Does Celebrity Cruise insurance cover the Air to the port (if you use Celebrity Air)?

[radman2020]

I am getting conflicting info.  AON is the insurance for Celebrity.  They say they don't cover the air portion of the trip to and from the port unless you buy your air through Celebrity.  I find this very upsetting because I almost didn't pick up on this!  I am likely to use Celebrity Air so it might be ok.. EXCEPT, that when I call Celebrity Air, they say the insurance doesn't cover the air and I have to buy add'l insurance.  Who is telling the correct information?

 

[Jeremiah1212]

https://www.celebritycruises.com/faqs/flights-by-celebrity

 

 

[cruisestitch]

The basic cruise insurance doesn’t cover the air.  When you book Celebrity air arrangements you have to add additional insurance because the covered items go up so the initial coverage isn’t enough 

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

It returns the below information.

 

CruiseCare insurance is available at an additional cost as part of your cruise purchase. Flights by Celebrity℠ coverage is included in the CruiseCare policy. Ask your Flights by Celebrity℠ Specialist or travel agent for details.

Edited October 31, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[radman2020]

Cruisestich, I don't understand your post.  The other posts clearly show that it covers....

 

 

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

I find the CruiseCare coverage very confusing and I believe that @cruisestitch is correct in saying that if you apply CruiseCare as part of your initial cruise booking process or before you purchase flights, the flights are not covered.  It may be that after you buy the flights, you can add coverage for those. This would increase the price paid to Celebrity and therefore should have an impact to the cost of the insurance.

 

It's worth noting is that CruiseCare is a combination of 3 components

1. A cancellation fee waiver offered by Celebrity (not insurance) in the event you cancel for a covered reason. For some states (MN, MO, and NY) the cancellation fee waiver is not offered by Celebrity and is part of the Arch Insurance policy.
2. A 90% future cruise credit "cancel for any reason" benefit offered by Celebrity (also not insurance).
3. A general travel insurance policy underwritten by Arch Insurance. This covers events that happen during your trip and not cancellation.

 

For the "cancel for any reason" benefit (item 2), it explicitly states in the terms that the Flights by Celebrity cost is not included.  So certainly the flights cannot be canceled for any reason to receive future cruise credit.

"In the event that you choose to cancel for a reason not authorized above or for a reason that is otherwise restricted, at any time up until departure, and you have purchased the CruiseCare, Celebrity Cruises will provide you a cruise credit equal to 90% of the non-refundable value (excluding Flights by CelebritySM, previously known as ChoiceAir) of your Cruise Vacation prepaid to Celebrity, for your use toward a future cruise."

 

It's unclear whether the prices of the flights would be covered in the event of cancellation due to a covered event (item 1).

 

Whether flights are covered or not, I would highly recommend going with a different travel insurance plan.  The covered events within the CruiseCare plan are very few and the coverage limits are a bit slim in comparison to those available from other insurance providers and the prices are comparable.  

[radman2020]

The insurance agent appears to be AON.  I agree about the 90% credit but I'm not going to get that from outside insurance for the cruise or flight anyway.    As far as the timing of when I buy the airfare, where is that written.

 

The AON agent insists the insurance covers the flights.  I didn't ask about the timing when I spoke to her.

 

How are the covered events few.  They seem pretty standard:

 

1. sickness, injury, or death of yourself, a traveling companion or members of either of your immediate families, which is diagnosed and treated by a physician at the time your cruise vacation is terminated;

2. involvement in a traffic accident, en route to departure, that causes you to miss your cruise;

3. your home is made uninhabitable by a natural disaster such as fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane or volcano;

4. you are called into active duty by the military to provide aid or relief as a result of a natural disaster;

5. subpoena or being called to serve for jury duty. Cancellation Penalty Waiver refunds are also provided if you are charged a change in occupancy/single supplement charge as a result of your traveling companion’s cancellation due to one of the reasons cited above.

 

Please advise your travel agent, Celebrity Cruises or the Program Administrator as soon as possible in the event of cancellation. Refunds will not be provided for additional charges incurred that would not have been charged had you notified these parties as soon as reasonably possible. Please note that an immediate family member is: the spouse (includes common law, civil union or domestic partner), child (includes adopted, foster, step or in-law), sibling (includes step or in-law), parent (includes step or in-law), grandparent (includes in-law), grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew. *Please note the following restrictions: Celebrity will not waive their cancellation penalty and provide a cash refund, should you cancel your cruise vacation for any of the following reasons:  a condition that first presents, worsens, becomes acute or has symptoms causing a person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment, or prompts a change in medication, during the 60 days before you purchased this waiver;  mental, nervous or psychological disorders, or normal pregnancy, unless hospitalized; elective abortion; drugs or intoxicants, unless prescribed by a Physician;  business, contractual or educational obligations of you, an immediate family member, or traveling companion;  declared or undeclared war, or any act of war;  service in the armed forces of any country;  any unlawful acts, committed by you or a traveling companion;  other condition, event or circumstance occurring prior to your purchase of the Travel Protection Program.

[WestLakeGirl]

Its all about the timing.

 

if you add something that needs to be insured after you make the initial booking, of course they will need to adjust the cost of the insurance over what was initially quoted

[cruisestitch]

2 hours ago, radman2020 said:

Cruisestich, I don't understand your post.  The other posts clearly show that it covers....

 

 

Buy the cruise for X dollars and the insurance price is based on that cost.

 

later if you add Cruise Air for $Y dollars you will need to adjust the price quoted for the insurance to cover the increased cost.

 

If when you buy the cruise inclusive of the Cruise Air initially, the quoted insurance price would cover X plus Y.

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

5 minutes ago, radman2020 said:

The insurance agent appears to be AON.  I agree about the 90% credit but I'm not going to get that from outside insurance for the cruise or flight anyway.    As far as the timing of when I buy the airfare, where is that written.

 

The AON agent insists the insurance covers the flights.  I didn't ask about the timing when I spoke to her.

I'm just going by what I can read from the documentation.

 

The list of covered events that you pulled from is a part of the "CANCELLATION PENALTY WAIVER PROGRAM" and it is stated at the top of that page:

"The following Cancellation Penalty Waiver Program is provided by Celebrity Cruises and is not an insurance benefit."

The issue is that AON is not covering the cancellation, Celebrity is.  The only exception where AON covers the cancellation is for residents of Minnesota, Missouri, or New York.  It looks like you're in Maryland, so that wouldn't apply to you.

So for your policy, AON only covers various events that happen during your trip (trip interruption, baggage delay, medical, etc.).

 

If the AON agent says it's covered, then have them give that to you in writing so that you can be sure.  The policy document from AON should have a total trip cost listed.  If your flight cost is included in that AND the policy states there is coverage for trip cancellation (not interruption), then you should be good.  That's what I would do at least.

 

Also, most travel insurance providers offer their own "cancel for any reason" benefits that you can add on.  It's usually a 75% refund but does come at a cost.

[radman2020]

As for when you purchase the air, the price of the insurance is not calculated with it in any case.  This is from the calculator:

 

Trip cost is the per guest amount paid to the cruise line as stated on your booking confirmation excluding taxes, fees, air, transfers and hotels.

[Arizona Wildcat]

Cruise Care cost and the amount of insurance for the trip is based on the amount paid to Celebrity. 

Everyone ok so far.

If your trip is say $10000 then that is the amount you are insuring.

If at a later date you change to a suite for an additional $5000 and buy airfare from FBC your coverage is the amount of coverage when the policy was WRITTEN.

It is exactly the same as your auto policy.  You have coverage on your 2010 Ford.  Trade it in on a new car you need to change the coverage.

Hope this is clearer.

[radman2020]

It isn't.  When they give me a quote for the premium, they specifically exclude the cost of the airfare, whether I have bought it yet or not. It isn't based on the cost of the airfare in any way.  What you say would make sense, but unlike a normal trip insurance policy, they are not asking for the total price - they are asking for the price of the cruise only..AND.. they are covering any air by Celebrity.

[radman2020]

Thanks everyone for your input.  It is very confusing.  When I call, they keep insisting that air bought through Celebrity is covered.  They cite the following from the policy.  They say that the air, if bought through celebrity is part of the "prepaid cruise vacation."  What am I missing?  I thank you in advance for your advice.

 

This Cancellation Penalty Waiver is an addendum to your cruise ticket contract. Through CruiseCare, Celebrity will waive their standard cancellation provision and refund to you IN CASH the otherwise non-refundable value of the unused portion of your prepaid cruise vacation, should you or your traveling companion need to cancel your cruise vacation for any one of the following reasons (subject to the restrictions noted below*)

 

 

. 1. sickness, injury, or death of yourself, a traveling companion or members of either of your immediate families, which is diagnosed and treated by a physician at the time your cruise vacation is terminated; 2. involvement in a traffic accident, en route to departure, that causes you to miss your cruise; 3. your home is made uninhabitable by a natural disaster such as fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane or volcano; 4. you are called into active duty by the military to provide aid or relief as a result of a natural disaster; 5. subpoena or being called to serve for jury duty.

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

1 hour ago, radman2020 said:

Thanks everyone for your input.  It is very confusing.  When I call, they keep insisting that air bought through Celebrity is covered.  They cite the following from the policy.  They say that the air, if bought through celebrity is part of the "prepaid cruise vacation."  What am I missing?  I thank you in advance for your advice.

 

This Cancellation Penalty Waiver is an addendum to your cruise ticket contract. Through CruiseCare, Celebrity will waive their standard cancellation provision and refund to you IN CASH the otherwise non-refundable value of the unused portion of your prepaid cruise vacation, should you or your traveling companion need to cancel your cruise vacation for any one of the following reasons (subject to the restrictions noted below*)

 

 

. 1. sickness, injury, or death of yourself, a traveling companion or members of either of your immediate families, which is diagnosed and treated by a physician at the time your cruise vacation is terminated; 2. involvement in a traffic accident, en route to departure, that causes you to miss your cruise; 3. your home is made uninhabitable by a natural disaster such as fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane or volcano; 4. you are called into active duty by the military to provide aid or relief as a result of a natural disaster; 5. subpoena or being called to serve for jury duty.

Got it, thanks for looking into that.  It wasn't clear whether "prepaid cruise vacation" included the flights purchased through Flights by Celebrity.

 

Key takeaways from this thread:

1. CruiseCare covers cancellation of flights booked through Celebrity, not flights booked directly with airlines, for the 5 covered events listed in the cancellation fee waiver.

2. CruiseCare does not extend the 90% cancel for any reason FCC benefit to flights booked through Celebrity.

3. It sounds like the flights purchased through Celebrity are covered no matter when you purchased CruiseCare? Meaning, there's no added CruiseCare cost if you book Flights by Celebrity after purchasing the coverage.

 

I could see #3 making sense because Flights by Celebrity mostly books refundable tickets so they aren't taking a huge risk. Plus they make money off the commission for these flights.

 

I'll still be purchasing insurance from a 3rd party based on the limited covered events and low coverage limits. Heck, my credit card offers better cancellation coverage than CruiseCare.

[radman2020]

All of my flights are "non-refundable."  I just can't believe they would cover something they don't charge a premium for.   I couldn't get them to put anything in writing other than what they have.  When they said they would cover, I asked if they would send me that specifically.  THey said no.  THey said it said it covered on their screen.  I asked for a screenshot.  THey said no.  

 

I called the claims people figuring they could tell me if they ever paid one of these on the air portion. They couldn't tell me.  They insisted that it was covered.. but later said they thought it wasn't covered.  What a crock of crap.  

 

In the end, I am going to do exactly what you said.  I am going to buy celebrity insurance ONLY on those I buy on my credit card (covers up to 20K total) and then the rest get the much more expensive outside insurance.  I am guessing it is more expensive because celebrity ultimately wouldn't cover that air.

 

The lack of clarity is more than frustrating.

 

I bet plenty of people buy the insurance from celebrity and think everyting is covered.  And if they aren't using celebrity air, the air is for sure not covered.  THis is absolutely deceptive for a product that is supposed to give you piece of mind!