January 7th Q&A with Steve

[Ep010835]

 

I’ve submitted a question for the January 7th insurance discussion. 

Never having done one of these before, I don’t know what to do from here. Is this a hosted discussion via video? Does Steve just answer all of the posted questions and wait for more? What time does the Q&A start? Where do I go to participate?

[GeezerCouple]

Just now, Ep010835 said:

 

I’ve submitted a question for the January 7th insurance discussion. 

Never having done one of these before, I don’t know what to do from here. Is this a hosted discussion via video? Does Steve just answer all of the posted questions and wait for more? What time does the Q&A start? Where do I go to participate?

 

What Q&A "insurance discussion" on January 7th are you referring to?

I'm not seeing anything obvious listed here.

 

GC

[Ep010835]

The announcement is shown on the right side of the screen along with a bunch of other announcements. 

Edited December 26, 2018 by Ep010835

[GeezerCouple]

1 minute ago, Ep010835 said:

 

 

Thanks!

 

Where in the world did she post this?

I'd have expected some sort of notice on the Travel Insurance sub-forum here.
That's where people look who are interested in travel insurance....

 

Can you give a link, so we all can find the original post and context?

Thanks again!

 

GC

[Ep010835]

The link is embedded in the heading of the announcement posted above. Just hover your mouse pointer over it.

Or, this may also take you there:

Q&A: Cruise Insurance w/ Steve Dasseos of TripInsuranceS

[GeezerCouple]

4 minutes ago, Ep010835 said:

The announcement is shown on the right side of the screen along with a bunch of other announcements. 

 

On the right side of MY screen, there are these announcements:

 

"Cruisin' Through the Year Cruise Critic Community Year in Review 2018"

 

"Review Your Cruise and You Could Win.... [etc.]"

 

"Enter to win a 9-night immersive and all-inclusive...[etc.]"

 

Then some photos, and then blank white space below those.

 

???

 

GC

[Ep010835]

I noticed that too. Seems like they may rotate through several announcements during the day. I just looked on my screen and this one isn't there. It was at the top of the list a few minutes ago. 

No matter though, this link in my previous post will take you to the exact same place. 

[GeezerCouple]

That link is to a post in the FORUM ASSISTANCE area.

How often do people go there?

 

I go to the topics of interest (and there are lots of those, but general "Assistance" isn't something I monitor regularly if there are no problems to get assistance with...

 

GC

[GeezerCouple]

1 minute ago, Ep010835 said:

I noticed that too. Seems like they may rotate through several announcements during the day. I just looked on my screen and this one isn't there. It was at the top of the list a few minutes ago. 

No matter though, this link in my previous post will take you to the exact same place. 

 

Glad you asked!! 

 

It could have been months or even years before I went to the "Assistance" section.

 

Thanks, very much!

 

GC

[Ep010835]

Precisely the reason for my general question to the board. It's great that Steve will "be there", but where exactly is "there"? And when? And how do we participate other than submitting questions. 

I'm kinda new here so was hoping some of the veterans would know and be able to point me in the right direction. 

I also asked the question of the CC staff on a link I found for general email questions. No telling if I'll ever get an answer from them but if I do, I'll certainly share. 

[GeezerCouple]

1 minute ago, Ep010835 said:

Precisely the reason for my general question to the board. It's great that Steve will "be there", but where exactly is "there"? And when? And how do we participate other than submitting questions. 

I'm kinda new here so was hoping some of the veterans would know and be able to point me in the right direction. 

I also asked the question of the CC staff on a link I found for general email questions. No telling if I'll ever get an answer from them but if I do, I'll certainly share. 

 

Interesting... it's there now on the main "Travel Insurance" page, but not if I'm looking while I'm on this page (with your question and the answers/responses).

 

And good question:  I have no idea where to go for this!

Maybe someone else can figure it out and post here?

Should be very interesting!

 

Thanks again!

 

GC

[Ep010835]

It's back at the top of the "Announcements" panel on the right side of the screen as I type this. 

 

Edited December 26, 2018 by Ep010835

[GeezerCouple]

Just now, Ep010835 said:

It's back at the top of the "Announcements" panel on the right side of the screen as I type this. 

 

 

Not showing here yet.

 

But where I *did* see it, it shows:

"Started Monday at 07:49 AM"

 

This is Wednesday.  Where has this announcement been hiding?

 

❓

 

GC

[GeezerCouple]

There are a BUNCH of other "insurance" related topics there (click on the link withIN her post).

But I have no idea how I would have found those without your question, and tracking this down.

 

It seems to show they are "under" Ask A Cruise Question [look at the subheader after "home" in the pale gray small print above the large Q&A in bold], but if you just look there, that same list does not show.

I've never seen those before, and we are very active on this Travel Insurance sub-forum.

VERY glad I found these, but still not sure how to get "there" except through back-linking.

(And I wonder what else we've missed for several years that was "travel insurance" related!)

 

ETA:  It is there *now*, on the Ask a Cruise Question...  but still no big header here on Travel Insurance.  Odd.

 

GC

Edited December 26, 2018 by GeezerCouple

[cherylandtk]

I’ve seen this announcement near the top of the main boards page for a few days now.

Here’s a screen shot of what I see, it’s the third blue button from the top. When on the page, just click on the title and it takes you to the forum for the Q and A session.  You can start a thread with your specific question about insurance, and Steve will answer the questions on the 7th.  Or you can ask a follow-on to an existing question.  If you monitor that board on the 7th, you can get a little back and forth going much like any hot thread with people answering as you type.

Edited December 26, 2018 by cherylandtk

[Ep010835]

Thank you. That does help some. If I’m understanding your response correctly, the entire interaction is by messaging. Correct?

 Still missing is a specific time during which all of this will take place. I can’t see hanging out on that particular page all day long waiting for something to happen. Presumably at some point there will be the start time published. And perhaps even an ending time. As I said previously, I’ve never participated in any of these so I really don’t know how they work. 

[Walfam]

2 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

On the right side of MY screen, there are these announcements:

 

On MY iPad screen it is on the top (in an area I never look at, and now must train myself to look up there.)😊😊😊

 

Edited December 26, 2018 by Walfam

[Walfam]

Thank you cherylandtk for clarifying where the original notice is.  I never look there. 

[cherylandtk]

19 hours ago, Ep010835 said:

Thank you. That does help some. If I’m understanding your response correctly, the entire interaction is by messaging. Correct?

 Still missing is a specific time during which all of this will take place. I can’t see hanging out on that particular page all day long waiting for something to happen. Presumably at some point there will be the start time published. And perhaps even an ending time. As I said previously, I’ve never participated in any of these so I really don’t know how they work. 

I don’t really know either...but I seem to remember in the past when these sessions were with cruise line presidents that they did post certain hours.  The interaction is not so much messaging as it is responses to threads, so if you subscribe to any threads (questions) that interest you, you can be notified immediately of any responses to that thread.  Or just come back later and read the answers.  

 

If you have any detailed questions that require a back and forth conversation, you can always just call Steve directly a couple of days later.  Geezer couple does that all the time, and I’ve spoken with Steve a few times myself with specific questions.

[GeezerCouple]

5 minutes ago, cherylandtk said:

I don’t really know either...but I seem to remember in the past when these sessions were with cruise line presidents that they did post certain hours.  The interaction is not so much messaging as it is responses to threads, so if you subscribe to any threads (questions) that interest you, you can be notified immediately of any responses to that thread.  Or just come back later and read the answers.  

 

If you have any detailed questions that require a back and forth conversation, you can always just call Steve directly a couple of days later.  Geezer couple does that all the time, and I’ve spoken with Steve a few times myself with specific questions.

 

Right.

We've found Steve and his associates are extremely helpful.  Over time, they get to know us, and thus far, with one early exception, it's always the "same policy" we take out, with the amount of coverage changing, and the travel dates/locales, of course.

They DO return phone calls, so leave a message if no one immediately answers, even on weekends, when there are limited hours.

 

If one of his associates (I can think of three names; not sure if I'm missing someone) doesn't know the answer, they'll either check or have Steve give us a call.  On a few occasions, Steve has contacted the insurer directly to ask a specific question.

We've learned a LOT by those early discussions, with a lot of "what if x, what if y..." types of questions.

We are *really* grateful that we learned of Trip Insurance Store here on CC.

 

Our very first big trip (land and cruise combo) was also our first use of travel insurance.  And... we had to cancel due to a medical emergency less than 2 weeks to departure!  Sure, we could have "afforded" the trip (at that point, our most expensive to date); we had already long since paid in full.

However, I cannot tell you how many times while we were dealing with several weeks of medical issues, that one or the other of us exclaimed, "I am SO happy we won't have to pay a SECOND time for this trip when we take it later!"  And actually getting that check was also "nice".

We do NOT go on any major trip, or any overseas trip nowadays, without travel insurance!

 

GC

[Ep010835]

8 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

it's always the "same policy" we take out, with the amount of coverage changing, and the travel dates/locales, of course.

This is me also. Exactly the same policy tweaking only the coverage amount. Haven't had to use it yet (knock on wood) but the one we've selected seems to have all of our needs covered. But rats, the premium keeps going up as we get older. 

What's up with that!!! 🤪

Guess vertical still beats horizontal. 

[newbrunswicker]

Just found this thread now. Does anyone know if this took place and is there anywhere to see the questions and answers?

[GeezerCouple]

40 minutes ago, newbrunswicker said:

Just found this thread now. Does anyone know if this took place and is there anywhere to see the questions and answers?

Yup 🙂

 

Back up one step to the main "Travel Insurance" section, and at the top, above the first "regular" post, there is a box that includes a link.

 

But new questions should probably be asked here, or else contact Steve directly through 

 

https://tripinsurancestore.com/

 

GC

[newbrunswicker]

Thanks.