Is the insurance worth it?

Yes,please take insurance, my son did not take ins.and he had a heart attack just as we were leaving cozumle our last stop, and had to leave him there he spent 3 weeks in a mex hospital, infection, pnem. he was finally med airlifed to fort lauderdale in to ICU they got him well and he finally is flying home this week.he could not eat yet or walk he is so weak he has tube ,in his stomach to get fluids. He is going to a Rehab hosp. I hate see the bills,he does have some insurance. Thank God. he is back on American soil.

Hopefully he is doing well.

You're son's unfortunate heart attack is the perfect example as to why folks should make sure they have adequate coverage for medical and evacuations. Many posters here look at missing flights or delays and lost luggage or even not being able to make the cruise. But the deal breaker is getting injured or sick at a foreign location. The $3000 or $5000 or even $10000 cruise is somewhat manageable. It's a known amount. Sick or injured and stuck in a foreign hospital because you cannot be moved, can be a financial disaster.

True, it doesn't happen to many, but if it's you then you will be major screwed if you didn't get adequate coverage.

How awful. I am so very sorry!

 

We mainly buy third party insurance(Steve and insurancestore dot com), but, for our upcoming cruise we purchased HAL's platinum plan for sake of ease with the cancel for any reason insurance. I agree, the medical is inadequate, but, since we are mainly in Alaksa(US) our insurance will cover some if needed.

I’ve done the same (HALs platinum) and added evacuation/ medical separately for Mexico a few times. It cost about $18 for a week. My health insurance does cover outside the US.

I evaluate my exposure for every trip. Sometimes I take HAL platinum and sometimes I buy from insuremytrip or thetripinsurancestore. HAL platinum returns 90% for cancel any reason (CAR), the best CAR I could find returned 75% ( and 100% for a covered medical reason). (You have to be able to travel when you buy.)

Ive found Steve and his team to be very helpful with evaluating what I need.

We normally do not buy the trip insurance but this time we are going on a Mediterranean cruise and with so many countries is the Platinum travel insurance a good choice?

For goodness sake buy insurance, medical and cancellation. Here in Canada we can go through Costco being a member and covered by Manulife, you do get a discount. You cannot predict the future.

Marlster

Definitely buy the medical at least....I've had to use it a few times and I am so glad I had it!

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Are lifeboats and life jackets on a cruise ship worth it?

 

Only when you need them.

Nuff said..

For goodness sake buy insurance, medical and cancellation. Here in Canada we can go through Costco being a member and covered by Manulife, you do get a discount. You cannot predict the future.

Marlster

My brother, who lives in Colorado, was in Germany over Christmas visiting his son and family. He fell over a railing and broke 6 ribs, right hip, right leg and right shoulder. Seven weeks and $65,000 later he finally got home. A $350 travel insurance policy would have covered most of this plus might have got him home in a air ambulance. As it was cost him $5000 for a first class ticket so he could lay flat.

I’m sorry, what was the question? Is travel insurance necessary? Let me get back to you.

In another thread it talks about a HAL ship that was 10 hours late docking in Vancouver yesterday. Now if that'd been our ship on May 9th (and without insurance), we'd have been out close to $600 for the already purchased airfare home, plus whatever it would have cost to replace the tickets, plus maybe a hotel for the night. So if I ever wasn't convinced of the need for insurance before, I'm certainly getting there now.

Check your credit cards. Many already provide basic coverage e.g. lost baggage, hotel etc. my Chase United card gives me everything except medical evac. I but a separate policy for that.

Probably not. Unless things have changed, the Platinum Protection Plan (they don't call it insurance) offers only a paltry $10,000 in medical coverage and $50,000 to transport you to a medical facility. I would want more medical coverage and an evacuation plan that brings me to the USA, at least.

The CPP is not a medical insurance policy; it is not a travel insurance policy; it is not an evacuation policy. It is, however, as the name states, a cancellation policy that does have some minimal medical and evacuation limits. The importance, to us, at least, of the CPP is that it is a cancel-for-any-reason policy which can be taken out no later than the date penalties begin. I have found no private insurer which can match HAL's CPP for that purpose.

For our forthcoming Grand Asia, we will take out the CPP and a Med-Jet policy. Our Blue Cross covers us around the world. We will self insure hotels and plane trips. Bottom line: It depends on one's own circumstances, and to dismiss the CPP in all cases is unwise.

Good point, Jim. With a little surfing you can find a credit card (with annual fee) that offers trip cancellation/interuption coverage up to $10,000 and medical evacuation up to $100,000 at no cost if ANY PART of the trip was paid for with that credit card. Even if you have cancelled the card before the trip the coverage is still good.

Be sure and check your credit card benefits. Some provide trip cancellation and interruption along with luggage loss. Then you'll only need to buy medical as Robin7 mentioned.

Should you also have a credit card(s) with a high limit(s) of credit to pay for the medical services provided on the spot?

Should you also have a credit card(s) with a high limit(s) of credit to pay for the medical services provided on the spot?

In my opinion, yes.

In my opinion, yes.

We had an issue in Mexico last year. Had to spend time in the ER. Put it on my card and got reimbursed when we got home

My brother, who lives in Colorado, was in Germany over Christmas visiting his son and family. He fell over a railing and broke 6 ribs, right hip, right leg and right shoulder.

Perhaps one too many Glueweins? ;)

Yes! I have had to cancel two cruises while within the cancellation penalty time frames. Both were cancelled due to unexpected, and in one case, a sudden medical situation. I do not use the cruise line insurance because I have found other providers have better coverage in my opinion.

I definitely want insurance for an upcoming cruise, but I'm not sure HAL's policy is the best one for me. I want trip cancellation for any reason (of course), plus medical, medical evacuation/repatriation, trip cancellation/interruption, and lost/delayed baggage. What I would consider the standard coverage. Are their carriers you would recommend?

Thank you so much!

Janne

I definitely want insurance for an upcoming cruise, but I'm not sure HAL's policy is the best one for me. I want trip cancellation for any reason (of course), plus medical, medical evacuation/repatriation, trip cancellation/interruption, and lost/delayed baggage. What I would consider the standard coverage. Are their carriers you would recommend?

 

Thank you so much!

Janne

My successful insurance claims have been through Travel Guard. I do prefer them. But, on my up-coming cruises, I have insured through Travel Insured which was what my travel agent recommended because of my unhappiness with contacting Travel Guard via their toll free number. (This was explained by them that they were expanding and had been slow in training new agents to handle the influx

For future travel insurance, I will contact Travel Guard again. If I have contact issues again, they will loose my business.

I have no experience with "cancel for any reason" insurance. Both Companies have that option. But, it's expensive. If I book a cruise paying what I have to do as a solo cruiser as well as the regular insurance: well, I am going, even if I suddenly decide I want to stay at home and watch the Cincinnati Reds play in the World Series. (Which is not going to happen anytime in the near future!)

I think it varies with each person's situation.

We buy out of country medical/evac insurance. We never buy it from a travel provider or a TA. We find that we can buy more comprehensive medical insurance direct from a carrier from a significantly lower cost.

We have self insured for cancellation for the past 40 plus years. The losses so far have been two hotel nights. We do have credit card insurance as a backup. We have our very first cancellation claim in front of them now for $1100. Not a big deal for us if there is a problem with the claim.

Only you can determine if the insurance is 'worth it' to you and only you can decide where the best place for you to obtain the insurance coverage that you need or want.

Nationwide has several plans specifically for cruisers. Insuremytrip is a good way to compare a variety of plans.

I definitely want insurance for an upcoming cruise, but I'm not sure HAL's policy is the best one for me. I want trip cancellation for any reason (of course), plus medical, medical evacuation/repatriation, trip cancellation/interruption, and lost/delayed baggage. What I would consider the standard coverage. Are their carriers you would recommend?

 

Thank you so much!

Janne

The cancel for any reason will add more to the price.....why do you need that...just my curiosity. Usually that is like the pre-existing condition waivers-need to be purchased in the first 14-21 days.

InsureMyTrip.com is where I compare policies. Squaremouth.com does the same. I do the compare, then start unchecking policies that don't offer as much of what I want as the others. Then one is left, I buy it.

The cancel for any reason will add more to the price.....why do you need that...just my curiosity. Usually that is like the pre-existing condition waivers-need to be purchased in the first 14-21 days.

 

InsureMyTrip.com is where I compare policies. Squaremouth.com does the same. I do the compare, then start unchecking policies that don't offer as much of what I want as the others. Then one is left, I buy it.

I checked that site, HAL was less expensive. We bought the insurance because DW had a leg injury after our deposit, wanted to make sure if she couldn't make trip we'd get a refund, normally I don't buy trip insurance but this time it was worth it

My successful insurance claims have been through Travel Guard. I do prefer them. But, on my up-coming cruises, I have insured through Travel Insured which was what my travel agent recommended because of my unhappiness with contacting Travel Guard via their toll free number. (This was explained by them that they were expanding and had been slow in training new agents to handle the influx

 

For future travel insurance, I will contact Travel Guard again. If I have contact issues again, they will loose my business.

 

I have no experience with "cancel for any reason" insurance. Both Companies have that option. But, it's expensive. If I book a cruise paying what I have to do as a solo cruiser as well as the regular insurance: well, I am going, even if I suddenly decide I want to stay at home and watch the Cincinnati Reds play in the World Series. (Which is not going to happen anytime in the near future!)

Thank you! I'll take a look at Travel Guard, plus check out the on-line stores several people have mentioned.

Thank you! I will take a look at Travel Guard and also explore the on-line stores several people have mentioned.

It was sure worth it to me the time I fell and broke a hip the week before my cruise. One phone call and all was taken care of.

Same thing happened to us on our very first cruise. We rebooked it for a few months later, and the transfer bus broke down in the airport causing us to miss our flight. We had insurance w/ Royal Caribbean at the time, and they put us up for the night, gave us meal coupons and rebooked our flight.

I just made our very first claim w/ Travel Insured. I got the primary medical upgrade for an extra $25, so we'll see what happens.

I checked that site, HAL was less expensive. We bought the insurance because DW had a leg injury after our deposit, wanted to make sure if she couldn't make trip we'd get a refund, normally I don't buy trip insurance but this time it was worth it

I booked onboard and by the time I got home and thought about it it was past the 14-21 days for the pre existing exclusion waiver. I have not added it yet but have to. A couple of diagnoses later and boom, we absolutely need the pre-exisiting waiver. I may have to buy the HAL as well.

We're looking at a cruise on the Koningsdam next June. My wife has a family plan insurance at work and I will pay for the cruise using my credit card and that also has trip insurance. Do I still need the ship's insurance?

My wife has a family plan insurance at work and I will pay for the cruise using my credit card and that also has trip insurance. Do I still need the ship's insurance?

Travel insurance provides evacuation coverage and can cover co-pays that regular medical insurance doesn’t, plus other benefits. A few credit cards (e.g., Executive MCs) provide similar coverage for large evacuation and medical bills, but certainly not most. Insuremytrip dot com has a variety of plans that you can compare to HAL’s. Nationwide, available through insuremytrip, has several plans tailored to cruise passengers that even cover itinerary changes and missed shore excursions. Note that in case of cancellation, taxes and port fees are refunded by the cruise line so keep that in mind when factoring in your “total (non-refundable) trip cost”. All the Best!