Experiences with RCI Refunding Due To Zika?

[BurningAltAccount]

Posting from my alt account since some members know my main account, and the wife and I want to keep this a secret from them. We purchased a cruise a few months ago, but we just found out we are pregnant, and we are now past final payment date. It looks like I might be able get my CC trip cancellation insurance to cover it since there is a clause in there that allows coverage for governmental warnings like Zika, but I'm curious if anyone has experience dealing with RCI directly since that will be easier.

 

It looks like RCI was offering a two year cruise credit early last year, but I'm not sure if they are still doing that, and quite frankly, I'm not sure how helpful that is anyway since we probably aren't taking a one year old on the ship. Of course, I'll call them to ask, but I purchased my cruise through Costco, so I'm sure it will be a mess to straighten out, and I was just curious if anyone has gone through this before and could say what RCI offered them and how it worked.

[cruisinfanatic]

Haven't heard a thing about Zika in months. Insurance won't cover you. On most islands, if you stay away from the forest, you'll most likely never see let along get bit by a mosquito. I think the hype is mostly over regarding it

[klfrodo]

My daughter had the same situation.

They were out 100%.

Cruise line offered zero refund and insurance denied claim.

[kknorr0320]

My daughter had the same situation.

They were out 100%.

Cruise line offered zero refund and insurance denied claim.

I think I'd rather just go and stay on the ship if I couldn't get my money back.

 

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[WisconsinFan]

For those of you who have not heard of Zika for months our local evening news just did a story about Zika with the county public health office. It is not gone. She should talk to her doctor. With a medical excuse insurance should cover it if it's cancel for any reason. If insurance or RC won't do anything consider taking a friend in her place.

 

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[Fouremco]

Haven't heard a thing about Zika in months. Insurance won't cover you. On most islands, if you stay away from the forest, you'll most likely never see let along get bit by a mosquito. I think the hype is mostly over regarding it

The media hype may have tailed off but the disease remains real and continues to spread.

 

Given the severity of Zika's impact on pregnancies, "most likely never see let along get bit by a mosquito" falls well short of justifying a trip to Zika-infested regions by expectant mothers.

[kctwinmommy]

Haven't heard a thing about Zika in months. Insurance won't cover you. On most islands, if you stay away from the forest, you'll most likely never see let along get bit by a mosquito. I think the hype is mostly over regarding it

 

While not super recent, we were on a cruise in November and we definitely had way more problems with mosquitoes and we weren't in any forests. We were on the beaches at all 3 stops. It was the worst in Curacao, and noticeable in Grand Turk as well. Now, not saying any of us got Zika from it, but they were definitely there.

[killtheump]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/search/processSearch.do?ip_server=prdiphrase-unstruct-new222.dmz.rccl.com%3A200&ip_text=Zika&searchSubmit=+

[ONECRUISER]

Think when warning first came out you could change cruise, but after then no. Warnings been out yr now, know hard to plan accordingly(avoid getting pregnant). Anyway, Congrats and good luck finding a solution...

[pointybubble]

I am in the same boat, just found out I am pregnant and cruising next week. We are still going and I am going to take precautions. Have you considered just cancelling excursions and staying on the boat? I should note I live in S. Florida and am well-versed in mosquito bite prevention as part of my new daily routine anyway.

 

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[Cel_cruise]

Definitely contact Royal and your insurance carrier and see what happens in either case.

 

I would not go on the cruise while pregnant.

 

I would consider taking a 1 year old on a future cruise as long as the ship had a nursery.

 

I would also consider some alternative itineraries before baby arrives if any appeal to you. That being said - I went on a cruise when I was 24 weeks pregnant and there were some good and bad parts! I was much more queasy and the hormones made me super sun sensitive so that I burned SOO fast. I am 100% Italian and usually sport skin the color of CruiseLifeRick after a week in the sun - yet I looked more like an Irish girl who forgot sunscreen! Only White and Red !!

 

Good luck getting this worked out and congratulations!

 

 

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[trihawks1]

We booked a cruise for December 2017. My daughter, son in law, and two others are also going with my husband and I. I took out Cancel For Any Reason insurance just for the possibility that my daughter became pregnant (newlywed). If she becomes pregnant, obviously she won't go because of Zika, but also depends how far along she is at the time of the cruise. Nth cruise line and the airlines have stipulations about travel after so many weeks of pregnancy...as well as her OB dr. After I broke my leg and elbow 6 weeks before my Oasis cruise in 2015, I was so glad that I had insurance. First time I ever used the insurance...I received 100% reimbursement. Good luck. And, if nothing can be reimbursed...I would go but stay on the ship.

 

 

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[spookwife]

Haven't heard a thing about Zika in months. Insurance won't cover you. On most islands, if you stay away from the forest, you'll most likely never see let along get bit by a mosquito. I think the hype is mostly over regarding it

 

 

That's because the breeding season hasn't kicked off for the year yet. In the next couple of months, it will be back in the news, albeit on a less massive scale. My county has already started scheduling dates for spraying.

 

You wouldn't think it was 'over regarding' it if you gave birth to a child affected by Zika.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[molly2kit]

In September we had to cancel a cruise for medical reasons. Same travel agent as OP and 3 weeks before cruise and no cancellation insurance. We contacted Cxxxxo travel and asked if we could move to another cruise in the future. They contacted RCI who said we could move as long as we went within 365 days. Same type of cabin or higher. We moved to a cruise 364 days later. Costing a few hundred more each but we're still going!! Good Luck with changing the date and the addition to your family!

 

We had to produce a Dr letter saying we were unable to travel.

 

 

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[BurningAltAccount]

I am in the same boat, just found out I am pregnant and cruising next week. We are still going and I am going to take precautions. Have you considered just cancelling excursions and staying on the boat?

 

Yes. In fact, we have already cancelled all excursions that we had planned. We are going on Allure which we have been on before, so I'm 100% sure there is enough to do on the boat, so that's good. Unfortunately, it's hard to say even if staying on the boat is "safe enough" when microcephaly is involved, you know? It's still possible (albeit extremely unlikely) for a mosquito with Zika to fly over to the boat while in port and/or get brought back in a bag or something.

 

Even if Zika caused a violent illness, I would say that the risk is so remote that it isn't even worth thinking about as long as we stayed on the boat. I can deal with that. However, when you look at the things it can do to unborn babies--especially possible developmental delays and other issues that we don't know about yet--it's hard for me to justify it. I know I couldn't live with myself if something happened. I guess we could just stay locked inside our cabin the entire time, but then what's the point of even going?

[Trackhead37]

Haven't heard a thing about Zika in months. Insurance won't cover you. On most islands, if you stay away from the forest, you'll most likely never see let along get bit by a mosquito. I think the hype is mostly over regarding it

WOW!!!, you really are misinformed, if you think it was just hype and is somehow gone. That's like saying that because you don't hear about AIDS and HIV in the news as much as during some of the larger outbreaks of it in certain countries, that it is now gone. Zika is still there and is still extremely serious for pregnant women and their unborn child.

 

As for the main topic, I'd say forget what people are saying about what may happen and about that you won't get anything back and simply call the cruise line and explain the situation to see what they will actually do. That's the only way to get a definitive answer. Obviously it sucks if you lose 100% and don't go but, the safety of the child is more important than money you already spent and at least you'd save the extra costs you would have spent on the cruise. Yes you would be a lot safer by staying on the ship but seriously, mosquitoes fly and can of course fly to the outdoor areas of the ship and bite you just the same. The forest thing is crap; sure the chances are higher there but they can be anywhere and bite you regardless of all the "precautions" you take to not get bitten. Why risk it? Try to get the money back any way you can and in my opinion, don't do the trip. Also,credit might not be too bad, depending on your situation; while you probably wouldn't travel with a 1 year old, if you have family or such to babysit during a cruise, it could make for a nice little break and vacation at some point. Also, just because you use the credit, doesn't mean it has to be used on a cruise happening soon; like 2 years from now, you could book a cruise for 2 years into the future from that date, correct?

[Cel_cruise]

But the precautions of wearing long pants/sleeves, deet bug repellent, and not being outside at dusk, and avoiding mosquito breeding grounds - probably brings the exposure risk in line with all of the other everyday pregnancy risks. If you do end up taking the cruise - use the precautions and don't spend the entire time stuck in your cabin!!

 

That being said - I personally would make my decision based on how badly I needed the mental health break / baby moon and whether I could meet that need elsewhere. When I was pregnant - I didn't live in a bubble - but I lived taking a series of calculated risks that sometimes meant I say things out and other times I jumped in where others wouldn't. Everyone has their own tolerance so what's okay for one might not be for another. Zika has a very severe consequence - so it would be important for me to get the probability down very low...[the problem is that microcephaly could happen even if you were never exposed to zika....so do you live in a bubble and miss out of on some of the joys of pregnancy - like a final trip BC (before kids) - or do you live each day while taking precautions and calculated risks...There is no good answer here...so just make the best one for you today...it's good practice for being a parent the rest of your life - the decisions get more frequent and don't get easier!!]

 

 

 

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[BurningAltAccount]

Also,credit might not be too bad, depending on your situation; while you probably wouldn't travel with a 1 year old, if you have family or such to babysit during a cruise, it could make for a nice little break and vacation at some point. Also, just because you use the credit, doesn't mean it has to be used on a cruise happening soon; like 2 years from now, you could book a cruise for 2 years into the future from that date, correct?

Yes. I'll call RCI and see what they will do. We might have an out with our CC since it has pretty good trip cancellation protection. It's just that this will be a multi-thousand dollar amount, so I'm sure it will be a fight. Still, it says the following as one of covered reasons:

 

The Covered Traveler(s) is advised by a licensed medical practitioner not to travel after the purchase date of the Trip due to a medical advisory issued by a health or government agency, that directly affects the Covered Traveler’s Trip Destination.

Seems like a clear "Zika clause" to me. CDC obviously has issued a medical advisory, and I'm sure the OB will say not to go. It does say that we can't have been warned not to go before booking the trip, but we weren't pregnant then, and no one told us not to go, so hopefully that won't be an issue. We might even be in the clear if they issue a voucher. Also in the terms for "reimbursable expenses":

 

A credit/voucher that is not used by its expiration date or within 12 months of the issuance date, whichever is sooner. Note: If the Covered Traveler was issued a credit/voucher by the travel supplier (i.e. airlines, hotel, etc.) please retain all supporting documentation in case you decide to seek reimbursement at a later date for any credit/voucher that expires or is unused per the coverage provision.

That said, we would love to go. It's such a perfect babymoon since she can do as much or as little as she wants. We love Allure, and we were really looking forward to this cruise. Of course, pregnancy changes things. We'll have to figure out if the risks are too great and we try to claim the CC benefits or if we take precautions and hope for the best.

[spookwife]

yeah I think if you go into it armed with the official DR notification that the rabbit died after you booked, you have a valid point. especially with it being perfectly normal to book a year or even more out.

 

even if all they do is offer to move the date further out. you may be able to swing a short 3-4 days cruise after Junior joins the family that won't be too taxing on a sleep deprived set of new parents.

[Beachdude]

Don't just assume the ship has to be docked to see mosquitos. We saw mosquitos on the Allure last October when we were at sea. We were sitting on chairs at the aft that are looking over the outdoor theater. We did get bit and left the area.

 

Burt

[cello56]

We had a milestone birthday cruise planned last February (2016) with our son and his wife and our 1.5 year old Grandbaby, and extended family from Canada. The cruise was booked through COSTCO travel agency. Our daughter-in-law became pregnant and would have been 16 weeks on the cruise. We ended up cancelling four days before when we got a text from RCI saying they would give us a full credit for the price of the cruise. Up until then her OB had said to just stay on the ship and wear long sleeves/pants and insect repellent. This is worrying us greatly, and that was before the USVI and St. Maarten were even on the list.

 

Long story short they received a full credit for the cruise to be used within two years. Since I had paid for the cruise, I had to go through Costco and rebook for two years later. No problems at all, but of course the price was higher, and I had an extra fare to pay for little sister!!