Cruise insurance recommendations

[OzKiwiJJ]

25 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

On these initial cruises, there is only a day or two at sea between ports. Maybe the doctor on board would disembark people who were quite ill while they are in port, rather than take the risk that they would deteriorate further while the ship was at sea. I suppose it would also depend on how many people they can care for on board. COVID positive people are initially treated in the quarantine cabins, and only the sickest would be moved to the medical centre where there are limited beds. Maybe this area has been extended during the pause in cruising.

Yes, I imagine if someone was very ill they'd get them to a hospital as quickly as possible, which would be relatively easy given the first few itineraries. The only ones that go a little further offshore are the two that go to the Conflict Islands and those aren't until August and September. By then Princess will have a good idea about how many Covid cases they are getting each cruise - hopefully not many, if any.

[Aus Traveller]

5 minutes ago, arxcards said:

The first test has already provided for non-boarding on covid grounds per the survey.

 

Scenario. You have a mild case with minimal symptoms, so your positive test was taken well into the infection period. You take another test the day before boarding and it returns a negative result. Now there is a dilemma, and a rhetorical question.

 

Do you ignore your earlier positive and pretend it didn't happen, or answer the health survey truthfully like everyone has always done with their health forms?

This would present a dilemma. An example is my eldest son's family who all had COVID symptoms (elevated temp, lethagy, headache but no cold-like symptoms). Two RATS and one PCR test for all three showed negative. We believe they had COVID because the only person outside their household who they came into contact with in the preceding week, later advised he had COVID.

 

In this case, if they answered the health questions honestly, they would be denied boarding. However, if the person didn't reveal that they had been unwell, they probably wouldn't be able to pass the virus on because their viral load was so low, it didn't show up on the tests.

[arxcards]

7 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

This would present a dilemma. An example is my eldest son's family who all had COVID symptoms (elevated temp, lethagy, headache but no cold-like symptoms). Two RATS and one PCR test for all three showed negative. We believe they had COVID because the only person outside their household who they came into contact with in the preceding week, later advised he had COVID.

 

In this case, if they answered the health questions honestly, they would be denied boarding. However, if the person didn't reveal that they had been unwell, they probably wouldn't be able to pass the virus on because their viral load was so low, it didn't show up on the tests.

True. Another example is a household contact, who has been able to take the right precautions and prevent catching it - they test negative on the 24hr test, yet would still present a disqualifying yes when answering the survey.

 

When doing the P&O vaxx certificate last night on VeriFLY, there was a very implicit statement about the potential to make other people sick, and the risk of fines for a false declaration. I can't see it ATM, but will screenshot it when I add my wife's certificate tonight.

 

It seems to insinuate that the only way covid can get onto the ship is if someone is telling porkies about their test. We know that isn't the case though.

[Russell21]

I've just logged on to Insure and Go Aust site, the following is a cut and paste of their heading.

 

Cover for COVID-19 is now available in Domestic and One-Trip International Policies (Silver and Gold). Find out more here. As the Covid-19 situation continues to evolve, check out lastest travel alerts here before buying a policy.
Please note due to the current conflict in Ukraine, our policies exclude coverage for any trips to Russia, Ukraine or Belarus until further notice.

 

SORRY, got onto the Cruise page and the message as quoted re not covering cruising is accurate.

Edited May 20, 2022 by Russell21
extra bit.

[arxcards]

On 5/16/2022 at 11:56 AM, Relaxing Robbies said:

Are you certain that this domestic policy will cover you for medical onboard the ship and medical evacuation? I find their website a bit confusing.

 

A read of their PDS states which sections are included under the Domestic Frequent Traveller - Sections 10, 12, 12A,12B,13,14,16 and 19. Cruise Pack adds Sections 20,21,22,23,24 and 25.  Which of those sections do you think will cover medical and evacuation?

 

Section 1 Emergency Medical Assistance and Section 2 Emergency Medical and Hospital Expenses both state “This cover applies to all plans, excluding Domestic and Domestic Frequent Traveller”.

On 5/18/2022 at 5:32 PM, SuitesRbest said:

NO Cancellation cover if related to coronavirus? see below.

Cover for cancellation fees and lost deposits for pre-paid travel arrangements due to unforeseen circumstances neither expected nor intended by you, and which are outside your control, such as; sickness, injuries, strikes, collisions, retrenchment and natural disasters. Note: All policies contain an epidemic/pandemic exclusion and you will not be covered for any trip cancellation costs relating to the coronavirus.

On 5/18/2022 at 8:16 PM, arxcards said:

Yeah, it is as clear as mud.

- Princess will currently give you a future credit up to the gangway if you are unable to have a negative test prior to embarkation, so that is covered.

- P&O will currently give you a future credit up to 14 days from sailing, for pretty much any reason. There are no conditions detailed around any credits if you are unable to sail because of a positive test prior to boarding.

- The other cruise lines aren't close enough to sailing here to have anything specific on this in Australia

 

The endemic/pandemic exclusion applies to any government decisions to close borders or ports. If you were unable to cruise due to testing positive to covid, it would be about medically unfit to travel, and that isn't clear as to whether it is an exclusion in that section either. If you catch it on the ship, you are medically covered, so it is hard to fathom why the coverage wouldn't extend to being covered for the 7 days prior to boarding.

 

I am awaiting an answer from 1cover

 

Apologies for the huge wads of quotes above. Thank you @SuitesRbest and @Relaxing Robbies for highlighting this gap. I have received an answer back from 1Cover today.

 

Depending on who you are booking with, 1Cover may have a major gap in their policy. They are a company I have insured with regularly over the years, BUT I CAN'T CURRENTLY RECOMMEND THEM FOR CRUISE INSURANCE, especially for P&O Australia bookings. It is unreasonable to offer an insurance policy that has a large gap in your coverage. Check your own circumstances carefully, and also check policies from other insurers to see where they stand with cancellation cover for covid related reasons.

The specific part of 1Cover's response:

 

Specific to domestic cruising from Australia (and likely New Zealand):

Princess currently allows for cancellation for covid up to the gangway, and you will receive a future credit of your cruise value if you are unable to board due to covid. Even that carries 2 responses within their guidelines of their Australian FAQs, depending whether it is from a test 2 - 10 days, or your designated pre-boarding test:

What if I test positive to COVID-19, or am a close contact, in the lead up to my cruise and can no longer travel? Will I receive a refund?

If you test positive to COVID-19 within 10 days to your cruise departure you will not be able to travel and you should notify us or your travel agent so we can cancel your booking. Anyone else booked on the cruise from the same household as the COVID-19 positive guest will also be deemed a close contact in line with domestic requirements and will not be permitted to travel.

Where possible, guests should make a claim through their travel insurance to recover any cancellation fees incurred. Alternatively, guests can complete a compassionate request form on our website. Valid proof of positive COVID-19 test must be provided or a medical certificate confirming a positive COVID-19 diagnosis or close contact status.

 

UPDATED: What if I test positive for COVID-19 in my pre-travel COVID-19 test, prior to boarding the ship?

Guests who test positive for COVID-19 will not be permitted to board, together with their family members and close contacts, and should not travel to the ship. In this scenario, you & your travelling party who are denied boarding are entitled to a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC).

Guests who travel to the ship but show symptoms of COVID-19, and then test positive in secondary screening in the cruise terminal will be denied boarding, together with their family members and close contacts and will also receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit.

As per their site, these T&C's are subject to change.

 

P&O Australia

There are currently allowing you to cancel up till 14 days for any reason, and offering a future cruise credit. This is for cruises booked by 2nd August, and for departures up till 30th November. Once down to 14 days from sailing, their T&C's show that there is no refunds or credits for cancellation for any reason, including covid:

 

If you test positive to COVID-19 within 10 days to your cruise departure you will not be able to travel and you should notify us or your travel agent so we can cancel your booking. Anyone else booked on the cruise from the same household as the COVID-19 positive guest will also be deemed a close contact in line with domestic requirements and will not be permitted to travel.

 

If you have recovered from COVID-19 and still test positive within 10 days before your cruise departure, you will not be able to travel and you should notify us or your travel agent so we can cancel your booking.

 

I haven't looked in any depth at any of the other cruise lines policies. They may have something in place, but I haven't seen any specific details for Australian departures. Carnival does have a policy that is similar to Princess, but that may be just for North America.

 

The other gap at present is P&O Australia, as there is a significant disincentive to passengers doing the right thing and correctly reporting their pre-cruise covid test.

 

Sorry to be so long-winded, but I felt this needed some cyber-ink.

[arxcards]

 

Sorry, duplicate post

Edited May 23, 2022 by arxcards

[Cbtours]

On 5/19/2022 at 5:32 PM, SinbadThePorter said:

I'm still trying to get my head around cruise insurance during covid.

 

If I'm traveling on Princess and test positive to covid before I get onboard, I can't go, but Princess will give me the fare back as Future Cruise Credits.

 

If I catch covid onboard, I will be quarantined, but all onboard covid related medical expenses will be covered by Princess. Plus I'll be given FCC for each day in quarantine.

 

So if I'm OK with getting FCCs, then essentially Princess is covering covid for my cruise and I don't need any covid cover from a third party insurance provider?

 

So is there any point to looking for covid insurance coverage?

Possibly not apart from insurance still being recommended by Princess but not mandatory. When we started looking into the insurance needs for our cruises, at that point Princess didnt have any clause about covering costs for covid. I think it was introduced in the April 27th 2022 update for Australia, and I figured it was because it was the only way they were going to get Aussies onboard.So they did a whole section on it. Our PVP told us before then that they had introduced this covering covid on board in USA and he expected that they would follow suit for Australia. I haven't checked the rest of the world.

For us it was something we weren't prepared to travel without just in case. Now if I was looking it wouldn't be as big a deal. However we were happy with what we got and have our June and Oct cruises in Australia covered.

[Newby58]

On 5/19/2022 at 5:32 PM, SinbadThePorter said:

I'm still trying to get my head around cruise insurance during covid.

 

If I'm traveling on Princess and test positive to covid before I get onboard, I can't go, but Princess will give me the fare back as Future Cruise Credits.

 

If I catch covid onboard, I will be quarantined, but all onboard covid related medical expenses will be covered by Princess. Plus I'll be given FCC for each day in quarantine.

 

So if I'm OK with getting FCCs, then essentially Princess is covering covid for my cruise and I don't need any covid cover from a third party insurance provider?

 

So is there any point to looking for covid insurance coverage?

So it seems the only scenario you would need COVID cover for is if you were unlucky enough to get COVID pneumonitis and need to be medically evacuated for a ventilator? As everyone needs to be vaxed the chances of this are slim.