American Cruise Lines disappoints....

My 93 year-old mother was scheduled to depart on American Cruise Line's New England Islands Cruise in August (2017) when she got pneumonia. We called the cruise lines and asked for them to consider rescheduling her (if they had openings) for the last cruise of the season in late September to allow her to recover. This was supposed to be the last big trip for her and her friend. She had traveled with this cruise line several times before and was very satisfied. They refused to offer her a future date and, of course, she forfeited the entire $10,000 investment. (She thought she had travel insurance but she had opted out - a big mistake at her age.) Is this how they treat their loyal customers? Not only will I never travel with American Cruise Lines, I will tell everyone I know about this poor treatment of a loyal customer.

(She thought she had travel insurance but she had opted out - a big mistake at her age.)....

^ This is the crux of your Mom's situation. This is why people buy cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance.

I'm sorry she is disappointed but sadly, this is the way things work. I'm not sure what you expect or hope for here.... I understand you are probably too close to the situation to see this rationally. It's exactly the way the business world works, though.

I don't quite understand this.

You have the option to purchase Travel Insurance.

With all due respect if they allow her to move to another cruise then why should anyone purchase travel insurance.

Keith

Not only will I never travel with American Cruise Lines, I will tell everyone I know about this poor treatment of a loyal customer.

The problem is that lots of loyal customers have things come up last minute. They can't do this for all of them. I'm sorry she didn't get the insurance, what an expensive lesson.

I hope she is recovering nicely.

Sorry about your mom’s experience. Too bad she opted out from getting a travel insurance. Hope she gets another chance on a cruise.

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While I am sympathetic and understand your disappointment, the cruise line is under no obligation to reschedule in order to accommodate her and protect her investment in the cruise. That - as you point out - is the reason for insurance. The fact that she opted out - which you also acknowledge was a big mistake - means to the cruise line that she accepted the risk of not traveling.

This leaves the only option remaining to be that of the cruise line considering her situation on an individual basis. But the precedent set with that - regardless of whether you are a first time or loyal repeat cruiser - is that if they do it for her, they would rightly have to do it for all.

You situation is unfortunate and I don't meant to sound harsh, but IMO no blame should be placed on the cruise line for following what likely is a well published policy that she appears to have understood. I also don't think its fair to criticize them for what you believe was poor treatment of her given the totality of the circumstances as you yourself point out. She had options available to avoid this situation and chose not to utilize them.

Am sorry for the situation, but we do not think the OP is going to get a lot of support for the complaint. The cruiser opted out of any insurance....so they made an informed decision to take their chances (we do this on many cruises). The advantage of not having insurance is you save up-front money. The obvious downside is that if you must cancel you are out of luck. Getting compensation (or a future cruise) for the cruiser is akin to a gambler losing lots of money in a casino....and expecting the casino to give them their money back so they can lost it again?

Hank

Hope your mother is getting better and sorry to hear what happened, but with all due respect, ACL didn’t do anything wrong. Disappointing situation - yes but not on their part

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If she used a credit card to pay for the trip see if there is any insurance coverage there

This is the way cruise lines operate that is why there is travel insurance but at her age I wonder if she would be covered or maybe the policy was too much & that is why she opted out

If she used a credit card to pay for the trip see if there is any insurance coverage there

This is the way cruise lines operate that is why there is travel insurance but at her age I wonder if she would be covered or maybe the policy was too much & that is why she opted out

The cruise lines insurance would likely have been the least expensive option and should've covered this.

This is the way cruise lines operate that is why there is travel insurance but at her age I wonder if she would be covered or maybe the policy was too much & that is why she opted out

The cruise lines insurance would likely have been the least expensive option and should've covered this.

The OP indicated that there was insurance available but that she opted out of it. They also did not mention anything about cost or indicate that as a reason for her not taking it.

Unfortunately it is a hard lesson to learn, but the OP really has no one to blame other than themselves in this situation.

I'm afraid we're not going to get any feedback from the OP on this. And she knows that, as it's her first (maybe only) post here on Cruise Critic.

While I agreee with those who state Mom shsould havve had insuurance and we are all sorry she did not BUT I do not agree with the poster who said she shuold have had 'cancel for any reason coverage. Why? That is the highesgt price and would have bee n overdkill for this cancellation. Most travel insurance grant coverrage for cancelling due to medical. situations. She would have recovered her money if she had a basic travel plicy from a third party insuuers. I have not heard of any that decline to pay a claim when it is for a verifiable medical situuation and meets all terms of the policy.

I don't quite understand this.

 

You have the option to purchase Travel Insurance.

 

With all due respect if they allow her to move to another cruise then why should anyone purchase travel insurance.

 

Keith

This!

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My travel agent makes me decline travel insurance explicitly (when I sometimes purchase it on my own instead of through the cruise line). I've never thought I had it when I did not.

My travel agent makes me decline travel insurance explicitly (when I sometimes purchase it on my own instead of through the cruise line). I've never thought I had it when I did not.

Why does your agent "Make" you decline travel ins.? Does she cover your expanses herself/ himself is something happens and you can't go? Otherwise, I think your agent's being a bit high-handed.

I'm afraid we're not going to get any feedback from the OP on this. And she knows that, as it's her first (maybe only) post here on Cruise Critic.

While I have yet to see any rude or condescending posts, you’re probably right

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Why does your agent "Make" you decline travel ins.? Does she cover your expanses herself/ himself is something happens and you can't go? Otherwise, I think your agent's being a bit high-handed.

I read this as the TA makes you opt out specifically as opposed to having it as an option to purchase. if that makes sense. kind of like declining the 'extended warranty' on big ticket electronics. the default is to have the insurance as part of the invoice and you have to specifically say.. thanks but no thanks, I'll get insurance elsewhere.

OP

Sorry that your mother took ill and had to cancel her cruise.

But your mother should have bought travel insurance.

I read this as the TA makes you opt out specifically as opposed to having it as an option to purchase. if that makes sense. kind of like declining the 'extended warranty' on big ticket electronics. the default is to have the insurance as part of the invoice and you have to specifically say.. thanks but no thanks, I'll get insurance elsewhere.

Yes I could see that, but shouldn't buying ins or not be the customer's decision. Not the TA, unless the TA already is insuring the customer against the loss.

I'm afraid we're not going to get any feedback from the OP on this. And she knows that, as it's her first (maybe only) post here on Cruise Critic.

While I have yet to see any rude or condescending posts, you’re probably right

 

 

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I think her screen name "disappointeddaughter" says it all!

I see my TA's policy as a way for him to cover himself for cases like this. He has proof in writing that a client has declined to have insurance. In our case, I always let him know when declining that I am purchasing it on my own.

My 93 year-old mother was scheduled to depart on American Cruise Line's New England Islands Cruise in August (2017) when she got pneumonia. We called the cruise lines and asked for them to consider rescheduling her (if they had openings) for the last cruise of the season in late September to allow her to recover. This was supposed to be the last big trip for her and her friend. She had traveled with this cruise line several times before and was very satisfied. They refused to offer her a future date and, of course, she forfeited the entire $10,000 investment. (She thought she had travel insurance but she had opted out - a big mistake at her age.) Is this how they treat their loyal customers? Not only will I never travel with American Cruise Lines, I will tell everyone I know about this poor treatment of a loyal customer.

I'm sorry, but without insurance ALL cruise lines would give the same answer.

Why does your agent "Make" you decline travel ins.? Does she cover your expanses herself/ himself is something happens and you can't go? Otherwise, I think your agent's being a bit high-handed.

I assume all this means is that the agent requires them to sign a waiver saying they have been offered insurance, are declining, and understand the risks. They are protecting themselves from clients coming back later and saying "I wasn't offered insurance," or something similar.

So OP, let me see if I understand this correctly. American Cruise Lines (and many other companies) sell insurance that protects the traveler in the event he/she has a medical problem and cannot sail. Your mom (at 93 years old!) declined this protection. Therefore, when mom falls ill and cannot cruise, it is the cruise line's obligation to sail with an empty cabin on her original cruise (assuming that by the time they found out she couldn't sail it was right before cruise time), and THEN give her a free cabin on the last cruise of the season? You do understand that these are VERY small ships and the New England Fall Foliage cruising season is very short? Allowing her to reschedule would have cost American Cruise Lines upward of 10k. Not to mention, the rest of us would simply stop purchasing insurance because we know the cruise line will make these exceptions.

I'm really sorry that you mom got sick and missed her cruise. However, you're blaming the wrong entity here.