Help?? 32 Days from cruise. Mom just broke her leg. No trip insurance.

[The Fun Researcher]

Just found out that my mom broke her leg.  Sounds like she's o.k. all things considered.  A decent chance she will not be able to cruise 32 days from now. 

 

My Dad and her are booked in a balcony cabin for our Alaskan cruise.  If one of them can't go, neither will go.  They did not purchase trip insurance.  They knew the risk and are fine with that, so please no judgmental comments.  I'm just looking at the options, if any?  They are in the 25% refund stage through tomorrow.

 

1. So, is there any way to transfer the fare to a different future cruise so that they don't lose so much of the balance? 
2. Can they replace both of them with another couple, or does one name still need to stay?
3. If one name stays, and they change the other name and then as embarkation the primary name doesn't show, will they allow the second new person to board?
4. If they cancel, all prepurchased items will be reimbursed, as well as taxes and port fees and prepaid gratuities?

[Another_Critic]

1. Don't know.

2. One name needs to stay.

3. Yes.

4. Yes for both cancel or no show.  ETA:  IIRC, name change will inherit the original passenger's planner purchases.  However, you can cancel the purchases prior to sailing.

 

Edited June 8, 2023 by Another_Critic

[moposh]

I've seen people on crutches etc. on cruises.  I guess mom doesn't feel like she would enjoy it as much.  I hope your mom feels better.

[Wink87]

If she is healed enough, rent a wheelchair!

[The Fun Researcher]

Thank you all.

 

Believe me, if she can go, she will.  She's a real go getter and exercises regularly and is fit.  It was just a fluke thing with some water on the bathroom floor. 

 

One issue is the cruise is out of Seattle and they (as well as my family) live in Michigan. Not sure flying is recommended 4 weeks from leg surgery.  There is the option of driving, with frequent breaks to walk.  They've driven that route multiple times before as my youngest sister lives in Seattle.

 

We'll see how this plays out today and tomorrow.  Either way the 25% cruise fare refund isn't worth all that much anyway, only about $900, so it's probably better to risk it and see if she's o.k. right up until cruise time, or find someone else who can go with.

 

It is a real bummer if they can't end up going.  This cruise was all about them and their four children's families all going to Alaska together.  We have 6 balcony cabins booked on this cruise between my parents and my siblings' families.  Praying they can go, even if it is in a wheel chair!

[Marie51]

Do you have a travel agent? If so that person could answer all your questions. Good luck

[The Fun Researcher]

1 minute ago, Marie51 said:

Do you have a travel agent? If so that person could answer all your questions. Good luck

Thanks, but no, I've done all our own bookings directly for years (I think I'm going to start changing that though for group rates and possible perks like OBC).

 

Hence, why I'm asking here.

[reallyitsmema]

4 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Thank you all.

 

Believe me, if she can go, she will.  She's a real go getter and exercises regularly and is fit.  It was just a fluke thing with some water on the bathroom floor. 

 

One issue is the cruise is out of Seattle and they (as well as my family) live in Michigan. Not sure flying is recommended 4 weeks from leg surgery.  There is the option of driving, with frequent breaks to walk.  They've driven that route multiple times before as my youngest sister lives in Seattle.

 

We'll see how this plays out today and tomorrow.  Either way the 25% cruise fare refund isn't worth all that much anyway, only about $900, so it's probably better to risk it and see if she's o.k. right up until cruise time, or find someone else who can go with.

 

It is a real bummer if they can't end up going.  This cruise was all about them and their four children's families all going to Alaska together.  We have 6 balcony cabins booked on this cruise between my parents and my siblings' families.  Praying they can go, even if it is in a wheel chair!

 

Best wishes to a speedy recovery for your Mom.  I know when my DH had surgery to repair his ruptured quad, he was only allowed to cruise six weeks later because we were driving to the port.  His surgeon said he should not fly because of the chance of blood clots.  We did drive to the port and we sailed, but he found his leg swelled a lot with the increased activity, so we chose to stay on the ship and just chill.  One of the best things we brought was an old fashion ice pack that has the screw top to fill with ice.  They do not sweat and are so much better than ziploc bags.  CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc all carry them for around ten dollars.  We requested an extra large bucket of ice twice a day for him to ice his leg and the cabin steward took care of it.  We also requested a shower chair, which did fit in our shower on Anthem with no issues.  It was safer for him to sit and shower.  He was in a hip to ankle leg brace for the trip and we brought his cane, even though he had been cleared to stop using it by PT.  Better safe than sorry.

 

It wasn't the cruise we planned but we had a good time.  I hope she feels she can go but make sure she takes it easy if she does go.

[Xtentions]

In 2018 my son broke his femur 6 weeks before our cruise.  He had to have surgery to insert a rod from his knee up to his hip through the femur.  We were worried about our cruise as well but his surgeon said it should not be a problem.  He was still on a cane when we went on the cruise and other than changing a couple of excursions he went and had fun.

 

[OCSC Mike]

Best wishes to your mom on a speedy recovery! Hope she’s able to go one way or another.

[The Fun Researcher]

12 minutes ago, Xtentions said:

In 2018 my son broke his femur 6 weeks before our cruise.  He had to have surgery to insert a rod from his knee up to his hip through the femur.  We were worried about our cruise as well but his surgeon said it should not be a problem.  He was still on a cane when we went on the cruise and other than changing a couple of excursions he went and had fun.

 

Thanks for that.  She is in surgery now, broken femur as well.  Almost certainly inserting rods like you mention. 

Edited June 8, 2023 by The Fun Researcher

[cruiselvr04]

Sorry about your mom.

 

If it’s a family cruise as mom I’d try to go unless the doctor said absolutely not to.  I could still enjoy a sea day or evenings with the family even if I couldn’t get off.  But there are definitely ways to rent scooters and wheelchairs as we’ve done it with injuries. It may depend on surgery/pain/swelling.  

[fla33023]

5 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Thanks for that.  She is in surgery now.  Almost certainly inserting rods as you mention. 

Just wanted to send my best wishes to your mom and prayers for a full recovery.  That family cruise sounds terrific! I really hope she can go. 

[Ourusualbeach]

58 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Just found out that my mom broke her leg.  Sounds like she's o.k. all things considered.  A decent chance she will not be able to cruise 32 days from now. 

 

My Dad and her are booked in a balcony cabin for our Alaskan cruise.  If one of them can't go, neither will go.  They did not purchase trip insurance.  They knew the risk and are fine with that, so please no judgmental comments.  I'm just looking at the options, if any?  They are in the 25% refund stage through tomorrow.

 

1. So, is there any way to transfer the fare to a different future cruise so that they don't lose so much of the balance? 
2. Can they replace both of them with another couple, or does one name still need to stay?
3. If one name stays, and they change the other name and then as embarkation the primary name doesn't show, will they allow the second new person to board?
4. If they cancel, all prepurchased items will be reimbursed, as well as taxes and port fees and prepaid gratuities?

 

50 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

1. Don't know.

2. One name needs to stay.

3. Yes.

4. Yes for both cancel or no show.  ETA:  IIRC, name change will inherit the original passenger's planner purchases.  However, you can cancel the purchases prior to sailing.

 

Another Critic is correct.

 

As far as the 1'st question goes, as it is after final there is no transferring of funds as they are still subject to the 25% penalty unless you can get a sympathetic agent at Royal who will make an exception.

 

Tough call as you need to decide to do in the next day while the penalty is still relatively low yet you don't have a good read on how your mom may be in q couple weeks.

Edited June 8, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

[S.A.M.J.R.]

3 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Tough call as you need to decide to do in the next day while the penalty is still relatively low yet you don't have a good read on how your mom may be in q couple weeks.

While no guarantee, I think asking the doctor/surgeon for their "best guess".  While they probably won't say for sure whether she should go, they could give you an idea of what limitations she'd be under.  

 

For me, unless the doctor said "no how, no way", I'd go.  Even if meant renting a wheelchair. 

[Jerseygirl1416]

I’d suggest you call and hopefully you get a helpful agent that will allow you to move the booking and maybe just charge you the $100pp change fee. In the past I was able to move a booking and the agent even waived the change fee. Good luck and hoping for a speedy recovery for your Mom.

[Xtentions]

To elaborate a little further with our experience when my son broke his femur.  As soon as he was out of surgery we talked to the orthopedic surgeon to find our if he had any issues with the cruise he said simply no have fun.

 

My son did have physical therapy while still in the hospital and after he got out 3 times a week.  Tell your mother that no matter how much that therapy may hurt she needs to work on it as hard as she can stand.  My son did not work at the therapy and still has some mobility issues 5 years later mostly with ladders and stairs.

 

The excursions we had to change were just to accommodate his mobility.

 

As I mentioned he was still on a cane when we went on the cruise.  Our cruise was on a different line and we even had to tender at Grand Cayman and the crew once they saw the cane had him sit in the handicapped section of the tender.  Since it is Royal you probably do not have that worry.

 

I would suggest a conversation with her medical professionals and see what they think.  If she is cleared to go make sure she works hard with the PT and just have fun.

 

I hope everything works out.  Being that she is much older than my son was it may be more difficult he was 24 and broke the femur in a significant car crash so had other minor injuries as well but he is fine now.

 

Good luck 

[Xtentions]

1 hour ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Thanks for that.  She is in surgery now, broken femur as well.  Almost certainly inserting rods like you mention. 

 

 

Messsed that up see above 😉

 

 

[bonsai3s]

Wishing your mom a speedy recovery.

[Another_Critic]

Does the credit card used to book have cancellation for medical reason coverage?

 

Edited June 8, 2023 by Another_Critic

[RB9643]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

Does the credit card used to book have cancellation for medical reason coverage?

 

 

Just came in to say this exact thing. Check the benefits provided by the credit card you used. You might be surprised and not even know it was there.

 

 

[The Fun Researcher]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

Does the credit card used to book have cancellation for medical reason coverage?

 

 

6 minutes ago, RB9643 said:

 

Just came in to say this exact thing. Check the benefits provided by the credit card you used. You might be surprised and not even know it was there.

 

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  Will do.

[Tree_skier]

2 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  Will do.

How did surgery go?

[Jimbo]

Just curious how old is your Mother, younger the better. They can deal with this much better and are faster healing.

[RB9643]

13 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  Will do.

 

 

We have cards for travel we use for the points and benefits, including great cancellation insurance. But per quite surprised to discover that even our random "normal" credit card offers $1500 per person cancellation insurance. Never knew it was there.