Holland America Insurance FAIL

The very reason it makes no sense to buy your insurance from the cruise line!! Buy it from a third party and if you meet the cancellation criteria (which the OP certainly does) she gets her refund directly from the insurance carrier and HAL still has her fare paid in full and the OP is on her cruise with no supplement. Whether anyone chooses to notify HAL in advance or not.

There have been people who have commented in this board that they were re-fared (as a single, single occupancy) if the reported a cancellation to HAL in advance. Doing so scored a single supplement. And it would be difficult for the cancelling party to get a loss covered from their insurance without cancelling.

I have made that point here in CC so many times as I agree that many might not be aware HAL is not selling travel insurance. They are selling cancellation coverage and that is very different.

 

Anyone who does not have regular insurance that pays outside the country is taking a huge risk not having medical and evacuation coverage. Policies can be bought for quite low prices as the premium is highest for the cancellation feature........ Please everyone be aware the best of HAL's policy only pays $10,000 medical. That's a pittance of what an accident or illness could cost yu.

 

That true about the $10,000 medical, however there is also a $50,000 coverage for medical evac back home if needed.

That true about the $10,000 medical, however there is also a $50,000 coverage for medical evac back home if needed.

I thought the evac was to the nearest hospital not home.

I thought the evac was to the nearest hospital not home.

I depends on the insurance. It can be covered different ways. The back home option is more expensive.

I thought the evac was to the nearest hospital not home.

Just went back and read this. It says you will be given $50k so I guess it depends on how far home is.

Just went back and read this. It says you will be given $50k so I guess it depends on how far home is.

Not sure if this was for HAL emergency file or the HAL policy, but I had to give the airport I should be flown to if the need arose.

Generally, no. Cruise docs, like plane tickets, don't allow "substitutions". Exceptions have been known, however. Suggest you get real travel insurance in any case.

So I asked about the possible option to have someone substitute for a cancelling companion... and this reply (above) suggests that a substitution is unlikely... and to get real (third party) travel insurance....

Is there any insurance that would cover my additional single supplement fare increase if my companion cancels?

If no substitution is allowed, and no insurance to be had to cover my additional cost, my best avenue would be to cancel too. When DH and I travel we usually self-insure for the cost of the cruise (with other medical and medevac insurance back-up) but now I see that this is horse of a different color.

Thank you all for your insights. m--

That true about the $10,000 medical, however there is also a $50,000 coverage for medical evac back home if needed.

Far too many people are unaware the medical limit is $10,000.

That is a pittance. The price of the trip won't usually destroy someone's budget as presumably they could afford the cruise or would not have booked it. Many of us could not afford unlimited emergency medical bills that can run into huge numbers.

I don't think it is stressed enough how limited the HAL cancellation policy is.

That true about the $10,000 medical, however there is also a $50,000 coverage for medical evac back home if needed.

Med evac is at the discretion of the attending physician and insurance company. And you must actually be admitted to a hospital before you can even seek evac. Lastly, even our Geoblue annual med offers $500,000 in evac. But the only med evac policy that seems to give the patient some power is the MedJetassist.

Hank

So I asked about the possible option to have someone substitute for a cancelling companion... and this reply (above) suggests that a substitution is unlikely... and to get real (third party) travel insurance....

 

Is there any insurance that would cover my additional single supplement fare increase if my companion cancels?

 

If no substitution is allowed, and no insurance to be had to cover my additional cost, my best avenue would be to cancel too. When DH and I travel we usually self-insure for the cost of the cruise (with other medical and medevac insurance back-up) but now I see that this is horse of a different color.

Insurance (thru a 3rd party), as opposed to HAL's refund policy, would return the cancelling party's fare. You would still be able to sail as a single, since the full fare had already been paid. This is the same as waiting until 24 hours before sailing to cancel when HAL's insurance underwriter kicks in.

Too late now for OP to wait until 24 hours out as there have already been calls and conversations and it is to be expected HAL has the cancellation already in their records.

Just as a side note. Many credit card companies offer some coverage re travel cancellation. Once I had to cancel and I contacted my Holland America cc people and although it wasn't easy I managed to get most of that 10% covered.

Then my friend would be out the cost of her cruise. Insurance is supposed to cover a loss. We both paid for insurance so neither of us should suffer the loss.

You would not be suffering a loss other than the cost of your single supplement.

That is not part of HAL's insurance coverage since technically it is not a loss.

I am now convinced. HAL's insurance is worthless, and I will never purchase it.

Insurance from any cruise line is rarely worth it

Always a good idea to get third party insurance and make sure things like this are covered.

Something is not right here. Either you misunderstood, or someone gave you incorrect information.

If you both cancel, you would have to pay one fare, since the other would be covered by the insurance. If one of you cancel because of health, then the insurance should cover that cancelation. You should not have to pay the single traveler supplement, since your companion's fare will be paid by the insurance. If you had to pay the single traveler supplement, HAL would be getting 3 full fares from one cabin - your double fare plus the fare paid by the insurance.

I have never had an insurance claim, so I am no expert, but you should not have to pay anything extra because your insured companion cancels for health reasons.

I would call again and ask for a supervisor.

It is not an insurance company that gives the cancelled party the 90% back, it is HAL who gives the 90% back since HAL is the insurance. HAL does not use an outside insurance company.

So HAL no longer has that fare.

sorry,

deleted

This is one you have to weigh very carefully. HAL's cancellation insurance is "for any reason".... some others have limitations on the reasons and also often do not cover preexisting conditions. So, you and only you can decide on insurance. Since I travel solo most times and I do fairly long cruises, I opt for the cancellation insurance. Fortunately my supplemental health insurance covers me out of country .... but on a long cruise I also take a separate travel medical and medevac insurance since my supplemental might not pay all that much. That is me .... I figure if I take the insurance I will stay healthy. Others in different circumstances may handle it differently. What everyone does need to do is to read the contract very carefully for exclusions and make a clear distinction between medical insurance (including evac) and cancellation. Then go with what is important to you.

And again, I have not found any that would cover a single supplement charge if my traveling companion cancelled and such was added to me bill. Another reason why I usually travel solo .... no last minute surprises.

Susan

P.S. Medical evacuation from Punta Arenas for someone on the Amsterdam WC that went round South America a few years ago was about $90,000.

Insurance (thru a 3rd party), as opposed to HAL's refund policy, would return the cancelling party's fare. You would still be able to sail as a single, since the full fare had already been paid. This is the same as waiting until 24 hours before sailing to cancel when HAL's insurance underwriter kicks in.

Thank you for this clarification, that a 3rd party travel insurance would have a different effect than HAL insurance. So even if my companion cancelled, with 3rd party insurance I would be allowed to cruise alone in the cabin without having to pay the solo supplement. Got it!

I guess substitution companion could be a long shot on a case-by-case basis. m--

Thank you for this clarification, that a 3rd party travel insurance would have a different effect than HAL insurance. So even if my companion cancelled, with 3rd party insurance I would be allowed to cruise alone in the cabin without having to pay the solo supplement. Got it!

 

I guess substitution companion could be a long shot on a case-by-case basis. m--

At risk of stating the obvious, seeing all insurance policies vary, when you are deciding which to buy be sure and verify the answer to your question with the insurer with whom you are working.

I traveled with friends for the first time this summer. In the past, I always traveled with my late DH.

I bought insurance for cost of cruise etc as I was paying a very high solo supplement and am new to solo cruising. As it turned out, one of my friends got a medical diagnosis weeks before we were to go. Doctors cleared my friend to cruise and we all had a good time. However, when I got home, I called my insurance as this illness raised a question about which I was not sure.

I specifically asked if the friends I was traveling with were considered 'traveling companions' seeing we booked within days of each other, we used the same PCC, we had our reservations linked at the time we booked BUT I had my own cabin.

My insurance read they would pay for coverable reason if traveling companions cancelled. Whether they would pay me, had we cancelled, depended upon Their definition of travel companion. The answer they gave me was yes they would have covered my claim had my friend had to cancel for medical reasons.

It was good to know that.

So many unexpected conditions can arise and the facts can vary that little bit that make the insurer pay one claim but deny another.

Ask about any you suspect might/could happen. Better to know in advance what the policy 'means'.

I do not know of any insurance that covers the single supplement if one person cancels and the other continues with the cruise.

 

Susan

Perhaps it is unique to Canada, but every travel insurance policy I have had - and over the decades I have used several different insurers - covers me in the event that the person with whom I have booked double occupancy accommodation either on a ship or a hotel has to cancel. It is my choice to cancel and get a full refund or to continue with the trip and any single supplement will be paid by the insurer. For this coverage the two people do not have to be insured with the same insurer. Even if the person who has to cancel is not insured, the other person who is insured is covered.

If you don't have a sense of humour, please stop reading now :). Regarding the paltry $10,000 medical coverage, one of my US-born friends said a US hospital will charge foreigners that much for an aspirin.

I know that this thread has been just about beaten to the ground, but I was wondering something.

Would the OP be subject to the single supplement if she had purchased the cruise for both of them? If not, then this would be a safer way for friends to cruise together. One person would make the reservation for both of them and pay for it, the other could pay them back their share. If one has to cancel, the other could still go without paying the supplement. The canceling partner would be out the cost of the cruise, unless insurance was purchased.

But this scenario is all dependent on if the cruise line doesn't then turn around and charge the lone cruiser double, even though they still have the fare that was paid by the canceling partner.

At risk of stating the obvious, seeing all insurance policies vary, when you are deciding which to buy be sure and verify the answer to your question with the insurer with whom you are working.

 

I traveled with friends for the first time this summer. In the past, I always traveled with my late DH.

 

I bought insurance for cost of cruise etc as I was paying a very high solo supplement and am new to solo cruising. As it turned out, one of my friends got a medical diagnosis weeks before we were to go. Doctors cleared my friend to cruise and we all had a good time. However, when I got home, I called my insurance as this illness raised a question about which I was not sure.

 

I specifically asked if the friends I was traveling with were considered 'traveling companions' seeing we booked within days of each other, we used the same PCC, we had our reservations linked at the time we booked BUT I had my own cabin.

 

My insurance read they would pay for coverable reason if traveling companions cancelled. Whether they would pay me, had we cancelled, depended upon Their definition of travel companion. The answer they gave me was yes they would have covered my claim had my friend had to cancel for medical reasons.

 

It was good to know that.

So many unexpected conditions can arise and the facts can vary that little bit that make the insurer pay one claim but deny another.

 

Ask about any you suspect might/could happen. Better to know in advance what the policy 'means'.

 

Thanks Judy, There's more complexity to travelling with a friend than I had thought about but it's good to raise the issues before the event.

So glad that you had a happy cruise experience with your friends on NCL. Our NCL cruise this month (transatlantic to come home) was a good experience too. So was our HAL cruise the month before (eastern Med) although they are different. Wishing you good holidays, though of course, different! Blessings, m--

Maureen,

I'm happy you enjoyed your NCL cruise. I truly liked many things about sailing them than I ever expected would be the case.

Thank you for your kind words. I send you and yours wishes for Happy Holidays. :)

I know that this thread has been just about beaten to the ground, but I was wondering something.

 

Would the OP be subject to the single supplement if she had purchased the cruise for both of them? If not, then this would be a safer way for friends to cruise together. One person would make the reservation for both of them and pay for it, the other could pay them back their share. If one has to cancel, the other could still go without paying the supplement. The canceling partner would be out the cost of the cruise, unless insurance was purchased.

 

But this scenario is all dependent on if the cruise line doesn't then turn around and charge the lone cruiser double, even though they still have the fare that was paid by the canceling partner.

What some people are not getting is that prior to 24 hours this was not insurance that was purchased. The platinum in HAL's Platinum is not insurance at all but protection by HAL so that the Cabin can be canceled with a 90% refund. All of this can be found on the website. It is not specific to cancellations for medical reasons. The insurance for covered reasons that is underwritten by an insurance company does not kick in until 24 hours prior to departure.

What some people are not getting is that prior to 24 hours this was not insurance that was purchased. The platinum in HAL's Platinum is not insurance at all but protection by HAL so that the Cabin can be canceled with a 90% refund. All of this can be found on the website. It is not specific to cancellations for medical reasons. The insurance for covered reasons that is underwritten by an insurance company does not kick in until 24 hours prior to departure.

The problem I have is that I've been told verbally by HA that if one passenger cancels within the 24 hour period prior to departure, then the other passenger is not responsible for single supplement. I am unable to confirm that anywhere on the website for HA. I know that prior to the 24 hour period there is a single supplement but I can't find verbiage on their site regarding the second passenger when the first passenger cancels within the 24 hour time frame.