Warning about Princess Cruises

[HighRoller]

Although I am symapthetic to cause, this is were Insuarnce coverage sometimes is very important and prevails as a preventative solution. If you decided not to purchase insurance coverage you can't fault the cruise line on this one, however you could play on there human compassion by writting a letter to teh Manager of Customer Relations Mr. Mitchell Keiffer. I have dealt with him on a different matter, much less serious than yours and he was very reasonable and surpassed my expectations in terms of compensation. By writting to Mickey Arrison at Carnival Corp or any other VP or CEO at Princess will only result in your letter eventually being distributed to the appropriate departments. :cool: :eek: :cool:

[jlsdunn]

I am sorry about your fathers illness. Been there with my dad too. Hope his health improves soon.

 

But.........I would never cruise without the insurance. Your case is exactly what it's meant for.

 

It's a small price to pay to peace of mind. With the total cost of the curise, in my opinion, the insurance is a drop in the bucket.

 

And without insurance, I would guess you'd have had a similar outcome on any other cruise line.

 

Jen

[Target]

Just to add my story...I purchased our Alaska cruise a year ago and bought the insurance (never crossed my mind not to). I am 40 and my husband is 42. We have two kids. Who knows what could happen (broken leg, etc). On top of that, our parents are in their 70's. They weren't traveling with us, but if something happened to them last minute, we wouldn't be going on the cruise. Turns out my husband's Aunt (second mother) was diagnosed with cancer in April this year and I immediately was thankful we had the insurance. The unknown of her situation (they gave her 6 months) put our cruise up in the air. I was able to focus on her instead of worrying about losing our money. The trip was insignificant. She ended up dying on June 4, only two months after being diagnosed. We are still one day away from leaving and anything can still happen.

 

Don't buy it because you are elderly and travelling; don't buy it because something could happen to you prior to the cruise; buy it because something can happen to a loved one (who is not going on the cruise) that would keep you from going on the cruise....that's what we did and we almost had to use it!

 

My prayers are with your family. My folks are celebrating their 50th this year as well, but we have not been able to coordinate the six kids and their families for a get together (we are literally all over the country).

[Toto2Kansas]

Target, Very well put!

[Globaliser]

Talking to many people since this has happened, we've learned that other cruise lines are much more accomodating than Princess in cases such as these.

 

I post this here not only to vent my frustrations but also to warn any other potential Princess cruiser of the gamble they make when booking on Princess.

Now that you can search the CC message boards, I think you'll find that there are similar stories about every other cruise line. And why not? Insurance companies are there to bear the financial risk of these situations, which are common. The cruise line is not an insurance company, nor does it pretend to be.

 

Anyway, it looks like you actually do have insurance, but would just like to avoid the trouble of making the claim:-

We have travel insurance but we have a new set of hoops to jump through; quite frankly we're all focusing on Dad's recovery and don't need more "hoop"s. Some of the hoops involve yet another letter and signatures from the surgeon.

[srphnx]

And one for those who don't buy travel insurance, I never take it, but if some dread event befell me or mine, I know that it isn't the cruise lines problem for having a policy that I should read and understand.I have saved enough in premiums to take two cruises, and belive me I have taken them.

[Baxter]

Like everyone else, I wish your family all the best in dealing with this. That said, I will be very disappointed in Princess if they give you a dime or credit your cruise. I'm not really clear on why you expect to be compensated when you decided to gamble with your money. Do you expect a refund in a casino when you don't win money??? Sheesh.

[srphnx]

Clearly the expectation is out of step here, I can only attribute it to the prevailing "someone else's responsibility" theme prevalent in todays world.

 

As has been said... you buy your ticket you take your chances, unless you insure. The lack of sympathy is due to the completely wrong approach of blaming someone else for your misfortune.

If you drop your icecream, the store can give you another at it's option, they certainly don't OWE you one. Try buying a new home, forego insuring it, have an errrant spark burn it to the ground and demand the contractor start on a new one for you.

[Northender]

Last cruise our TA made us sign a form that we did not want the insurance.

After seeing a pax being taken off ship at Gitmo, we decided that the next cruise (coming in about 255 days :) )we would buy the coverage. Our health is ok, ups and downs but if anything happened with another family member, I would be vrey upset at myself if I did not buy the coverage. It is not the Cruise Lines fault and I think once you see you Dad recover, you will forget all about the loss of money and just be happy that he is back on his feet. Good luck in getting your family together one more time :D

[DoniaG]

My travelling buddy and I have a small ritual. At some point on the way home, we look at each other, grin widely, and say - "Well, once again we wasted our trip insurance money!":D

[amagar]

We're traveling for the first time with our parents this year...and learned something about cruise insurance. Boy, does the price skyrocket when you're older. When Travelocity asked if we wanted to pay $99 each, we scoffed and decided to shop around. Well, we did find insurance cheaper for my husband and myself ($140 for the both of us, in our 30s)...but prices for the parents (in their early 70s) was well above $350. Fortunately, Travelocity let us add the $99/pp insurance on to my parents' trip after we booked.

 

Also, note the fine print with some of these policies. If you buy travel insurance longer than 14 days after you book your cruise...many policies won't cover pre-existing conditions...and that often includes anything you take medication for. Does that mean that healthy folks taking cholesterol-lowering drugs wouldn't be covered for a heart attack. Maybe.

[Northender]

My travelling buddy and I have a small ritual. At some point on the way home, we look at each other, grin widely, and say - "Well, once again we wasted our trip insurance money!":D

 

You really don't want to use it now do you :)

[ajl111]

I see from verydisappointed's other post in family cruising, that there was insurance involved. I must then assume that it was Princess's insurance policy and not one of the others that are available. My TA she continues to warn me of the pros and cons of the cruise line insurance versus policies from an independent company.

 

I consider a number of things when accepting insurance, and that varies from cruise to cruise. When I do accept the insurance, it is for the reasons that Target pointed out -- well done, by the way!

 

I do hope that verydisappointed's situation is resolved to their satisfaction. I really don't think their request is totally out of line, considering they did have insurance. But, I know, rules are rules!

[srphnx]

verydisappointed vbmenu_register("postmenu_1667899", true);

Cool Cruiser

Join Date: Jul 2004

Posts: 4

 

 

Yes

We have travel insurance but we have a new set of hoops to jump through; quite frankly we're all focusing on Dad's recovery and don't need more "hoop"s. Some of the hoops involve yet another letter and signatures from the surgeon. (I doubt he has time for all that.)

 

Our hope was that Princess would be understanding in our situation so that we can make other arrangements without all the extra effort.

 

I posted this in part as a warning to others since other cruise lines are much more accommodating.

 

 

 

 

Clearly the stress of the situation is causing problems understanding the process and being reasonable in expectations. Somehow Princess owes them help without all the "extra effort" Poster is still blaming Princess for being less accomodating that others not listed and to my knowledge not existant. What about the airfares that the other insurance covers? Should Princess buy planes to provide that?

Poster is being unreasonably self-absorbed, understandable yes, supportable.. No.

[Lynda90]

I have been on 11 cruises and have never purchased insurance. However, I have definitely changed my mind. I travel with my Mom who is getting on in years and I am purchasing the insurance for our next cruise. I was lucky on the other cruises, but will not take that chance again. Especially after reading enough of these boards. It's just not worth the chance. Besides, none of us ever can predict the future at any age. Also, with platinum status, we will be able to get the added insurance with no extra cost.

[TWA4Ever]

We were to cruise with another couple on the Golden in March 2003. We literally had to force them to take insurance. They are the type that always said that nothing is going to happen (they [I]finally[/I] bought from Access America - the company we always use). A few weeks after final payment, our friend's father became critically ill and was not given too much more time.

Our friend had to cancel his cruise, and then contacted the insurance company. He received everything back except for his insurance premium (yes, his father did pass away, and it would not have made for a very happy cruise for them).

I don't know what forms or what types of statements he had to submit. I do know that he was [B]not[/B] out over $2,000.

To this day, our friends thank us for forcing them to take out the insurance. They won't ever travel again without it.

[DoniaG]

[quote name='Northender']You really don't want to use it now do you :)[/QUOTE]
That's exactly why we're grinning when we say it! :D

[waterrats]

Hopefully verydisapponted and everyone else out there that doesn't purchase insurance will do so in the future. This is only my second cruise (CP in sept) and we have purchased insurance again. With two kids and aging parents and relatives, you never know what can happen. We got a great deal on the cruise so what is the extra $89 going to do to us in the long run. We will spend more than that on drinks. We would have to go on about 20 cruises and use it only once to break even. If I have hotel plans or something else that can be changed, insurance is definitely not in the piture (in the US of course).

[LARGIN]

[font=Comic Sans MS][color=darkred]We never took out insurance but now that our parents are in their late 80's and 90's, insurance is first on our list. It is a small price to pay for peace of mind.[/color][/font]

[karen_cpa]

I am not really sure the point of the original post. In another post, the OP states they bought insurance. What is the problem then??? Does OP just not want to exert the energy required to get a refund??

I understand how upsetting a sick parent is (I came home from my honeymoon to the news that my dad had prostrate cancer - not something you want to find out while waiting in LAX), but Princess is certainly not going to fill out the reimbursement forms for OP. Would you expect an auto insurance or medical insurance company to do the paperwork for you?? I don't think so. I am not sure what the OP is expecting - obviously they have insurance, so a refund should be forthcoming. How long it takes is completely dependent on OP filling out the required forms. I do not see where that warrants a "warning" to other Princess guests.

[MaryPoppinz]

I'm glad to hear you that did purchase trip insurance. Sounds like you can set aside the financial concerns of having to cancel and focus on your Father's recovery!

[kryos]

[quote name='jdecker2000']? no offense but ???TRIP INSURANCE??? might have been a good idea...[/QUOTE]
I'm not an experienced cruiser ... but it would not seem to be asking much to just reschedule the cruise in such a situation. If they were asking for a refund, then yes ... I could understand that without trip insurance they would be out of luck. But, surely the cruise company should be "reasonable" and allow them to just reschedule (with an appropriate upward rate adjustment, if applicable) the cruise for next year ... or for a later time when dad can travel.

Personally, if I were this cruiser, I would contact the consumer reporter at my local tv station and see if I could interest them in "negotiating" with Princess on this matter. Betcha Princess would be much more accommodating when a film crew shows up at their corporate offices.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[cnmiranda]

I spoke to my husband, it was Crystal cruises that he knew of when another family lost their money because the father had a heart attack. The OP's situation is not unique unfortunately.

That happened to Verydisappointed?

[Globaliser]

[quote name='kryos']But, surely the cruise company should be "reasonable" and allow them to just reschedule (with an appropriate upward rate adjustment, if applicable) the cruise for next year ... or for a later time when dad can travel.[/QUOTE]And who do you propose should take the risk of the cabin on 2 August, which would otherwise have been occupied and earning revenue, now going empty? Why should the cruise line take that risk, when they and many other companies offer insurance that is designed to take that risk?

Some people really seem to think that just because a company's big, it ought to act like a charity.[quote name='kryos']Personally, if I were this cruiser, I would contact the consumer reporter at my local tv station and see if I could interest them in "negotiating" with Princess on this matter. Betcha Princess would be much more accommodating when a film crew shows up at their corporate offices.[/QUOTE]Great - whenever someone does something I don't like, I'll blackmail them too!

[srphnx]

[quote name='kryos']I'm not an experienced cruiser ... but it would not seem to be asking much to just reschedule the cruise in such a situation. If they were asking for a refund, then yes ... I could understand that without trip insurance they would be out of luck. But, surely the cruise company should be "reasonable" and allow them to just reschedule (with an appropriate upward rate adjustment, if applicable) the cruise for next year ... or for a later time when dad can travel.

Personally, if I were this cruiser, I would contact the consumer reporter at my local tv station and see if I could interest them in "negotiating" with Princess on this matter. Betcha Princess would be much more accommodating when a film crew shows up at their corporate offices.

Blue skies ...

--rita[/QUOTE]
[b][color=black]You are assuming that the CL can resell that cabin, if they can't why are they to eat the loss? As to news crews, sorry but you are perpetuating the "scream when you are wrong" school of thinking. The OP has insurance and has posted that they just don't want to deal with the hassel of filling in forms and expects everyone to just accomodate them.[/color][/b]