cancellation insurance

[KarateLois]

We will be sailing, probably on Princess, in July. In one of our cabins will be my 19 year old son and my 80 year old mother. There is a slight chance my son will have to cancel out because he has applied for a highly selective internship. In the unlikely event that he has to cancel the trip, we want my mother to be able to go without paying any penalty for losing her roomate while my son will still be reimbursed for not cruising. On previous cruises we had insurance that covered the roomate if one passenger had to cancel, but only if the cancellation was due to extreme illness or death. Do you know of any companies or policies that will cover my mother in the event she has to sail without her roomate, but will still reimburse my son for the cost of his trip, or most of it, if he has to cancel? Does Princess cover this? Does any other comparable line, like NCL or RCCL, cover this situation?

[GottaLuvCruising]

I've worked in the cruise industry for five years and have never heard of such coverage. I think it's very unlikely that you'll find something like that. You're looking to "have your pie and eat it, too". A single stateroom costs more for that one guest than the double fare is per person. It's just unreasonable to expect your mom to get a single room without paying the supplement plus your son to get his double fare back.

[KarateLois]

I didn't think so but I thought I'd ask. TRhanks for the answer.

[KarateLois]

Thanks. I guess I knew the answer, but I thought I'd ask.

[BaumD]

There are some policies that will cover "for any reason" cancellations. They will be much more expensive and some of the cruiselines will give you a 75% credit if you cancel. Check on insuremytrip.com.

[KarateLois]

Will do!

[GottaLuvCruising]

There are some policies that will cover "for any reason" cancellations. They will be much more expensive and some of the cruiselines will give you a 75% credit if you cancel. Check on insuremytrip.com.

 

Unfortunately, that option won't solve the problem if one guest still wants to sail. He'd be subject to the cruise line cancellation penalty, then the mother would be subject to the single fare. She'd need to check the policy coverage and/or call the specific insurance company for details.

[cruiseco]

Unfortunately, that option won't solve the problem if one guest still wants to sail. He'd be subject to the cruise line cancellation penalty, then the mother would be subject to the single fare. She'd need to check the policy coverage and/or call the specific insurance company for details.

 

Most third-party plans have this type of occupancy coverage benefit -- if the traveling companion cancels for a covered reason the insured can file a claim for the difference between the double occupancy fare ane the single rate.

 

The "cancel for any reason" policies out there also have the occupancy adjustment benefit BUT will only cover if the insured has to cancel for an otherwise uncovered reason. If the roommate has to cancel for a non-covered reason (as this would be) the benefit would not apply.

[Summershells]

Anyone know where we can get insurance? We are two friends traveling together and sharing a room. We are looking for insurance that would cover one of us if the other had to cancel for some reason such as personal illness or family emergency. Since we are not family members, we know that some insurances wouldn't cover us. Thank you.

[cruiseco]

Anyone know where we can get insurance? We are two friends traveling together and sharing a room. We are looking for insurance that would cover one of us if the other had to cancel for some reason such as personal illness or family emergency. Since we are not family members, we know that some insurances wouldn't cover us. Thank you.

 

 

Almost all third-party plans will cover you if your roommate has to cancel for a covered reason. But be very careful to check how they would handle a medical emergency with your roommate's non-traveling family member.

 

For example, this is from CSA:

 

"a covered Sickness or Injury involving an Insured, Traveling Companion or Family Member which necessitates Medical Treatment at the time of cancellation and results in medically imposed restrictions, as certified by a Legally Qualified Physician, which prevents an Insured's participation in the Covered Trip;"

 

And this from M. H. Ross:

 

"Any serious Injury or any serious Sickness occurring to:

A) You, which results in medically imposed travel restrictions as certified by a Physician at the time of loss;

 

B) Your or Your Traveling Companion's Family Member that is considered life threatening or requiring hospitalization; or

 

C) Your or Your Traveling Companion's Family Member requiring Your or Your Traveling Companion's immediate care."

 

As you can see, if your traveling companion has to cancel because of a medical emergency with a non-traveling family member you'd be covered with the M. H. Ross plan but probably not with the CSA plan. So if you're worried about a medical situation with your traveling companion's family member causing a cancellation be sure to read the plan's fine print very carefully.