Travel insurance for Tassie cruise??

[Rencruzr]

Hi, we are going on a 5 night Carnival Spirit cruise at the end of the month and was just wondering if travel insurance is necessary?

 

I was thinking since it's a domestic cruise Medicare and/or health insurance would cover you for any accident or illness at sea? Or is it classified as international waters??

 

Thanks in advance

[trishh]

Hi, we are going on a 5 night Carnival Spirit cruise at the end of the month and was just wondering if travel insurance is necessary?

 

I was thinking since it's a domestic cruise Medicare and/or health insurance would cover you for any accident or illness at sea? Or is it classified as international waters??

 

Thanks in advance

 

The doctors on board ship are not covered by medicare so if you had to see one of them then you would not be covered. I would take out a policy that covers you in the event that you had to be seen by a doctor while on board.

Trish

[Kinkacruiser]

It wouldn't cost a lot for 5 nights to Tasmania and you have peace of mind.

[GUT2407]

I wont let "no refund day" pass without my insurance in place.

 

Sure your cruise may only be a grand or so each, but what if you get sick or have an accident that stops you going, will you just swallow that loss.

 

But more importantly what if you get sick in the middle of Bass Straight, and need to see the ships Dr, there goes a few hundred.

 

What if, God forbid, you need to be air lifted off the ship and or need be transported home, bye bye house is a real possibility.

 

It will cost you, I don't know maybe $70 for insurance for 5 days.

[NSWP]

Travel insurance is essential for cruising. And don't forget that it covers you not only for medical whilst away, it also covers you for cancellation before you go, i.e. if you get crook prior. In 2011 I had to cancel a trip to South America 2 weeks before went. $20000 claim for flights, hotels, land travel, cruise, travel insurance paid the lot, even down to costs of visas and loss of Qantas FF points expended on flights, Sydney to Buenos Aires.

 

As has been said by others on this thread, Medicare does not cover you for medical costs whilst at sea, even if you are in Australian Waters.

Edited January 16, 2016 by NSWP

[Aus Traveller]

Travel insurance is essential for cruising. And don't forget that it covers you not only for medical whilst away, it also covers you for cancellation before you go, i.e. if you get crook prior. In 2011 I had to cancel a trip to South America 2 weeks before went. $20000 claim for flights, hotels, land travel, cruise, travel insurance paid the lot, even down to costs of visas and loss of Qantas FF points expended on flights, Sydney to Buenos Aires.

 

As has been said by others on this thread, Medicare does not cover you for medical costs whilst at sea, even if you are in Australian Waters.

You probably have mentioned it before, but what travel insurance company were you with when you had that large claim? It is interesting to know which company pays out without problems :) and which one doesn't. :(

 

P.S. Les - It looks like you answered this question on another thread. It looks like it was under the 'free' travel insurance with the ANZ Platinum credit card.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Aus Traveller

[Rencruzr]

thanks for the advice guys, I guess I was seeing if we could avoid it I am going with my sister and my mother who is 81yo, so they charge through the roof for insurance for her, even though she is of excellent health.

 

I didn't think of the foreign doctors or airlifting, though if your in Aussie waters and aussie air rescue I assumed medicare would cover it?

[NSWP]

You probably have mentioned it before, but what travel insurance company were you with when you had that large claim? It is interesting to know which company pays out without problems :) and which one doesn't. :(

 

P.S. Les - It looks like you answered this question on another thread. It looks like it was under the 'free' travel insurance with the ANZ Platinum credit card.

No, not ANZ for the big one in 2011, it was with Budget Direct in Qld, they paid out after 3 months and heaps of paperwork. But fine with that. These days, well for last 4 years travelled with ANZC CC cover, only the one claim with them, the one mentioned with car in UK.

[PerfectlyPerth]

I didn't think of the foreign doctors or airlifting, though if your in Aussie waters and aussie air rescue I assumed medicare would cover it?

 

Medicare has never covered that even within Aus let alone Aus waters.

 

Average costs for an air evacuation in Aus waters here

http://www.cruiseweekly.com.au/blog/why-you-need-cruise-insurance/18471

[Aus Traveller]

Medicare has never covered that even within Aus let alone Aus waters.

 

Average costs for an air evacuation in Aus waters here

http://www.cruiseweekly.com.au/blog/why-you-need-cruise-insurance/18471

For Queensland residents, air evacuation is free. It is treated as an ambulance trip. I don't think that applies for residents of other States.

 

A woman on our cruise to New Guinea a year ago had to air-lifted off the ship. That was free, but she had a $7,000 bill for on-board medical treatment after a heart attack. Her husband contacted the insurance company and they pointed out that the fine print in the contract said it did not apply to cruise ship passengers. :( He told me the name, but it was not one I am familiar with.

[goodycruising]

Be very careful to check that the insurance states "Australian/domestic cruising".

 

We use our credit card insurance for most cruises, and with NAB we need to spend $500 each on the travel costs, and we get lots of things in our cover.

 

HOWEVER! If we travel to Tassie, we are NOT covered by our NAB credit card travel insurance. I have checked the PDS, and I have rung them. Not covered for domestic cruising.

 

So then we will buy the Post Office insurance, $6 each per day and it lists on the countries covered - domestic cruising.

 

However, I think it is to age 70, so your 81 year old mother will need to get a different type of policy. A fall can happen so easily at any age. Being older just makes it more likely that there will be more damage in my experience from seeing very healthy old people in my town have any kind of fall.

 

If you can't afford the insurance, you can't afford to travel.

[Fletch1]

Travel insurance is a must....as goodycruising said, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.

[Hawka]

best if you do like some have said the doc on board isnt cheap nor is it covered by medicare etc , a lady thats foot swelled up for one visit it cost her just over $400 , thats was if i remember $95 for seeing doc $200 for blood tests and i think rest went on tablets and creams [not sure if she went back next day as he wanted to see her next day] there was someone in there that i think had serve sea sickness [maybe anyway ] their bill for over night was $1000 at that point , if it was a couple that hopped on at Auckland they disembarked at wellington and i dont know what final bill was then for them was .

for a shot trip wont cost much but better to have then not

[Hawka]

Travel insurance is a must....as goodycruising said, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.

 

never a truer word said in that quote , agree 100% on it

[cruisine21]

Be very careful to check that the insurance states "Australian/domestic cruising".

 

 

However, I think it is to age 70, so your 81 year old mother will need to get a different type of policy. A fall can happen so easily at any age. Being older just makes it more likely that there will be more damage in my experience from seeing very healthy old people in my town have any kind of fall.

 

If you can't afford the insurance, you can't afford to travel.

 

I am really worried about my parents. Mum is 86 & dad is 89. The have booked for a Syd-Hawaii cruise in April. Mum was in hospital or 2 weeks last October with complications from Type 1 Diabetes. I've asked which travel insurance company they are with but they couldn't tell me. I was going to check the PDS. The problem is a lot of insurance companies don't cover for Type 2 Diabetes for over 50. Most don't cover if you have been in hospital for complications in the past year or two. Dad said he was going to tell the insurance company but I am still worried as they will be in Hawaii for a few nights post cruise.

[goodycruising]

I would be insisting that they show you the insurance policy, as the problem is that if something happens you may have to find the money to get them home. It could cost the rest of the family a lot of money and heartache. It is no joke.

Edited January 18, 2016 by goodycruising

[MicCanberra]

For a local cruise (no international ports), we have used Insure and Go and also Australia Post, both have cruise insurance for domestic cruises that will also cover Medical on board the ship along with the usual cover.:D

[cassamanda]

Be very careful to check that the insurance states "Australian/domestic cruising".

 

We use our credit card insurance for most cruises, and with NAB we need to spend $500 each on the travel costs, and we get lots of things in our cover.

 

HOWEVER! If we travel to Tassie, we are NOT covered by our NAB credit card travel insurance. I have checked the PDS, and I have rung them. Not covered for domestic cruising.

 

So then we will buy the Post Office insurance, $6 each per day and it lists on the countries covered - domestic cruising.

However, I think it is to age 70, so your 81 year old mother will need to get a different type of policy. A fall can happen so easily at any age. Being older just makes it more likely that there will be more damage in my experience from seeing very healthy old people in my town have any kind of fall.

 

If you can't afford the insurance, you can't afford to travel.

I usually get TID and fir our upcoming Tassie cruise the quote is $102. Will check out the Post Office tomorrow:)

[Hawka]

I usually get TID and fir our upcoming Tassie cruise the quote is $102. Will check out the Post Office tomorrow:)

 

I paid less for medibank private travel insurance for 13 nights to NZ on the golden I'll have to check out the post office as well that seems a good deal for next time

Edited January 18, 2016 by Hawka

[Royalty X]

International policy (South West Pacific/NZ region) with "domestic cruise" chosen as the specific destination.

[icat2000]

I just did Tasmania cruise. I took out Covermore Domestic cruise medical coverage only.

 

I also took out no excess. It was 7 day policy and I think it was less than $60.

 

Also on my 4 day cruise to Eden there was an older couple who didn't take out insurance because the cost was $500 that what they said. Seemed high to me, but (she had some medical priors). Well she got sick and ended up in the hospital part of the ship. Bang $2k per night. Expensive lesson.

Edited January 18, 2016 by icat2000

[MicCanberra]

I just did Tasmania cruise. I took out Covermore Domestic cruise medical coverage only.

 

I also took out no excess. It was 7 day policy and I think it was less than $60.

 

Also on my 4 day cruise to Eden there was an older couple who didn't take out insurance because the cost was $500 that what they said. Seemed high to me, but (she had some medical priors). Well she got sick and ended up in the hospital part of the ship. Bang $2k per night. Expensive lesson.

 

The costs can be very high on board, lesson learnt I would think.

[Fish66]

It makes NO DIFFERENCE whether you fly or cruise with ur travel insurance

It's covered

Even hoisted up by helicopter

[Stuartm]

We've manage at last to convince my partner's Mum to join us on our cruise to NZ in December. She is 87 but pretty sprightly. I'm about to start trawling through the online info on travel insurance for the elderly but I was wondering if anyone can recommend a company from past experience. I looked into the company we normally use and found that they won't insure above 69. Yikes! Looks like we'll be looking elsewhere in a couple of years.

 

cheers

 

Stu

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Sometimes the cost of insurance is more than the cruise for the elderly.

 

Cruise while you can.

 

2 years ago good friends decided to go for it after he was diagnosed with the early signs of Alzheimers. She booked 3 cruises and the insurance costs were huge . However she is now very pleased they did all 3 as he is now in a secure facility.