Cancelation Policy

[JessiKneier]

I was booked on a cruise to Bermuda for May 2015. I had to cancel due to medical reasons. Holland America kept over $500 to cancel this cruise. They would not have been out any money seeing that I was booked so far in advance. I think that was wrong of them. What a way to kick you when you are down. It was bad enough having a medical issue and having to cancel...but to rip me off over $500! I will NOT be choosing Holland America in the future.

[Randyk47]

I was booked on a cruise to Bermuda for May 2015. I had to cancel due to medical reasons. Holland America kept over $500 to cancel this cruise. They would not have been out any money seeing that I was booked so far in advance. I think that was wrong of them. What a way to kick you when you are down. It was bad enough having a medical issue and having to cancel...but to rip me off over $500! I will NOT be choosing Holland America in the future.

 

Did you book directly with Holland America or through a travel agent?

[MamaTene]

Something certainly not right as I have never heard of paying a penalty for cancelling a cruise THIS far out from date of embarkation!

[cbr663]

I am surprised to read this. Was the amount equivalent to your original deposit?

[sapete]

Did you book directly with Holland America or through a travel agent?

 

And did you purchase travel insurance or HAL's CPP policy?

[cbr663]

Did you book directly with Holland America or through a travel agent?

 

I am interested in reading the response to your question, as I am thinking that the cruise may have been booked through a travel agent and it is the travel agent charging fees and not HAL.

 

I checked HAL's cancellation fees online, and surprisingly, Bermuda isn't listed. But like others have noted, this far out I would expect a 100% refund.

[JessiKneier]

I booked directly through Holland America. They said the money was the travel insurance. However...I had two other cruises booked with travel insurance as well and neither of them charged me a fee. They were Celebrity and Royal Caribbean.

[durangoscots]

They do not refund travel insurance since it is, well, insurance ... that is why it is best to purchase it closer to the penalty date.

 

Susan

[PathfinderEss]

I was booked on a cruise to Bermuda for May 2015. I had to cancel due to medical reasons. Holland America kept over $500 to cancel this cruise. They would not have been out any money seeing that I was booked so far in advance. I think that was wrong of them. What a way to kick you when you are down. It was bad enough having a medical issue and having to cancel...but to rip me off over $500! I will NOT be choosing Holland America in the future.

 

I don't understand why Hal would have kept $500. on a cruise that was in May of 2015. You should have received all your monies back, did the TA agency have a cancellation fee?

 

Normally with a cruise booked that far out you would receive all your monies back. The only time that Hal takes money is when your in the final payment period. Did you take out the insurance?

 

Oops, sorry question has been answered in early post. I guess I type to slow, my bad.

Edited September 4, 2014 by PathfinderEss

[sapper1]

I booked directly through Holland America. They said the money was the travel insurance. However...I had two other cruises booked with travel insurance as well and neither of them charged me a fee. They were Celebrity and Royal Caribbean.

 

It sounds as though you bought cancellation insurance when you made your original deposit. It really didn't have to be paid until one day before your final payment would have been due.

Insurance premiums are never refunded. That is why we always wait until just before final payment to add the insurance. If we were to cancel after that we would receive 90% of our cruise fare back but there would be no reimbursement of insurance premium, nor would we expect it.

Edited September 4, 2014 by sapper1

[sail7seas]

I hope OP comes back and explains.

I, too, think it was insurance premium HAL kept which is always the case.

[DaveOKC]

It must have been the travel insurance. I do not buy mine until just before final payment date to avoid this. My recent cruise I cancelled two days before final payment and it cost me nothing. I ended up rebooking it a month later, so all worked out great. You do have to research the programs to avoid these problems.

 

DaveOKC

[Randyk47]

I hope OP comes back and explains.

I, too, think it was insurance premium HAL kept which is always the case.

 

It must have been the travel insurance. I do not buy mine until just before final payment date to avoid this. My recent cruise I cancelled two days before final payment and it cost me nothing. I ended up rebooking it a month later, so all worked out great. You do have to research the programs to avoid these problems.

 

DaveOKC

 

He did post (see his post #7) that it was insurance. Also have to say, like others have posted, this is exactly why when we do get insurance it's not until at or very close to final payment.

Edited September 4, 2014 by Randyk47

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I hope OP comes back and explains.

I, too, think it was insurance premium HAL kept which is always the case.

We only take Insurance out at time of final payment ..

[summersigh]

We booked a Nov 7th cruise last spring. DH had an upcoming appointment with his heart surgeon July 22nd so before booking I had my TA check with HAL to see what the latest we could cancel without deposit penalty. She was told August 1st by HAL. So basically 3 months ahead.

 

As it turned out (thank goodness) DH got another year reprieve on possible surgery so we didn't have to cancel but I thought I'd share our experience.

[1025cruise]

The only issue with waiting until the last minute to buy insurance is that if you need cancel for any reason or pre-existing conditions, you must buy within 14-21 days of booking the trip.

[sail7seas]

Sorry,,,, I had posted before I saw OP's second post.

 

In the case of HAL insurance, no reason to purchase it until one day prior to final payment.

Third party insurance is a different story. If you want pre-existing coverage, most policies require purchasing close to first deposit time.

 

HAL is cancellation coverage with only $10,000 for medical.

 

[Jalex63]

I understand the policy of cruise lines that they do not refund insurance purchase money. But, I don't agree with it. Until final payment date there is nothing to insure since you normally are allowed to cancel up to that point and receive a 100% refund. Therefore in my logic, the cruise lines are "ripping" the public off in this regard.:mad:

 

For what it is worth, I always use a TA and they never charge me for the insurance until final payment.:)

 

You also might note that final payment date is not the day on which you begin to incur penalty for cancellation, it is the day before final payment date that is the last date to cancel without penalty. I have talked to several cruisers who were unaware of that little catch.:eek:

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

We only take Insurance out at time of final payment ..

 

Same here as no pre-existing conditions to worry about.

[Krazy Kruizers]

OP

Unlike Celebrity and Royal Caribbean -- HAL does not refund your insurance when you cancel a cruise. You will find that if you were to buy insurance from a third party -- they also will not refund your money if you have to cancel a cruise.

We always wait until 1 day before final payment before we buy any insurance.

[sail7seas]

OP

Unlike Celebrity and Royal Caribbean -- HAL does not refund your insurance when you cancel a cruise. You will find that if you were to buy insurance from a third party -- they also will not refund your money if you have to cancel a cruise.

We always wait until 1 day before final payment before we buy any insurance.

 

 

 

Where can you buy day before final payment and get pre-existing coverage? I know there used to be a few insurers but I'm unsure if they are still offering those policies. HTH?

 

[durangoscots]

Where can you buy day before final payment and get pre-existing coverage? I know there used to be a few insurers but I'm unsure if they are still offering those policies. HTH?

 

 

Well, HAL's insurance for one .... which is what the OP purchased.

 

On some longer cruises the penalty period does start before the final payment is due and you have to purchase their insurance before the penalty period.... something to watch out for if you are doing a long cruise.

 

Susan

[Lizzie68]

Where can you buy day before final payment and get pre-existing coverage? I know there used to be a few insurers but I'm unsure if they are still offering those policies. HTH?

 

 

HAL's "Cancel for any reason" covers any reason, and you purchase it the day before final payment date.

Edited September 4, 2014 by Lizzie68

[DaveOKC]

HAL's "Cancel for any reason" covers any reason, and you purchase it the day before final payment date.

 

Good point..

 

DaveOKC

[mudscraper]

HAL's "Cancel for any reason" covers any reason, and you purchase it the day before final payment date.

 

As stated in another post this "insurance" only provides $10,000.00 in medical coverage. That's pocket change if we are seriously ill or injured and must be hospitalized.