Insuring Vouchers

[deec]

21 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Dee, sorry to hear of your husband's health issues.

 

If you get the insurance answered and opt for vouchers, please note that you can also request multiple vouchers rather than a single voucher each.

 

When we cancelled the WC, as we have no guarantee DW can ever cruise again, I opted for the cash. Viking tried everything to have us accept vouchers. Since we walked away from a significant voucher from the 20WC, they would have replaced the voucher, if we accepted new vouchers, and indicated they would provide multiple vouchers of $10K each.

Heidi13,

I must have missed one of your posts on another thread,  I am sorry that you had to cancel your next WC.  I enjoyed reading the Magical Mystery Tour.  I do hope your DW will be able to cruise again!!!  Health at our ages can be compromised so quickly.  Thank you for all of your thoughtful and informative posts on Cruise Critic.

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, deec said:

Heidi13,

I must have missed one of your posts on another thread,  I am sorry that you had to cancel your next WC.  I enjoyed reading the Magical Mystery Tour.  I do hope your DW will be able to cruise again!!!  Health at our ages can be compromised so quickly.  Thank you for all of your thoughtful and informative posts on Cruise Critic.

 

Thanks Dee

[JDincalif]

2 hours ago, JDincalif said:

We too (in the US) were able to insure voucher amounts through TravelGuard/AIG, and were reimbursed without issues when covered events interrupted our cruise. 

Clarifying that travel insurance covered the voucher amounts when these were applied to a subsequent cruise; uncertain whether any insurers provide coverage against 'use it or lose it' voucher expiration deadlines.

 

When in doubt, a cash refund seems to be the prudent course.

Edited November 20, 2022 by JDincalif

[Heidi13]

13 hours ago, zalusky said:

That I can understand because world cruises are one of a kind.  It’s not like you have a lot of substitute choices.  Traditional itineraries are more a dime a dozen and easily replaceable.  So I could see them being tougher.

 

With a 7 to 14 day cruise there would be no benefit, but the Expedition cruises and longer cruises are also candidates to request splitting FCV's.

 

As with any negotiation, it pays to research and prepare your arguments, as clearly Viking's position is that they want to keep your money. You need to determine your walk away position, so it is irrelevant how tough they want to negotiate, if you don't get what you want, you fall back to your walk away position.

 

However, regardless of the value of cruise being cancelled, I expect Viking's position will always be to keep the pax money, and shift the risk to the pax.

 

 

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, Babr said:

 

Of course they did. It would have been a sweetheart deal for them. You take all the risk and keep putting new money in for deposits and perhaps additional fare unless you can find cruises in the Goldilocks range that matches the value of each voucher. Otherwise you forfeit any overage. If you can’t use them, they keep it all or whatever is left.

 

Did they offer to extend the expiration date as well?

 

Negative, once I declined the multiple vouchers they realised I wasn't budging from my walk away position, as the risks of accepting any vouchers was excessive.

[Babr]

2 minutes ago, JDincalif said:

Clarifying that travel insurance covered the voucher amounts when these were applied to a subsequent cruise; uncertain whether any insurers provide coverage against 'use it or lose it' voucher expiration deadlines. 

 

 

No. You may insure vouchers only when they are applied as a form of payment for a subsequent cruise. You can insure the amount that resulted from a cancellation for which you paid cash. You can not insure the value of any FCC awarded as a goodwill gesture or an incentive to accept the voucher. You have to provide documentation that defines the nature of the FCC.

 

Using such vouchers sets the date of your initial deposit at the time of the cancelled cruise, so keep that in mind if you need a pre-existing conditions waiver. CFAR will not be available to you.

[Insanityx4]

We booked a Viking Polaris trip using vouchers which Viking wouldn't insure. We had a travel insurance voucher from another cancelled cruise through Travel Insured International. We used their voucher plus payed the difference in cost for the new trip on Polaris which was more expensive. Try Travel Insured International. Their prices are competitive and they honor vouchers and FCC's.