Cruise Cancellation may be necessary-Advise Needed

[Yokeko]

Hi All,

My husband and I are booked on the Nov 30-Dec 15 cruise from Athens to Rome. I am posting a note here as well as on roll call boards because there are more people on this roll call and am hoping for constructive feedback. We are not well-experienced cruisers, so are not sure the best way to proceed.

Yesterday, I went to ER with what I was told was acute sciatica. I have never had it before and have no idea how this will run its course with meds and PT before the trip. I am very upset to think about not making this cruise. We didn't buy insurance (both 63, active and in excellent health). Does anyone have any advice, other than buy insurance next time ;) ? I was wondering if I could buy insurance now or just call HAL and ask for a credit on a future cruise. Has anyone ever been in a similar situation and if so, how did you handle it?

 

Thank you for your suggestions!

Debbie

PS Suggestions for good travel insurance companies is welcome. Am okay with private email to: yokeko2@gmail.com

[GeorgesGal]

Oh, dear, how devastating! To tell the truth, I didn't start purchasing travel insurance until I was in my late 60's, and probably only then since my travel partner DS's husband was then in his 80's.

 

And since I've never had to cancel, I don't know if HAL would give you a credit toward a future cruise, but I sincerely doubt it. Perhaps someone else has some experience with this.

[kazu]

I wonder if it is worth checking to see if you can still get insurance? Pre-existing conditions would apply, but if it were possible to get cancel for any reason insurance then you would be covered if you decided to cancel once you have had a chance to work with the meds, etc.

 

Try insuremytrip. com to see if there is any availability.

 

You are past final payment so I doubt HAL would do anything at this stage of the game.

[cruz chic]

I don't want to be preachy but if your situation helps one person it will be worth while. Even if a person is in great health you never know what could be going on in you body. My friends dad was always in the best of health. The doctor always told him that his excellent health made him seem much younger than his years. He ended up with cancer and passed away within 6months. If you self insure that is the risk you take.

[sail7seas]

I'm very sorry to hear of your situation but were you to purchase insurance now and then make a claim, the insurance company surely will learn you have a diagnosis and you have presented at an ER with a condition which may preclude your travel. They likely would deny your claim.

 

I sincerely doubt HAL will permit you to reschedule with no penalty. Why would anyone buy insurance if the cruise companies would let us rebook for a later date?

 

Hopefully your PT and meds will be effective and you will be on the mend soon.

All best wishes.

 

[trixiee]

Acute sciatica can often be treated quickly, and your symptoms could subside enough for you to travel relatively comfortably with medications. I would follow your physician's and PT advice to a "T" in the meantime!

 

Good luck!

[Kamloops50]

HAL will not let you you reschedule. The most you'll get if you cancel is percentage of the refundable cruise fare. The is a classic situation where people don't have insurance and expect the cruise line to help .

Insurance is part of the cost of cruising , no matter the age .

[Vict0riann]

How very sad for you! I do hope you get better really quickly, as I agree with what the others have said. I think if you are in a lot of pain, the flights you will be taking will be difficult, more than the cruise. Make sure you have some pain meds, and if I were you, closer to the time I would request wheelchair assistance in the airports. I had to do that this past summer, and it made a huge difference.

[Alberta Quilter]

Hi All,

My husband and I are booked on the Nov 30-Dec 15 cruise from Athens to Rome. I am posting a note here as well as on roll call boards because there are more people on this roll call and am hoping for constructive feedback. We are not well-experienced cruisers, so are not sure the best way to proceed.

Yesterday, I went to ER with what I was told was acute sciatica. I have never had it before and have no idea how this will run its course with meds and PT before the trip. I am very upset to think about not making this cruise. We didn't buy insurance (both 63, active and in excellent health). Does anyone have any advice, other than buy insurance next time ;) ? I was wondering if I could buy insurance now or just call HAL and ask for a credit on a future cruise. Has anyone ever been in a similar situation and if so, how did you handle it?

 

Thank you for your suggestions!

Debbie

PS Suggestions for good travel insurance companies is welcome. Am okay with private email to: yokeko2@gmail.com

 

Can't help you with cancellation questions; thankfully, the situation hasn't arisen for us (yet). However, my mother came down with the worse case of sciatica she had ever experienced while on a cruise. She later found out about a medication that blocks nerve pain - gabapentin. Now, I am not a doctor so please check with your doctor first - well, you'll need a prescription so you'll have to see your doctor.

 

Hopefully, the medication will work for you as it did for my mother. She is still on it (has been on it for over a year now) but it has helped her immensely. She did quite well on our Med cruise this spring. Maybe you'll still be able to go on this upcoming cruise, with the right meds.

 

Also consider massage treatments. Even onboard (although I personally find the spa massages to be insipid). Talk to your doctor, PT, MT and anyone else who treats you to see if you really need to cancel the cruise, or just alter your activities/shoreex while on the cruise.

 

Good Luck, and please let us know what you end up doing.

[peaches from georgia]

I don't want to be preachy but if your situation helps one person it will be worth while. Even if a person is in great health you never know what could be going on in you body.........

Not only that, but there always is a chance of an unexpected accident preventing you from taking your cruise. And an accident or health problem of a close relative might arise that would necessitate your last minute cancellation after final payment had been made. We had to cancel the night before a cruise due to an illness of my father. Our insurance covered 100% of our cruise fare and we were reimbursed in full. One's own health history is only one reason to purchase insurance no matter one's age.

[trixiee]

some credit cards will also reimburse you for some things... perhaps call them?

[doublebzz]

If you paid with a credit card, you may want to check to see if it includes any additional benefits like travel insurance that might help out. For instance, I have a Chase Sapphire that includes $5,000 in travel cancellation insurance among other benefits.

[Fouremco]

How did you pay for your cruise? Many credit card companies provide automatic cancellation insurance if you pay for the entire trip on their card. It's worth checking if you did pay in this manner.

 

Best of luck.

 

 

EDIT: Only saw doublebzz's post after hitting the Post button. Great minds think alike!

Edited November 11, 2013 by Fouremco

[3dashers]

I can't help with cancellation but can with sciatic injury. Follow what they tell you to do. Tell them your plans and ask for everything they can to get you up and running. See if you can get just in case rx for the trip. Don't be bashful if you need to borrow a wheelchair.

 

The flight may aggravate it so make sure you walk and stretch during the flight.

 

You've got 2 weeks which is a good amount of time. I find heat works on mine so I travel with warming patches. I also try not to cross my legs when I sit, stretch daily (when I can remember) and Epsom salt baths. This is the hardest part..take it easy until the cruise.

 

Years later it flaires up every now and then. I try to nip it in the bud. Miserable but I'd see how it feels before you cancel.

[Teris50]

Here is a suggestion...See if the cruise is sold out and if they need the cabin! Might be a way to salvage some of your money, but always purchase cancel insurance. You never know what might happen.

[sapper1]

My husband had the sciatica attack from Hell a few years ago, for which he was hospitalised. I bought him a Tempur Pedic cushion which he found afforded him a lot of relief. He still uses it on flights or long car trips. A gate agent once questioned it as being too much carry on in addition to his bag but once I said it was medical equipment she backed off.

 

I have a touch of sciatica myself and a car trip hurt my leg until I got one of those cushions. I really recommend it. They are pricy but the relief is worth every penny.

Edited November 11, 2013 by sapper1

[catl331]

For HAL, I'm afraid you're either in the "lose 75%" or "lose 100%" stage, depending on where your cruise is.

(See http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Simple.action?requestPage=Cancellation )

 

As sail7seas said, if you could find someone to sell you insurance at this point (which I doubt) your claim would be denied if they discovered that you already had the sciatica diagnosis when you purchased and didn't tell them. If it was any other way, no one would buy insurance until a few days before boarding.

 

 

See if the cruise is sold out and if they need the cabin!

I believe most cruises are slightly over-sold and have a waiting list because they expect there will be some last minute cancellations or no-shows. When they don't get enough of them, that's when they start calling people with super deals to switch to another cruise. Maybe the OP will luck-out that way.

...

Edited November 11, 2013 by catl331

[innlady1]

This may sound extreme but you may want to look into a travel scoot. I have sciatica and use my travel scoot on cruises in the ports only because of all the walking involved. It's about $2,000 but less than losing all the money you spent on air and the cruise. www.travelscoot.com.

[summersigh]

Hi All,

PS Suggestions for good travel insurance companies is welcome. Am okay with private email to: yokeko2@gmail.com

Our travel agent steered us to TRAVELEX Insurance Services. We've not had to use it but she says clients who have needed it have been very happy with it.

 

$130 each.

Covers Cancellation 100%/Interruption 150% and Missed Connections $750

Emergency Med

Accident/Sickness Expenses $50,000

Medical Evacuation/Repatriation $500,000

Baggage/Personal Effects $1000

Baggage Delay $250

24 hour AD/D $25,000

Travel Assistance -Included

[mor mor]

I am betting you will be able to go with the right meds and the suggestions here. I have travelled with painful legs, used a walker, missed a few things but thought I would rather be uncomfortable on a ship than uncomfortable at home.:)

 

If it makes you feel better, we have cruised as a family group, anywhere from 5 to 10 of us, ten times so far, and I never bought cancellation insurance since the money was gone anyway, and for that many people involved I saved enough for another cruise or 2. We do get medical evac insurance as that could become a financial catastrophe.

[Yokeko]

I knew I went to the right place for advice!

 

We checked with our credit card company and it will reimburse half of our payments before trip. That is good enough for us and better than we expected if we need to cancel!

 

At this moment, I am planning to go. Seeing my dr. today to get her on board for sending enough meds with me should I have another flare-up and to get started with some PT, etc. I will ask for chair help at airports just to eliminate extra stress on body. We have airport lounge access and that will help for layovers. May have to upgrade our flights using air miles, but am happy to have that option.

 

Got an upsell email today and am thinking that a Lanai cabin might be nicer than inside for moving around and not feeling so isolated if I am bed or room bound.

 

Again, thanks for your help. Even the anticipated slightly preachy advice was understood and processed;)! The supportive emails were thoughtful sincerely appreciated!

 

Best to all,

Debbie

[mkl55]

Fingers crossed for you. I went on a cruise post pneumonia and found the hydrotherapy pool and those wonderful ceramic chairs were so therapeutic. Just a thought for you. Hope it works out.

[TiogaCruiser]

This may sound extreme but you may want to look into a travel scoot. I have sciatica and use my travel scoot on cruises in the ports only because of all the walking involved. It's about $2,000 but less than losing all the money you spent on air and the cruise. www.travelscoot.com.

 

Sheila, that scooter looks really nice. Is it sturdy enough for everyday use?

I have a relative who has major mobility issues and this may be helpful for her.

[nana51]

Acute sciatica can often be treated quickly, and your symptoms could subside enough for you to travel relatively comfortably with medications. I would follow your physician's and PT advice to a "T" in the meantime!

 

Good luck!

 

I agree. You may even be able to get a shot in your back to help the swelling go down and be out of pain in time for your trip. I've had it. sometimes it is gone quickly, other times it is a few month.

[innlady1]

Sheila, that scooter looks really nice. Is it sturdy enough for everyday use?

I have a relative who has major mobility issues and this may be helpful for her.

 

Very, very sturdy. I've gate checked it several times...most recently on a flight to Barcelona with 4 separate planes! It still looks perfect. I've had it since pre-hip replacement surgery and, mind you, have only used it on winter cruises since then and our most recent cruise.