Canceling After Final Payment

[Mr. Click]

I do realize it is Celebrity's policy and I have accept it. United was much more helpful with the airfare. I had to call them to make the changes because there were 4 of us on the original reservation and one flight was a code share. United did not give me credit for the trip but for a change fee for the two of us who did not travel, we did get a travel voucher and I was told that since it was a medical emergency I could ask for a refund of the change fee after we re-booked (the change fee is not charged until you rebook). All in all they were a lot more helpful than Celebrity or my travel agent.

[wallie5446]

All in all they were a lot more helpful than Celebrity or my travel agent.

 

There is the bottom line, you were in a group booking.

[fortinweb]

I do realize it is Celebrity's policy and I have accept it. United was much more helpful with the airfare. I had to call them to make the changes because there were 4 of us on the original reservation and one flight was a code share. United did not give me credit for the trip but for a change fee for the two of us who did not travel, we did get a travel voucher and I was told that since it was a medical emergency I could ask for a refund of the change fee after we re-booked (the change fee is not charged until you rebook). All in all they were a lot more helpful than Celebrity or my travel agent.

 

Apples and oranges. You don't live on a plane for a week or more. You don't pay as much for airfare. The airlines fly multiple times per week and often even per day to the same destinations. It isn't nearly as difficult to fill the seat you have just vacated. They don't lose revenue from on plane purchases. Etc, etc, etc.

 

Why people expect one type of industry to do business just like a completely different industry is beyond me.

Edited November 29, 2014 by fortinweb

[dhill]

Most respondents here are misguided.

 

OP can do nothing but ask and is entitled to nothing, that is true.

 

But X may well relent for any number of reasons, mostly having to do with 'good business practice.' They may smell a repeat customer; they may know something about his stateroom category, prepaid excursions, or other spending habits that tell us more about his future profitability to them as a customer than you can know. Or they may just do it to 'be nice' knowing that it costs 5-10 times as much to acquire a new customer as to keep an old customer. Furthermore, on a sold out or nearly sold out cruise they may actually make money with a cancellation and partial refund if they can resell the now vacant cabin, perhaps even at a higher rate than the OP first booked.

 

Airlines also have strict no refund policies but as (former) frequent flyers the airlines often bent the rules for us, based on the correct assumption that by doing so we would continue to be very loyal travelers.

 

I also don't mean to be snarky but it is tiring to hear from everyone who buys insurance all the time about how those who don't buy insurance 'need to learn a lesson.' How petty. It's also mathematically challenged. The travel insurance industry is extraordinarily profitable and those profits come directly from the delta between premiums charged and claims paid. This means your expected return on travel insurance is very low.

 

I have never bought travel insurance in 20 years of worldwide traveling, up to 100,000 flown air miles per year, whether for a $100 hotel room or a $10,000 cruise (plus airfare). I've never had to miss a trip. My wife missed one; we were flying Southwest so no monetary loss occurred. At this point, even if we are forced to miss a trip, we have avoided paying thousands of dollars of travel insurance, which is enough to pay for any missed trip.

 

Even if you buy insurance and have the 'privilege' of making a claim, you should not confuse strategy with outcome. Like in a casino, some bets are simply bad bets. You may win some, and lose some, but the odds don't change.

 

Your own personal circumstances may dictate you insure but the average traveler should not. Those who don't insure aren't 'stupid' or 'undeserving' and you certainly can't make that claim against them without knowing their Well maybe if the people who did not buy insurance would stop whinning and crying when something goes wrong after they did not buy insurane.Then people would stop saying they need to learn a lesson:eek: personaly I am tried of people whinning and crying because they did not buy insurance and now that something has gone wrong they want all the rules to change for them. They are given ;) the chose to buy or not to buy if you dont buy then I dont think you should expect everything to change all of a sudden just for you

[SantaFeFan]

Apples and oranges.

 

Exactly! Two different industries - two different business models. Say you book a cruise six months in advance and then book your air the next day. With the cruise line you pay only a deposit. With the airline you have to pay in full. With the cruise line, if the fare goes down in the four months before final payment, they will give you that lower fare if you ask. With airlines, if the fare goes down, you are out of luck.

 

To paraphrase a comment by Mr. Click: "The cruise lines are much more helpful than the airlines."

[grandgeezer]

Do you also condone not insuring your car, your home, or your life? You prefer to take the risk that nothing will happen that insurance would cover. That is your choice. A pretty stupid choice, in my opinion. But don't expect everyone else to be equally stupid. Too bad you have chosen to look down at people who take a more responsible approach by purchasing insurance for what are typically expensive vacations. Most people can't easily absorb a loss of several thousand dollars.

 

If someone decides to save money by not purchasing insurance and then cancels an expensive cruise and wants the cruise company to give them some sort of dispensation, they certainly are "stupid" and "undeserving". They took a chance, and they need to accept the consequences. I don't need to know anything more about "their situations". They bet they wouldn't need insurance and they lost. It's their fault they are losing all that money, no matter how you want to twist the logic of the situation.

 

I find it offensive that you call us "petty". Obviously you think you are superior to the rest of us. Your words clearly prove that. :rolleyes:

I never take out travel insurance. I weighed the risk versus reward and no insurance wins hands down for us. If I happen to have to miss a cruise, I expect NOTHING in return. Insurance is pricy and only covers the single vacation. We've done 31 cruises, fly to most of our cruises and book balconys, so our savings are astounding.

 

Anybody that mentions health insurance, car insurance, and property insurance in the same sentence as travel insurance is really misguided. Those other insurances cover you 24/7 365 days a year, and the potential financial loss is at least 10 times the loss of a cruise.

Everyody has the right to insure, or not insure anything in their life, and they shouldn't be belittled if they guess wrong.

[ptrpanpens]

I never take out travel insurance. I weighed the risk versus reward and no insurance wins hands down for us. If I happen to have to miss a cruise, I expect NOTHING in return. Insurance is pricy and only covers the single vacation. We've done 31 cruises, fly to most of our cruises and book balconys, so our savings are astounding.

 

Anybody that mentions health insurance, car insurance, and property insurance in the same sentence as travel insurance is really misguided. Those other insurances cover you 24/7 365 days a year, and the potential financial loss is at least 10 times the loss of a cruise.

Everyody has the right to insure, or not insure anything in their life, and they shouldn't be belittled if they guess wrong.

 

And what happens if you need to be evacuated because of a medical emergency? i hope you are able to pay the considerable cost of that, which may be in the tens of thousands, at least. Otherwise you go to the nearest hospital, which may not be the one you want or a country without good medical care. Insurance covers quite a bit more than trip cancellation.

[Seabourn Pearls]

I hope you catch a break. Good luck. Not sure why anybody here would be rooting against you. It seems a bit like hoping Santa gives that brat at the market a lump of coal. Start with empathy. Then proceed.

[psychtobe]

Do you also condone not insuring your car, your home, or your life? You prefer to take the risk that nothing will happen that insurance would cover. That is your choice. A pretty stupid choice, in my opinion. But don't expect everyone else to be equally stupid. Too bad you have chosen to look down at people who take a more responsible approach by purchasing insurance for what are typically expensive vacations. Most people can't easily absorb a loss of several thousand dollars.

I insure when the cost of not insuring is prohibitive. I do have car, home, umbrella, life, and professional liability insurance. However, that its because I have a lot to protect. I have gone without collision/comprehensive on my car before when the car was only worth a few thousand dollars and not worth the cost of insuring - I could buy a new car if needed. I would not go without home/liability because the risk is open-ended - in the millions of dollars. Do you have umbrella insurance? Should I call you stupid if you don't? Your dollar exposure is far greater than any measly vacation could ever be.

 

You are falling victim to a common psychological fallacy called 'sunk costs.' I spend $10k on a cruise and $5k on hotels/airfare. That money is gone, and I have budgeted for it. Now I can't go. Why do I need the money back? I already spent it. I don't need it back. It's not an economic hardship on me to not have the money back because mentally I had already spent it. That is why I do not insure travel. On the other hand if I drive down the road and maim a pedestrian, my liability might be $500,000. That is money I was not planning to spend; that is money that I need to protect my lifestyle; that is a risk I do not want to take, and can insure against for relatively little money. That is an easy decision.

 

If someone decides to save money by not purchasing insurance and then cancels an expensive cruise and wants the cruise company to give them some sort of dispensation, they certainly are "stupid" and "undeserving". They took a chance, and they need to accept the consequences. I don't need to know anything more about "their situations". They bet they wouldn't need insurance and they lost. It's their fault they are losing all that money, no matter how you want to twist the logic of the situation.

 

There's nothing stupid about asking for a favor and hoping for the best. Pretty smart in my opinion. As others have pointed out travel insurance has major limitations, restrictions, and exclusions. The few times I've considered buying for specific circumstances, I've found the specific circumstances I've needed covered would be excluded. Again the profit margins on travel insurance are extremely high. Those profits come from those who buy the policies that routinely go without claims. Each to his or her own is my point. What you need/want has nothing to do with what I need/want.

 

Well said. Never thought about it like that.How would it be fair to everyone who opened up their wallets to pay for insurance? Why would anyone buy insurance if you could just call in and get your money back?If your willing to take the gamble buy not buying insurance you should be ready to pay the price:rolleyes:

 

These industries are unrelated. The cruise companies could largely care less whether you buy insurance or not. In fact I would say that if you as a consumer routinely bought cruise insurance and it turned out that cruise lines were pretty forgiving about emergency cancellations, then you indeed are a sucker. So maybe we should get more data about how cruise lines handle emergencies before assuming they are stone cold unforgiving and unwilling to accommodate. If it turns out that is the case and you cannot handle psychologically the loss of your vacation dollars, then travel insurance is the way to go. For you.

 

By the way, I am planning to buy medevac insurance for our cruise, since we will be in 8 countries over 2 weeks and while we have good health insurance, medical evacuation at my command seemed worthwhile to have (and a cost I wouldn't want to absorb). About $500 covers 4 of us for all our travels for 1 year. See, I do buy insurance, when it make sense for us. We have never bought routine travel insurance for any of our many international or domestic trips.

[wallie5446]

I am planning to buy medevac insurance for our cruise,

 

I would like more information on where and how, so we can look into this too.

Thanks EW

[nana541]

I am planning to buy medevac insurance for our cruise,

 

 

 

I would like more information on where and how, so we can look into this too.

 

Thanks EW

 

 

Med Jet Assist....

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[psychtobe]

Hi, I'm no expert but the three I have looked at are:

 

MedJet

GeoBlue

GlobalRescue

 

I'm planning on MedJet, I think.

 

Good luck

[Gracie115]

You are falling victim to a common psychological fallacy called 'sunk costs.' I spend $10k on a cruise and $5k on hotels/airfare. That money is gone, and I have budgeted for it. Now I can't go. Why do I need the money back? I already spent it. I don't need it back. It's not an economic hardship on me to not have the money back because mentally I had already spent it. .

 

You are a lucky person who can spend 10K on a cruise and not go and not care if you've lost the money.....truly there are just not that many people out there, including me, that could say that. 10K is a lot of money to most people and the $400 I spend to insure that if I have to cancel I can get my money back is well worth it. If I were wealthy and could afford to just say "oh well" it's gone perhaps I wouldn't buy insurance either.....I'm not and suspect must of us here aren't either....

 

I feel bad for the OP but suspect not much can be done now.

[JanineM]

Last May we had to cancel our Baltic cruise on the Connie 5 days before departure, two days before our flight to AMS. I was in the hospital facing a cardiac cath the next day and we knew there was no way we were going. Fortuantely we had some insurance so we got most of our money back but when I called Celebrity some months later to ask about Captain's Club credit since they got to keep our money the answer was a resounding NO. I am curious to see if the OP gets anything better.....Oh we did get about $500 back from Celebrity that I believe was port fees that they are required to refund. Bottom line is insure your major purchases or be prepared for face the loss. Don't look to Celebrity for anything more than a nice cruise if you get to go

 

 

That's the standard policy. You only receive Captain's Club credit if you actually take the sailing.

[psychtobe]

You are a lucky person who can spend 10K on a cruise and not go and not care if you've lost the money.....truly there are just not that many people out there, including me, that could say that. 10K is a lot of money to most people and the $400 I spend to insure that if I have to cancel I can get my money back is well worth it. If I were wealthy and could afford to just say "oh well" it's gone perhaps I wouldn't buy insurance either.....I'm not and suspect must of us here aren't either....

You can also afford to spend $10k on a cruise or you wouldn't have done so (or whatever amount you spend). Once it's spent, it's spent. True, it's disappointing to not go on a planned trip but there is no economic hardship incurred by not going. In fact, you will probably save money on incidentals by staying in your home! So really, the $400 insurance cost is not insurance against an economic hardship; it's against 'feeling bad' for the lost opportunity/missed vacation memories. That's the difference between travel insurance and, say, umbrella liability insurance. One insures against feeling bad. The other insures against a multimillion dollar personal injury claim. I like to insure against real costs, not psychological angst; others may feel differently and so be it.

 

Yes I also feel bad for the OP as I would for any person whose plans were changed by a 'personal emergency.' He doesn't expect any consideration from X or UA and isn't entitled to any. He gits what he gits. Hopefully it works out for him. If this experience is sufficiently negative he will likely consider travel insurance in the future.

 

(NB: this cruise is $10k for 4 pax; is the $400 insurance price you quoted for 4 pax or for 1?)

[RickT]

Every day we make choices and each choice can result in positive or negative outcomes.

 

To the OP, while I hope Celebrity will do something for you I suspect that won't happen but it doesn't hurt to try.

 

Once suggestion I might make (assuming you can do this based on the family emergency you are facing) is to ask to have your booking moved to a different sailing. That would increase the odds of Celebrity doing something but it too may be a shot in the dark.

 

Looking at whether or not you should have booked insurance is a nice exercise but it won't change the current situation.

 

Good luck.

Edited November 29, 2014 by RickT

[sperkins921]

I also get tired of all these people who preach how everyone should have cancellation insurance and those that don't are stupid.

 

I encourage people to read their policy. They may find they're not as protected as they thought.

 

Many policies are full of clauses that will void coverage such as pre-existing conditions or have caps on how much they will pay.

 

To the OP - call Celebrity now to discuss this. There is no need to wait until Monday. Also, if you paid with a credit card call that company to see whether anything is covered.

 

I agree! I was just thinking to myself the same thing. It's one thing to be snarky as all hell and say that the OP deserves whatever he/she gets (and hello? family emergency! What happened to the basic human wish of well being for whatever the family is going through?!?) but another to forget that not all insurance policies are created equal.

 

Depending on the exact nature of the policy and the cause for cancellation- the OP may have been just as screwed with insurance as without.

 

OP, call your credit card company and the airline. You may have some protection just based on which card you paid with. And some airlines will let you apply whatever you paid towards another itinerary. Whether this is doable and/or doable without a fee is up to the airline- but it's worth a couple of phone calls.

 

Well wishes to you and yours.

[fortinweb]

You can also afford to spend $10k on a cruise or you wouldn't have done so (or whatever amount you spend). Once it's spent, it's spent.)

 

Unlike you, many of us feel there is a huge difference between spending $10K on a cruise taken and losing $10K on a cruise not taken. At least when we take a cruise we gain value from that $10K. If we don't go, we lose that money, so there has been zero value gained for that investment. To most people that is a very significant point. You don't seem to care. You are lucky if you can afford it. But why put people down for not having the same laissez faire attitude towards throwing away $10K as you do? Is it a mean streak that you have? Or just a superiority complex? :rolleyes:

Edited November 30, 2014 by fortinweb

[Wine-O]

You can also afford to spend $10k on a cruise or you wouldn't have done so (or whatever amount you spend). Once it's spent, it's spent. True, it's disappointing to not go on a planned trip but there is no economic hardship incurred by not going. In fact, you will probably save money on incidentals by staying in your home! So really, the $400 insurance cost is not insurance against an economic hardship; it's against 'feeling bad' for the lost opportunity/missed vacation memories. That's the difference between travel insurance and, say, umbrella liability insurance. One insures against feeling bad. The other insures against a multimillion dollar personal injury claim. I like to insure against real costs, not psychological angst; others may feel differently and so be it.

 

Yes I also feel bad for the OP as I would for any person whose plans were changed by a 'personal emergency.' He doesn't expect any consideration from X or UA and isn't entitled to any. He gits what he gits. Hopefully it works out for him. If this experience is sufficiently negative he will likely consider travel insurance in the future.

 

I stopped worrying about trip reimbursement several years ago. I just consider it money already spent. Since we do a lot of European Transatlantics and and pre-cruise trips to Europe in conjunction, we're more concerned about the accident, sickness, medical evacuation, etc. For less than $100 we get the following coverage without trip reimbursement:

 

Travel Delay (6 hours) $1,000 ($200/day)

Reimbursement of Miles or Reward Points $250

Change Fee $250

Missed Connection (3 hours) $500

Itinerary Change $500

Accident & Sickness Medical Expense $150,000

Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation $1,000,000

Baggage & Personal Effects $1,000***

Baggage Delay (12 hours) $300

Accidental Death and Dismemberment- 24 Hour $10,000

Rental Car Damage $50,000

[SantaFeFan]

You can also afford to spend $10k on a cruise or you wouldn't have done so (or whatever amount you spend). Once it's spent, it's spent. True, it's disappointing to not go on a planned trip but there is no economic hardship incurred by not going. In fact, you will probably save money on incidentals by staying in your home! So really, the $400 insurance cost is not insurance against an economic hardship; it's against 'feeling bad' for the lost opportunity/missed vacation memories. That's the difference between travel insurance and, say, umbrella liability insurance. One insures against feeling bad. The other insures against a multimillion dollar personal injury claim. I like to insure against real costs, not psychological angst; others may feel differently and so be it.

 

I think I have now heard everything! You argue that losing $10K on a cancelled cruise is in effect "saving money". Wow! Pretty twisted and damaged logic you have.

 

You seem to forget the issue of VALUE. Actually taking a cruise gains value for the money spent. Losing that money provides no value at all. Do you also recommend that people climb up on their roofs and just throw that $10K to the winds? After all, they would save a lot of money on "incidentals" if they just did that.

 

This has got to be some of the most brain dead logic I have ever encountered on these boards. :rolleyes:

Edited November 30, 2014 by SantaFeFan

[psychtobe]

Unlike you, many of us feel there is a huge difference between spending $10K on a cruise taken and losing $10K on a cruise not taken. At least when we take a cruise we gain value from that $10K. If we don't go, we lose that money, so there has been zero value gained for that investment. To most people that is a very significant point. You don't seem to care. You are lucky if you can afford it. But why put people down for not having the same laissez faire attitude towards throwing away $10K as you do? Is it a mean streak that you have? Or just a superiority complex? :rolleyes:

Both you and SantaFeFan feel that 'value' - as in 'psychological value' - is something that should be insured. To me, the value is not worth insuring. I insure against economic losses, not some nebulous psychological value. However to you that may be worthwhile insuring. It is your choice.

 

[sidebar - I also don't agree that if you don't go on the vacation you derive no value from it. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that some of the greatest value in a vacation is the anticipation of going - not the trip itself. The other great value in a vacation are the memories it generates. Let's say each of these factors is worth one third (anticipation, experience, memory). In this case, total loss of the vacation at a late date is a loss of only 2/3 of the total value, since you still had the benefit of anticipation.]

 

Each person should make their own decision. It's true I hope people make informed decisions, and feel people insuring trips generally aren't - but that's not a judgment about those individuals, just the specific choice itself. I haven't put down anyone at all. I certainly haven't rolled my eyes at anyone.

 

But let me ask you this: if I am using some of the most brain-dead logic ever on this board, what should we make of people who have trip insurance but not personal umbrella liability insurance? Do you have this most essential of insurances?

Edited November 30, 2014 by psychtobe

[Gracie115]

You can also afford to spend $10k on a cruise or you wouldn't have done so (or whatever amount you spend). Once it's spent, it's spent. True, it's disappointing to not go on a planned trip but there is no economic hardship incurred by not going. In fact, you will probably save money on incidentals by staying in your home! So really, the $400 insurance cost is not insurance against an economic hardship; it's against 'feeling bad' for the lost opportunity/missed vacation memories. That's the difference between travel insurance and, say, umbrella liability insurance. One insures against feeling bad. The other insures against a multimillion dollar personal injury claim. I like to insure against real costs, not psychological angst; others may feel differently and so be it.

 

Yes I also feel bad for the OP as I would for any person whose plans were changed by a 'personal emergency.' He doesn't expect any consideration from X or UA and isn't entitled to any. He gits what he gits. Hopefully it works out for him. If this experience is sufficiently negative he will likely consider travel insurance in the future.

 

(NB: this cruise is $10k for 4 pax; is the $400 insurance price you quoted for 4 pax or for 1?)

 

The $400 I quote is for 2. No, the difference is that if I lose the 10K WHATEVER trip I was supposed to go on...is cancelled and does NOT get rebooked later at ANOTHER 10K.

 

I do carry umbrella liability.

[fortinweb]

Both you and SantaFeFan feel that 'value' - as in 'psychological value' - is something that should be insured. To me, the value is not worth insuring. I insure against economic losses, not some nebulous psychological value. However to you that may be worthwhile insuring. It is your choice.

 

[sidebar - I also don't agree that if you don't go on the vacation you derive no value from it. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that some of the greatest value in a vacation is the anticipation of going - not the trip itself. The other great value in a vacation are the memories it generates. Let's say each of these factors is worth one third (anticipation, experience, memory). In this case, total loss of the vacation at a late date is a loss of only 2/3 of the total value, since you still had the benefit of anticipation.]

 

Each person should make their own decision. It's true I hope people make informed decisions, and feel people insuring trips generally aren't - but that's not a judgment about those individuals, just the specific choice itself. I haven't put down anyone at all. I certainly haven't rolled my eyes at anyone.

 

But let me ask you this: if I am using some of the most brain-dead logic ever on this board, what should we make of people who have trip insurance but not personal umbrella liability insurance? Do you have this most essential of insurances?

 

An old proverb teaches that making faces at a blind man is pointless. So is arguing with you. You believe what you want. I'll believe what I want. And I hope to never have to rely on you for advice, ever.

Edited November 30, 2014 by fortinweb

[psychtobe]

An old proverb says that making faces at a blind man is pointless. So is arguing with you. You believe what you want. I'll believe what I want. And I hope to never have to rely on you for advice, ever.

Indeed, as long as you don't walk into my hospital I suspect you will be ok in that regard. Cheers, and don't forget to carry your umbrella!