GeezerCouple
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Posts posted by GeezerCouple
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While I have not booked this cruise yet, I'm in the early stages of planning. I had a few questions. We're thinking of flying in 2 days early to sightsee when we arrive. What is a must see in Honolulu?. One of the places in our plans is the Pearl Harbor memorial. We also want to go to the Volcano National Park. Does the ships itinerary include a stop where the park is?
The Pride of America makes two stops (2 separate days) on the Big Island of Hawaii.
The first is in Hilo, and this is when you'd want to see Volcano National Park, either with a rental or a tour (private or through NCL).
The second day is in Kona, which has much more in the way of various water sports/excursions, plus some other choices.
GeezerCouple
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This is drifting off my initial question (not that that's necessarily bad).
My airfare is non-REFUNDABLE (I can't get my money back if I cancel), BUT the value of the ticket can still be used toward another ticket under some conditions.
Assuming I meet the other policy requirements for trip cancellation before I begin the trip, can I get paid for the NON-REFUNDABLE ticket cost and still retain and use the value of the ticket toward some other trip that meets the airline's requirements?
Or do I need to wait for the ticket to expire (typically 1 year from original air purchase date) when the value becomes $0?
This is a very interesting question.
You probably should check with the insurer or preferably a broker (like TripInsuranceStore.com etc.).
We had to cancel a trip due to last minute serious illness.
In our case, we had to provide documentation that we DID CANCEL all covered reservations. This included the airfare.
(Our airline reservations were not refundable and also did not have any other value such as what you discuss. However, if there had been anything like that, it wouldn't have mattered because of the requirement to cancel the reservations AND to provide written documentation of the cancellation.)
GeezerCouple
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Hi all,
I am having issues understanding this pre-existing stuff, even after reading threads and forums. Perhaps someone can help with my specific example?
I was recently in the ER for a gallstone and a suspicious mass was found that I'm working w/ a doctor on determining what it is. In either case, I'm trying to figure out if for a trip I just booked, I can get trip cancellation insurance that would cover if these get worse or if treatment for them requires me to cancel the trip I have booked. Details below for the one I'm considering (Travelguard through Costcotravel)
And...
So if I pay the fee on Sunday and it becomes effective at 12:01 on Monday, the 60 day lookback definitely covers my recent diagnosis. But that means that I can be covered on these diagnoses if they get bad enough to require cancelling?
Our deposit (this is actually a land trip) was today and included the airfare portion of the trip, so it was quite substantial and I'd like to be protected.
Edit: At this time I am medically able to travel.
This could become a tricky situation IF you ended up needing to file a claim.
I'd strongly suggest you contact an insurance broker (such as Steve at TripInsuranceStore.com) and ASK him/them for assistance with getting a policy that WILL meet YOUR needs.
That's the safest thing to do.
No point in paying for insurance that might end up with "the fine print" that said it wouldn't apply.
And good luck for a healthy trip!
GeezerCouple
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Hello geezer,
Thank you for that information. So if we paid immediately after deposit, then we would have less to worry about. Is that correct?
I didn't know there was an option to adjust coverage. That is always one of my holdbacks. We often do a cheap deposit and move it around or cancel if we need to. So I hate committing to insurance if there is a chance I might cancel.
Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app
Yes, I think that is right, about both things: paying for the insurance immediately after making the first deposit, and paying insurance ONLY for "the trip payments you've already actually made".
Again, I strongly recommend that you speak with Steve (or his associates) at TripInsuranceStore.com
This is the type of coverage we had, and it took me quite a while ferreting around on various websites before finding these folks.
They listened to my questions and concerns and - importantly - they also asked a few things about whether this or that would be a concern, etc. Also, they didn't try to upsell. (The opposite: They asked about other coverage, especially medical, in terms of trying to get us the least expensive coverage that would work for our needs/concerns.)
And unfortunately, we actually needed to use that insurance, with less than 2 weeks to go before our departure date. We were SO disappointed (you have NO idea), and also worried about DH's health. But thank goodness we didn't have to worry about an expensive loss as well.
GeezerCouple
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Given your description of your husband's medical situation (condition and medication adjustments), you probably have two different things to plan for.
First, there is the chance that there is an adjustment in the medication, so that the "look back" period is too recent to allow the "pre-existing condition" to be covered (or possibly to get any coverage at all).
Second, there is the chance that he'd get sick and not be able to travel - or get sick and not be able to get the insurance at all.
There are policies that allow any pre-existing conditions to be *covered* withOUT any "look back" issues, as long as you start the insurance coverage within a relatively short time of making your FIRST vacation payment. (This can be 14 or 21 days, depending upon insurer or policy type.)
However, I'd strongly recommend that you get the insurance started immediately after making that first payment.
There is usually another condition of coverage, such that the insured must be "able to travel" when the insurance payment is first made. (Obviously, one can't wait until one gets sick and then get insurance!)
So you don't want to risk having something change such that your husband isn't insurable before you make that first insurance payment.
Hint: Get a policy that allows you to adjust the coverage as you increase any vacation payments, so you don't have to pay for the full costs at the start.
I'd suggest asking Steve at TripInsuranceStore.com about your specific needs.
GeezerCouple
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I agree with the suggestion to call TripInsuranceStore.com, and speak with Steve (owner, I think) or anyone else there.
They'll take the time to figure out what policy will be best for you.
We had a policy that provided 75% CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason), for a surcharge over the policy cost without that extra coverage.
[i thought that IF we needed to cancel our trip (also to Hawaii), it would be due to unexpected and critical consulting business. However, what actually happened was that he got very sick with less than 2 weeks to go. I sure didn't see *that* coming, but were we ever glad that we had the coverage. It's still scary to think if he had become ill several days later - we'd have already left home. I guess that's what MedJetAssist would be for, and hope we NEVER need to use them.]
GeezerCouple
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We use TripInsuranceStore and usually purchase the TravelSafe policy. Tripinsurancestore's website is very good at explaining the different policies and the pros and cons. Before purchasing, we call and talk to one of their reps explaining the details of our trip etc. They will then offer the best policy that fits our particular needs for that trip.
We never, ever leave home without it;););)
Ditto!
We planned 3 cruises in about 1.5 years (plus a land tour) as "starters" for pre-retirement/retirement travel.
After spending *lots* of time online and on the phone looking into different vendors and agents, the clear choice was TripInsuranceStore.com
The time they took to ask questions to make sure we got the coverage that was right for us was amazing (and it wasn't the policy we would have chosen without those questions).
Lo and behold, less than 2 weeks before the first cruise, DH ended up with a severe medical problem and was told he could not travel anywhere at all, much less a cruise where he'd be without a nearby major medical center.
We actually thought that his work would be what interfered, if anything did, so we ended up selecting the Cancel For Any Reason ("CFAR") coverage through TRAVEL INSURED INTERNATIONAL (you asked about the actual insurer, not just an agency/etc.). We frequently end up changing domestic/low-cost air trips because of unexpected "must attend" conferences/consulting, and in those cases the hotels can be cancelled, too.
Not so with cruise and more expensive non-refundable air tickets.
We didn't really expect a medical emergency. But then, no one ever does...:eek:
The help we've received from the folks at TripInsuranceStore, about both the claims process, and also the other two cruises and other future trips has been terrific.
We are only now (a few months later) able to make travel plans again.
By the way, we looked at Travel Guard for other purposes (not our own travel) and found a dreadful "gotcha", so we won't go near them now.
But what matters is what YOUR needs are, and that's where Steve and the others can be so helpful. They've had experience with the claims process, and they don't want to sell policies where there will a mis-match of coverage needed and coverage bought.
[No, we have no relationship with them other than as described. But they've been so much help, it's really eased our problems. At least we didn't have to worry about the money aspect. Health concerns and "cancelled trip" disappointment were enough!]
GeezerCouple
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I did a lot of research here before we arrived in Hawaii, and I got a lot of great tips. We left from Newark airport and flew to LA then to Honolulu. (I was nervous because our layover was only 42 minutes, but we made it no problem and me and younger daughter decided to splurge for first class with lay-flat seats!!! Definitely the way to travel:D). Our flights were smooth and we arrived in Honolulu to warmth and sunshine!!
We stayed at the Outrigger Luana Waikiki. We had a city view room with 2 beds and a kitchenette. It is located very convenient to shops, the park, beaches, etc. We were happy with our choice. There is an ABC store right across the street that sells just about anything you could want. To the right of the hotel there are shops such as Victoria's Secret, Coach, etc. all within walking distance. We had dinner at the Hard Rock Café (a 5 minute walk from hotel) for Thanksgiving.
Our room:
view from balcony at night
view from balcony
We are getting ready to re-book our trip to Hawaii.
We would have been arriving at the Pride of America, just after you were departing, so it was especially nice to read your review.
(We had to cancel with about a week to go before leaving home, due to sudden serious illness, and we are certainly glad we had trip insurance.)
We were going to take the same type of "flat bed" seats, as this was a major trip, to celebrate two major life events.
Were the seats/beds really comfy enough to have some proper sleep?
Do you think it helped prevent some jet lag?
(We are also planning some other "distant" travel, and hope that the extra expense - or points, sometimes - would be worthwhile.)
We had the same problem trying to find a tour for a catamaran/etc. to see NaPali. I guess some of them don't operate in the winter months (?).
Thanks for posting the photo links!
We are really looking forward (again!) to our first trip to Hawaii, but haven't decided exactly when yet.
GeezerCouple
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The WebCam on Pride of America seems to show little holiday lights across the bridge window.
Any idea what this is for?
Thanks!
GeezerCouple
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We are three siblings planning a Bermuda cruise in June. The spouse of one of us has metastasized cancer which is the whole reason for this trip…. it's on her bucket list. We recognize that there is a significant risk she may not be able to go. If she can't go, none of us wants to go. We just booked the trip yesterday and realize we may need to buy the insurance quickly. Can someone give us advice on the best insurance to buy in this scenario? We are cruising on Celebrity if that makes any difference.
Yes...
Contact Steve at TripInsuranceStore.com
There is at least one policy that gives you 21 days from the point of making a reservation, to get a policy such that PRE-existing conditions ARE covered.
I think there is another that allows 14 days to purchase the insurance.
My understanding is that family members traveling together (and perhaps non-family traveling together) would ALL get the same coverage if one can't go.
You might want to spring for the extra "CFAR" (Cancel For Any Reason) coverage (would pay 50%, 75%, or 90% depending on policy) in case there is NOT a "medical necessity" that the spouse not travel, but maybe you all just don't feel like going at that time because it's too worrisome, or such.
Just make sure you tell the agent EXACTLY what the situation is, so they can match you with the right coverage.
And good luck to the spouse, and to all of you.
We hope you WILL be able to enjoy the trip.
[Note: We just had to cancel our cruise and land tour because DH had emergency surgery about 2 weeks before we would have left home. The plane left without us 2 days ago; the ship sails without us on Saturday. We can focus on DH's health and comfort, and also the disappointment - knowing we'll be able to reschedule in a few months. I can NOT imagine needing to add to the concerns not having the insurance money to pay for the re-scheduled trip. It's difficult enough without worrying about the money aspects. As it is, prices have gone up quite a bit, so we'll still need to spend more, but certainly not double or more.]
GeezerCouple
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I'm glad everyone got a chuckle out this - I'm still laughing a day later! :D
It was bad enough that I poured the coffee on my food like syrup - I still can't believe I actually ate it! Too funny.
Hmmmm.....
Maybe you should run with this idea.
Coming soon to a market near you/us:
"BostonGal's Secret Recipe Coffee-Maple Flavored Pancake Syrup"
I bet it would sell.
GeezerCouple
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You and your husband will be laughing about this for years and years and years :).
If there hadn't been so much written about the "nasty" syrup, no doubt you would have questioned something right away :eek:
Thanks for sharing.
GeezerCouple
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Thank you so much for this info. When I inquired before that info is not public.
The waiting area at Penn Station might be labeled for Acela or business class or something. I don't quite remember. There is a place to show your ticket, but they don't enforce that most of the time.
Again - I do NOT know if non-Acela trains are included in the porter service, but if not, you'd probably be able to bargain with a porter there to take you to *your* train when it gets in. Worth asking!
(Just wait until one leaves that waiting area if necessary.)
Anyway, you'll note the "redcaps" with wheeled carts.
They have an amazing way of remembering which passengers need to get to which train, but we still make a point of reminding them that we are "here", and what our train is ;-)
They have keys that can reverse the escalators down to the tracks, so they can take "their" trailing ducklings - I mean passengers - to their train without any crowds.
Sometimes we tip them partially in advance, and no one has ever failed to come back for us (and yes, for another tip).
GeezerCouple
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For Acela trains (and maybe any train - not sure), at Penn Station and at Boston, there are porters who will not only carry your luggage from a special waiting area, but they will escort you onboard before the regular boarding call. That means you get first shot at the seats.
In our opinion, this is one of the better-kept travel secrets.
It's especially useful at Penn Station, given the general crowding and sometimes seeming chaos there. Plus the train just stops in NYC for a relatively short time.
In Boston, the train originates there, so there is less of a general rush.
There is no charge other that whatever tip you choose to give the porter.
(We tip generously, as this is a terrific service.)
If you want assistance at the destination (we have NO idea about Montreal), that's a bit trickier. The departing porter might call ahead, but there might be several people jockeying for position for a porter, or none at all. Our experience is that if a porter notices you, he'll pile your luggage along with the others. If there's no room, he'll come back or send someone else. They work for tips, after all, and this seems to be one place where the system actually works.
You'd probably need to get your bags off the train yourself, but that's not usually a problem for most people.
(Ask the conductor when he/she collects the tickets if you'd need special help at your destination.)
GeezerCouple
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Is there a side of the ship that you recommend?
If the lava isn't flowing, the Starboard side might not be as important?
Which side has better viewing of arriving and departing from the different ports? Or other considerations?
Your comments are REALLY helpful!
Thanks very much.
GeezerCouple
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Hi MidnightBlue,
We were very glad to hear from you.
It's sounding like you had a good cruise?
Still waiting for your comments about the plumbing leak - did they get it fixed before your arrival? And it's good to know there is a "proper" bedroom (one at least!), because the floor plans didn't make that clear at all.
Meanwhile, we had an unexpected event.
DH had emergency surgery yesterday, and we've just cancelled our entire trip. The trip was to celebrate a couple of major life events, so it's especially difficult. But health comes first.
He should be okay, but he'll need frequent monitoring for a while.
(We'll reschedule. This trip to Hawaii has been a dream for many years.)
We look forward to reading the rest of your reports!
Thanks for the time you are spending, so we can all learn more about the pros/cons...
GeezerCouple
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I never heard of insuring the private excursions, is this an actually thing, or just upping the total amount of insurance you are taking out to cover all the spending?
For example, I am taking a trip with $5000 of non-refundable expenses. I am including my two rome in limo tour amounts as a non-refundable expense. Is this correct, or do I need to add the two tours and specifically list them? I have just done the quote process and I don't know if when you actually purchase a policy, there is a place to itemize more specifically.
You should double check with your insurer or insurance agent to be sure of the terms for *your* policy.
Generally, if the tours CAN be "cancelled for a refund", then you do not need to include them in the total for insurance. IF at a later date those (or other) fees become NON-refundable, then yes, you probably do need to add them in, and if it bumps the total to the next higher "$500" interval, then you'd pay the extra premium on that extra $500.
Some excursions aren't refundable at all, some might be refundable up to 48 hours before the start, and others might be refundable right up to the actual date.
So it depends upon what is "non-refundable", and also how the insurance is written in terms of whether you add extra non-refundable costs incrementally as they are incurred, or if you need to give a lump sum at the beginning.
GeezerCouple
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UPDATE............................. just got off of the phone with NCL's executive office's escalation team.
Resolution: we got a gratis studio cabin across from our Suite on Deck 13. Will carry all of the same amenities as the SUITE :) it gives us our extra bed and bathroom for the 1 guy that's traveling with us 3 gals................. :D yes I am happy !!!! Thanks NCL for doing the "right" thing!
PS- since the studios were sold out, there's probably a guest about to be visited by the Upgrade Fairy.;)
That is wonderful news.
What remains so puzzling is why it took NCL so long to come up with an offer such as this to solve their own problem.
(The same solution might not work for everyone affected by this, but there are certainly things that NCL *could* have tried sooner, and SHOULD have tried immediately upon realizing their errors.)
We hope that the others affected have been offered similarly satisfactory solutions, and/or partial refunds due to the lesser accommodations (compared with what was advertised), whichever works best for each passenger.
Thanks for reporting back.
GeezerCouple
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You may want to call the insurances you have looked at directly and have them answer your questions.
We use Tripinsurancestore and they are always there to help us get the coverage and plan needed for our situations.
Agreed.
Speak with STEVE, who is in charge at TripInsuranceStore.com, and thus probably the most familiar with any special policies that would work for this specific situation.
There are some age limits on some policies, so he can find the ones that would be suitable for your needs.
The costs would be the same as if you went directly to the insurer, but the insurers will NOT be helping you to compare their policies with something else that might be better for you!
And as others have said, you probably DO want medical/evacuation coverage - ESPECIALLY in this case. Money/cost is one thing you do NOT want to be worrying about if she has a medical emergency on the ship or at a distant port.
And for very little extra money, you can probably add MedJetAssist.
What this does is, once she is taken to any hospital and admitted, YOU/SHE then get to decide if you would like to have her medevac'd to some OTHER hospital, ANYPLACE YOU WISH.
And you do NOT need to get permission from any insurance rep, nor would you need for any local physician to declare his/her hospital wasn't satisfactory for the medical/surgical needs, and that a transfer was thus necessary.
And this is very inexpensive coverage, because it's rarely needed. But IF it is, it can cost a true fortune.
You probably also want "Cancel For Any Reason" coverage, so even if there is no medically-required reason to cancel, YOU can decide if you think it "might be too stressful", and cancel. I think most policies allow somewhere in the range of 50%, 75%, or 90% refunds for this type of coverage. You'd make the right decision for her health, no matter what, but if that happened, "just to be prudent", then at least you'd get a big chunk of your money back.
We hope that all goes well, the insurance provides you with peace of mind during the planning and the trip, and that all goes well and you all have a wonderful time :)
GeezerCouple
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Now if they only had one out on that monster balcony you have.
Yup, but would you believe I'm afraid of heights?
I wanted the PH Suite with large balcony on about Deck 4, 5 or maybe 6.
Couldn't arrange that :eek:
DH will enjoy it thoroughly, however!
(And I'll probably edge my way out slowly, and then the battery will last a while. The poor battery life is the only real complaint with this laptop, so I travel with extras, and alternate charging them.)
GeezerCouple
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Your in luck , theres a 3 prong at the desk in the living area ( deck 10 forward PH );)
If you need a pick , im sure there is one.
WONDERFUL. Thank you.
As pleased as I am with this laptop (and I am), this 3-prong plug has been a huge annoyance/difficulty at times - including in a few areas of our own "This Olde House" :(
Also in a surprising number of older hotels...
Thanks so much!
GeezerCouple
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Does anyone know with certainty if the POA PH Suites (Deck 10) have THREE-prong plugs?
My laptop (Lenovo) is the first we've ever had with a 3-prong plug, and it can get really annoying when traveling.
I'm reluctant to force use of a converter from 3 to 2 prongs if I can avoid it.
We've had other Lenovos (and other brands), and this is the only one that uses a 3-prong power cord.
Many thanks.
GeezerCouple
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The SE/SF are in fact a queen sized beds ;)
Oh dear...
Is this another case of NCL misrepresentation?
(Previously, our cabin category wasn't affected by the incorrect written description, or so we thought. It's more than a little annoying to learn that the written descriptions are less and less accurate. For those who haven't sailed on NCL before, the written descriptions are all we have to go on.)
The description for the Pride of America SE suite, as printed directly from NCL's website, includes the words
"... private balcony, king-size bed, a double sofa..."
(Every Suite down to the "SH" category has this description. Only the SI and SJ Suite descriptions state "queen bed".)
Anyone have more information about whether this is accurate for this ship?
Many thanks.
GeezerCouple
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Could you perhaps also post here, for others of us who are planning an Oceania Alaska cruise on Regatta?
Positive feedback/suggestions would also be helpful ;-)
Many thanks!
GeezerCouple
Potty Breaks on Longer Excursions
in 55+ Cruisers
Posted
I've kept up with a little "trick" that I learned (the difficult way!) from decades ago traveling overseas with our young children.
We ALWAYS keep some TP (or Kleenex) with us when traveling.
Before major trips to potentially "remote" locations, we stop using each TP roll when there is something like 1/4 inch (+/-) on it, and set them aside.
These can then be flattened, and don't take much space at all, in a purse, jacket pocket, small knapsack, etc.
We just stuff the flattened "roll ends" (what else to call them!? :)) in assorted parts of the luggage at the end of packing.
The "difficult way" I learned the possible need to do this was in a Museum in Paris, when the electricity went out. No lights. No way to know where the WC was. And when we finally were assisted to one (for a child "in distress"), there was no TP.
After that, ALWAYS a tiny flashlight (at least now they are tiny; back then, not so much!), TP, assorted local cash in addition to charge cards, and some *snacks* like granola/energy bars.
And we usually do this when traveling to "non-remote" locations, too.
Flights are delayed late at night.
Facilities can run out of supplies.
Etc.
GeezerCouple