To cancel or not to cancel. Advice please

[Postman806]

We are booked on a cruise March 29. My wife has a compromised immune system and so, due to the coronavirus , we are really weighing the option of just canceling this cruise  and not taking any chances.   We got the standard trip insurance through Princess which would offer a 75% credit toward a future cruise.   Of course we will wait until shortly before the cruise to make our final decision but I’m just wondering on the off chance that this thing goes sideways and princess cancels this cruise I assume we would get a 100% credit toward a future cruise? I guess this would affect how Long we wait to actually cancel our cruise.   What would you do in my situation?

[Qcruise]

Don't gamble with your wife's health......cancel.

[MissP22]

I would wait but I doubt if you'd be relaxed on the cruise anyway under the circumstances. 

[subaru94]

We were on Majestic Princess which shortened cruise due to virus, people travelling from Fremantle are getting 100% back for cruise with 50% future cruise credit of what they paid for the cruise.  Insurance is different overseas to hear in Australia.  We are unable to get insurance to cover the virus, so unless the ship cancels no money back.  Where is your cruise going to?

[MJSailors]

      I understand about your thoughts re: cancelling the cruise. I am thinking that you will cancel, you are just trying to choose the right time to cancel.

I also have a compromised immune system and we have cancelled a  fly/resort stay vacation which was to begin March 4 because of the implications of the Corona virus.

My advice would be to wait to see if Princess is going to cancel the cruise,offering 100% credit. Is there a time limit for you to get the 75% credit ? If not, I would wait knowing that you could at least recoup the 75% credit if,in fact, Princess does not cancel the cruise.

    I am not certain what the itinerary is for your cruise. Is it to an area wherePrincess would likely cancel or would the itinerary be changed due to the impact of the virus?

      We based our decision not only considering the chance of falling  ill, but also the question of quarantine and that impact on our health and well being.

     I hope it works out the best for you and your wife.

[Postman806]

3 minutes ago, subaru94 said:

We were on Majestic Princess which shortened cruise due to virus, people travelling from Fremantle are getting 100% back for cruise with 50% future cruise credit of what they paid for the cruise.  Insurance is different overseas to hear in Australia.  We are unable to get insurance to cover the virus, so unless the ship cancels no money back.  Where is your cruise going to?

Our insurance in ‘cancel for any reason’.    Cruise is round trip LA to Hawaii 

[Postman806]

7 minutes ago, MJSailors said:

 I am not certain what the itinerary is for your cruise. Is it to an area wherePrincess would likely cancel or would the itinerary be changed due to the impact of the virus.

LA to Hawaii.   I could see an outbreak happening in LA that could explode within a few days.   And with Hawaii being a popular destination for Asian countries that’s another concern. 

[memoak]

I would not be concerned with that itinerary.  We have 6 cruises booked for the next 2 years. Luckily the first 5 are all Us, Canada and Mexico. Not scared at all 

 

[Sam Ting]

Cancel at the last possible moment. 

[Postman806]

1 minute ago, memoak said:

I would not be concerned with that itinerary.  We have 6 cruises booked for the next 2 years. Luckily the first 5 are all Us, Canada and Mexico. Not scared at all 

 

If the cruise was tomorrow AND my wife’s immune system was full strength we would go.  We will wait and see because we really really want to go on this cruise but we’ll see. 

[Cafedumonde]

Since it is west coast I would cancel. Health is most important.  Maybe see if they will let you switch to one out of Florida ?

[memoak]

11 minutes ago, Cafedumonde said:

Since it is west coast I would cancel. Health is most important.  Maybe see if they will let you switch to one out of Florida ?

I don’t understand. What is the issue with the west coast and Hawaii. Very few cases on this coast and I ships being turned away

[Mikel1733]

Make the decision that is best for you and your wife.  If you go and worry the whole time you are on the trip what fun will that be.  Good luck!

[bennybear]

The only thing I will add is are the cancellation fees less right now?  Sometimes they are 50% a month or so out and then 100%.   If that is the case I would cancel now and you would be out less overall.  

 

[shiny1]

We’re considering canceling our upcoming cruise also. We do have the Cancel for Any Reason through the ship. My concern is one, it’s spreading quickly and two, the ports currently turning cruise ships away. The MSC Meraviglia was not able to dock in Jamaica, Grand Cayman or Cozumel this week due to a crew member being sick and quarantined because of flu symptoms. These ports are taking extra precautions to not risk bringing this virus to their small countries which certainly would be overwhelming to their not very advanced health care. The ship is due back in Miami this Sunday. Wondering if that will be a problem. If Caribbean ports start turning ships away, that’s another thing to consider.

[capriccio]

57 minutes ago, shiny1 said:

We’re considering canceling our upcoming cruise also. We do have the Cancel for Any Reason through the ship. My concern is one, it’s spreading quickly and two, the ports currently turning cruise ships away. The MSC Meraviglia was not able to dock in Jamaica, Grand Cayman or Cozumel this week due to a crew member being sick and quarantined because of flu symptoms.

 

It is being reported on the MSC board that the test results in Mexico were negative for COVID-19 and positive for influenza:

 

35 minutes ago, brilliantseas said:

Update to put minds at ease onboard MSC Meraviglia. From the State Secretary of Health in Quintana Roo. Translated from Spanish.

 

Update | Meraviglia case 9:30 p.m. Laboratory tests performed on two passengers on the Cozumel cruise confirmed Influenza. This is a common viral disease throughout Mexico. Health actions confirm the strength of the epidemiological surveillance system.

 

 Alejandra Aguirre @AleAguirreC_

https://twitter.com/AleAguirreC_/status/1233223029699883011

 

[Cafedumonde]

2 hours ago, memoak said:

I don’t understand. What is the issue with the west coast and Hawaii. Very few cases on this coast and I ships being turned away

Closer to Asia 

[rbrad3]

cancelled all cruises sold all cruise stock ill 6 months out also sold Disney stock 2 weeks ago 

 

 

[wrongwaywatson]

I have a compromised immune system due to cancer treatments (no cancer now...yay!) and we are going on the Grand to Alaska May 30th.  We talked for the last few weeks about cancelling, as final payment is March 1.  We are going ahead with it, but we do have Princess Platinum Insurance.  I'm hoping it will be under control by then.

[wen_c82]

Please call Princess to better understand penalties/ insurance refund.  If you cancel a month out the penalty is maybe ~50% Then with your CFR insurance you can minimize loss and take the same cruise in Fall instead.  I think it goes up to 75% if cancel within a month. 
 

[cherylandtk]

Penalty amount if passenger cancels:

44-29 days 50%
28-15 days 75%
14-0 days 100%
OP’s CFAR Insurance will pay 75% of the penalty amount as future cruise credit; any remainder will come as cash from Princess, which always includes taxes and fees.

 

If Princess cancels, they refund 100% in cash, plus give a FCC amount based on how much advance notice is given.   25% and up lately.

[Coral]

17 minutes ago, cherylandtk said:

Penalty amount if passenger cancels:

44-29 days 50%
28-15 days 75%
14-0 days 100%
OP’s CFAR Insurance will pay 75% of the penalty amount as future cruise credit; any remainder will come as cash from Princess, which always includes taxes and fees.

 

If Princess cancels, they refund 100% in cash, plus give a FCC amount based on how much advance notice is given.   25% and up lately.

Just to add to this - I am on a 26 night cruise and the penalties are a tad different:

 

Sailings 25 days or more (including Full World Cruise & World Cruise Segments)
Days prior to Cruise or Land Package Departure	Item(s)* Assessed	Cancellation Fee
120 days or more	None	None
90 to 119 days	Cruise fare	Deposit^ Amount
64 to 89 days	All Items	50% of Total Charges
43 to 63 days	All Items	75% of Total Charges
42 days or less	All Items	100% of Total Charges

 

https://www.princess.com/legal/passage_contract/pcl.html 

Edited February 28, 2020 by Coral

[san diego sue]

If we have already made final payment and want to cancel using cancel for any reason can we call Princess direct or does our travel agent have to do this?

We are at the 50% penalty but do have Platinum Insurance. I am thinking that 50% of the fare (and all the port taxes are refunded) may be better for us than a future cruise credit and going through the insurance. My husband actually has a health issue now but it may be considered pre existing so would not be covered under medical.

Last year we had to cancel for any reason and even though we told insurance up front that is how we were going, they kept asking for all kinds of info. Ours was for a flood in our house and we had major damage and repairs took 6 months.Finally they said we weren't covered for refund but would get Cancel for any reason credit through Princess. That is what I asked for to begin with so strange I had to go through hoops to get it.

 

[bennybear]

1 hour ago, cherylandtk said:

Penalty amount if passenger cancels:

44-29 days 50%
28-15 days 75%
14-0 days 100%
OP’s CFAR Insurance will pay 75% of the penalty amount as future cruise credit; any remainder will come as cash from Princess, which always includes taxes and fees.

 

If Princess cancels, they refund 100% in cash, plus give a FCC amount based on how much advance notice is given.   25% and up lately.

Good info,  But one doesn’t know if Princess will cancel. So if you have to cancel bird in hand?

[John99]

We (retirees) cancelled our February 29^thCaribbean cruise on 2/6/2020.

My wife health issue came into play -- bionic aortic heart value.

Insurance claim filed on 2/6/2020.

Claimed received by AVON 2/6/2020 for reviewed.

Princess Insurance – Elite  “Cancelled for any reason”.

 

Two (2) Certificates issued (one for my wife and one for me) by Princess for partial amount on 2/24/2020.

Certificates must be used by 12/31/2021.

 

Balance (less certificate amount) credited to my Visa credit card on 2/26/2020.

As expected – insurance amount not covered ($191.94).

 

We still plan on taking 2 cruises later this year. 

Alaska in July and Canada/New England in October.

John