Carnivals Vacation Protection, details? Experiences?

[wantocruisemore]

I went ahead and signed up for carnivals vacation protection whenever I booked my cruise. My PVP said we didn't have to pay for it til final payment on cruise was due and I could cancel it up til then with no penalty. DH said I was stupid. But this is first time I've booked this far out. Most time it's not over 6 months, some less.

 

Any stories? Advantages I should tell DH or was I really stupid to sign up for it?

[beachbum53]

I went ahead and signed up for carnivals vacation protection whenever I booked my cruise. My PVP said we didn't have to pay for it til final payment on cruise was due and I could cancel it up til then with no penalty. DH said I was stupid. But this is first time I've booked this far out. Most time it's not over 6 months, some less.

 

Any stories? Advantages I should tell DH or was I really stupid to sign up for it?

 

Just out of curiosity, did you happen to compare Carnival's Vacation Protection insurance with any other traveler's insurance, especially cost and coverage? If you go to insuremytrip.com, you can do side-by-side comparisons with several different policies from different companies. I think you'll find that you can get better insurance with better coverage (and much cheaper) than you can get from Carnival.

[Nuff_Said]

Stupid for signing up for travel insurance? No.

 

There are better and cheaper options out there though. Check out insuremytrip.com. They are like an insurance broker, selling many company's policies that you can compare side-by-side. You will want to purchase, for the most part, within 2 weeks of your booking to be able to get "cancel for any reason" on your policy.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Nuff_Said

[1midsun]

I wouldn't say you were stupid :)

 

However, you can typically find it less expensive through a third party.

 

We just booked our insurance through Travel Guard for $328 (we are doing a back to back) If we would have taken the Carnival insurance we would have paid over $400. (we only needed the cancellation part as we have medical coverage through our respective employers.

 

Another site I have seen recommended here is Insuremytrip.

 

 

Happy Cruising!!!

[wantocruisemore]

Thanks I just compared costs. Some are higher than carnival, most within $25. A lot to think about.

 

I'm not as worried over deposit since I would only lose $50 each and rest go to future cruise. If I purchase from another company I have to do so now rather than wait and pay later.

Edited December 8, 2015 by wantocruisemore

[Captain Funtime]

I prefer to "self insure." I will be on my 37th cruise Jan. 2016 and have never purchased insurance. Thankfully I have never needed it. If I were to lose now I am still way ahead financially. Just a thought.:)

[cruisinfanatic]

Thanks I just compared costs. Some are higher than carnival, most within $25. A lot to think about.

 

I'm not as worried over deposit since I would only lose $50 each and rest go to future cruise. If I purchase from another company I have to do so now rather than wait and pay later.

Carnival's insurance has minimal coverage for evacuation and medical care. It also does not cover pre existing conditions at all.

[texast518]

I went ahead and signed up for carnivals vacation protection whenever I booked my cruise. My PVP said we didn't have to pay for it til final payment on cruise was due and I could cancel it up til then with no penalty. DH said I was stupid. But this is first time I've booked this far out. Most time it's not over 6 months, some less.

 

Any stories? Advantages I should tell DH or was I really stupid to sign up for it?

I am 75 YO & interested in emergency air-vac, Carnival is only $30K, others are $500K-$1 mil for cheaper price. I get mine thru usaa.

[bigdog1958]

I prefer to "self insure." I will be on my 37th cruise Jan. 2016 and have never purchased insurance. Thankfully I have never needed it. If I were to lose now I am still way ahead financially. Just a thought.:)

 

You may be right, but I would hate to have to come up with 25 or 30,000 dollars on the spot for medical evacuation from a cruise ship. I would rather pay for insurance and not worry about coming up with that kind of money with my credit cards...

[huntm]

I do not think you are stupid. We are in our 30's, in good health, with stable jobs and approved PTO. Last December, through no fault of my own, I totaled my car 13 days before our cruise.

 

This August the night before we left for our Anniversary trip, I tripped over my own suitcase and broke my shoulder.

 

Insurance is more than worth it. You pay for homeowners insurance and car insurance when you rarely use it... But in the instance you need it, it is a life saver. Trip insurance is no different unless you can afford to throw away your vacation money.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Check out my cruise blog:

http://Www.whenshiphappens.com

[mgoswartz]

Used it in January when my grandpa died. Insurance covered cruise and airfare.

[notyours75]

I always buy trip insurance when traveling out of the country. Sure I could probably eat the cruise fare if I get sick but you have to remember that few medical insurance plans provide any coverage outside of the US. A trip/fall on the dock on Mexico could easily land you with several thousand dollar bill and there are stories of hospitals not allowing people to leave until the bill is paid. Plus if you get really sick how are you going to get back to the US?

 

A good travel insurance policy should cover not just the cost of the cruise and travel expenses, but also have provisions for delays, lost luggage, accidents, sicknesses (both acute and pre-existing) plus decent coverage for medical and evacuation. Evacuation coverage can also include non-medical issues such as civil disturbances, natural disasters. Generally speaking these third party policies are much more comprehensive than Carnivals which is more focused on just your cruise fare.

 

We have a 5 night cruise on the Freedom in Jan, our total cruise fare is just under $1,300 with another couple of hundred dollars in travel costs. Our policy from Travel Guard covers cancellation for sickness, accident, lost luggage, delays, etc. It also includes 50k coverage for medical and $500k for emergency evacuation. Our cost was $119.

 

I have purchases policies from them before but never had to use it so I can't speak to their claim process but its good peace of mind.

Edited December 9, 2015 by notyours75

[Tapi]

I prefer to "self insure." I will be on my 37th cruise Jan. 2016 and have never purchased insurance. Thankfully I have never needed it. If I were to lose now I am still way ahead financially. Just a thought.:)

 

 

Lucky you. I've had to file two claims. The first one alone was more than twice what I've ever spent on insurance. The second claim was for even more money than the first one.

 

And these were not even for "catastrophic" or severe illness reasons. Just work related and lost luggage. I can't even imagine having something REALLY bad happen while on a cruise and not having insurance.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Tapi

[WPTNGirl]

I have always bought the insurance through Carnival when I book a cruise. We have had to cancel 2 cruises, one of those 2 days before we sailed. I called my PVP and then the insurance and they worked together to get all my information. I was reimbursed for everything except the cost of the insurance both times.

[Cajun Gal]

Does Carnival's insurance cover severe illness? My BIL has cancer and is under going Chemo. He wants to go on another cruise because he says it may be his last chance. He is feeling pretty good right now and they want to join us on our April cruise. If he gets too ill to go, in the meantime, will Carnival let them cancel assuming they take the insurance?

[BananaAnna]

Does Carnival's insurance cover severe illness? My BIL has cancer and is under going Chemo. He wants to go on another cruise because he says it may be his last chance. He is feeling pretty good right now and they want to join us on our April cruise. If he gets too ill to go, in the meantime, will Carnival let them cancel assuming they take the insurance?

 

I can't speak for Carnival because I use TravelGuard (sometimes gold, sometimes silver).

I will give you a heads up though - insurance has to be purchased within a certain time frame after deposit in order to cover preexisting conditions.

With TravelGuard I believe it's within 14 days. I always purchase my insurance within 24 hours of booking.

[soccersharon]

OP, you may want to check with your credit card company. Mine has a pretty comprehensive plan, so I no longer have to buy travel insurance. Nice perk!

[texast518]

I prefer to "self insure." I will be on my 37th cruise Jan. 2016 and have never purchased insurance. Thankfully I have never needed it. If I were to lose now I am still way ahead financially. Just a thought.:)

 

Wifes best friend severely broke leg on zipline, no insurance cost $43K to be air-vaced from Jamacia to Miami. Another reason for NOT taking Carnival insurance, they send you to Miami only from anywhere, other ins gives you much more choice.

[cruisinfanatic]

Does Carnival's insurance cover severe illness? My BIL has cancer and is under going Chemo. He wants to go on another cruise because he says it may be his last chance. He is feeling pretty good right now and they want to join us on our April cruise. If he gets too ill to go, in the meantime, will Carnival let them cancel assuming they take the insurance?

He would have to purchase trip insurance from someone that waives pre existing conditions about the same time as the cruise. Carnival's insurance won't work for him

[Captain Funtime]

I called my health carrier. They cover me anywhere and it includes air evacuation. Check with your carrier.

[wantocruisemore]

Ok yall have convinced me that I need to get travel insurance from somewhere other than Carnival. Now my head is spinning trying to compare all policies. I looked at Gold by TravelGuard but it looks like the coverage is not quite as good and higher priced than the Active plan by Roam Right. Anyone use Roamright? What about AAA?

Edited December 10, 2015 by wantocruisemore

[Surf and Suds]

Ok yall have convinced me that I need to get travel insurance from somewhere other than Carnival. Now my head is spinning trying to compare all policies. I looked at Gold by TravelGuard but it looks like the coverage is not quite as good and higher priced than the Active plan by Roam Right. Anyone use Roamright? What about AAA?

 

I just recently returned from a 7 day cruise on Carnival Magic (11/29/2015). There was a group of us and a buddy of mine had decided to take his first cruise and we were to share a stateroom. We both purchased the Vacation Protection plan from Carnival. We arrived at Galveston the day before departure and he began having chest pains. Long story short he was admitted to the local hospital and did not get to take the trip. He insisted that he was going to be OK and for me to go on without him.

 

We had purchased an inside cabin. They called and sold us an upgrade to a balcony. We purchased the faster to the fun as well as pre-paid parking that was not used. He has not taken care of all of this yet but I was wondering how much run-around and BS he is going to have to endure. Does anyone know what the hurdles and hoops he is facing? I suppose I am a pessimist as I have had to deal with insurance before! Any comments or advise will be appreciated. Thanks!

[SOMBRERO6]

We purchased insurance thru Carnival for a cruise last January. My Father in Law died 3 days before we were to sail. I called Carnival the next morning. I think I had to call their insurance company to start the paper work. It all was very simple and we received payment in full. Our son did the same thing and he was even given his airfare back! This was the first time we used Carnival's insurance, other cruises we bought thru Travelguard but never needed to use it.

[Sparky2]

I called my health carrier. They cover me anywhere and it includes air evacuation. Check with your carrier.

 

You're lucky, but many of us have medical insurance (Medicare) which does not cover out of the country. I can afford to lose the cost of the cruise, but I'd be in trouble if I had to be evacuated out of a foreign country.

[lylone]

Carnival's insurance has minimal coverage for evacuation and medical care. It also does not cover pre existing conditions at all.

 

 

Does not cover pre -existing "at all"? That is not what I am reading. Sounds like only if that pre-existing condition changes 60 days before the cruise.

 

Per the vacation protection's information:

Pre-Existing Condition means an illness, disease, or other condition during the 60-day period immediately

prior to your effective date for which you or your Traveling Companion, or Immediate Family Member who is

scheduled or booked to travel with you:

1) received or received a recommendation for a diagnostic test, examination, or medical treatment;

or

2) took or received a prescription for drugs or medicine.

Item 2) of this definition does not apply to a condition which is treated or controlled solely through the taking

of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled without any adjustment or change in the

required prescription throughout the 60-day period before coverage is effective under this Policy.

If you have any questions concerning this exclusion, please call 1-800-331-2796 for further clarification.

 

So if no changes in the 60 days prior to cruise then pre-existing conditions don't exist the way i read it.