Will HAL work with you if flights are cancelled?

[Joy2theWorld]

If you are going on an upcoming voyage and can't get there because of the ash, how willing will HAL be to reschedule you on another cruise if you don't have insurance through them? I have an option of buying cancel anytime coverage through the end of the day today for a little over $400. I'm debating if I should do it or not.

[arlodog]

I would buy insurance. HAL will not "work with you" if your flights are canceled. They may try and help you out for PR reasons, but they will not refund your money or allow you to rebook for free.

I don't know if or when this ash situation is going to clear up, from what I have read it could be days to weeks to months!:eek:

[Choinski]

I would be asking - 'would the insurance companies work with you if the Flight is cancelled'? We were looking into it and the insurance companies consider the Volcano at this point to be a 'known event'. If the volcano is to blame for your missed cruise, they will not cover it. Consider it the travel equivilent of a 'pre-existing condition'.

[Joy2theWorld]

I just bit the bullet and bought insurance with the cancel for any reason caluse. Travel ex allows you to do it within 21 days of initial deposit and today is exactly our 21st day. Kind of a gamble and hope that we won't need to use it, but I feel a little better. I just hope the 21st day is included as "within" 21 days.

[Susie51]

What cruise are you on? When does it depart?

[digitl]

I just bit the bullet and bought insurance with the cancel for any reason caluse.
I would check with them that 'cancellation due to ash is covered'. The ash, and its accompanying problems, was there before you bought the insurance and insurance companies do not cover issues that are already apparent.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You are wise to buy insurance.

HAL will not work with you if you have not bought their insurance.

Also -- if you have not bought their airline tickets -- you may also have a problem.

[patseacruiser]

I too am curious if your insurance would cover this already known existing condition. Did you read the fine print on the policy yet?

[Joy2theWorld]

Cancel for any reason is just that I thought. I have up until 3 days before the scheduled trip to cancel. I will read the policy tomorrow when I can print it all out.

[Joy2theWorld]

Oh and we leave the end of June. I know it might be all clear by then, but this was for peace of mind just in case. We had put our initial deposit down March 29 and paid in full on the 15th. This company allows you to purchase cancel for any reason coverage within 21 days of deposit.

[European_CruiseGirl]

I would check with them that 'cancellation due to ash is covered'. The ash, and its accompanying problems, was there before you bought the insurance and insurance companies do not cover issues that are already apparent.

Usually "cancel for any reason" insurances are just that - cancel for any reason.

The reason for the cancellation could even be "I noticed just today that my favourite movie is shown on TV during the cruise and I don't want to miss it so I cancelled".

[PCruzer]

Also -- if you have not bought their airline tickets -- you may also have a problem.
What if you do have air arranged by HAL? We are going from Boston to Dover - the one-way Voyage of the Vikings cruise - in July. Flying back to US from London. If there is a flight problem, will HAL get involved to try to resolve it? Do they have any responsibility?

[luvs2travl]

If you are going on an upcoming voyage and can't get there because of the ash, how willing will HAL be to reschedule you on another cruise if you don't have insurance through them? I have an option of buying cancel anytime coverage through the end of the day today for a little over $400. I'm debating if I should do it or not.

Please buy it! I just got off the phone cancelling a very expensive trans-Atlantic cruise (with Princess this time rather than HAL) that was due to depart this Saturday (24th). We purchased the Princess Platinum Policy and everything we purchased through Princess will be refunded at 100% - including air fare, pre-cruise hotels & all transfers and port fees. The insurance cost will NOT be refunded (obvioulsy) but better to lose $500 ( in our case) that owe $10,000! :eek:

I would definitely recommend that you purchase it today, if this is your dead-line. Just remember that anything you do on your own is NOT covered (ie: if you book your own air, hotel, etc..)

[digitl]

Please buy it!
But check first that you will be covered for cancellation due to ash. Insurance companies do not normally cover problems that are apparent before a policy is purchased.

[NMLady]

I would be asking - 'would the insurance companies work with you if the Flight is cancelled'? We were looking into it and the insurance companies consider the Volcano at this point to be a 'known event'. If the volcano is to blame for your missed cruise, they will not cover it. Consider it the travel equivilent of a 'pre-existing condition'.

That is not true of all insurance companies. Some include it as a 'natural disaster' and under that some cover part or even all of the expenses.

Every insurance policy is different. I never buy mine through a cruise line so I don't know what coverage HAL's policy has.

Also, regarding 'pre-exiting conditions', most travel insurances will cover pre-existing conditions IF you purchase the insurance within a certain number of days after booking. The number of days varies depending on which insurance company.

[luvs2travl]

If you are going on an upcoming voyage and can't get there because of the ash, how willing will HAL be to reschedule you on another cruise if you don't have insurance through them? I have an option of buying cancel anytime coverage through the end of the day today for a little over $400. I'm debating if I should do it or not.

I would recommend you buy it. I just got off the phone with our travel agent cancelling a very expensive trans-Atlantic cruise (with Princess this time, not HAL). We booked air, hotel, cruise, everything as one package through Princess and took out their Platinum Insurance Policy at the time of booking. It has a "cancel-for-any-reason" clause in it. After speaking with the insurance representative, she assured me that we will get 100% of our money back, less the $500.00 we paid for the insurance, of course. But, better to lose $500.00 than over $10,000.00 :eek:!

Just remember that when purchasing the insurance from the cruise line that it only covers what has been booked through them - anything you purchase "on your own" will not be covered.

We are very disappointed in not being able to go, but so very thankful that we took the insurance. We have never cruised without insurance and never will. We re-booked a 2-week re-po cruise from Quebec to FLL for October in it's place.

Best of luck!

[PaulMCO]

You must by the Platinum to be covered.
Because this is now a "known event" all insurance policies purchased after 13 to 15 April (depending on the carrier) will NOT cover any claims under the adverse weather, volcano, or natural disaster sections of their policy.

The only thing that will cover you is a cancel for "any" reason policy.

It would be like buying life insurance after you die :)