Travel Insurance

Hello! I want to buy travel insurance that will cover me and a friend if our flight to port is delayed - if it is more than 2 hours late we will likely miss the ship! I've been using insuremytrip to look at plans but I am still not clear on what to look for in terms of covering this specific thing - what words or phrase should I look for to ensure that I will be covered?

My only suggestion would be to call insuremytrip and have someone there help you with these details. But what do I know, I usually buy my insurance through the cruise line ;)

Hello! I want to buy travel insurance that will cover me and a friend if our flight to port is delayed - if it is more than 2 hours late we will likely miss the ship! I've been using insuremytrip to look at plans but I am still not clear on what to look for in terms of covering this specific thing - what words or phrase should I look for to ensure that I will be covered?

A 2 hour flight buffer? NOT a good idea. Best practice is to always fly in at least a day early. This also allows you to add a visit to the embarkation city to your itinerary on the same airfare.

As a general rule, avoid cruise line's insurance since coverage is not as good as independent for the same or better price.

We use Travelex and I suggest you give them a call with your question.

My only suggestion would be to call insuremytrip and have someone there help you with these details. But what do I know, I usually buy my insurance through the cruise line ;)

I second giving the folks at insuremytrip.com a call. I understand that the reps are knowledgable and quite helpful. If you outline your needs they will point you in the right direction.

Can you change your flights, or is it too late? That is waaaay too close for comfort. Consider a change to your flight, and staying overnight near the port. If not, good luck and I hope you have no flight delays.

I am aware that there is not a lot of room for error. I made another thread a few weeks ago about that problem. It is much too expensive to change the flights (at least double what we paid for them initially). Flying in a day early was not an option because my friend has to work until 11 pm or so the night before, and there were no red eye flights available. I will call insuremytrip when I get home. Thanks everyone!

I am aware that there is not a lot of room for error. I made another thread a few weeks ago about that problem. It is much too expensive to change the flights (at least double what we paid for them initially). Flying in a day early was not an option because my friend has to work until 11 pm or so the night before, and there were no red eye flights available. I will call insuremytrip when I get home. Thanks everyone!

You're looking for Trip Delay

However, the best that I know of only begin their Trip Delay coverage if your flight delay is 4 hours. Some don't start until 6 hrs, some 8 hrs, and some even 12 hrs.

If you've only got a 2 hour buffer, you made a big mistake. All you can really do now is hope all goes well and chalk this up as lesson learned.

I agree with Klfrodo. Insurance will cover you for unavoidable delays, and that involves booking flights that arrive 4-6 hrs. before boarding.

Roz

I haven't seen this exact question - so forgive me if there's a thread out there - but I presume there aren't any travel insurance policies that cover if my (non-cruise) shore excursion gets me back to the ship too late and they've departed?

We are researching travel insurance companies now. We're on a Med cruise and trying to decide whether to take a shore excursion by a private company (highly recommended on CC) that is more tailored to our interests than the ship excursion or not in Rome. We know the ship will wait for us if we take the ship excursion but it doesn't really take us to where we want to go so are debating whether to take the chance. And if we do, and the ship leaves, would travel insurance cover the expense to get us to the next port? (and is the hassle worth it?)

thanks!

Call the - https://tripinsurancestore.com/

They are recommended all over cruise critic and can answer all your questions. And no I don't work for them. Their advice is free and I would get insurance thru them .

I haven't seen this exact question - so forgive me if there's a thread out there - but I presume there aren't any travel insurance policies that cover if my (non-cruise) shore excursion gets me back to the ship too late and they've departed?

 

We are researching travel insurance companies now. We're on a Med cruise and trying to decide whether to take a shore excursion by a private company (highly recommended on CC) that is more tailored to our interests than the ship excursion or not in Rome. We know the ship will wait for us if we take the ship excursion but it doesn't really take us to where we want to go so are debating whether to take the chance. And if we do, and the ship leaves, would travel insurance cover the expense to get us to the next port? (and is the hassle worth it?) thanks!

No. Travel insurance only covers unavoidable delays. There's no such thing as "didn't get back to the ship in time" insurance. Just imagine how this would be abused by passengers who decided to linger in a restaurant or in the shoreside shops if they knew their tardiness was covered.

You'll have to make certain the tour operator knows your "all aboard" time.

IMHO, if Rome is new for you, it should be a start or end cruise port (too much to see and do -even if you had 2-3 days).

Tip. back everything you 'need' in your carry on. A change of clothes, swimsuit, a dress for dinner, money, all cruise documents. I'd see if you can get the basics in your carry on bag. You can always do laundry on the ship, and pick up stuff at the first port. But if you make it, and your luggage doesn't, you'll want clean pj's/clothes.

Assume your luggage may be late/not arrive with you.

The ONE time we flew in day of, everything was delayed. It was a mess! we were almost the last to board, photo stations had already been picked up! We didn't get our luggage till the next night. thankfully my fil packed a whole pack of brand new toothbrushes and toothpaste (after leaving my house at 330am, I wanted nothing more than to brush my teeth!

No. Travel insurance only covers unavoidable delays. There's no such thing as "didn't get back to the ship in time" insurance. Just imagine how this would be abused by passengers who decided to linger in a restaurant or in the shoreside shops if they knew their tardiness was covered.

 

You'll have to make certain the tour operator knows your "all aboard" time.

I think a lot depends on why the tour operator was late returning the passengers to the pier. If there was a major accident that could be amply documented I would think that either trip delay or trip interruption coverage would kick in (although the amount spent to catch up with the ship/return home could easily exceed the limits of the policy). (And this is a reason that many people use to buy cruise line provide excursions since in most cases the ship will wait for late running excursions.)

We buy TRAVELGUARD thru our cruise agent. There is also no reason to fly in the day before unless you are crusing to Europe then i would fly in the day before . We always fly the day of the cruise and in 30 cruises we never had a problem. As long as you are 4 - 6 hours early before the cruise you shouldn't have an issue .

... We always fly the day of the cruise and in 30 cruises we never had a problem. As long as you are 4 - 6 hours early before the cruise you shouldn't have an issue.

You have really defied the odds in never having had a problem in 30 cruises. I've read some horror stories here of late flights, rescheduled flights, and missed connections. A lot is going to depend on whether it is a direct non-stop flight and if one is departing from a hub airport where there is flexibility in rebooking to a different flight.

Not too long ago a post came from somebody who wanted to fly from Atlanta to Honolulu using SkyMiles. The reschedule allowed only one hour and 55 minutes between landing and ship check in cutoff. :eek:

We buy TRAVELGUARD thru our cruise agent. There is also no reason to fly in the day before unless you are crusing to Europe then i would fly in the day before . We always fly the day of the cruise and in 30 cruises we never had a problem. As long as you are 4 - 6 hours early before the cruise you shouldn't have an issue .

We buy TRAVELGUARD thru our cruise agent. There is also no reason to fly in the day before unless you are crusing to Europe then i would fly in the day before . We always fly the day of the cruise and in 30 cruises we never had a problem. As long as you are 4 - 6 hours early before the cruise you shouldn't have an issue .

Sorry but - the above are two pieces of bad advice.

Like insurance from a cruise line, most TA insurance is their contracted version of the insurer's regular policies. Sure the TA price may be cheaper. But compare the coverage limits, exclusions, etc. With few exceptions, buy direct from the insurer.

As for flying in: Regardless of "on time" percentages, each flight is unique unto itself and the true odds of on time arrival are 50/50. So, 30 cruises w/o any issues means absolutely nothing the next time one steps on an airplane.

Along the same lines, the argument of leaving early enough on the same day as the cruise to give you a buffer to catch a later flight (in case of a problem) is bogus. Few "next flights" have seats these days and what is available will always go to the airline's frequent flyers first.

Bottom line: it's not a problem until it's a problem and then you are screwed.

You might wamt to check our the Cruise /Travel Insurance forum under Special Cruise Topics. It is specifically for insurance posts. I have learned a lot there.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Forums mobile app

You might wamt to check our the Cruise /Travel Insurance forum under Special Cruise Topics. It is specifically for insurance posts. I have learned a lot there.

 

Sent from my LG-D801 using Forums mobile app

Great advice!

thanks!

We buy TRAVELGUARD thru our cruise agent. There is also no reason to fly in the day before unless you are crusing to Europe then i would fly in the day before . We always fly the day of the cruise and in 30 cruises we never had a problem. As long as you are 4 - 6 hours early before the cruise you shouldn't have an issue .

Crazy advice. See this thread below:

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2191914

We buy TRAVELGUARD thru our cruise agent. There is also no reason to fly in the day before unless you are crusing to Europe then i would fly in the day before . We always fly the day of the cruise and in 30 cruises we never had a problem. As long as you are 4 - 6 hours early before the cruise you shouldn't have an issue .

Please relocate to Chicago, Buffalo, NYC or other snow-belt place and try to repeat this report for cruises from December thru March. :cool:

Crazy advice. See this thread below:

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2191914

Wow just read the "linked thread" ..... Gotta wonder if that OP made the ship! Talk about clueless OMG!

I do not think it is possible to buy insurance to cover missing a ship if only a two hour window was scheduled. The risk to the insurer would be too great to sell coverage for a premium OP would be willing to pay.

After 30 times of successfully cutting it close, I think that other poster might be due for a change in luck - I hope he will come back and let us know how he handled a weather-driven four hour delay, or a five-hour snag because of equipment problems - and what his advice would then be.