Canceling Cruise 35 Days Before Sailing

[kapcruiser]

We need to cancel our cruise due to an emergency. We do not have trip insurance. Norwegian doesn’t want to know anything.

What can we do?

[GeezerCouple]

29 minutes ago, kapcruiser said:

We need to cancel our cruise due to an emergency. We do not have trip insurance. Norwegian doesn’t want to know anything.

What can we do?

 

Use this as a learning experience to purchase travel insurance in the future.

 

Or.... since it looks like you've been on quite a few other cruises already, figure what you've "saved" by not getting any insurance on all of those trips (this wasn't the only trip you didn't insure, correct?), then consider that your own sort of "self insurance".

 

But make CERTAIN that you do have medical coverage somehow before leaving the country - always.... either through your regular health insurance or do get at least medical coverage for international travel.

 

Here is a link to the CC section about travel insurance:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/

 

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Edited February 28, 2019 by GeezerCouple

[luvbeaches5]

You may be able to get 25% of your cruise fare only refunded. You should, I assume, not be charged port taxes.

Look up NCL cancellation policies and procedures...

another reason to have trip insurance

 

[newmexicoNita]

43 minutes ago, kapcruiser said:

We need to cancel our cruise due to an emergency. We do not have trip insurance. Norwegian doesn’t want to know anything.

What can we do?

There is nothing you can do but plead your case which will not help much I don't think. I can only remember hearing of one time the cruise line did respond with a partial discount on another cruise and that was years ago. this is a lesson and a hard one. If the cruise line did offer some assistance to anyone without insurance there would be no reason for those of us who pay $100 or whatever for our insurance to bother. Not taking insurance is a gamble. I am sorry this happened to you. Hope whatever the emergency is all works out well 

[newmexicoNita]

19 minutes ago, luvbeaches5 said:

You may be able to get 25% of your cruise fare only refunded. You should, I assume, not be charged port taxes.

Look up NCL cancellation policies and procedures...

another reason to have trip insurance

 

good information. I think you are right about the 25%.    

[yankees111]

3 hours ago, kapcruiser said:

We need to cancel our cruise due to an emergency. We do not have trip insurance. Norwegian doesn’t want to know anything.

What can we do?

Why would Norwegian want to know anything? You made the decision not to buy cruise insurance with the knowledge that you would save some money but also knowing you will not be covered if you had to cancel. You are entitled to nothing. It is what it is.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

Without trip insurance, not much you can do.  Lesson learned to purchase trip insurance for your next voyage.   Sorry about your emergency. 😞

[kapcruiser]

If I bought insurance, do I get a refund or credit?

[NeurosurgeryNP]

9 minutes ago, kapcruiser said:

If I bought insurance, do I get a refund or credit?

Depends I guess. We get trip insurance not through NCL. We get the highest tier. And we would get our fare back. 

[GeezerCouple]

18 minutes ago, kapcruiser said:

If I bought insurance, do I get a refund or credit?

 

It all depends upon the terms of the specific policy that you get.

For example, is the reason to cancel a "covered" reason?  If not, did you get "CFAR" coverage (Cancel For Any Reason)?  In most third party policies (meaning, not through the cruise line company), one would get 75% cash back of one's non-refundable costs.  If through a cruise line, I think it is more typically a cruise *credit*, sometimes within a time limit (but it can be 90% instead of 75%).

 

LOTS of things to consider when deciding which policy to get.

 

Do look at the Travel Insurance section of CC for more discussions, and ask questions there, as suggested above.  That's where you'll start finding information.

And consider calling www.TripInsuranceStore.com  or any travel insurance broker, for choices among many policies and insurers.  CALL, don't just rely upon the online summaries, as the fine print can really matter, and that doesn't fit in the online "summaries".

 

GC

[Son of a son of a ...]

Look at your credit card benefits - there may be some coverage

[josumello]

2 minutes ago, Son of a son of a ... said:

Look at your credit card benefits - there may be some coverage

Unfortunately DH had a life threatening infection a few weeks before our cruise. We never purchase insurance but do have travel protection with our credit card. We were reimbursed for the whole cost of the trip. Also have world wide health insurance and evacuation insurance. After 20+ cruises this was our first claim. So important to know what risks u are taking. Actually we would have been fine If the cost of the cruise wasn’t covered. We have taken many cruises without insurance and knew the risks. 

[newmexicoNita]

OP, one more thing to remember unless you have cancel for any reason insurance which is more expensive, why you had to cancel would have something to do with getting your money back. You have an emergency and have to cancel. The emergency may or may not be covered. 

[fshagan]

13 hours ago, josumello said:

Unfortunately DH had a life threatening infection a few weeks before our cruise. We never purchase insurance but do have travel protection with our credit card. We were reimbursed for the whole cost of the trip. Also have world wide health insurance and evacuation insurance. After 20+ cruises this was our first claim. So important to know what risks u are taking. Actually we would have been fine If the cost of the cruise wasn’t covered. We have taken many cruises without insurance and knew the risks. 

 

There's nothing wrong with making a decision to "self insure". Trip insurance typically costs 5 to 8% of the cost of the trip, so if you only have a claim every 13 to 20 cruises you are basically at the break even point. Insurance is usually sold not on the basis of it being a "good buy", but on the basis of removing stress and uncertainty. If you get it free with your credit card, like you did, then it's a no brainer to take the free trip insurance and not pay for it.

 

Travel medical insurance is another matter because the risk is so much greater. Losing the money you already paid out is painful but not catastrophic. Losing $50,000 or more in a foreign hospital is a much greater risk.