Covid 19 Assistance Program

[lexmiller]

58 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

So for folks who choose to cruise right now, assuming they know the potential risks, someone else (Celebrity) should insure you?  I do not understand this thinking, if I don’t have an auto or homeowner policy and the worst happens, isn’t that on me!  Buy a travel policy or don’t but accept the risk if you decide not to.  

Celebrity stands alone in the cruise industry as far as not extending their covid assistance program.  As some have suggested, as long as testing is mandatory, then if a passenger tests positive before boarding, the cost of the cruise should be reimbursed or at least, FCC given.  That is the bottom line here for many of us.  Mandatory testing?  Then if the passenger tests positive before boarding,  a refund should be given.  Parent company Royal has extended this key point - reimbursing the cost of the cruise if you test positive - until the end of March, 2023.  Again - Celebrity stands alone in NOT doing this.  Here again is the policy from Royal:

Guests will have the following COVID-19 Assistance at no extra charge. 

• 100% cruise fare refund for you, and your Traveling Party, if any of you tests positive for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to the cruise or at the boarding terminal, for cruises departing on or before March 31, 2023.
• Pro-rated cruise fare refund if your cruise is cut short for reasons related to COVID-19, for cruises departing on or before April 30, 2022.
• If you test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise, Royal Caribbean will cover the costs of COVID-19 related medical treatment onboard, any required land-based quarantine, and travel home for you and your Traveling Party, for cruises departing on or before April 30, 2022.

[Babr]

All of these bullet points can be covered by buying insurance.

 

Point one : Insurance will reimburse all prepaid nonrefundable costs under cancellation for a medical reason. In addition, it will reimburse you for costs associated with quarantine if you test positive at the pier. Celebrity is not paying quarantine costs after April 30, 2022, so even if they extended the cancellation feature until 2023, how are you any better off? You’d still have to pay for quarantine and return travel if you tested positive at the pier.

 

Points two and three expire in two weeks; but they, too, are covered by the Trip Interruption provision of a comprehensive travel policy.

The difference is that one has to pay for insurance. I guess I just do not expect the cruise line and - by extension - other paying passengers to continue to underwrite the cost of people who test positive for COVID. 
 

 

[wrk2cruise]

10 minutes ago, Babr said:

Points two and three expire in two weeks; but they, too, are covered by the Trip Interruption provision of a comprehensive travel policy.

 

Would the insurance company consider it trip interruption if on day 6 of a 12 day sailing 1 of the 2 passengers is quarantined?    Technically you are still on the cruise.   Serious question.

 

I'd be a bit disappointed if they really stopped compensation for people who are asked to isolate.   Celebrity has historically done this for people isolated for noro.  I'm not saying it should be a refund but FCC for the affected passenger like they have always done is appropriate.

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, lexmiller said:

Celebrity stands alone in the cruise industry as far as not extending their covid assistance program.  As some have suggested, as long as testing is mandatory, then if a passenger tests positive before boarding, the cost of the cruise should be reimbursed or at least, FCC given.  That is the bottom line here for many of us.  Mandatory testing?  Then if the passenger tests positive before boarding,  a refund should be given.  Parent company Royal has extended this key point - reimbursing the cost of the cruise if you test positive - until the end of March, 2023.  Again - Celebrity stands alone in NOT doing this.  Here again is the policy from Royal:

Guests will have the following COVID-19 Assistance at no extra charge. 

• 100% cruise fare refund for you, and your Traveling Party, if any of you tests positive for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to the cruise or at the boarding terminal, for cruises departing on or before March 31, 2023.
• Pro-rated cruise fare refund if your cruise is cut short for reasons related to COVID-19, for cruises departing on or before April 30, 2022.
• If you test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise, Royal Caribbean will cover the costs of COVID-19 related medical treatment onboard, any required land-based quarantine, and travel home for you and your Traveling Party, for cruises departing on or before April 30, 2022.

Yes you have posted this twice here.  That’s Royal though, as you know.  Celebrity seems to be leading the way for us to plan for personal responsibility.  I won’t belabor my thoughts on it anymore.  But don’t like it, cruise Royal.

[Babr]

1 minute ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

Would the insurance company consider it trip interruption if on day 6 of a 12 day sailing 1 of the 2 passengers is quarantined?    Technically you are still on the cruise.   Serious question.

 

I'd be a bit disappointed if they really stopped compensation for people who are asked to isolate.   Celebrity has historically done this for people isolated for noro.  I'm not saying it should be a refund but FCC for the affected passenger like they have always done is appropriate.

 

Bullet point two says it will provide a refund if your cruise is cut short because of COVID. I am reading “cut short” as “ended” though I am not aware of anyone who has been disembarked before the end of the cruise. That falls under Trip Interruption which will reimburse you for the unused days of the cruise and other prepaid nonrefundable expenses as well as your return transportation. Trip Delay would pay for hotels, meals, misc. if you had to complete quarantine shoreside.

 

Trip Interruption won’t pay for days on the ship, but neither does Celebrity. They give FCC, and there is no mention in the above policy indicating the cruise line will no longer do that.

 

 

[wrk2cruise]

Celebrity notoriously follows the leaders.   I think we can expect something very much like the RCL policy to come out in the next couple of weeks before the 4/30 expiration.

[GottaKnowWhen]

7 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

Would the insurance company consider it trip interruption if on day 6 of a 12 day sailing 1 of the 2 passengers is quarantined?    Technically you are still on the cruise.   Serious question.

 

I'd be a bit disappointed if they really stopped compensation for people who are asked to isolate.   Celebrity has historically done this for people isolated for noro.  I'm not saying it should be a refund but FCC for the affected passenger like they have always done is appropriate.

In the past, precovid, if a passenger was asked to quarantine because they were thought to be infectious and a threat to the shipboard population, then the quarantined passenger’s fare for those days was refunded. I don’t know why that would change. Just because it is not explicitly spelled out in there CWC policies doesn’t mean that this fundamental policy has changed. 

[stevetod]

There has been a lot of discussion on this and the bottom line is Royal who is the parent company has extended their cancellation policy to March or 2023 if you test positive for covid within 10 days of sailing and Celebrity has not as of now extended to match the parent company. I don't want to hear about insurance as Royal has extended already. I booked my cruise in January of 2021 for May 6th of 2022 after having  my May of 2020 canceled for obvious reasons. I am not looking for anything but the ability to receive FCC if I test positive for covid prior to sailing. I don't have the appetite or funds to throw away $4500 . If I go on the cruise then that's my choice. Why should I have to scramble to find insurance 20 days from sailing when Royal has done the right thing already. Celebrity let's do the right thing here.

[lexmiller]

44 minutes ago, stevetod said:

There has been a lot of discussion on this and the bottom line is Royal who is the parent company has extended their cancellation policy to March or 2023 if you test positive for covid within 10 days of sailing and Celebrity has not as of now extended to match the parent company. I don't want to hear about insurance as Royal has extended already. I booked my cruise in January of 2021 for May 6th of 2022 after having  my May of 2020 canceled for obvious reasons. I am not looking for anything but the ability to receive FCC if I test positive for covid prior to sailing. I don't have the appetite or funds to throw away $4500 . If I go on the cruise then that's my choice. Why should I have to scramble to find insurance 20 days from sailing when Royal has done the right thing already. Celebrity let's do the right thing here.

AMEN. What he said.

[sherylc]

21 hours ago, Babr said:

All of these bullet points can be covered by buying insurance.

 

Point one : Insurance will reimburse all prepaid nonrefundable costs under cancellation for a medical reason. In addition, it will reimburse you for costs associated with quarantine if you test positive at the pier. Celebrity is not paying quarantine costs after April 30, 2022, so even if they extended the cancellation feature until 2023, how are you any better off? You’d still have to pay for quarantine and return travel if you tested positive at the pier.

 

Points two and three expire in two weeks; but they, too, are covered by the Trip Interruption provision of a comprehensive travel policy.

The difference is that one has to pay for insurance. I guess I just do not expect the cruise line and - by extension - other paying passengers to continue to underwrite the cost of people who test positive for COVID. 
 

 

Curious how travel insurance would work for a group traveling together where one person tests positive the day before the cruise after the group spent several days together pre-cruise. That person should have their expensed covered under travel experience. Would their spouse? Would the other couple(s) that have now been exposed and would likely not be allowed to board the ship due to their exposure?

[Babr]

1 minute ago, sherylc said:

Curious how travel insurance would work for a group traveling together where one person tests positive the day before the cruise after the group spent several days together pre-cruise. That person should have their expensed covered under travel experience. Would their spouse? Would the other couple(s) that have now been exposed and would likely not be allowed to board the ship due to their exposure?

The language in most policies refers to the policy holder and traveling companion. In the case of spouses on the same policy, both would be covered if one tests positive.

 

Assuming the other people in the group, whether spouses or solo travelers, have their own policies, they would not necessarily be denied boarding if they still test negative. Check the cruise line policy, but I don’t think people are denied boarding for exposure alone. They may have to undergo additional screening or testing.
 

If they fail at that point and are denied boarding for medical reasons, then yes they are covered. Just be sure to get supporting documents to submit to the insurance company.

[lexmiller]

Covid cases are clearly on the rise, as we have all been reading.  And yet, 10 days and counting, until Celebrity's  Covid Assistance Program expires.  As pointed out in this thread, Celebrity has the dubious honor of standing alone with this 'honor' as most cruise lines have extended (my research was not exhaustive but all that I checked have extended - critically, Celebrity's parent company Royal).   The only people that are happy about this are the travel insurance brokers.

Covid-19 Assistance

Book a Celebrity cruise that’s sailing on or before April 30, 2022 and you’ll have the following reassurance at no extra charge:

• 100% cruise fare refund for you, and your Traveling Party, if any of you tests positive for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to the cruise or at the boarding terminal.**
• Pro-rated cruise fare refund for anyone who has their cruise cut short due to testing positive for COVID-19 or being suspected of having COVID-19 during the cruise.
• If you test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise, Celebrity Cruises will cover the cost of COVID-19 related medical treatment onboard, any required land-based quarantine, and homebound travel for you and your Traveling Party.

[Virginia100]

I have looked at trip insurance for our 8/8 Rome departure and the best lowest price in $676. But I have never used insurance and don’t know how it would really work. FP in 3 weeks. Correct CWC is 48 hours notification and useless if you wait until embarkation Covid test. Result for me is for non Florida cruises (like Rome) I will cancel either right before FP or make FP and see if some sort of Covid assistance is extended AND the US return test is eliminated and if not, cancel within CWC period. I will limited to US departures only. 

[lexmiller]

3 minutes ago, Virginia100 said:

I have looked at trip insurance for our 8/8 Rome departure and the best lowest price in $676. But I have never used insurance and don’t know how it would really work. FP in 3 weeks. Correct CWC is 48 hours notification and useless if you wait until embarkation Covid test. Result for me is for non Florida cruises (like Rome) I will cancel either right before FP or make FP and see if some sort of Covid assistance is extended AND the US return test is eliminated and if not, cancel within CWC period. I will limited to US departures only. 

I know it's been said on this thread, but I just can't believe that Celebrity won't follow Mama and Papa Royal by extending the covid assistance program though gradually rolling back aspects of it.  Critically the point is to extend point one, to refund the cruise fare or give FCC - as long as testing is mandatory, this is more than fair, to do right by the passengers, the customers.  The number of covid cases are rising, only 10 days to go.......

[Princess Fi]

50 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

I know it's been said on this thread, but I just can't believe that Celebrity won't follow Mama and Papa Royal by extending the covid assistance program though gradually rolling back aspects of it.  Critically the point is to extend point one, to refund the cruise fare or give FCC - as long as testing is mandatory, this is more than fair, to do right by the passengers, the customers.  The number of covid cases are rising, only 10 days to go.......

I have been monitoring this daily. I called Celebrity Captains club and they were reaching higher up. They called me back as taking so long only to be told no news or update. We fly to San Diego April 30 and sail May 3. We test in Canada April 29 so coveted there but have to test in San Diego May 1 (past their current end to assistance). If we test positive in San Diego I would hope they follow Royal extension. 

[Babr]

58 minutes ago, Virginia100 said:

I have looked at trip insurance for our 8/8 Rome departure and the best lowest price in $676. But I have never used insurance and don’t know how it would really work. FP in 3 weeks. Correct CWC is 48 hours notification and useless if you wait until embarkation Covid test. Result for me is for non Florida cruises (like Rome) I will cancel either right before FP or make FP and see if some sort of Covid assistance is extended AND the US return test is eliminated and if not, cancel within CWC period. I will limited to US departures only. 

If you had to cancel because of a positive test, you would qualify for reimbursement under medical reasons. Check the policy to see what documentation you need - perhaps a doctor’s diagnosis in addition to the positive test.

 

Be careful with the trip delay benefits. That is the provision that will pay for hotel and meals in quarantine. Get a policy with the highest dollar amounts you are willing to pay for. They are expressed as dollars per day per person with a cap for each. For instance, you could get $125 pp pd with a cap of $2,000. That might not pay all your expenses, but all policies have limits. Get the best you can.

[jojo1966]

ive just been told by Celebrity UK that the Covid Assistance Program is due to be extended.

[Virginia100]

17 minutes ago, jojo1966 said:

ive just been told by Celebrity UK that the Covid Assistance Program is due to be extended.

I would assume Celebrity US would follow. Did they say extended thru what date?

[jojo1966]

1 hour ago, Virginia100 said:

I would assume Celebrity US would follow. Did they say extended thru what date?

No - i just asked what would happen to us regarding covid exposure when we are doing a sort of b2b - 2 days apart - as i was concerned that being identified as close contact on cruise 1, would stop up boarding cruise 2, and that as the covid assistance finished 30.04.22 then would we still get refunded etc, and he just replies to tell me the covid assistance program was being extended and as long as we tested negative in the 2 days between cruises we wouldnt be denied boarding...

[lexmiller]

56 minutes ago, jojo1966 said:

No - i just asked what would happen to us regarding covid exposure when we are doing a sort of b2b - 2 days apart - as i was concerned that being identified as close contact on cruise 1, would stop up boarding cruise 2, and that as the covid assistance finished 30.04.22 then would we still get refunded etc, and he just replies to tell me the covid assistance program was being extended and as long as we tested negative in the 2 days between cruises we wouldnt be denied boarding...

As the expression goes, "from your lips to God's ears".  

[Babr]

7 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

As the expression goes, "from your lips to God's ears".  

I think she meant it would be extended for the second leg of her B2B as long as they tested negative since she boarded while the policy was in effect.

 

Not really clear. We can only hope.

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by Babr

[Princess Fi]

3 minutes ago, Babr said:

I think she meant it would be extended for the second leg of her B2B as long as they tested negative since she boarded while the policy was in effect.

 

Not sure if it was stated their first leg was prior to April 30?

[Babr]

2 minutes ago, Princess Fi said:

Not sure if it was stated their first leg was prior to April 30?

Not clear to me either. The waiting continues.

[jojo1966]

apologies - didnt mean to confuse anyone 🤣 to be honest - my question to Celebrity UK was more just out of concern for being identified as a close contact of a covid case on our first cruise say in the MDR - departing 3rd May - and then being denied boarding on the next cruise because we had been in contact within 14 days etc-  I asked about refunds due to the covid assistance program finishing 30.04.22 - he responded saying it was being extended, so because this thread was all about it finishing i thought id let you all know what he had said - be it right or wrong 🤷‍♀️ Im not even sure if the covid assistance program would cover that scenario anyway as i havent actually read up on it - but our insurance wouldnt cover it either i dont believe..so i was panicking a bit. I'm not sure what happens if you answer the health questionnaire truthfully and say you have been in close contact with covid ?? would that normally mean you couldnt go - or just warrant a test? which we will be doing anyway as we have to

[wrk2cruise]

The current onboard policy is if you are designated a close contact during any leg of the sailing you have to disembark at the end of that leg regardless of how you test.   Providing you cooperate with their protocols I don't see any way Celebrity would not refund your subsequent legs regardless of the current covid policy.  They would want to avoid a PR issue.