Cruise Insurance

[MindyBrum]

I am a first time cruiser. We are planning a family cruise in June and was wondering what the consensus was on trip insurance. The TA pushed it at time of sale, but hasn't called back with a quote. Just wondering if it's worth it, and if so, which company to use?

 

Thanks!

 

MindyBrum

[staylor]

When we leave out of Florida we usually pass on it. This year we left from San Juan and decided we should get it. You will get an overwhelming, "Yes, get it" from these boards. We have read all the stories about sicknesses and family deaths, and all kinds of reasons why people couldn't go and lost their money. If you purchase insurance you can and relax and have one less thing to worry about.

 

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

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Ecstasy 1996, Fantasy 1997,1998,1999, Imagination 2000, Sovereign 2001, Fantasy 2002, Monarch 2003, Serenade 2004

[Cindi314]

It is definitely worth it. We have always used TravelGuard, and we find that their prices are reasonable. Also, we actually had to cancel a cruise last year and file a claim. They were wonderful - got all of our money back within a few weeks - no hassles. I will never travel without insurance.

 

Grand Princess - 4/00

Voyager of the Seas - 4/02

Serenade of the Seas - 8/03

Brilliance of the Seas 7/11/05

[lauren0309]

We purchased travel insurance and had to use it. After our cruise we got stuck in Miami for 3 days because New York had a major snowstorm and all airports were closed. Insurance covered our hotel, rent a car and all meals. Its definitely work it because you never know what can happen. You can also purchase insurance without your TA it might be cheaper and you get the same coverage.

 

Majesty of the Seas 3/02

Monarch of the Seas 2/03

Serenade of the Seas 11/03

 

Till the Enchantment!

[funduo]

We always used traveguard in the past but found the insuremytrip.com site and compared prices. There was a web price for CSA travel which was 40% less then travelguard. Has anyone had any experience with CSA

 

Thanks

 

6/2000 Destiny (Carnival)

12/2001 Veendam (HAL)

08/10/03 Conquest (Carnival)

12/28/03 Paradise (Carnival)

07/30/04 Voyager of the Seas (RCCL)

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[Blue Water]

I learned that you should always get the cruise insurance. A year ago, my wife and I were scheduled to sail on the Explorer in October. We had declined the cruise insurance because of what we thought was an unnecessary expense. Upon our arrival at our hotel in Miami on friday, we were told to call our travel agent as he needed to talk to us right away. That phone call informed us that my wifes mother had suffered a massive stroke. The travel agent booked us on a flight to immediately come home. Unfortunetly, she passed before we could get back to Ohio. My travel agent suggested that I write Royal Caribbean and explain the reason for the cancelled trip. I did this and eventually RCCL gave my wife and I a cruise voucher that we did use last March. They were very kind to do this, but they did not have to. We did purchase the insurance for the second cruise and will always do so in the future. Hope this helps you make your decision on the insurance. God bless you all.

[cgc33a]

to check out plans go to www.insuremytrip.com They represent many companies & have an easy way to compare. The price will likely be less than any cruiseline (unless ou are very old)and some people say not to get the cruiseline insurance b/c it won't cover you for cruiseline financial default (or air unless you use their air program)

[JackWP]

We had to use emergency medical evacuation and 24 Hour emergency assistance on our last cruise. I estimate that the cost of the covered services was over $15,000 which was paid by Berkley Care/Celebrity. Our next cruise will be insured, however due to the timing of pre-existing conditions coverage, we went with Travelgaurd. We were in a very bad hospital and the medical assistance doctor was very very valauble. The doctor stated that he had been in this hospital and they needed to get us home for medical treatment.

[justcruzin85374]

YES..with out a doubt!

 

Soveriegn 92 E. Caribbean

Majesty 95 W. Caribbean

Granduer 97 E. Caribbean

Rhapsody 00 Mexico

Vision 02 Alaska

Radiance 03 Panama Canal

Brilliance 3/29/04

 

 

 

Radiance of the Seas/Panama Canal 10/18/2003

Are we there yet?

 

My bags are always packed!

Brilliance 3/29/2004

[gene624]

Absolutely! Do get insurance! I would use an insurance company -- not the cruise line's arrangement. Lines are known to go belly up and you would be stuck.

The cost is not minor, but certainly worth it if you have a problem -- which I did one time. Also I once had a client (I was in the investment business at time -- now retired --) and he slipped and fell on a ship in Greece, breaking his hip. Had to be taken to a hospital, operated on. Had to come home at his expense . Fortunately he was really rich so could do whatever he needed. His cost was -- in total -- over $40,000. BYW he liked the Greek surgeon so much that he brought him back to the US for an all expense paid vacation.

In addition to the trip cancellation coverage, I keep a year round contract with MedJet Assistance. They will arrange ambulance-type jet service back home -- or to a good health care location.

My regular trip insurance has always been with Access America. Have had one claim and it was quick and easy.

Hope you never need it but you should have it.

Also, be sure to get it in time to have existing illness coverage.

 

Gene in Birmingham

[jaydee]

I just booked a cruise for 2006, but did not get the insurance. I have always gotten the insurance before and plan to get it for this trip also. But, wanted to shop rates. When is the latest I can go before I need to get the insurance booked? Is it better to get it early or can I wait until sometime closer to the date?

 

Thanks.

 

Go Cubbies!!!!!

Carnival Jubilee 6/11/1989

Celebrity Infinity 3/9/2002

Splendour of the Seas-Europe 5/31/2003

Navigator of the Seas 3/20/2004

Adventure of the Seas 3/26/2006

[gambler]

You can wait until final payment to purchase the insurance, but this will not cover pre-existing. Insurance only covers pre-existing, if purchased within 7 days of booking the cruise. Once purchased, insurance is non-refundable. But, it you do cancel or change your cruise to another date and/or ship, the insurance can roll over to the new one.

 

Monarch of the Seas 09/92

Majesty of the Seas 11/93

Sovereign of the Seas 09/94

Majesty of the Seas 11/95

Grandeur of the Seas 11/99

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Grandeur of the Seas 06/01

Grandeur of the Seas 02/02

Navigator of the Seas 12/02

Rhapsody of the Seas 06/03

Radiance of the Seas 11/03

Grandeur of the Seas 05/04

Navigator of the Seas 11/04

[dougp26364]

We take it out when cruising for one major reason, my personal health insurance most likely won't cover us when we're out of the country. It would be financially devistating if we became ill or were involved in some sort of accident off US soil. For that matter I take out full coverage on rental cars when I'm out of the country. That includes CDW as well as all the liability coverage I can get. It's just prudent to protect your assests in the event of some sort of accident or illness.

 

Would losing the cost of the cruise kill me? No, I could survive that. However, if I became ill or injured in the caribbean or some foriegn country, I'd want to be flown home as soon as I was stable enough to do so. That ain't cheap and would put a substaintial hurt on my savings. Not to mention that any hospital stay would have to come out of my pocket since my personal health insurance plan wouldn't cover care in most foriegn countries. One accident and we could be financially devistated.

 

So yes, we take out the insurance. Not to protect from the loss of the cost of the cruise but to protect us from serious financial loss due to our own illness or injury. Everything else is just icing on the cake to me.

 

Future cruises

Monarch OTS - Mexico Baja 1/05

Explorer OTS - Eastern Caribbean 11/04

 

Past cruises

Vision OTS - Alaska 7/03

Legend OTS - Alaska 7/02

[MindyBrum]

In doing some research, Travelex is quite a bit cheaper but seems to be a highly rated company and decent benefit payments.

 

Anyone have experience or stories about Travelex? IT is included in insuremytrip.com and on the cruise critic's list of cruise insurance companies.

 

If this is a good company with similar/same coverage as TravelGuard, everyone should consider it... it's affordable for piece of mind.

 

Thanks for all the informative posts!

[mrsbooger]

Definitely get the insurance. This is the first cruise I didn't purchase it. It's a cheap 4 day out of our home port for just the two of us without the kids. Well, hubby blew out his knee on Monday and we're waiting to see if we can go. Over all I'm not that upset since it wasn't that much money and right now I'm more concerned about my hubby being healthy. Lesson learned the hard way though!

 

Happy Cruising!

 

 Days To Go Until The Sensation!

 

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[Mark_K]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dougp26364:

 

Would losing the cost of the cruise kill me? No, I could survive that. However, if I became ill or injured in the caribbean or some foriegn country, I'd want to be flown home as soon as I was stable enough to do so. That ain't cheap and would put a substaintial hurt on my savings. Not to mention that any hospital stay would have to come out of my pocket since my personal health insurance plan wouldn't cover care in most foriegn countries. One accident and we could be financially devistated.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>You do realize that most cruise insurance will only fly you home as soon as you're stable if it's medically necessary. i.e. You have a problem the local hospital is unable to treat.

 

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits" Mark Twain

 

"Nothing so needs reforming as other people's formal night attire, poolside attire, child rearing practices, walk-talkie usage, chair hogging, seat saving, line cutting ..." Mark_K

[dougp26364]

Yes, and that's what I'm concerned about. Minor itmes don't bother me all that much. It's the major things that many of these hospitals aren't set up for that concern me.

 

Future cruises

Monarch OTS - Mexico Baja 1/05

Explorer OTS - Eastern Caribbean 11/04

 

Past cruises

Vision OTS - Alaska 7/03

Legend OTS - Alaska 7/02

[Kelina]

CSA - YES! We use CSA for everything now. It was the travel insurance offered to us for a cruise a couple of years ago, and we purchased it. My son got sick on the trip and had to see the Doc several times (bloodwork, xrays etc.) The bill was well over 1000.00 and CSA covered *everything* my isurance didn't - including reimbursement for all excursions we couldn't attend because he was ill.

 

We are even using them for an upcoming trip to Europe.

 

Hope that helps

 

December 15 Adventure of The Seas!!!

 

Rhapsody of the Seas

 

Rhapsody BIRTHDAY CRUISE - Happy Birthday To Me!

 

[D4]

MindyBrum: In the past, I've bought TravelGuard and AccessAmerica. This time I bought Travelex because it had some broader coverages if you read the fine print. I've been lucky and never had a claim, but I sure wouldn't leave the country without trip insurance!

 

If you've got kids, Travelex covers under 16 for free. My youngest is 16 now so I didn't benefit from that.

[tamtot]

This is the first time we're booking our own insurance, we usually book it with the cruise. I'm so glad I found this thread, as my final payment is due Tuesday, and I haven't purchased insurance yet!

Please tell me what I would need....we (husband and I) are driving from Georgia to Port Canaveral---we'll be staying in a hotel for one night (include that in the trip price, is that correct?). We do have Health INsurance through Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

Insure My Trip is OVERWHELMING! If someone would just tell me which type plan I should go with, I'd be forevermore grateful!

Thanks,

Tammy

 

Costa Atlantica 3-01

Explorer of the Seas 6-02

Majesty of the Seas 5-03

Mariner of the Seas in just...........

[winncove]

All the info I get on CruiseQuick, without a purchase, say cost of cruise makes it $56 each, with pre-existng cond. waiver. Am I in for a surprise when I go to purchase it? all of the ones on Travelex are way more w/ages 60s & 70s. Even Amex was only a little more w/ages showing.

[MindyBrum]

In reading the fine print, Travelex does have good coverage and we are a young family with 3 children, thus the policy is significantly cheaper because it covers the 3 children for free. This would not be the cheapest policy for couple only, but it does favor families. I noted it was rated A+, but that was a year old rating.

 

Anyone with experience filing with Travelex. We all hope to "never" use the insurance,but you want it when and "if" you need it! Decision, decisions!!

 

Thanks for all the comments!!!!

 

42 days and counting....

[cmjaffe]

RE:

Experience w/CSA... great w/NO problems whatsoever... had to use them for claims 3 times.. all went smoothly.. I'm surprised they still offer us coverage considering our "track record"... (2 times we would have put a claim in but were comped by cruise line).The one claim I'd like to mention was when we had a death in family.. had already flew down to San Juan.. didn't even leave the airport to get on ship.. found out MIL was blue and hadn't awaken.. (she was on home hospice at time... terminal, but we didn't know if it was days, weeks or a month or longer... couldn't totally put our "life" on hold) so we got the next flight back north (family of 4). She passed away while we were flying back... put in claim for the trip (the WHOLE trip incl. the air that was purchased independ. from cruise). Got EVERY PENNY back.. including the airfare that we used to fly down.. was very pleased and surprised at that.. was a sad time but at least we weren't out anything other than the modest premium and were able to go on another vacation 3 months later.

Carolyn

[Mark_K]

MindyBrum,

 

Keep in mind, that generally speaking, the people who answer posts regarding travel insurance are the people who believe in it. It is not necessary, not required, and depending on your circumstances, health, etc. may be largely a waste of money.

 

If travel insurance were needed as often as you might think from reading this thread, it would cost at least $1,000 per trip.

 

----------------------------------------------------------

 

"Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits" Mark Twain

 

"Nothing so needs reforming as other people's formal night attire, poolside attire, child rearing practices, walk-talkie usage, chair hogging, seat saving, line cutting ..." Mark_K

[tamtot]

Carolyn,

Do you know which CSA plan you went with? Gold, Silver or Web Direct? I'm trying (with little success) to find out why the WebDirect is so much less expensive, but can't get a straight answer from INSUREMYTRIP, I'll call them Monday.

Thanks for the valuable info!

Tammy

 

Costa Atlantica 3-01

Explorer of the Seas 6-02

Majesty of the Seas 5-03

Mariner of the Seas in just...........