Cruise Insurance with Ebola ...

In over 25 cruises, I think we only took insurance on one. With the recent itinerary changes that have occurred to a Carnival ship due to the THREAT of ebola virus, would it be a wise choice to start taking the additional insurance...?

Itinerary changes aren't covered by insurance. It is clearly stated in the cruise contract that they can change/move or drop ports and there really is no recourse for the passenger. The cruise lines have to do it all the time due to weather. They will usually give you back your port taxes and sometimes I have heard they will throw in an OBC to try and make people somewhat happier.

Now if you had to cancel a cruise due to catching Ebola you would want insurance! Actually probably your missed cruise would be the least of your worries!

The cruise lines have to do it all the time due to weather. They will usually give you back your port taxes and sometimes I have heard they will throw in an OBC to try and make people somewhat happier.

 

Carnival Magic passengers got 200.00 OBC per person and a 50% future cruise credit for missing Cozumel today. I thought that was very fair.

There was a time that I did not buy any cruise insurance and took the risk ...... but as I started getting older and older I do buy the insurance

With the ebola threat that some people did not even think it can happen on a cruise ...... perhaps more will consider the insurance.

We never cruise without the insurance. The thought of having to be airlifted to a better hospital facility at our own cost is frightening! Also, missed connections, lost luggage, etc. That said, I'm not sure what the insurance restrictions are regarding outbreaks of a major virus. Usually the reason to cancel has to be someone is ill (verified by a doctor). If the cruise lines have to cancel cruises, I'm not sure it would be covered.

It is always wise to be insured for, at a minimum, medical evacuation as that can be a five figure sum very easily. With premium level cancel for any reason insurance you could also cancel if you perceived risk to be too great at any given time / itinerary and not lose out on your money.

Carnival Magic passengers got 200.00 OBC per person and a 50% future cruise credit for missing Cozumel today. I thought that was very fair.

Why did they miss the port? Was it do to the Health Care Worker?

Why did they miss the port? Was it do to the Health Care Worker?

Mexico did not give them the clearance.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6030

Carnival Magic passengers got 200.00 OBC per person and a 50% future cruise credit for missing Cozumel today. I thought that was very fair.

That sounds like a good deal to me!:D

AZmike480

Assume a fellow passenger actually had ebola. Would the cruise insurance cover if such a fellow passenger on your ship vomited over the railing, spraying most of the side of the ship's balconies and anyone walking below (such as when in port)?

We never cruise without the insurance. The thought of having to be airlifted to a better hospital facility at our own cost is frightening! Also, missed connections, lost luggage, etc. That said, I'm not sure what the insurance restrictions are regarding outbreaks of a major virus. Usually the reason to cancel has to be someone is ill (verified by a doctor). If the cruise lines have to cancel cruises, I'm not sure it would be covered.

My only reason for ever taking travel insurance is for the medical evacuation. The cost of the cruise, airfare etc. is really not that important. I don't like throwing money away but worst case we do without a vacation. However, being somewhere without good medical care (or what I think is good medical care) is not something I want to risk.

Mexico did not give them the clearance.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6030

Thank you

My only reason for ever taking travel insurance is for the medical evacuation. The cost of the cruise, airfare etc. is really not that important. I don't like throwing money away but worst case we do without a vacation. However, being somewhere without good medical care (or what I think is good medical care) is not something I want to risk.

Couldn't agree more! Being able to "cancel" for covered reasons is a extra perk for us, we are protecting against a major financial outlay related to medical / evacuation cost.

That sounds like a good deal to me!:D

 

AZmike480

And for something that was of no fault of Carnival's too!

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My folks have stressed to us since Cruise #1 that Insurance isn't debatable. You get it, period. They had one issue with a messed-up flight connection and twice had to cancel over health issues, and all three times the Insurance was worth every penny.

Often it's not so much for the reasons you can think of, but the reasons you CAN'T think of.

Why did they miss the port? Was it do to the Health Care Worker?

Both the country of Belize and port of Cozumel refused the ship permission to dock. They turned the ship away and she is now headed back to Galveston.

My last medical insurance policy did not cover any loss resulting from an epidemic or pandemic.

I think it depends. On your insurance. You can get cruise specific insurance or general OS travel insurance. When I looked into it the specific cruise insurance had much better coverage but was dearer! :)

I got cruise insurance thru RCCL for my upcoming cruise. SO say a bunch more people become infected with EBOLA in the next 3 weeks before I leave my cruise am I able to cancel and get a full refund for the cost of my trip? Im pregnant and don't want to risk myself or child if this thing spirals out of control

Think your insurance covers you if YOU get sick..I don't think your insurance will cover you to cancel because others are sick on the ship.... just my experience with Travel Insurance

Carnival Magic passengers got 200.00 OBC per person and a 50% future cruise credit for missing Cozumel today. I thought that was very fair.

That is very good.

I got cruise insurance thru RCCL for my upcoming cruise. SO say a bunch more people become infected with EBOLA in the next 3 weeks before I leave my cruise am I able to cancel and get a full refund for the cost of my trip? Im pregnant and don't want to risk myself or child if this thing spirals out of control

Do you have insurance where you can cancel for any reason?

If not -- doubt if you will get much back.

In 2010 we were scheduled to do a western Caribbean cruise -- along came Hurricane Paula. Our itinerary was completely changed to an eastern Caribbean cruise.

We did not get any shipboard credit or anything off on a future cruise.

Not all cruises are treated the same.

Get the insurance. It is not expensive. You never know what is going to happen and having something happen overseas that you are not covered for could have a serious affect on your life.

Chance of Ebola effecting your cruise? So slim the numbers are so tiny it's not even worth writing.

The chance of you slipping and breaking a leg and needing to be taken home? A lot higher! Worry about that instead!

Either way. Get insurance.

Addressing the OPs concern/question -

I always recommend insurance. The price is low and the coverage is very good. That said, you've survived this long (25 cruises) without it, why are you now all concerned? I would submit that you are simply getting caught up in the media induced hype over ebola.

Remember, if it's not sensational or otherwise an alarming crisis, the newspapers don't sell. The reality is that your risk from an 'exotic' such as ebola is really VERY low. That's why they're considered 'exotics'. You stand a much better chance of catching noro, legionaires, influenza or any of a host of bio-agents which have killed many thousands of times more than ebola.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/exposure/index.html

And that's if you actually get to the ship. Based on the average number of U.S. residents over that period, the annual risk of dying in a transportation-related accident is 1 in 6,800.

Ebola, in the United States, 1 in 319,100,600.

In conclusion, I still recommend that you purchase "cruise insurance". But, do it for the right reason. To cover your expenses in the event of an accident; not as a knee-jerk reaction to something that really isn't a problem.