Do you buy the Celebrity insurance or something else?

[TeeRick]

Added suggestion.  If you purchase travel insurance from Celebrity or any other company, pay careful attention to their wording on COVID and pandemic coverages which have been recently added to some policies.

[graphicguy]

22 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Added suggestion.  If you purchase travel insurance from Celebrity or any other company, pay careful attention to their wording on COVID and pandemic coverages which have been recently added to some policies.

My TA told me the same thing.  Surprisingly, she’s not a fan of any cruise lines’ insurance, and she makes a commission when selling it.  And, she still doesn’t.  She does recommend InsureMyTrip.com, which I’ve used in the past.

[hancock]

I go to www.squaremouth.com for our insurance. In the past, we've gotten cancellation and med insurance.  For two upcoming cruises, we just got medical and evacuation insurance.  Very reasonable.

[graphicguy]

11 hours ago, wallysdtr said:

I pay a portion of the cruise with my Chase Sapphire card.  I learned this from a poster years ago.   This has saved me a considerable amount of money. 

 

 

Chase Reserve is another that offers some pretty decent travel insurance at no charge.  They have similar benefits as AMEX Platinum does.  I went back and forth for a while between the two, when Chase was offering 100,000 points to sign up.  At the time, that netted me a free cruise when I converted those points.  So, for the annual $500 credit card fee, I got a balcony cabin on a 7 day cruise on NCL, insurance included, thrown in.  Good deal, but I cancelled it shortly thereafter and kept the AMEX Platinum instead.

 

I don’t think either card offers such generous sign up bonuses any more.  But, both offer points on your purchases you use it for.  Both offer extended warranties if you charge any products using their cards.  Both offer some pretty good travel insurance.  Both offer either Lyft or UBER credits.  Both offer special airport lounge access.  

 

Compare both as they have some differences.  Use the one that has the benefits and fits better with how you’d use it.

 

May matter to some, but the Platinum AMEX requires full payment every month, unless you ask them to give a payment plan.  Not the best way to go if you don’t pay your balance every month as the interest rates are typically high (as are all credit cards).

 

I think the Chase Sapphire always offered a payment plan.

[wallysdtr]

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Hope you're not using your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to pay for your cruise.  Lousy return on your spend compared to other redemption values.

I don't use the rewards points to book the cruise.  I pay for only a portion of the cruise with my Chase Sapphire card so that I have the free travel insurance.  We bought the Celebrity insurance about 10 years ago, got caught up in a snowstorm and the legitimate claim didn't work out for us so well.  After that I started using the sapphire card and was much happier with any issue we had.    A fellow cruiser convinced my husband to get the Celebrity credit card.  We don't spend that much that we would ever get a free cruise but we will use it for OBC.

[westcoastcruiser]

We never buy the insurance through the Cruise Line.  We purchase from Trip Insurance Store where Steve, the owner, or his staff, talk through with you what your needs are based on where you are going.  He is an excellent resource and has the latest information on how COVID has affected trip insurance going forward.  Highly recommend!  

[bajathree]

On 6/10/2021 at 7:11 AM, cwayne said:

We always used Travel Guard in the past but purchased through Celebrity for our upcoming cruise. Rate was $100 less. 

Travel Guard was $200 LESS when compared to X for my upcoming trip....very similar coverage.

[ghstudio]

If you are thinking about buying Celebrity's insurance, please read the coverage limits carefully and understand them.  IMHO, their coverage of medical is enough to get you off the ship.  I also recommend looking at MedJet annual coverage in addition to whatever insurance you buy.  The big difference MedJet offers is that YOU make the decision to be evacuated to your home hospital.  You'll find that most other policies THEY make the decision whether you can be treated effectively where you are.  Do you want to spend 3 weeks recuperating from xxxx in a hospital in Greece or would you rather be flown home to recuperate in your home hospital.  Check out the insurance forum on CC.

 

[cwayne]

It probably depends in large part where you're cruising to. For us the X insurance at $100 less was perfectly fine cruising in the Caribbean.

[Luckynana]

 

We'd been purchasing from Trip Insurance Store for several years now.   A week before our trip to Southampton and Transatlantic cruise, I had gotten ill and wasn't able to take our trip.   We had purchased cancel for any reason, and  we were reimbursed for all of our expenses;  the cruise, hotel, and all of the excursions we had purchased.  

 

A friend of ours mentioned the travel insurance that Chase Sapphire provides with our credit card, so we now just buy Medical and Evacuation from the Trip Insurance Store. 

[SD Beach Bum]

On 6/10/2021 at 7:18 PM, wallysdtr said:

I pay a portion of the cruise with my Chase Sapphire card.  I learned this from a poster years ago.   This has saved me a considerable amount of money. 

 

 

Yes, I do the same.  Unfortunately, the Chase Sapphire card doesn't cover trips greater than 60 days, and I have three of those scheduled through 2023.  I'm considering (for the first time) annual insurance plans.  Some cover longer trips over 60 days.

 

I'll have to check on the Amex Platinum card's day coverage.  I was a very loyal Amex customer, but defected to the Chase Sapphire Reserve because the benefits were much better.

[bboop51]

We have no medical coverage from our health insurance co. once we leave the US. When I looked into Celerity's coverage it looked thin compared to other insurance.  Each trip I call call insure my trip and get the best "any reason to cancel" insurance. They have been fantastic. They explained everything to me in non technical insurance terms. It was important to me since I have pre-exisitng conditions and needed to make sure everything was covered.

My travel agent is happy for me to get my own.

[mafig]

For over 30 cruises we never purchased insurance at all.  Started getting older and thought it would be wise to stop tempting fate.  After researching a little, my head was spinning.  Never felt so stupid in my life!  So my last couple of cruises I went with a Travel Agency whose perk was free insurance.  I still don't know if it was a good policy or not, but I know that it did cover pre-existing conditions.  The name of the policy was Travel Insured International.  Fortunately, we've never had to make a claim, but can anyone tell me if Travel Insured is considered good?

[drowelf]

On 6/11/2021 at 9:29 AM, graphicguy said:

My TA told me the same thing.  Surprisingly, she’s not a fan of any cruise lines’ insurance, and she makes a commission when selling it.  And, she still doesn’t.  She does recommend InsureMyTrip.com, which I’ve used in the past.

The fact that she doesn't recommend something that makes her money indicates to me that she is a good TA, as she is looking out for her clients interests.

 

We have also used that website as it allows some pretty good comparison shopping. As we ramp up our travel plans post covid and into near retirement, we are going to look into a yearly policy for Medical and Evacuation for our 2022 travels. 

[iancal]

We never buy travel insurance for a travel vendor, a bank, or an auto club.

[OUBaylor1]

I always book our cruises through USAA's cruise website which uses Travel Insured International, a Crum & Forster Company.  I have had to file a claim for three different cruises; once in 2017, once in 2018, and once in 2019.   The company reimburses in a timely manner.

Edited June 19, 2021 by OUBaylor1
wrong word

[wrk2cruise]

I also had Travel Insured International for several cruises.   My dad passed away 3 days before a 14 night cruise.   They processed the claim promptly and paid all non refundable costs including a cancellation fee charged by my TA for a fully paid reservation.   The next 20 cruises have been booked with a different TA.  Hope they liked their $100 fee.

Edited June 19, 2021 by wrk2cruise

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

1 hour ago, wrk2cruise said:

I also had Travel Insured International for several cruises.   My dad passed away 3 days before a 14 night cruise.   They processed the claim promptly and paid all non refundable costs including a cancellation fee charged by my TA for a fully paid reservation.   The next 20 cruises have been booked with a different TA.  Hope they liked their $100 fee.

I've never understood travel agencies that charge a cancellation fee.  Surely those customers would never come back to that agency.  I certainly wouldn't, but I'd never book with that agency in the first place.

[wrk2cruise]

That one was because they have great group rates/perks, although they had some other minor annoyances.    Now they seem to be having issues with customer service and under staffing.   I've been very happy where I am now.

[FlyerTalker]

On 6/11/2021 at 8:38 AM, wallysdtr said:

I pay for only a portion of the cruise with my Chase Sapphire card so that I have the free travel insurance.

 

Advice for all....check to see the specifics of your card's coverages.  Some will only insure if the full amount is charged to the card -- to avoid people only using it for a bit of spend, yet getting full benefit.

 

Caveat emptor.

[wrk2cruise]

30 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Advice for all....check to see the specifics of your card's coverages.  Some will only insure if the full amount is charged to the card -- to avoid people only using it for a bit of spend, yet getting full benefit.

 

Caveat emptor.

And I do think this is sage advise for CSR as well.  I believe they changed things in the last couple of years.  I believe you will have trouble unless  the full amount is charged on the CSR card.

[wallysdtr]

On 6/20/2021 at 6:42 PM, FlyerTalker said:

 

Advice for all....check to see the specifics of your card's coverages.  Some will only insure if the full amount is charged to the card -- to avoid people only using it for a bit of spend, yet getting full benefit.

 

Caveat emptor.

Good point .  The sapphire card information on Travel insurance is not specific regarding charging the full amount.  I did call and when speaking to a representative regarding the insurance, I shared how I split the charges.  She didn't indicate I would not get the coverage. 

[FlyerTalker]

53 minutes ago, wallysdtr said:

Good point .  The sapphire card information on Travel insurance is not specific regarding charging the full amount.  I did call and when speaking to a representative regarding the insurance, I shared how I split the charges.  She didn't indicate I would not get the coverage. 

 

Remember....the goal is to get you to put spend on the card, so that the card issuer can earn transaction fees based on the dollar amount.  Split charges across different cards defeats that goals, so is discouraged.

[Kevinwinston2019]

I never use to buy Insurance, but I did this time because of Covid-19. I believe whoever you buy it from, it is well worth in theses times. (wash your hands, please)

[kearney]

On 6/9/2021 at 7:17 PM, amypet said:

We just put our deposit down for a cruise next year and are confused about insurance (and refundable deposits!)

 

Who here always buys insurance? Of those who do, do you go with Celebrity's insurance or something else like Travelex or TravelGuard? What do you recommend and why? Thanks for your help!

I have used Allianz... had a great experience... I have also used insuremytrip.com and squaremouth.com ... these last two online services... look at a number of different companies. I usually go through and pick what I think is the best plan for us and then call and talk to a rep to get answers to my questions. Some, if not all now offer covid coverage which can help with medical and delays due to covid.

 

In considering insurance... think of what your concerns are... generally they involve cancellation or medical issues. We have been on a number of cruises where passengers have had to be airlifted or taken off by a small boat... and well.. I don't want that bill.

 

I tried these two online services because I wanted to modify coverage to be more focused on our needs. I have not used the cruise line's coverage.. it was not expensive..but it didn't seem to have the coverage I wanted either.

 

Don't be afraid to ask dumb questions... I find myself reasking about pre-existing condition waiver...

 

The earlier you purchase the better...some companies have time limits...eg purchase within x days if you want pre-existing condition waiver...that sort of thing.

 

I have only used it once..that was with Allianz... flights back to ATL were delayed days due to ice storm. We ended up renting a car and driving home... later I realized insurance might cover some... they covered car rental hotel and other expenses... more than covered the cost for that trip.