trip insurance from the cruise line?

[ellie109]

i'm travelling with 4 other people and my 87 year old mother on the coral to alaska, and we're definitely buying trip insurance. but, should i buy princess' insurance, or get it from axcess america which is so much more expensive?

[firefly333]

If you are getting it from the cruiseline, be sure and get it within 2 weeks of booked.

 

check out insuremytrip.com too

[fann1sh]

For my 80something parents, it was cheaper from the cruise line (in their case, Holland America Platinum CPP). But, do price elsewhere. Try http://www.squaremouth.com for price comparisons.

 

As noted above - you need to buy at the time of booking. Gets you coverage on pre-existing conditions.

[dforeigner]

Try www.insuremytrip.com in order to do a comparison contrast between different plans. You may get a better deal going independent than getting insurance through the ship.

[Roz]

A few years ago a cruise line by the name of Renaissance went belly up. Their ships were seized in the ports where they were docked. Passengers who bought insurance thru the bankrupt line were left high and dry and left to fend for themselves to figure out how to get home.

 

Future cruisers couldn't get refunds on their canceled cruises.

 

Just something to think about. I think you're always better to buy thru a 3rd party insurer.

 

Roz

[Krazy Kruizers]

We never buy the cruise line insurance -- always from a third party.

[Plant]

A few years ago a cruise line by the name of Renaissance went belly up. Their ships were seized in the ports where they were docked. Passengers who bought insurance thru the bankrupt line were left high and dry and left to fend for themselves to figure out how to get home.

 

Future cruisers couldn't get refunds on their canceled cruises.

 

Just something to think about. I think you're always better to buy thru a 3rd party insurer.

 

Roz

 

We never buy the cruise line insurance -- always from a third party.

 

I agree with both of these posts! Buy your travel insurance from a third party. In order to cover any pre-existing conditions you should buy the insurance at the same time you put down the deposit on the cruise or within a week or so (check with your TA to see how much time you have). We've always been "offered" a two week window, but we buy ours when we book.

 

We don't find it any more expensive than what the cruise line offers, and really, if you're spending big $$$$ on a cruise, how bad could it be to pay about $100.00 for insurance?

 

The main thing you want to be covered for is evacuation. This can be incredibly expensive if you or your mom needs to be evacuated from the ship!

 

Hoping you don't need to use your insurance,

[Louise22]

And, do make sure that the evacuation insurance takes you further than to the nearest suitable facility. A lot of policies are limited. You may rather be close to home in the worst circumstance.

[fann1sh]

While I agree with Roz, KK and Plant about the wisdom of buying from 3rd party insurers, there's another issue for some of us with pre-existing conditions. 3rd party insurance requires you to cancel within "X" days of learning of the problem leading to cruise cancellation.

 

For people with health problems that flare and ebb, documenting "the straw that broke the camel's back" can be a nightmare. Some insurance companies will contest the claim if they can.

 

I've gone with Holland America's Cancellation Protection Plan, because it lets you cancel for any reason up to 24 hours before sailing, no proof of reason required. Because it's not true "insurance", CPP works for my very special needs (and the evacuation coverage that kicks in after sailing is IMO adequate.)

 

I think we're all agreeing on this thread, the key is research. Reading through the legalese and trying to figure how it applies to yourself can be puzzling and tedious, but necessary.

 

Echo Plant - hope you never need to claim on the insurance!