Reduced port stays

[EJL2023]

1 hour ago, babydrum said:

How does annual trip insurance work vs insuring a specific trip.  I just looked up a quote and it didn't ask me anything about the amount of my trip, and the cost was about 1/4 of what insuring my trip would be.  Is that typical?

 

Geo Blue is mostly coverage for medical issues/expenses only.  They throw in some coverage maybe for baggage.  Whereas trip insurance is to cover your actual trip expenses for the most part and a bit of overlap with Geo Blue. So Geo Blue does not include cruise costs, airfare, etc therefore they don’t ask about total trip costs.  

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, babydrum said:

How does annual trip insurance work vs insuring a specific trip.  I just looked up a quote and it didn't ask me anything about the amount of my trip, and the cost was about 1/4 of what insuring my trip would be.  Is that typical?

 

We have done ours on line and directly with Allianz.  Online, you select which annual policy (they are something like family, single, business).  We go with the family.  The medical/evacuation insurance was fixed and quite good, and then we were given the option of $2,000, $5,000, or $15,000 trip cancellation/interruption, etc. This is the total annual coverage for everyone.  The medical evacuation is per trip per person.  When we did it with an agent, we told them the amount we wanted for cancellation.  You get a pre-existing condition waiver on any trip purchased after the policy purchase, and as long as you renew annually, that waiver carries over.  Our trips are normally more than $15K, but we are also covered for trip cancellation by our CC up to $10,000 pp per trip, $20,000 per trip, $40,000 annually.  We had to use the Allianz portion recently and it was it settled within a month or so.

Edited July 5, 2023 by 1985rz1

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

On 4/14/2023 at 5:22 PM, pinotlover said:

So the saga begins.

 

A couple of months ago one of friends tried to join us on O’s land tour in Israel during our upcoming Vista cruise. He was told it was waitlisted and couldn’t book. A month ago was final payment.

 

Today I get an email from Oceania telling us the Land tour didn’t have the minimum number of guests and it was cancelled. First Ouch!  Then, wait for it, if you’ll give us $300 each more, we’ll run the tour!! Second Ouch!! 
 

Oh, the games being played. 

Well, when I booked my 2024 cruise we were waitlisted for a freebie pre-extension on our cruise.  That was maybe 3 months ago.  After maybe half that time, I was notified we had made the waitlist.  Our final payment date is next month.  I'm hoping/assuming everything goes to plan and the pre-extension is a go.  It will affect our airline reservations, which we plan to make ourselves.  Luckily the cruise does not start from a country that makes many people nervous due to ongoing security concerns. But the email you reference your friend received has now made me a little nervous.

[babydrum]

18 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

We have done ours on line and directly with Allianz.  Online, you select which annual policy (they are something like family, single, business).  We go with the family.  The medical/evacuation insurance was fixed and quite good, and then we were given the option of $2,000, $5,000, or $15,000 trip cancellation/interruption, etc. This is the total annual coverage for everyone.  The medical evacuation is per trip per person.  When we did it with an agent, we told them the amount we wanted for cancellation.  You get a pre-existing condition waiver on any trip purchased after the policy purchase, and as long as you renew annually, that waiver carries over.  Our trips are normally more than $15K, but we are also covered for trip cancellation by our CC up to $10,000 pp per trip, $20,000 per trip, $40,000 annually.  We had to use the Allianz portion recently and it was it settled within a month or so.

I keep hearing about Allianz and them paying a small amount for missed ports too.  It's good to know they actually honor their claims.  I'll check into them for so.  I'm also considering AIG.

[1985rz1]

1 minute ago, babydrum said:

I keep hearing about Allianz and them paying a small amount for missed ports too.  It's good to know they actually honor their claims.  I'll check into them for so.  I'm also considering AIG.

Don't know about skipped ports coverage.  Ours was a medical emergency that cancelled the whole trip.

[sofietucker]

16 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

Don't know about skipped ports coverage.  Ours was a medical emergency that cancelled the whole trip.

Our Allianz Global Trip Assist Family Care policies for cruises all have coverage for missed ports, up to $100 per port (earlier I thought it was $100pp; that's when you have separate individual policies).

[1985rz1]

2 minutes ago, sofietucker said:

Our Allianz Global Trip Assist Family Care policies for cruises all have coverage for missed ports, up to $100 per port (earlier I thought it was $100pp; that's when you have separate individual policies).

Is that an annual policy or by-the-trip policy?  I don't recognize the policy name...but I'm not that familiar all that Allianz offers.

[AMHuntFerry]

19 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

I'm pretty sure the annual policy doesn't cover missed ports....at least it's not spelled out as a benefit. Annual coverage is not as comprehensive as per trip can be, but it works for us. So yes, let us know what they say.

This may be a case of different coverage for different states. The annual policy from Allianz that I've had did not cover missed ports. (Note, we do not have "family" as an option either, just keep adding who you want covered and their ages for the multi-person plan).

[pinotlover]

On our June Vista cruise we had two ports reduced by one hour, and one port reduced by 2 hours.

 

We had spectacular weather the entire trip and didn’t miss any ports. We were notified of the port time reductions upon boarding by being given a new itinerary. One had to read the itinerary and compare it to the previous one to catch the changes. They didn’t point them out.

[Redtravel]

I buy yearly travel insurance.  I don’t use it for missed ports.  Your cruise contract allows missing ports or itinerary changes.  I only make claims for major items like medical, missing baggage that doesn’t reappear, or missed flights.  

[sofietucker]

12 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

I buy yearly travel insurance.  I don’t use it for missed ports.  Your cruise contract allows missing ports or itinerary changes.  I only make claims for major items like medical, missing baggage that doesn’t reappear, or missed flights.  

And that's one of the reasons we never buy (any) ship's insurance. Their fine print, translated" "we get everything, you get nothing; we can miss ports and change the itinerary with impunity" (among many other anti-pax policies). I was shocked the first time my TA said, "Oh you're covered for that; we'll submit a claim to Allianz."  They have been absolutely brilliant, coming through for us time and again with a wide range of issues--flights, medical, trip cancellation, trip interruption (covering  hotels/meals/transport), simple claims processes, rapid refunds, great people. And if we have to cancel/interrupt, it's for any reason, not "can't do it because you're not a blood relative" and such. They cover weather-related, aka "act of God", issues too. (I get no commission, lol).

[Tranquility Base]

16 hours ago, pinotlover said:

 We were notified of the port time reductions upon boarding by being given a new itinerary. One had to read the itinerary and compare it to the previous one to catch the changes. They didn’t point them out.

Poor form, what…..simply not cricket ol’ chap.

But thanks for the ‘heads up’.

Will pay extra close attention.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Tranquility Base

[jonthomas]

17 hours ago, pinotlover said:

On our June Vista cruise we had two ports reduced by one hour, and one port reduced by 2 hours.

 

We had spectacular weather the entire trip and didn’t miss any ports. We were notified of the port time reductions upon boarding by being given a new itinerary. One had to read the itinerary and compare it to the previous one to catch the changes. They didn’t point them out.

 

Obviously this must cause havoc with private tours. We used to do only private tours pre covid, now with all the variables we only do ship's.

[grifdoglover]

@jonthomasmy experience with private tours have been wonderful with time changes when they know you are coming in on a cruise ship.  They usually refund with 24 hour notice as well.  

[jonthomas]

1 hour ago, grifdoglover said:

@jonthomasmy experience with private tours have been wonderful with time changes when they know you are coming in on a cruise ship.  They usually refund with 24 hour notice as well.  

You have been fortunate.

[grifdoglover]

When you book you have to let them know.  Most lost money has been cruise excursions but I do book them too once in awhile.  

[SATaxman]

5 years ago, on RCCL, we booked all private excursions with a group we met on CC. One day there was a medical emergency and the ship detoured to Athens for a patient. We called the excursion company and changed to the Athens tour that day, and the other tour three days later. No problem. The rest of the passengers had nothing! They had to fend for themselves. The tour desk was total chaos. Our group of 16 had a marvelous day. It must depend on the TA who booked the excursions, as well as the excursion company.

 

[pinotlover]

4 hours ago, jonthomas said:

 

Obviously this must cause havoc with private tours. We used to do only private tours pre covid, now with all the variables we only do ship's.

I never reward employees with poor performance by giving them more money. Neither did I ever reward insolent children for bad behavior. Oceania cut those port stays for their own benefit and whatever games they play. We did all private tours, and merely worked the new tour details with our tour providers.

[PhD-iva]

On 3/27/2023 at 7:31 PM, pinotlover said:

We are neither senile, mobility limited, nor tied to only Mommy Oceania’s offerings. We are seriously looking at :

 

1. A combo Via- Rocky Mountaneer journey from Quebec to Vancouver.

 

2. An Amtrak ride to Flagstaff, followed by a tour to the various canyon lands national parks in Utah including the Grand Canyon. A couple days finale in Vegas before flying home.

 

3. I ‘ve been contracted to host/guide a two week tour of Tuscany next year, with possible pre and post tour additions .Those on the tour will find far better cuisine than any thing offered at sea. It won’t be Merican or Americanized food! 🙄. Numerous excited “ travelers “ have already fully booked this trip.

 

It will require quite the weather event to alter any schedules. 

Ships are only needed by cruisers to have an enjoyable time. They are optional for travelers. Perhaps by late 2025 or 2026 the surviving cruise lines will decide and demonstrate what they want to be. Currently, it seems hazy with some.
 

 

Pinotlover, any room left for solo travelers on your Italian tour? Parlo un po’ di italiano! Email is in my signature. Am interested!

[urlaub]

On 1/23/2023 at 9:33 AM, janecambridge said:

We were on Marina when this all started, doing the Amazon trip. We had no previous notification except on the day of docking, sometimes an hour before. This lead to panic (with tender stops, especially) People who had made plans with private tour operators had to wait for tender tickets, placed after Oceania tours. They allowed a small handful of independents on each tender. This lead to a big delay for private tour operators awaiting passengers. Pity we weren’t notified prior to cruise so we could alert the tour operators. 

Yes we were on the same cruise and also on the next to Antartica. All in all there were many hours reduced and they were sometimes with later arrivals or  in Puerto Chacabuco ( tender) 2 hours earlier departure. For private tours a big trouble. I think the main reason for Oceania is to sell more excursions with them. Too many guests did private tours. So I see also the new "offer" with the OBC for excursions.

My husband is confined in a wheelchair and I organise always private tours. Now I asked if we could get the OBC for other  things than excursions because they do not offer accessible tours normally. This is not possible. So we cannot use these simply more offer. I think after our next pre booked cruise on Vista we will skip Oceania for us.

[pmatawan]

They are cutting our upcoming port visit by 4 hours in Manila on our Riviera cruise. A total of 14 hours affecting every port except 1. They canceled every ship tour except 1. It would t be so bad if they made these changes in advance of cruise, but we ate receiving notification only a day before cruise segment begins and only by reviewing schedule published in Currents, no other notification. No one can convince me that they can't do a better job of communicating these pre planned port reduction times well in advance. I do understand  that weather conditions can impact ship operations,  but this is not the case.

[Tranquility Base]

30 minutes ago, pmatawan said:

They canceled every ship tour except 1.

Can you please expand on this.

I'm trying to understand the status of ship's tours at your various ports on this current segment. 

Apart from Manila, what are some of the shortest port times elsewhere.

Thanks.

[pmatawan]

2 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Can you please expand on this.

I'm trying to understand the status of ship's tours at your various ports on this current segment. 

Apart from Manila, what are some of the shortest port times elsewhere.

Thanks.

They changed our departure time from Manila from 5pm to 1pm. All full day tours previously booked were canceled and will be refunded. Only 1 tour with either a 7:45am or 8:15am departure remains.

[pmatawan]

2 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Can you please expand on this.

I'm trying to understand the status of ship's tours at your various ports on this current segment. 

Apart from Manila, what are some of the shortest port times elsewhere.

Thanks.

Most ports still have 7 or 8 hours in port. Hue is now 6 hours. Na Trang is 7 hours but is a tender port.

I canceled a private excursion to Hanoi as I anticipate they will shorten the port time. Not knowing till a day before cruise segment starts is the worst part.

[osandomir]

1 hour ago, pmatawan said:

They changed our departure time from Manila from 5pm to 1pm. All full day tours previously booked were canceled and will be refunded. Only 1 tour with either a 7:45am or 8:15am departure remains.

Would you please find out what kind of refund is offered for cancelled tours booked with the Shore excursions credit. Will it be again pretty useless Shore excursions credit only to book another ship tour or some other more flexible form of refund? This information will be very appreciated and will help to choose ship tours for our future cruises.