Insurance - Premiums and Benefits

For the first time, my wife and I have decided to purchase Cancellation Insurance for our January cruise with Holland America Line. In past years, we have chosen not to insure, but as we age and are confronted with more personal health issues, we thought it would be prudent to purchase cancellation insurance. We have chosen Holland America's Platinum Plan which allows us to cancel our trip for any reason. As with any insurance that we have purchased, we hope that we will not have to use it. Here's the question for seasoned Holland America travelers. How easy or difficult is it in collecting benefits when cancellation occurs? In addition, can you provide any other advice in purchasing insurance protection?

We have never had a problem with collecting benefits from HAL Platinum insurance. We have purchased it for every cruise. We have needed it twice and that made it all worth it.

As for other advice, many here don't care for the ships insurance and recommend a place called insuremytrip to check rates and such. We are happy with HAL's plan.

For the first time, my wife and I have decided to purchase Cancellation Insurance for our January cruise with Holland America Line. In past years, we have chosen not to insure, but as we age and are confronted with more personal health issues, we thought it would be prudent to purchase cancellation insurance. We have chosen Holland America's Platinum Plan which allows us to cancel our trip for any reason. As with any insurance that we have purchased, we hope that we will not have to use it. Here's the question for seasoned Holland America travelers. How easy or difficult is it in collecting benefits when cancellation occurs? In addition, can you provide any other advice in purchasing insurance protection?

When my husband was hospitalized in Rome three days before our cruise, I called my TA and requested that the cruise be cancelled. The credit was on our credit card account within a week. All our pre cruise purchases we also refunded.

No questions asked.

Very easy.

Terri

Recently, as my age increases, I have found the platinum insurance to be comparable to what I could find on insuremytrip. I still compare prices unless it is a last-minute booking.

The most important aspect of travel insurance, for me, is the coverage for medical transport in case I fall ill in a foreign port. I've seen more than one helicopter evacuation from the ship and quite a few ambulances waiting dockside in foreign ports. With the insurance, you not only have coverage for the trip home but also assistance with the arrangements.

One situation the HAL platinum insurance does not cover, but others do, is when a traveling companion cancels or dies. When my husband died four months before a planned family cruise, I had the option to cancel mine and receive a refund for both fares. A second option was to take the cruise as a single with the insurance covering the single supplement while his fare was refunded to me. I chose the second option. Not sure if any insurances work that way anymore.

When I feel and broke my wrist in two places the night before we were to fly to Ft Lauderdale, cancelled the next morning, everything was credited right back to my credit card.

Same thing last winter when we had to cancel as all flights were cancelled for 3 1/2 days due to a major snow storm.

Many thanks to those of you who responded to my insurance questions. I'm quite pleased to learn that the insurance companies, in question, fulfilled their obligations in a very timely manner. This is certainly reassuring as we prepare for our annual winter vacation. Equally important, I want to thank each of the above posters for sharing their personal experiences. I'm a little embarrassed that we have not used insurance for our past cruises. As I grow older, I realize that life is fraught with unpredictable risks, and that insurance can help manage those risks. In short, you never know what can happen in life. Thanks, again, to Kakalina, Terri, the2ofus, and Krazy Kruizers.

We have had to cancel 2 different cruises. Called T.A. and the money was refunded immediately, for one cruise the refund showed on our credit card withn a week, for the other cruise we elected to have the entire amount aqpplied to a future cruise which was booked immediately.

Another time while we were cruising we had just left Greenland with 3 days at sea ahead when we were notified of the death of my mother. HAL arranged air flight home for us from the next port. We had the flight put on our credit card. Cancelled excursions were credited to our on board account. The cancelled 6 days, the flight home and the rental car to the city where my mother had lived were all paid promptly by the insurance company within a week after I provided the proper documentation. Documentation included the receipts, a copy of the death certificate and a copy of the orbituary notice to show that I was a surviving child. I also included a copy of the papers showing that I was her power of attorney but that wasn't necessary.

Very easy to deal with HAL's Platinum Insurance which at that time was handled by Berkely Insurance co.

In my situation we were able to cancel for any reason and received 90% refund. HAL's insurance did not cover us pre-cruise and my husband was hospitalized and needed emergency surgery in Rome. Luckily health care in Italy is free. However, if this were in another part of the world It might have been different. We both have health insurance that covers us outside the U.S., but that is another consideration.

I never thought something like this would happen to us, but it did and we were glad we had insurance.

Terri

If you purchase insurance for both cancellation and medical - make sure you read the medical section very carefully about pre-existing conditions. Had a friend need medical attention and then had to go home from So Africa. They had a horrible time getting anything covered due to 'pre-existing' conditions. Plus his airfare was not covered but the insurance would have paid for a nurse to accompany his wife - I know, makes no sense to me either.

Recently, as my age increases, I have found the platinum insurance to be comparable to what I could find on insuremytrip. I still compare prices unless it is a last-minute booking.

 

The most important aspect of travel insurance, for me, is the coverage for medical transport in case I fall ill in a foreign port. I've seen more than one helicopter evacuation from the ship and quite a few ambulances waiting dockside in foreign ports. With the insurance, you not only have coverage for the trip home but also assistance with the arrangements.

 

One situation the HAL platinum insurance does not cover, but others do, is when a traveling companion cancels or dies. When my husband died four months before a planned family cruise, I had the option to cancel mine and receive a refund for both fares. A second option was to take the cruise as a single with the insurance covering the single supplement while his fare was refunded to me. I chose the second option. Not sure if any insurances work that way anymore.

Please be aware HAL's Platinum is cancellation coverage and only pays $10,000 for medical. Unless you have medical insurance that pays outside U.S., you need to be aware you would only have that limited amount applied to any medical bills you could accrue.

DH and I are planning a cruise in January. The one "thorn" in our garden is a very ill relative. (he is my dh's bil) We are the representives for his estate. The whole story is so complicated I don't want to go into it. But my question is, should this bil pass around the time we are on or getting ready to go would HAL's cancel for any reason cover us? Thanks for info. This family "event" has been so stressful for us and even though we live in FL. and are retired we are just ready for a vacation and away from all the stress.

Cancel for Any Reason should cover you........

Any reason.

Sorry for the stress. It can be so difficult.

Cancel for Any Reason should cover you........

 

Any reason.

Sorry for the stress. It can be so difficult.

 

Sail - thanks for the info. I was just wondering since its a BIL and not a direct relative.

Sail - I've wanted to say. sorry for your loss. I know that you know about this kind of stress.

Helen

DH and I are planning a cruise in January. The one "thorn" in our garden is a very ill relative. (he is my dh's bil) We are the representives for his estate. The whole story is so complicated I don't want to go into it. But my question is, should this bil pass around the time we are on or getting ready to go would HAL's cancel for any reason cover us? Thanks for info. This family "event" has been so stressful for us and even though we live in FL. and are retired we are just ready for a vacation and away from all the stress.

Yes, this is exactly what "Cancel for any reason" is for. Even though the medical coverage is only $10K, it is well worth it if you have a relative who is ill, and may cause you to cancel your cruise. Trust me, I know.;)

DH and I are planning a cruise in January. The one "thorn" in our garden is a very ill relative. (he is my dh's bil) We are the representives for his estate. The whole story is so complicated I don't want to go into it. But my question is, should this bil pass around the time we are on or getting ready to go would HAL's cancel for any reason cover us? Thanks for info. This family "event" has been so stressful for us and even though we live in FL. and are retired we are just ready for a vacation and away from all the stress.

As long as you cancel 24 hours before the start of the cruise, you get 90% back. They do not even ask the reason.

Terri

Sail - thanks for the info. I was just wondering since its a BIL and not a direct relative.

Sail - I've wanted to say. sorry for your loss. I know that you know about this kind of stress.

 

Helen

You can cancel, as described above, for any reason at all but be sure it is 24 hours in advance.

Thank you for your kind message. Yes, the stress can be overpowering.

As long as you cancel 24 hours before the start of the cruise, you get 90% back. They do not even ask the reason.

Terri

If you have HAL platinum CPP, you can cancel for any reason prior to your scheduled travel (sea, land/and or air) arrangements made by HAL and receive reimbursement equal to 90% of the eligible amounts paid to HAL.

If you made your own air, and hotel, and only made arrangements for the cruise through HAL, you could conceivably be on board and decide not to cruise prior to sail away, get off, and get the 90% reimbursement.

If you have HAL platinum CPP, you can cancel for any reason prior to your scheduled travel (sea, land/and or air) arrangements made by HAL and receive reimbursement equal to 90% of the eligible amounts paid to HAL.

 

If you made your own air, and hotel, and only made arrangements for the cruise through HAL, you could conceivably be on board and decide not to cruise prior to sail away, get off, and get the 90% reimbursement.

I stand corrected. The standard plan requires 24 hours notice, not the platinum. Thank you.

Terri

Thanks everyone for your responses. I just got an e-mail from our TA. She says the company she sells isn't HAL's but another and it covers us for "immediate" family death. I have e-mailed her back as the person in question is a BIL by marriage only.

He is actually my husband's sister's husband. I am not so sure this qualifys as "immediate"!

I am waiting for her to e-mail me back. DH says we need to just "book the cruise". He says that afterall we have been there for him and his children for all these years, since my husband's sister's death a number of years ago. If something happens our daughter (an attorney) can handle anything until we get back/ get there if ins covers it.

That brings up another question. Can they call the ship to contact us if we are already on the cruise??? Our phones will be OFF and we may or may not check our e-mail. Has anyone ever gotten a call like this and what did you do?

Thanks again

You can cancel, as described above, for any reason at all but be sure it is 24 hours in advance.

 

Thank you for your kind message. Yes, the stress can be overpowering.

 

Not with the Platinum. The standard requires 24 hrs notice.

We always buy the Platinum and have had to use it twice.

The first time, my DH's Mother was very ill. We cancelled a couple of days before and received 90% back very quickly.

The 2nd time, my Mother had an emergency illness (she passed 3 weeks later). In this case, we had just boarded the ship, went to lunch, returned to our suite and unpacked, then got the call. We immediately re-packed and got off the ship before it sailed. Since we had already boarded, we recieved a 100% refund as well as reimbursement for the additional airfare we paid to go immediately home. Again, this was very quickly resolved, although in this case, we did have to fill out a form and have it signed by my Mother's physician.

Thanks everyone for your responses. I just got an e-mail from our TA. She says the company she sells isn't HAL's but another and it covers us for "immediate" family death. I have e-mailed her back as the person in question is a BIL by marriage only.

He is actually my husband's sister's husband. I am not so sure this qualifys as "immediate"!

 

I am waiting for her to e-mail me back. DH says we need to just "book the cruise". He says that afterall we have been there for him and his children for all these years, since my husband's sister's death a number of years ago. If something happens our daughter (an attorney) can handle anything until we get back/ get there if ins covers it.

 

That brings up another question. Can they call the ship to contact us if we are already on the cruise??? Our phones will be OFF and we may or may not check our e-mail. Has anyone ever gotten a call like this and what did you do?

 

Thanks again

Yes, people can call you on the ship by 2 different methods. Had tablemates get such a call (her sister was suddenly gravely ill) while we were on our way to HI. They wanted to go home so HAL made all arrangements: booked air from Honolulu (our 1st port), had prepaid transportation at the pier when we docked in, told the couple to only take their carry-ons and important things then HAL packed their cabin and had everything shipped to their home. We were all very impressed as the couple had nothing to worry about.

If necessary, people can contact HAL Seattle and have Seattle contact the ship or they can directly call the ship - sorry cannot find the numbers for this.

from the HAL website:

Telephone: At some point in your travels you may experience

an emergency. With this in mind, the following emergency

phone numbers are available for your use. Representatives are

on hand to assist you in any way they can, including assistance

with travel delays and contacting loved ones. During our

regular business hours, please call: 1-800-426-0327.

Representatives are available from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Monday through Friday and from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday (Pacific Time). Outside of these hours

and during holidays, please call 1-888-361-8803,

or 1-206-301-5293*.

*This number is for emergency use only;

Hope you never have to have these numbers used.

Found the direct call info from the HAL website:

Additionally, you can call the ship directly from the shore.

We recommend that you use this for the most critical

emergencies only: Connecting to a Holland America Line

vessel at sea is simple by using Ship Dial Service. A credit

card is required for all inbound phone calls to a ship. The

rate is US$16.00 per minute and billing begins at the time

specified. Please have the ship’s name, your party’s name and

stateroom number before you call.

Instructions:

1. Dial 1-800-993-5483 (US). From outside the U.S. access

1-321-837-6106.

2. Listen to the announcement.

3. Listen to the menu and select the number that corresponds

to the ship you are calling.

4. If you receive a busy signal or

Thanks everyone for the HAL emergency numbers. I copied them and am going to leave them with our daughter. IF she feels it is necesary she will contact us.

Wow! Who knew that our golden years were going to be so stressful!!!

Thanks everyone for the HAL emergency numbers. I copied them and am going to leave them with our daughter. IF she feels it is necesary she will contact us.

 

Wow! Who knew that our golden years were going to be so stressful!!!

Perhaps for future reference, it's good to note no matter what insurance any TA customarily sells, anyone booking a HAL cruise can purchase HAL cancellation policies right up to day before final payment. Your TA easily handles it when you tell him/her that is what you want. You don't have to only purchase what your TA likes to sell. You can purchase any coverage you want.

I'm not so sure what is so golden about 'golden years'. :D Maybe for some of us but certainly not all.