons - medical evacuation and the medical expenses themselves. I have coverage with a PPO through my employer that will cover these items, but since the shipboard or out-of-country physicians and medical facilities aren't "in-network", they are covered at the out of network rate. For me, that means 70% after a $300 deductible. There is a $1,500 out of pocket maximum, so basically my exposure for medical is limited to that.

 

That's why I mentioned reasonably priced - basically I'm buying it to cover my $1,500 out of pocket potential loss, which means if the policy costs $50, I'm paying 3.33% of the potential loss for the protection. This doesn't even take into consideration the other little "goodies" the policy covers, like trip cancellation and interruption, baggage delay (I travel for business every week and it does happen although they rarely completely lose your luggage), etc. To me, that cost vs risk is worth it.

 

You would, of course, have to weigh your own situation, but you'll probably come to a similar conclusion. Be sure to check your medical coverage and ask them specifically what they will cover if you get sick on a cruise ship or outside the U.S. That's the big ticket item that can make the cost of the cruise look cheap!

 

Hope this helps, and that you never have to use your insurance on your cruise! :)

[marshabear]

i want to book a cruise in october....

 

there is a chance my husband would be denied vacation time then....(very slim chance but nonetheless a chance) ...

 

would purchasing insurance cover this if i had to cancel???

 

 

Marsha

[custompcsys]

Hi Marsha,

 

Most policies state that they will pay off on the cruise cancellation portion if you have to cancel for a "covered reason". On mine, being denied vacation time by your employer isn't one of them, but mine is only one of dozens of policies available. Worst case scenario, buy the policy from Princess. At the very least, you'll get most of what you paid in a credit towards a future cruise if you have to cancel and that reason isn't specifically covered for refund.

 

By the way, how close to your trip would they deny his vacation? Remember that if you cancel before the final payment is due you should have no financial exposure, at least on the cruise portion.

 

Happy Cruising!

[custompcsys]

Oh, and Marsha, if hubby, can't go, I'm always up for a cruise! LOL ;)

 

(just kidding :) )

[marshabear]

thanks for the quick response!! his job position is complicated...he is currently in a subcontracting position for the state...they are "supposedly" making all these jobs "state employees" in the very near future...

 

if he becomes a "statee" as we call it, he might not be allowed to take time off...even unpaid...we won't know til the situation arises...

 

if he stays at the subcontracting level, no problem-he's due for 2 weeks vacation after aug 30th...but his desire is to become a state employee as there are many advantages to this...

 

i was thinking of booking anyway-final payment wouldn't be due til the end of july...we should know more then....

 

he has been so stressed over this job issue...a cruise is just what he needs!!! :)

 

by the way, we were thinking of the Golden Princess NYC to San Juan!! :)

 

 

Marsha

[custompcsys]

I agree - I would book and make the decision before the final payment is due. At least that way you have the cruise itinerary and cabin that you want, and your deposit is still fully refundable until the final payment is due.

 

One thing to keep in mind in doing that, however...if you buy private insurance (not through Princess), there are coverages that you get ONLY if you buy the insurance within 10-14 days of placing the initial deposit on the cruise. This includes a waiver of the pre-existing medical condition clause, the terrorism waiver, and financial insolvency. Check the policies you're interested in.

 

Not 100% sure, but with Princess, as long as you buy the insurance on or before the final payment, you're ok. They tend to be the most pricey, but they do give you the cruise credit if you have to cancel for a "non-covered" reason.

 

Good luck! :)

[CruisenChic]

Never bought it,,, Luckily never needed it.