Cancel for any reason insurance

[Babr]

10 hours ago, mattR said:

Do any other mainstream lines offer CFAR insurance like HAL?  The HAL insurance is perfect for want we need and the price is right, however the price of the cruise went up by 25% after $1 deposit day yesterday:( 

No, HAL is unique in its offering. All cancellations are treated the same with a cash reimbursement.

 

Other cruise lines offer CFAR with FCC reimbursement when canceling for a non-covered reason.

 

 

[TiogaCruiser]

6 hours ago, POA1 said:

Your cost should be based on the booked cruise fare. The cruise price could change once you have booked, but premium is based on what you paid.

Roughly 10% of CRUISE Fare ( only) but also covers flights booked through Flightease and pre-/post cruise tours booked through HAL.

[mattR]

10 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

Did both the cruise price and the deposit amount increase?

 

The price of the cruise went from $1500 to $2000 and we would have had to pay the normal deposit as it was the day after $1 deposit day. 

[valancy1]

On 9/8/2023 at 1:03 AM, mattR said:

Looking at doing a family cruise Canada New England next October.  Half the family is vaccinated for Covid the other half isn't.  Where can they find insurance that would allow them to cancel if Covid requirements come back into effect?  

Holland America's cruise protection is cancel for ANY reason.  No hoops.  Simply cancel and get a refund based on the protection level you choose.

[Babr]

On 9/8/2023 at 12:03 AM, mattR said:

Looking at doing a family cruise Canada New England next October.  Half the family is vaccinated for Covid the other half isn't.  Where can they find insurance that would allow them to cancel if Covid requirements come back into effect?  

 

24 minutes ago, valancy1 said:

Holland America's cruise protection is cancel for ANY reason.  No hoops.  Simply cancel and get a refund based on the protection level you choose.

 

 

Just be sure the unvaccinated ones are in the same cabin. HAL does not protect double or multiple occupancy rates. In other words, if one cancels, the remaining passenger(s) will be refared.

[valancy1]

6 minutes ago, Babr said:

 

 

 

Just be sure the unvaccinated ones are in the same cabin. HAL does not protect double or multiple occupancy rates. In other words, if one cancels, the remaining passenger(s) will be refared.

Not so. There are too many variables to even adequately approach this. This is not hard and fast... caveat emptor.

[Babr]

4 minutes ago, valancy1 said:

Not so. There are too many variables to even adequately approach this. This is not hard and fast... caveat emptor.

Doesn’t the single supplement apply if one of two people in a cabin cancels? The policy says it does not protect double occupancy. Or triple or quad, for that matter.

[valancy1]

9 minutes ago, Babr said:

Doesn’t the single supplement apply if one of two people in a cabin cancels? The policy says it does not protect double occupancy. Or triple or quad, for that 

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by valancy1
Changed mind

[Babr]

 

1 minute ago, valancy1 said:

I think it very much depends on timing, if cruise coverage was purchased, etc. Too may variables. Plus just because someone has a jab, does not guarantee they, too wouldn't get the Rona, so segregating segments of society into cabins, well, I'll just leave that right there. Lol

The OP’s question was about insurance that would allow cancellation prior to departure if COVID rules change, and the unvaccinated family members choose not to go.

 

With HAL insurance, if all the unvaccinated ones are booked in the same cabin, they could simply cancel.

 

On the other hand, if family members are sharing a cabin with an unvaccinated traveler who decides not to go, the remaining person will have to pay the single supplement.

 

I think we are talking about two very different things.

[gbsca2001]

On 9/14/2023 at 10:42 PM, Babr said:

 

 

 

Just be sure the unvaccinated ones are in the same cabin. HAL does not protect double or multiple occupancy rates. In other words, if one cancels, the remaining passenger(s) will be refared.

Just curious, does anyone know when this policy went into effect?  Right before the pandemic, my partner had to cancel a cruise at the last minute but based on having HAL’s insurance I was able to go and wasn’t charged a single supplement. 

[Babr]

3 hours ago, gbsca2001 said:

Just curious, does anyone know when this policy went into effect?  Right before the pandemic, my partner had to cancel a cruise at the last minute but based on having HAL’s insurance I was able to go and wasn’t charged a single supplement. 

To my knowledge, the wording has always been in the policy. Perhaps it was a temporary exception in place during the pandemic that has since expired.

[shipmeoff!]

I was just looking at HALs website to price CFAR for an upcoming cruise and it now says the CPP Platinum isn’t available for residents of British Columbia in the deeper fine print.

 

NOTE: CPP Standard is available to all guests, regardless of residency
(excluding permanent residents of the United Kingdom).

CPP Platinum is not available to residents of New York State, Quebec, British Columbia, Puerto Rico or the United Kingdom.

 

In the main overview this is not the case and only mentions Canadian Quebec residents ineligible.

 

CPP Standard is available to all guests, regardless of residency. CPP Platinum is not available to residents of New York State, Quebec or Puerto Rico.

 

I am so confused. We always purchased the Platinum when we cruised prior to Covid. I’ll send an email I guess and see what the answer really is.

 

 

- Email sent because the automated phone system hung up on me 🤣

 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by shipmeoff!
Added action

[retird]

I have an upcoming cruise in April with a non refundable deposit.   I booked in September and final payment is Jan 7, 2024.   I called yesterday to purchase the CFAR insurance and was told I couldnt purchase it because the cruise started incurring penalties 24 hours after I booked with the non refundable deposit.   I was transferred to Resolutions Dept. and they confirmed I could not purchase it.  They said I needed to purchase the CFAR within 24 hours of booking with the non refundable deposit.   Something to keep in mind for all those making a similar booking. 

[Real NHDOC]

As others have reported here there are two schools of thought on CFAR insurance.  One considers it great and one considers it another profit center for the cruise line who imposes their self-created cancellation penalties that make the "insurance" necessary.  So they write the punitive rules and then sell you "insurance" to unwrite them. 

 

Paying an extra 10% of the cruise fare to be able to get 90% of your money back just sticks in my craw and so I never buy it - I suppose if they gave 100% back it might be more palatable.  Instead of considering the insurance I do things like book a lower category of cabin initially and wait for upgrade offers close to sailing and buy HIA separately (so it is refundable if we have to cancel) if we want it.  That limits my exposure to the base fare of an inexpensive cabin if we do have something unforeseen happen just before sailing.  Or just book closer to the last minute so the risk of cancellation is minimal.  To date we've been lucky and never had to cancel so are way ahead and if we did have to could absorb the loss and still be way ahead but for the infrequent cruiser, or those with medical issues I can see the appeal of it even if it is a bit of a rip-off.  

[shipmeoff!]

Okay on the subject of British Columbia now being excluded from HALs Platinum protection issue… I have not heard back

yet from HAL, but found this on the Princess vacation protection page. We always also got their platinum package in the “before times”. 
 

Apparently no longer, and neither tier with them. 

 

Note that Princess Vacation Protection is not available to residents of the state of New York, British Columbia, Quebec, Puerto Rico, or Mexico.

 

[canadianbear]

33 minutes ago, shipmeoff! said:

Okay on the subject of British Columbia now being excluded from HALs Platinum protection issue… I have not heard back

yet from HAL, but found this on the Princess vacation protection page. We always also got their platinum package in the “before times”. 
 

Apparently no longer, and neither tier with them. 

 

Note that Princess Vacation Protection is not available to residents of the state of New York, British Columbia, Quebec, Puerto Rico, or Mexico.

 

We bought the Platinum for our upcoming South Pacific cruise in February so this must have changed since we made final payment.  Wonder why they’re now excluding BC (we are in BC) 

[Haljo1935]

19 hours ago, retird said:

I have an upcoming cruise in April with a non refundable deposit.   I booked in September and final payment is Jan 7, 2024.   I called yesterday to purchase the CFAR insurance and was told I couldnt purchase it because the cruise started incurring penalties 24 hours after I booked with the non refundable deposit.   I was transferred to Resolutions Dept. and they confirmed I could not purchase it.  They said I needed to purchase the CFAR within 24 hours of booking with the non refundable deposit.   Something to keep in mind for all those making a similar booking. 

Yes, that has always been my experience when booking nonrefundable, including casino rates.

[oakridger]

10 hours ago, canadianbear said:

We bought the Platinum for our upcoming South Pacific cruise in February so this must have changed since we made final payment.  Wonder why they’re now excluding BC (we are in BC) 

 

@canadianbear is it possible that the insurance laws in BC and Quebec themselves have changed to disallow this type of insurance?  I see that New York state is/has been excluded also....because of their unique laws?

 

~Nancy

[crystalspin]

12 hours ago, canadianbear said:

We bought the Platinum for our upcoming South Pacific cruise in February so this must have changed since we made final payment.  Wonder why they’re now excluding BC...

You are right, it was never there before (and isn't in all the references yet). I would check with HAL and get them to refund you if it is not in force! That won't help if you have to cancel, but at least it won't be adding insult to injury!

[canadianbear]

@oakridger @crystalspin I have emailed my PCC to clarify and also make sure we are still covered for our South Pacific cruise. 

[Vict0riann]

Back in the mists of time (on June 2, 2023) , we booked a cruise we are going to have to cancel.  I think the deposit must have been non-refundable, because at the same time, we purchased the Standard CPP from HAL.  It actually was less than 10% of the fare.  (Booking total was $6679 each, insurance was $489 each).

 

On the back of the booking there is the Cancellation Fee Schedule.   As of June 1, 2023 (the day before we booked), the cancellation fee was $1160 per person.  Who knew?  We booked with one FCD  plus $1100 each.  I'm figuring that this cancellation fee is the price of the insurance, plus Club Orange, plus something else.  It will be interesting to see if we get anything back from our deposits when we cancel.  I am quite confused.

Edited December 12, 2023 by Vict0riann

[cbr663]

22 hours ago, shipmeoff! said:

Okay on the subject of British Columbia now being excluded from HALs Platinum protection issue… I have not heard back

yet from HAL, but found this on the Princess vacation protection page. We always also got their platinum package in the “before times”. 
 

Apparently no longer, and neither tier with them. 

 

Note that Princess Vacation Protection is not available to residents of the state of New York, British Columbia, Quebec, Puerto Rico, or Mexico.

 

 

Great catch.

[cbr663]

15 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

Back in the mists of time (on June 2, 2023) , we booked a cruise we are going to have to cancel.  I think the deposit must have been non-refundable, because at the same time, we purchased the Standard CPP from HAL.  It actually was less than 10% of the fare.  (Booking total was $6679 each, insurance was $489 each).

 

On the back of the booking there is the Cancellation Fee Schedule.   As of June 1, 2023 (the day before we booked), the cancellation fee was $1160 per person.  Who knew?  We booked with one FCD  plus $1100 each.  I'm figuring that this cancellation fee is the price of the insurance, plus Club Orange, plus something else.  It will be interesting to see if we get anything back from our deposits when we cancel.  I am quite confused.

 

Wishing you the best of luck.  HAL is very transparent explaining cancellation fees when booking and it can be too late to discover after you've booked.  Perhaps we all need to start asking what the cancellation fees/conditions are with every cruise we book?

[shipmeoff!]

Got an email back from HAL Customer service replying to my query on the status of the Platinum CPP for BC residents which answered nothing, they called it a “pre cruise issue” and told me to call reservations myself.

 

Reservations phone bot took all my info to talk to someone about cancellation protection and then announced “close zero two” and hung up on me. 
 

Called back and got hung up on again. 

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by shipmeoff!
Update

[oakridger]

54 minutes ago, shipmeoff! said:

Got an email back from HAL Customer service replying to my query on the status of the Platinum CPP for BC residents which answered nothing, they called it a “pre cruise issue” and told me to call reservations myself.

 

Reservations phone bot took all my info to talk to someone about cancellation protection and then announced “close zero two” and hung up on me. 
 

Called back and got hung up on again. 

 

🙄