Help diagnosed with breast cancer

[gamecockinnc]

 

 I was diagnosed with breast cancer right before Christmas. My bff and her 7 year old and myself and my youngest son who is 7 had booked 2 balcony cabins over spring break  on the CCL Horizon for awhile that we are having to cancel. Each of us are only getting $100 of our $250 deposit back......lesson learned there which after being a platinum cruiser I should have known about non refundable deposits.

I am having surgery on Tuesday and the doctors believe they have caught my cancer early and I hopefully will only need surgery and radiation. Right when I was diagnosed I had been planning to book a graduation cruise for our middle son. He will be attending a military college and playing baseball in college. The graduation cruise was going to be myself, my youngest son, graduating son and our eldest son who is a junior in college. As well as a close friend of our middle son who is graduating Highschool too. As well as my bff, her youngest son and her eldest son who attends college with my eldest son. This is the first summer our middle son who is graduating  will have any time available to even go on a vacation since has played baseball. And most likely the last summer he will be able to go with everything in his future. We had planned on switching our deposits to a mid to late July cruise.

I have been reading over the cruise information my TA sent over.  She gave me 2 different quotes for trip insurance through Allianz. But it doesn’t seem as they cover pre-existing conditions. I have until tomorrow when we loose our deposits on the SB cruise and need to cancel our SB cruise. And we also loose our hold on the summer cruise. I cruise a lot but wow crusing has become popular and every ship is full.

We can move our deposit to a SB 2020 cruise. 

But that still doesn’t answer how to handle the cancer issue. They believe they caught it early and I am looking at a lumpectomy and 4-6 weeks of radiation.

Any advice about trip insurance with my situation? And what exactly is covered? If I am traveling with my close friend and her 2 sons. And my 3 sons and their friend and we all have the same insurance what happens if someone gets the flu or strep etc.? 

Does it effect the entire group because we wouldn’t/couldn’t go without everyone. There is a lot of money on the line. I don’t want to risk anyone’s finances.

I would be so grateful for advice asap. All I ask is to not judge me.  When we were being hit by Hurricane Florence by sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. Almost 2 weeks later when I finally  had cell service I found out and as soon as I had my roof tarped and the biggest holes in my house covered I started flying back and forth between her state and mine to care for her. I flew home on December 9th and went for a routine mammogram I had scheduled in August 2 days later. Obviously it didn’t go well. We do not carry the Brac gene. It’s just a fluke or the way I look at it she saved my life or I would have probably postponed my mammogram because I had been gone constantly.

Booking this cruise in July gives me a goal. Something to work towards but only if we’re covered. I know that may sound strange to some of you. But I have been through some tough medical situations before and staying positive and keepiing goals helps me. Albeit they need to be done in a intelligent manner. And I have failed at that thus far or gotten dang lucky on all of our cruises.

T

ps: I did post over on Cruise Questions.

pps: I use a private TA but she isn’t able to answer these questions. 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2019 by gamecockinnc

[shof515]

i use AIG Travel guard as my main insurance policy. The way how i read and understand the policy, to be covered for any pre-existing conditions you will need to purchase the insurance policy within 30/45 days of placing the deposit of the cruise.

if you need to visit the ship medical center, travel insurance will reimbursement you the cost. If the medical center doctor wants to kick you off the ship to visit a land based hospital, the travel insurance will help you out with any related costs

Edited January 28, 2019 by shof515

[packedandready]

Go to insuremytrip. You can select “pre-existing waiver” and look at options. Also shows time frame it needs to be purchased. 

[bakersdozen12]

Sorry about your diagnosis. What is an “SB Cruise?” 

 

As far as any cruise you are thinking of booking, have you considered booking it under a Past Guest rate so the deposit is refundable? By final payment date you should have a good idea if you will be able to go, and if you can’t, you can cancel the cruise with no penalty if you have to. 

Edited January 28, 2019 by bakersdozen12

[chumley28540]

We usually get Carnivals Insurance. Last year we had booked B2B. Cruises on Horizon. We cancelled the transatlantic and with a doctors letter we were completely reimbursed. We did go on the Med Cruise as he had finished his radiation treatments. That was a mistake as he was still weak and could not eat well. If you did not buy the insurance before your diagnosis the  most you would probably get is a credit for your deposit. Had you already made full payment? Best wishes with your treatments! 

[shof515]

4 minutes ago, bakersdozen12 said:

Sorry about your diagnosis. What is an “SB Cruise?”

i think sb is short hand for Spring Break

[Illbcruzn4life]

44 minutes ago, gamecockinnc said:

 

 I was diagnosed with breast cancer right before Christmas. My bff and her 7 year old and myself and my youngest son who is 7 had booked 2 balcony cabins over spring break  on the CCL Horizon for awhile that we are having to cancel. Each of us are only getting $100 of our $250 deposit back......lesson learned there which after being a platinum cruiser I should have known about non refundable deposits.

I am having surgery on Tuesday and the doctors believe they have caught my cancer early and I hopefully will only need surgery and radiation. Right when I was diagnosed I had been planning to book a graduation cruise for our middle son. He will be attending a military college and playing baseball in college. The graduation cruise was going to be myself, my youngest son, graduating son and our eldest son who is a junior in college. As well as a close friend of our middle son who is graduating Highschool too. As well as my bff, her youngest son and her eldest son who attends college with my eldest son. This is the first summer our middle son who is graduating  will have any time available to even go on a vacation since has played baseball. And most likely the last summer he will be able to go with everything in his future. We had planned on switching our deposits to a mid to late July cruise.

I have been reading over the cruise information my TA sent over.  She gave me 2 different quotes for trip insurance through Allianz. But it doesn’t seem as they cover pre-existing conditions. I have until tomorrow when we loose our deposits on the SB cruise and need to cancel our SB cruise. And we also loose our hold on the summer cruise. I cruise a lot but wow crusing has become popular and every ship is full.

We can move our deposit to a SB 2020 cruise. 

But that still doesn’t answer how to handle the cancer issue. They believe they caught it early and I am looking at a lumpectomy and 4-6 weeks of radiation.

Any advice about trip insurance with my situation? And what exactly is covered? If I am traveling with my close friend and her 2 sons. And my 3 sons and their friend and we all have the same insurance what happens if someone gets the flu or strep etc.? 

Does it effect the entire group because we wouldn’t/couldn’t go without everyone. There is a lot of money on the line. I don’t want to risk anyone’s finances.

I would be so grateful for advice asap. All I ask is to not judge me.  When we were being hit by Hurricane Florence by sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. Almost 2 weeks later when I finally  had cell service I found out and as soon as I had my roof tarped and the biggest holes in my house covered I started flying back and forth between her state and mine to care for her. I flew home on December 9th and went for a routine mammogram I had scheduled in August 2 days later. Obviously it didn’t go well. We do not carry the Brac gene. It’s just a fluke or the way I look at it she saved my life or I would have probably postponed my mammogram because I had been gone constantly.

Booking this cruise in July gives me a goal. Something to work towards but only if we’re covered. I know that may sound strange to some of you. But I have been through some tough medical situations before and staying positive and keepiing goals helps me. Albeit they need to be done in a intelligent manner. And I have failed at that thus far or gotten dang lucky on all of our cruises.

T

ps: I did post over on Cruise Questions.

pps: I use a private TA but she isn’t able to answer these questions. 

I hope that your treatment goes well and you are cancer free after your treatments.

 

Why are you only getting $100pp back? Does your travel agent charge a $100pp cancellation fee? It was my understanding that Carnival only charged $50pp if you cancel and held the balance for a future cruise.<confused>

44 minutes ago, gamecockinnc said:

 

 

 

[CruisingBeans]

I’m pretty disappointed in Carnival if you don’t get all that deposit money back. Maybe not for all the cabins but at least your cabin. We had a family cruise booked for this past December and my dad was diagnosed with Leukemia. They cancelled air fare on American and B2B cruises- one week MSC and 1 week RCL. The oncologist wrote a letter advising against travel and that he was diagnosed after booking. The airline and both cruise lines refunded all their money including deposits. They did not have any travel insurance and it was going to be their first cruise on MSC.

[babe97]

If you are canceling one cruise and booking another sometimes carnival will waive the fees and apply everything to the new booking. They just did it for us and we didn't even have a good excuse. I know you said you used a TA, so they would probably have to go to bat for you. I had booked with our pvp and he just had to put me on hold for a few minutes and get permission to waive the fees. Get well soon! 

[CanWeGoYet?]

For any future cruises you book, you can get trip insurance on your own.  I book most of my own cruises, but when I did go through a big online travel agency - he asked if I wanted to book trip insurance through him.  I declined, and got mine on my own through squaremouth.com   I like their site a little better than Insuremytrip.com, but both sites are good.

You absolutely need pre-existing condition covered, I think everyone should get this -  I would not cruise without it.  On Squaremouth.com there is a box to check off on the margin for cruise travel.  It is a good filter that will make sure you have adequate medical & medevac coverage.  Check off pre-existing condition for things you are shopping for on your trip insurance.  I also always select primary coverage.  It may not cost a lot more and saves you  the  trouble of submitting the claim to your own insurance first, and waiting for them to deny it before your trip insurance covers.

 

Buy your trip insurance soon after putting down your deposit.  You can buy a policy that has a pre-existing condition waiver even if you don't get it right away, but it costs so much less if you make sure you get the coverage soon.  I think with the policy I bought last, it showed I had up to 2 weeks after initial booking to buy the coverage at the good rate.  

 

I hope the treatment goes smoothly and that you have a fanastic, relaxing cruise.  

Edited January 28, 2019 by CanWeGoYet?

[searoses]

I highly tecommend insuremytrip....a great company who will take the time to customize your insurance needs....they saw me through a long and diffucult health issue where i had to rebook and cancel numerous times....couldnt revommend them highly enough...do it tomorrow because time is of the essence...and goid luck,in your treatment....you have a great attitude and that counts for a lot....i hope your sister is doing well,too...

[vicky3vicky]

Everyone has given good information for you to check out. I have also had breast cancer. I went on a cruise on the Magic for my first year '"Canniversary" It was the PERFECT way to celebrate, and to relax and renew. I hope you can go on your cruise.

 

I received a lot of online support on breastcancer.org. There are different areas where ou can find others in the same stages, the same treatments. It is almost like going through it together.  I would also reccomend that you find a 'Look Good, Feel Better" class in your area. It is free, whether you get chemo or not. It is a 2 hour class, where you meet other ladies, who, ussually are in the earlier stages of treatment. You get makeup tips and hundreds of dollars of free makeup. They also teach you to make turbans out of old t-shirts. 

 

I hope and pray that things go as smoothly as possible for you. If you need someone to talk to, I am here for you.

 

 

[Athankfulheart]

We use Travelex and they offer a free pre-existing conditions waiver if you purchase the policy within 2/3 weeks of your booking ( depending on which of thier 2 policies you buy). Other companies offer similar. Prayers for peace and a successful surgery and quick recovery. 

[2wheelin]

So Sorry for your diagnosis and hope surgery/radiation go well for you. Sometimes radiation is delayed for a few weeks after surgery but even if it is, you should have plenty of time to recover. 

I am currently just booking a cruise and researching insurance and it can be overwhelming when you consider all the options. My best advice for you would be to lean on your bff to do all they can to lower you stress level by taking care of whatever planning they can. I know planning can normally be fun but any added stress now is not your friend.

Get well and enjoy your cruise with your boys.

[April42749]

Just to post my own bc story & cruising (dates may be off only by a day or so):

Diagnosed-10/2/15

Lumpectomy-11/11/15

Cruise-12/10/15

Radiation-12/27/15-2/2/16

Cruise-2/18/16

 

Point being....I know you are stressed (I was)....but the healing process can be swift.

For the record....I had Stage 1A

[summersigh]

We've been using the Carnival Insurance on some of our Caribbean cruises lately since it would cover hospital costs or if we had to fly DH, who occasionally has issues, home if he had a problem.  It also has cancellation coverage.

 

Twice we had to cancel within a week of the cruise.  Both times it's payout covered both of us even if the Doctor's form we filed was just about him.  We got all our money back except the cost of the insurance - even with Early Saver.

 

If we go on a longer trip like the Southern islands, the Panama Canal, Alaska or Transatlantic we buy private insurance with larger payouts (hospital fees and/or flying home by medivac) if there were a problem.

Edited January 28, 2019 by summersigh

[gamecockinnc]

It’s come down to the wire. And I have to cancel the Spring Break cruise today or loose they rest of pur deposit. I switched to a new TA for this cruise which we booked right before Hurricane florence hit us. I admit I didn’t catch she booked the cheap deposit with restrictions. And being platinum I should have. In my defense my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer while I was going through Hurricane Florence and I started flying out to help her as soon as we had power and pur roof tarped. I was with her for 3 weeks and then home for a week. I had come home for Christmas and to spend time with my husband and our 3 sons and had my regular mammogram 2 days later and I was diagnosed.

 

I am having surgery tomorrow at Chapel Hill.

 

As I said my bff and her youngest son and myself and our late in life gift had the 8 night Horizon booked for Spring Break. Final payment is due today. Apparently we had each put down $250. But will only get $100 back. Trust me I have talked to my TA but she said it’s the rules. I even said I am booking 2 Carnival cruises. One for the summee graduation cruise and then the Horizon for next spring break 2020. And I said remind them I am a loyal Carnival cruiser (platinum only mentioning because it shows we are loyal and repeat cruisers).

 

So we have to cancel the cruise today and our hold on 4 cabins for the July cruise is up today and I have breast cancer surgery tomorrow.

YES loosing $150 each really perturbs us because we booked these cruises last summed before cancer.

 

But I have a today to figure this out with the summer cruise. 

 

Does everyone in the party all 8 cruisers have to purchase the more expensive insurance?

I am taking my 8 year old in my  cabin.

in another cabin will be my older 2 sons.

in another cabin will be my  BFF and her 8 year old.

in another cabin will be her eldest son and a friend.

 

If I put down my downpayment today how quickly do I need to purchase the other insurance.

 

I am usually not this pathetic but the last few months have worn me down and tomorrow has me rattled.

 

I want to get these booked. I want to have something to look forward too.

But I can’t risk loosing myself and the group $10,000.

 

[gamecockinnc]

10 hours ago, searoses said:

I highly tecommend insuremytrip....a great company who will take the time to customize your insurance needs....they saw me through a long and diffucult health issue where i had to rebook and cancel numerous times....couldnt revommend them highly enough...do it tomorrow because time is of the essence...and goid luck,in your treatment....you have a great attitude and that counts for a lot....i hope your sister is doing well,too...

But does everyone in the group. All 8 of us need the pre existing covergae. That is where I am confused. Because if I cannot go then my 3 sons and their friend won’t go. And there goes more than half of the group. And I seriously doubt my bff and her 2 sons will go either.

[gamecockinnc]

But does everyone in the group all  8 of us need the pre existing coverage. That is where I am confused. Because if I cannot go then my 3 sons and their friend won’t go. And there goes more than half of the group. And I seriously doubt my bff and her 2 sons will go either.

 

I just heard from my TA the hold expired this morning at 8:00 am she worked her magic and they ars holding it a few more hours but the price went up.

And Carnival will give us back $150 of our $250 deposits that we put down in August. That don’t care about my Christmas cancer diagnosis or that I am a loyal cruiser aka platinum.

[cherylandtk]

I’ll make this brief since you are under the time crunch.  Insurance looks at who is booked on your same reservation number to decide who is a ‘traveling companion’ .  Your kids all qualify as family members, friends do not unless booked on the same reservation number, which usually means same cabin.  So most likely, your bff (and her kids )does not count as traveling companion. (eta-that means it does not matter if they get the PEC waiver or not, your covered reason cancelation would not be a covered reason for them , period).

 

My best advice is let the hold expire, save the deposit (sounds like a ES Deposit?) at Carnival to be used later on another booking, focus on your surgery and revisit this in a couple weeks after your pathology comes back and you know what you are dealing with.

Edited January 28, 2019 by cherylandtk

[Elaine5715]

17 minutes ago, gamecockinnc said:

But does everyone in the group all  8 of us need the pre existing coverage. That is where I am confused. Because if I cannot go then my 3 sons and their friend won’t go. And there goes more than half of the group. And I seriously doubt my bff and her 2 sons will go either.

 

I just heard from my TA the hold expired this morning at 8:00 am she worked her magic and they ars holding it a few more hours but the price went up.

And Carnival will give us back $150 of our $250 deposits that we put down in August. That don’t care about my Christmas cancer diagnosis or that I am a loyal cruiser aka platinum.

I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis and pray for a complete recovery.  Unfortunately, like most places with nonrefundable costs, they are in a tough place decide who get the exception and who doesn't because it is an exception to policy.  

Your questions really can only be answered by the insurance company you purchase travel insurance from because it matters.  If you have cancel for any reason, it means that just that.

[bingomamma19]

1 hour ago, gamecockinnc said:

It’s come down to the wire. And I have to cancel the Spring Break cruise today or loose they rest of pur deposit. I switched to a new TA for this cruise which we booked right before Hurricane florence hit us. I admit I didn’t catch she booked the cheap deposit with restrictions. And being platinum I should have. In my defense my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer while I was going through Hurricane Florence and I started flying out to help her as soon as we had power and pur roof tarped. I was with her for 3 weeks and then home for a week. I had come home for Christmas and to spend time with my husband and our 3 sons and had my regular mammogram 2 days later and I was diagnosed.

 

I am having surgery tomorrow at Chapel Hill.

 

As I said my bff and her youngest son and myself and our late in life gift had the 8 night Horizon booked for Spring Break. Final payment is due today. Apparently we had each put down $250. But will only get $100 back. Trust me I have talked to my TA but she said it’s the rules. I even said I am booking 2 Carnival cruises. One for the summee graduation cruise and then the Horizon for next spring break 2020. And I said remind them I am a loyal Carnival cruiser (platinum only mentioning because it shows we are loyal and repeat cruisers).

 

So we have to cancel the cruise today and our hold on 4 cabins for the July cruise is up today and I have breast cancer surgery tomorrow.

YES loosing $150 each really perturbs us because we booked these cruises last summed before cancer.

 

But I have a today to figure this out with the summer cruise. 

 

Does everyone in the party all 8 cruisers have to purchase the more expensive insurance?

I am taking my 8 year old in my  cabin.

in another cabin will be my older 2 sons.

in another cabin will be my  BFF and her 8 year old.

in another cabin will be her eldest son and a friend.

 

If I put down my downpayment today how quickly do I need to purchase the other insurance.

 

I am usually not this pathetic but the last few months have worn me down and tomorrow has me rattled.

 

I want to get these booked. I want to have something to look forward too.

But I can’t risk loosing myself and the group $10,000.

 

I always book through insuremytrip and get the pre existing waiver.   The waiver is good for the people on the policy...but the pricing for the policy is based on peoples ages also.  

 

For us, its me (51) dd (13) and mom (78)...moms portion is the highest for cost. (I have priced them out separately for just my mom and just my DD and I to get the cost comparisons for everyone)     Obviously, the older you are, the more risk for a claim...so you shouldn't worry about pre existing being on for everyone...its not a bigger cost overall.   You will have to buy the insurance within about 2 weeks of deposit of the cruise.   I would do it right away.

 

you can call insuremytrip and walk through with them what you need and they can get you the right policy.

 

Good luck on your surgery and hope all goes well!!