What if a cruiser dies before the cruise?

[Peachypooh]

We always get insurance but we are traveling with people who do not want to buy it. One is in

ill health. My question is what will happen if that person passes away before the cruise? Will the

fare be refunded to the family? I looked for this but couldn't find an answer. Thanks. Just to

be clear I am not family, they are friends and perhaps they are in denial of the cruiser's ill health.

[eldrima]

I don't know the answer to that but would think they would be more likely to purchase travel insurance if it included medical coverage while on the trip. Our friends last year had to pay a small fortune for a MD visit and some TamaFlu when their son got sick on the cruise. After that, if I get sick on a cruise ive decided I'll try to tough it out until we port in Cozumel and take my chances at the pharmecia.

[sanger727]

There is no clause in the cruise contract that refunds the fare if one of the names cruisers dies. They may allow for an exception as a good will gesture but there's no guarantee. It's an exceptionally bad idea to not get insurance when in bad health

1. Worse case scenario is the person dying before the cruise and there being no refund.

2. Second worse case is they take the cruise and the person needs emergency medical care. Foreign hospitals generally require payment upfront before they will treat. And if it's determined they need to be transported to the US for adequate treatment they could easily come home with hundreds of thousands in bills.

3. 3rd worst case scenario, If they cancel for any reason prior to the cruise, once the cancellation penalties kick in, the fare will not be refunded.

 

 

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[scameron7]

Sorry to hear this. Trip insurance is important for so many reasons, however; pre existing illness can often void coverage.

 

 

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[brookie848]

Sorry to hear this. Trip insurance is important for so many reasons, however; pre existing illness can often void coverage.

 

 

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We purchased pre-existing condition insurance through a third party for our upcoming cruise and it was actually quite reasonable (on par with NCL's insurance).

[Peachypooh]

Thanks everyone.

[BirdTravels]

We always get insurance but we are traveling with people who do not want to buy it. One is in ill health. My question is what will happen if that person passes away before the cruise? Will theCfare be refunded to the family? I looked for this but couldn't find an answer. Thanks. Just to be clear I am not family, they are friends and perhaps they are in denial of the cruiser's ill health.

Your friend is vulnerable from final payment onward. They would be penalized up to 100% if they need to cancel because of death or even illness that prevents them from cruising. That's what trip insurance covers.

[garycarla]

If someone does not take the cruise, they still paid. Done.

 

Sorry, but reality.

[Loonbeam]

As noted, no insurance most likely = no payout. The most common accomodation I have seen is the line be willing to swap passengers for no charge so that someone else can go (possibly to keep a bereaved person company, etc).

[Homosassa]

My sister is booked on a cruise departing on 10/18.

 

We buried her yesterday.

 

Cruise fare is lost; no refund.

[Azure Moon]

My sister is booked on a cruise departing on 10/18.

 

We buried her yesterday.

 

Cruise fare is lost; no refund.

 

My condolences on your loss.

[victory2020]

You will get taxes & port charges refunded if you cancel after final payment.

[llarsen]

Recommend cruise insurance to them!

My husband and I are in good health, but when my parents health started declining I started buying trip insurance (NOT from the cruise line) even though my parentes were not cruising with us. I bought it in case I needed to get back home for an emergency or if something happened to them that prevented me from going on the cruise.

 

We have always been able to get a plan that covers pre-existing conditions, even though we bought it outside the 14-21 day of deposit window, that many policies require.

 

We have used tripinsurancestore dot com for many years now. You can find them online and maybe give them a call to ask if your friends would be covered should something unfortunate happen before or during the cruise. They are extremely helpful. I usually talk to Steve or Becky but anyone can help you. Btw, there is a big difference between the cruise line "travel insurance" and the policies offered by companies like tripinsurancestore. Cruise line insurance can be useless.

 

Wishing the best for them....

[Russ Lomas]

It may sound like a morbid comment to some, but I thought I should mention it anyways....

If one passenger who is booked to travel in a cabin passes away prior to the cruise, the other individuals in the cabin still can cruise if they wish to. This of course would not happen if the person passed away just prior to the cruise, but if it was weeks or months ahead of the cruise, the others could still go on the cruise. You are permitted to change the name of guest in the cabins at any point as long as one of the originally booked in that cabin still travel in that cabin. So say for example that a husband and wife were to be traveling in one cabin and the husband passed away a few months prior to the cruise, you could replace his name on the reservation with another individual, maybe a sister of the woman who lost her husband, a friend, or one of her children.

[robbysbabe]

My sister is booked on a cruise departing on 10/18.

 

We buried her yesterday.

 

Cruise fare is lost; no refund.

 

VERY sorry to hear that...

[hawk/hornfan]

This is where a GOOD travel agent can help. Although 20 years ago, was scheduled to go a cruise with my family and mom, she booked it. She passed away 3 days before the cruise. Her best friend and T/A, managed to rebook the cruise at a later date because of her relationship with the cruise rep.

My current T/A would do the same.

[Silver Sweethearts]

My sister is booked on a cruise departing on 10/18.

 

We buried her yesterday.

 

Cruise fare is lost; no refund.

 

With all due respect and condolences on your loss, we question why the cruise fare is lost when the cruise is thirteen months away and not even close to final pay? Even if you paid in full well in advance to secure a lower fare (as has been done on Silversea, for instance), the money was refundable until final pay. If we might ask, what was the reason given you as to no refund?

[perditax]

With all due respect and condolences on your loss, we question why the cruise fare is lost when the cruise is thirteen months away and not even close to final pay? Even if you paid in full well in advance to secure a lower fare (as has been done on Silversea, for instance), the money was refundable until final pay. If we might ask, what was the reason given you as to no refund?

 

 

October 18 of this year is how I read it.

[BirdTravels]

With all due respect and condolences on your loss, we question why the cruise fare is lost when the cruise is thirteen months away and not even close to final pay? Even if you paid in full well in advance to secure a lower fare (as has been done on Silversea, for instance), the money was refundable until final pay. If we might ask, what was the reason given you as to no refund?

October 18, 2017

 

Sorry for your loss.

[acpalmer]

With all due respect and condolences on your loss, we question why the cruise fare is lost when the cruise is thirteen months away and not even close to final pay? Even if you paid in full well in advance to secure a lower fare (as has been done on Silversea, for instance), the money was refundable until final pay. If we might ask, what was the reason given you as to no refund?

 

 

 

I read that date as October 18th--about a month away.

 

 

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[Homosassa]

Yes, 10/18/17. I have always urged them to buy insurance.

 

They always felt it was not necessary. Her husband has health issues and will not cruise on his own.

[newmexicoNita]

We always get insurance but we are traveling with people who do not want to buy it. One is in

ill health. My question is what will happen if that person passes away before the cruise? Will the

fare be refunded to the family? I looked for this but couldn't find an answer. Thanks. Just to

be clear I am not family, they are friends and perhaps they are in denial of the cruiser's ill health.

My experience as a retired TA and from what I have read, nope: I am sure there are exceptions, we did have one situation where NCL allowed the family to rebook at a later date, but otherwise you can count on kissing the money good bye. It is hard to accept but I guess they figure business is business, just like the airlines or most travel related fields.

[garycarla]

We always get insurance but we are traveling with people who do not want to buy it. ....

 

Recommend cruise insurance to them!

.....

 

Some people just do not want to spend the money. If someone is in ill health and is okay spending $30,000 to get medically transferred back home, that is their choice. Sadly, if the then pass away, the cost becomes a burden on the family. That is real sad part.

 

I totally get the part of not buying insurance to just cover the cost of the cruise or even missing the cruise. This person might realize they have already paid for the cruise, so worse case is they do not cruise, but will not spend any more money either way. The cruise is paid for, so apparently he can afford it.

 

Medical exposure is still an issue though.

[Cruisingfor40]

My sister is booked on a cruise departing on 10/18.

 

We buried her yesterday.

 

Cruise fare is lost; no refund.

 

Oh my gosh, I am so sorry for your loss.

[anonmom]

Yes, 10/18/17. I have always urged them to buy insurance.

 

They always felt it was not necessary. Her husband has health issues and will not cruise on his own.

1. I'm so sorry for your loss.

2. It really isn't necessary, though. She can neither take the cruise nor benefit from the refund.

3. He wouldn't have to cruise alone. He could just find someone who was willing to pay their own plane fare and expenses to go with him. Though I would certainly understand if he just wasn't feeling up to it so soon after the loss of his wife.

 

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