Stuck in Hurricane aftermath - Can't get to Ship!

[JROBTX]

I just got home and I looked to see if I wrote the gentlemens name down (I'm usually very good at that) but I didn't. Who knows if he would have even follow through with it.

 

 

I would have them try again and definitely have them check with credit card company.

[JROBTX]

And insurance isn't all that easy to deal with either. I'm still waiting on my claim to be approved for my airlines tickets. I was so glad they cancelled my cruise and I didn't have to deal with the insurance for it.

[Maverick61]

They are rerouting and offering refunds to all the Ships who's itineraries were affected... on their end...

 

Would be nice if they looked at both sides.

 

Thank you for responding -

 

So you basically want them to ignore their rules .

It makes perfect sense for NCL to do something when they had to reroute or cancel. Makes zero sense when they did not

 

You know the answer - you just don't like it. They should have bought insurance if they did not want to live with the risk.

Edited September 14, 2017 by Maverick61

[anonmom]

I wish people on this board weren't so pro-insurance. The whole industry makes me sick; it only exists to profit off illness, disaster and misery.

 

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[LMaxwell]

I wish people on this board weren't so pro-insurance. The whole industry makes me sick; it only exists to profit off illness, disaster and misery.

 

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Should we be anti-insurance? God forbid I pass away on a cruise ship I at least know my family is not burdened or crippled by repatriation costs. If I become ill or injured in a foreign country I do not have to have to be worried with bills that could easily run into 5 figure range.

 

Insurance policies exist to protect the consumer from unforeseen circumstances that result in financial loss or hardship. The industry may not be perfect, but there are many options for each person to insure to their personal desire. I'm not sure what the alternative is but I do know I am very far away from self-insuring.

 

To OP, in Florida too. Could have been worse for us here, luckily minor damage and no power for cpl days, and I am sorry for the struggles you and your friends are going through. I am certain your friends are grateful for you trying to assist them with this.

[jshyshka]

We

 

 

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[Maya1234]

-

I am well aware of insurance/friends were not...

 

..

 

This is what I'm not understanding. When I booked my cruise NCL basically added the insurance as a default telling me I could reject it if I chose. But rejecting it would have been an affirmative action. How could one not " be aware" of it?

[uneamie]

I wish people on this board weren't so pro-insurance. The whole industry makes me sick; it only exists to profit off illness, disaster and misery.

 

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Ugh! How then do you expect to have your money refunded if you have to cancel, if you get sick, if you need to be air lifted off the ship due to a serious illness??? Who do you expect is going to pay for all that? Insurance companies are a "business" not a charity. They work on profits.

[mjkacmom]

We live 10 miles from the port we sail out of, and have cruised during hurricane season. I remember several posters who got hit hard by Sandy complaining that NCL wouldn't give them a break, because they couldn't leave their homes (we had a flooded basement and no power for a week). I always buy insurance

[garycarla]

I sympathize with not only the OP (and friend), but many others as well. What they bring forth are some difficult questions and policy.

 

When someone buys a cruise, at what point should we expect the company to allow the buyer to get out of the contract and refund their money?

 

There are many reasons people can not fulfill their agreement. Which ones would count?

 

1 - If there is a family illness and they do not go?

 

2 - If there is a death in the family - and which persons? Parent, kids, aunt, great aunt, etc?

 

3 - Important business meeting came up that person is REQUIRED to attend?

 

4 - One of passengers got sick and told to not travel? Or immediate family member like child that was not traveling?

 

5 - House caught fire? Business caught fire?

 

6 - Water pipes burst. Ice storm. Car broke down.

 

7 - And of course the current situation.

 

Where do they draw the line?

 

And if they take care of all these things, then why should others bother buying insurance?

 

And, if they have to refund all these people, should the cruise line start overselling cruises knowing these things will happen? Would folks be okay getting bumped?

 

Bottom line - not an easy decision.

[sjbdtz]

Thanks for the info - no more assistance needed

 

I'm confused. I get it, they lost their business, and their home has damage. But there are flights (either in Florida, or elsewhere up the coast - a drive away). There's nothing preventing them from boarding up the house, checking if they can still use a FLA flight, or high-tailing it north to another city where they can book alternative flights. From NCL's perspective, they CHOOSE not to take the cruise. They CHOOSE to stay home & deal with the damage now, instead of post-cruise. Why should NCL take the loss for their choice?

 

 

I wish people on this board weren't so pro-insurance. The whole industry makes me sick; it only exists to profit off illness, disaster and misery.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Forums mobile app

 

It exists to save people when they encounter disaster, misery or illness.

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

[robbysbabe]

As I specifically did want this to turn into an "Insurance Post" (seemed liked it was adding insult to injury)

 

I asked them about their decision in this...

 

Per NCL Policy - yes it covers documented major illness, or illness while traveling and in some instances coverage from loss of employment. However in the event of a "Natural Disaster" - you will only be offered up to $500.00 to basically catch up with the ship due to a delay.

 

The cost of this peace of mind was $479.00

 

The couple also asked to "donate" (transfer) the trip to others that could possible go and they would not allow that either - as they require 1 person from the original reservation to go; the 2nd could be changed.

 

I realize it's business, life happens and in the end - these people are thankful they are not as bad off as our friends to the south.

 

I love these boards; they are full of information but I rarely start a thread... some of you folks are brutal!

 

Happy sailing!!

[robbysbabe]

I just got home and I looked to see if I wrote the gentlemens name down (I'm usually very good at that) but I didn't. Who knows if he would have even follow through with it.

 

 

I would have them try again and definitely have them check with credit card company.

 

I have passed this suggestion on to them - thank you!

[bam1957]

I wish people on this board weren't so pro-insurance. The whole industry makes me sick; it only exists to profit off illness, disaster and misery.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Forums mobile app

 

We need insurance for everything in our lives. Medical, dental, car, property, etc.... So, what's the difference here? We get travel insurance every time. We have elderly parents and we are also getting older. Anything can happen and when you look at what you are paying in comparison to what they will pay out you are definitely coming out the winner. It's not worth the gamble.

[Crusin6]

I'm confused. I get it, they lost their business, and their home has damage. But there are flights (either in Florida, or elsewhere up the coast - a drive away). There's nothing preventing them from boarding up the house, checking if they can still use a FLA flight, or high-tailing it north to another city where they can book alternative flights. From NCL's perspective, they CHOOSE not to take the cruise. They CHOOSE to stay home & deal with the damage now, instead of post-cruise. Why should NCL take the loss for their choice?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It exists to save people when they encounter disaster, misery or illness.

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

Yes that is true of course but let's not forget the "real" reason insurance companies exist.....and that is to invest in real estate

 

Oh and the massive profits they make fortunately are enough to pay claims

 

 

Let's not kid ourselves into thinking they exist to save people...

 

But yes they do share their profits with their customers by paying claims because do not even think the premiums alone do that

 

 

Insurance companies actually do a fairly good job of turning profits for the most part

 

 

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[oneplustwins]

some of you folks are brutal!

It's the same people every thread.....

[anonmom]

Insurance policies definitely do not exist to protect consumers. Insurance policies exist to enrich insurance companies. It is the same as the single-payer vs. market insurer debate that is going on in Congress right now regarding health insurance.

 

Health insurance is currently so expensive because we need to price in profits for the insurance companies AND extremely high compensation for all of the insurance company executives. If we took those two factors out, we could insure people quite cheaply, as Medicare and even Medicaid do.

 

The same goes for vacation insurance. If the coverage was offered as a public service, the rates would be lower (and a higher percentage of claims would get paid). To be clear, I am not talking about any company providing trip-cancellation insurance at a loss. Just talking about breaking even instead of profiting.

 

Should we be anti-insurance? God forbid I pass away on a cruise ship I at least know my family is not burdened or crippled by repatriation costs. If I become ill or injured in a foreign country I do not have to have to be worried with bills that could easily run into 5 figure range.

 

Insurance policies exist to protect the consumer from unforeseen circumstances that result in financial loss or hardship. The industry may not be perfect, but there are many options for each person to insure to their personal desire. I'm not sure what the alternative is but I do know I am very far away from self-insuring.

 

To OP, in Florida too. Could have been worse for us here, luckily minor damage and no power for cpl days, and I am sorry for the struggles you and your friends are going through. I am certain your friends are grateful for you trying to assist them with this.

 

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Forums mobile app

[Gershep]

Sorry for all you and your friend are going through. Most people don't have a clue about the destruction a hurricane does unless they have personally witnessed it. I for one would never leave my storm damaged home for a cruise. My cousin had an NCL cruise booked when Hurricane Sandy took over her home. She HAD insurance and at first had a hard time getting her money back because of stipulations in her cruise insurance contract. Eventually after some pushing on her part she was able to get her money back. As everyone has stated here without insurance I highly doubt your friend will get any money back.

[anonmom]

I never said I expected to have my money refunded if I have to cancel, or get sick. I do not expect that at all. Life happens and I have had to pay change fees, I have had to miss trips that I have already paid for, I have had to pay a premium for last minute flights, etc.

 

I can think OP's friends are in an unfortunate situation *and* think that they should not expect a refund in this situation *and also* dislike it that all the insurance industry cheerleaders immediately jump in with rude comments.

 

Ugh! How then do you expect to have your money refunded if you have to cancel, if you get sick, if you need to be air lifted off the ship due to a serious illness??? Who do you expect is going to pay for all that? Insurance companies are a "business" not a charity. They work on profits.

 

 

 

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[anonmom]

Nope! If the insurance industry existed to save people, then it would use some other metric to determine who was worthy of salvation. The only factors insurance companies take into account are 1. Premiums paid, 2. Terms of the policy, and, very, very occasionally 3. Optics/public relations.

 

This is because insurance companies are businesses. Which is fine. There is a middle ground between profit-at-all-costs and making sure you are making enough money to keep the lights on, but we don't need to go into that here.

 

My point is that insurance companies are big, profitable businesses, not charities, so I don't understand why so many people on this board are so devoted to giving them free advertising. The bottom line is that most people lose money on travel insurance. Otherwise, travel insurance companies would go out of business. That is how for-profit insurance works. The amount people pay in premiums equals the amount that is paid out in claims, plus the salaries and other overhead of the insurance companies, plus the profit the company is making.

 

So it is absolutely OK for people to pay a small amount every time they travel in order to have their losses covered in case of a disaster. But it is also OK for people to rely on a credit card policy or to just decide to only pay for travel they can afford to lose. What I hate is the way this board puts one group up on a pedestal as making the only reasonable choice and then shames the other group as complete idiots and freeloaders.

 

 

It exists to save people when they encounter disaster, misery or illness.

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

 

 

I'm confused. I get it, they lost their business, and their home has damage. But there are flights (either in Florida, or elsewhere up the coast - a drive away). There's nothing preventing them from boarding up the house, checking if they can still use a FLA flight, or high-tailing it north to another city where they can book alternative flights. From NCL's perspective, they CHOOSE not to take the cruise. They CHOOSE to stay home & deal with the damage now, instead of post-cruise. Why should NCL take the loss for their choice?

 

 

 

 

It exists to save people when they encounter disaster, misery or illness.

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Forums mobile app

[anonmom]

This is a personal choice. For you, it is not worth paying for a trip unless you can be sure that you will either take that trip or have your money refunded.

 

For me, it is not worth paying the insurance companies every time I travel, just so that I can be compensated if I am unable to take a trip.

 

I put all of my travel on travel credit cards so that I have basic coverage in case of a major disaster. And I pay all of my credit cards off at the end of each month, so that I never have unpaid bills that I would still have to pay if a trip was a total loss. And then I only take trips I can afford.

 

If I can afford to go on a trip, then I can afford to pay for it even if I can't go.

We need insurance for everything in our lives. Medical, dental, car, property, etc.... So, what's the difference here? We get travel insurance every time. We have elderly parents and we are also getting older. Anything can happen and when you look at what you are paying in comparison to what they will pay out you are definitely coming out the winner. It's not worth the gamble.

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Forums mobile app

[LD Silver]

So you want to ignore the most pertinent response and just have a pity party?

 

Certainly no need for a "pile on party" but that's what you do best.

[Maya1234]

 

 

 

So it is absolutely OK for people to pay a small amount every time they travel in order to have their losses covered in case of a disaster. But it is also OK for people to rely on a credit card policy or to just decide to only pay for travel they can afford to lose. What I hate is the way this board puts one group up on a pedestal as making the only reasonable choice and then shames the other group as complete idiots and freeloaders

 

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Totally ok is saying "I don't get trip insurance because there is such a small chance of a loss that I am willing to take the loss if it does happen."

 

Totally idiotic is saying "I don't get trip insurance because there's such a small risk of disaster but if there is a disaster and I can't go, I am going to be very unhappy with the cruise line if they don't give me a credit or refund my money. There must be some way to get my money back because it's very unfair otherwise and people should have sympathy for me."

[triptolemus]

Certainly no need for a "pile on party" but that's what you do best.

 

You don't know me.

[LMaxwell]

Insurance policies definitely do not exist to protect consumers. Insurance policies exist to enrich insurance companies. It is the same as the single-payer vs. market insurer debate that is going on in Congress right now regarding health insurance.

 

Health insurance is currently so expensive because we need to price in profits for the insurance companies AND extremely high compensation for all of the insurance company executives. If we took those two factors out, we could insure people quite cheaply, as Medicare and even Medicaid do.

 

The same goes for vacation insurance. If the coverage was offered as a public service, the rates would be lower (and a higher percentage of claims would get paid). To be clear, I am not talking about any company providing trip-cancellation insurance at a loss. Just talking about breaking even instead of profiting.

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Forums mobile app

 

So what is my alternative, as a consumer, to purchasing insurance?