River Boat Covid Question

[ldtc2]

So, we are planning on a Rhine Riverboat cruise mid October 2022 ( Amawaterways). I can't seem to find where I would post my question. Specifically it is: if we stay an extra day in Amsterdam ( while on the ships post cruise extension) and we test positive for Covid - who pays for the quarantine? 

 

I am assuming that if we are tested on the ship before we have to take off for the USA, and are positive, then the river boat tends to cover you? 

Or is there a hotel we can stay at in Amsterdam that covers you and your partner in the event that you test positive? 

 

I asked Ama but they had no idea. Also, I don't see anywhere that I can post this question for Amawaterways? Can someone provide me a link? 

TIA

[navybankerteacher]

5 minutes ago, ldtc2 said:

So, we are planning on a Rhine Riverboat cruise mid October 2022 ( Amawaterways). I can't seem to find where I would post my question. Specifically it is: if we stay an extra day in Amsterdam ( while on the ships post cruise extension) and we test positive for Covid - who pays for the quarantine? 

 

I am assuming that if we are tested on the ship before we have to take off for the USA, and are positive, then the river boat tends to cover you? 

Or is there a hotel we can stay at in Amsterdam that covers you and your partner in the event that you test positive? 

 

I asked Ama but they had no idea. Also, I don't see anywhere that I can post this question for Amawaterways? Can someone provide me a link? 

TIA

I do not think that you are going to get a definitive answer which pleases you.

[ldtc2]

Is there an answer? 

[Host Jazzbeau]

One answer:  this is the right place to ask this question.  But as to the answer:  sorry, can't help.

[ljandgb]

Honestly, I think in this day and age, it makes sense to get insurance for this.  I've traveled pretty extensively in the past and never gotten travel insurance.  Now, I would look for something that covers at least part of these sorts of expenses.

[beesKate]

Everything I've seen about travel in general, not specific to river cruises, is the traveller foots the bill.  You may also want to double check airline restrictions too.  If AMA made flight arrangements they should be able to answer about changes to your flight, but if you made them yourselves, you could be footing the bill for any changes.  If you test positive on the ship, and isolate on the ship during the cruise, then the cruise line would cover that, but if your isolation period (whatever that may be in October 2022) expires they aren't going to keep you on the ship when it leaves for another cruise.  If you're off the ship, the cruise line may assist with arranging the extension your stay, but it's dependent on the occupancy at the hotel and I would not expect them to pay for it.  I listen to a podcast where a family had one member test positive (asymptomatic) and their hotel was fully booked.  They had to scramble to find accommodations and had to pay to change their flights.  Insurance is a good idea, but you probably need to read the fine print and make sure it covers this situation.  

[gnome12]

I don't know what cruise line it was, but the daughter of a friend of mine tested positive on the cruise, and they were dumped off the boat. (River cruise boats are much too small to have anywhere to quarantine passengers on board.) I don't know who covered the cost of their quarantine in a hotel on the outskirts of Frankfurt.

[Peregrina651]

20 hours ago, ldtc2 said:

So, we are planning on a Rhine Riverboat cruise mid October 2022 ( Amawaterways). I can't seem to find where I would post my question. Specifically it is: if we stay an extra day in Amsterdam ( while on the ships post cruise extension) and we test positive for Covid - who pays for the quarantine? 

 

I think the key here is that your stay in Amsterdam is part of your contract with AMA and I would like to think that you would be treated the same as if you were still on board, because certainly the extension is part of your contract with the cruise line. The question therefore becomes, "Just how does this cruise line handle quarantines?" 

 

The other question is regardless of what the cruise line covers, what exactly does my insurance cover. Each policy is different. If you have any questions, ask the insurance company.

[Jack1]

On 1/19/2022 at 5:33 PM, ldtc2 said:

So, we are planning on a Rhine Riverboat cruise mid October 2022 ( Amawaterways). I can't seem to find where I would post my question. Specifically it is: if we stay an extra day in Amsterdam ( while on the ships post cruise extension) and we test positive for Covid - who pays for the quarantine? 

 

I am assuming that if we are tested on the ship before we have to take off for the USA, and are positive, then the river boat tends to cover you? 

Or is there a hotel we can stay at in Amsterdam that covers you and your partner in the event that you test positive? 

 

I asked Ama but they had no idea. Also, I don't see anywhere that I can post this question for Amawaterways? Can someone provide me a link? 

TIA

Not sure if this is helpful but we are going on an Egypt river cruise with Amawaterways next month.  We asked our TA what would happen if we were to test positive at the end of the cruise.  She called Amawaterways and was told Amawaterways would assist us with finding a quarantine hotel and transporting us there but we would have to pay for it ourselves.  Kind of what we figured.

Hopefully we won't need that assistance! 

 

[terry&mike]

We sailed with AMA in Portugal in early September 2021. A passenger tested positive for Covid 2 days before disembarkation. All onboard were fully vaccinated, the passenger was not having symptoms or feeling ill.  That passenger, along with his wife, were quarantined to their room for the final 2 days of the sailing. They were traveling with 10 other friends who were allowed to go about their trip, per normal.  At the end of the sailing, the positive case husband and his wife were escorted by someone from the ship to a local hotel that is designated to accept Covid cases, and required to complete a quarantine stay at the hotel.  All quarantine expenses while at the hotel were the passengers responsibility. 

 

This also happened to us again while on SeaDream in December. A passenger tested positive mid-cruise, the ship rerouted to Puerto Rico the next day, and the passenger was removed from the ship and taken to a hotel designated for quarantine purposes, at their expense. SeaDream had all passengers sign a statement before boarding saying that you realized that is you tested positive and had to quarantine, all expenses were on the guest. 

 

We depart in a few days for Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus. We are on a small group tour in Jordan, and traveling independently for the rest of the trip. We have to do 7 tests in 18 days of travel, and know that at any time things could go sideways on that front.  We always hope this isn't the case, and do what we can to prevent it, but are aware it is a possibility.  It's the risk of travel these days.

[Daisi]

I can't see any line paying for the extra time you have to spend in quarantine if you test positive.  Yes, I would expect them to assist you to the best of their abilities in finding a place for you to quarantine, and hopefully assist you with a support person/group for food & supplies etc.

 

It would be the same as if you got ill with other health problems, they won't foot the bill.  That's what insurance is for, so you have to make sure you are covered for Covid as not all do.

 

 

[Wings55]

On 1/19/2022 at 6:33 PM, ldtc2 said:

So, we are planning on a Rhine Riverboat cruise mid October 2022 ( Amawaterways). I can't seem to find where I would post my question. Specifically it is: if we stay an extra day in Amsterdam ( while on the ships post cruise extension) and we test positive for Covid - who pays for the quarantine? 

 

I am assuming that if we are tested on the ship before we have to take off for the USA, and are positive, then the river boat tends to cover you? 

Or is there a hotel we can stay at in Amsterdam that covers you and your partner in the event that you test positive? 

 

I asked Ama but they had no idea. Also, I don't see anywhere that I can post this question for Amawaterways? Can someone provide me a link? 

TIA

You would be responsible for hotel/quarantine expenses along with any costs dues to travel plan changes. This is why travel insurance is so important these days. Do your homework and shop carefully to make sure you get the coverages you need. Hopefully by October things will have calmed down. 

Enjoy your trip!!
Paul

[ldtc2]

Thank you all for the input. Unfortunately, I didn't pick the Covid insurance policy rider as it is considerably more money. It would be nice if one of the cruisers who have experienced something similar could post. 

I think I will definitely book the post cruise trip with the cruise line. 

 

Is there a link to AmaWaterWays on Cruise Critic where we can ask questions? 

 

[PhD-iva]

On 1/21/2022 at 11:31 AM, ldtc2 said:

Is there a link to AmaWaterWays on Cruise Critic where we can ask questions? 

 

Please call the cruiseline or your TA (or both - to double check the answers you are given). Never assume others that post here on CC have the right answer for your situation. 
Good luck!

PS, I believe both Celebrity and Oceania cover the costs of quarantine (certain conditions apply). Probably Regent does as well, as they have the same corporate owner as Oceania.

[Daisi]

On 1/21/2022 at 12:31 PM, ldtc2 said:

 

 

Is there a link to AmaWaterWays on Cruise Critic where we can ask questions? 

 

 

No link here that I know of, but Ama would have a link on it's website, or your TA may be able to help you.  Glad you are taking the extension, Amsterdam is easy to do yourself, and a great city just to wander around in.  Enjoy.

[Geogguy]

We are planning on going on a River cruise in May and found that neither our Group Benefits Travel Plan or credit card travel plan included COVID quarantine costs in the policies. We purchased a separate Covid specific plan that covered Trip Interruption due to Covid quarantine. It will cover $200 per day up to 14 days per person plus $500 for flight changes. The cost is about $60 for a 10 day trip.

[travelingman]

5 minutes ago, Geogguy said:

We are planning on going on a River cruise in May and found that neither our Group Benefits Travel Plan or credit card travel plan included COVID quarantine costs in the policies. We purchased a separate Covid specific plan that covered Trip Interruption due to Covid quarantine. It will cover $200 per day up to 14 days per person plus $500 for flight changes. The cost is about $60 for a 10 day trip.

 

Can you tell us who booked the COVID policy.  Sounds like a good price to me for that coverage.  Thanks.

 

Stan

[Geogguy]

Our cruise is through Emerald and they provided a direct link to a Manulife Insurance site. I know that the policy is available in Canada, but not sure if they also offer it in the U.S.