Buying Travel Insurance After the Fact?

[Ardo09203]

Hello All,

 

I booked a cruise last week on the Carnival Triumph that is scheduled to sail from May 21st through the 26th to Progresso and Mexico. I used a travel agent, and at the time of booking she asked if I wanted to add the travel insurance. I told her that I would have to check with my girlfriend. She basically told me that is was now or never, and since I wasn't able to talk with my girlfriend until later that night, I told her not to worry about it.

 

Now we're 2 weeks away from cruising, and this whole Mississippi River flood thing has me worried. From what im reading the river is suppose to "crest" right around our cruise date, and if river traffic is closed due to the high water im sure our cruise will be cancelled.

 

If the river is closed, and the cruise is cancelled, what happens to the $1095.00 that I paid for the cruise. Does carnival just take it? Is travel insurance somthing that would protect me in this situation? Also, is it possible to buy travel insurance, even though I am already booked?

 

Any help with this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[cruiseco]

 

If the river is closed, and the cruise is cancelled, what happens to the $1095.00 that I paid for the cruise. Does carnival just take it?

 

Pretty much. On rare occasions cruisers have talked cruise lines into transferring the money to a future cruise but there is no guarantee that would happen.

 

 

Is travel insurance something that would protect me in this situation?

 

Only if you had bought the policy before the floods were predicted to impact your home and thus your vacation. Or if you bought a policy with a "Cancel For Any Reason" benefit. With some plans that option is still available to you as they give you 14 - 30 days from the date of your first payment on the trip to buy the coverage.

 

Also, is it possible to buy travel insurance, even though I am already booked?

 

Probably not through the cruise line but definitely from a third-party, some of which have the "Cancel For Any Reason" benefit and some that do not.

 

Any help with this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

...

 

 

Oops, I misread your post. If the cruise line cancels your cruise they will refund your money. If YOU have to cancel because you can't get to the embarkation port, they won't

[sirwired]

If the cruise is canceled, you would almost certainly receive a refund for the cruise fare. (Technically, if you read the cruise contract they don't have to, but I'm sure they would.) You'd have to rely on trip insurance for an airfare refund; whether or not a particular policy would provide such a refund varies widely. I suspect most would not, given that this would both be a "foreseeable event" and a "trip canceled by the provider."

[Lou33]

If your main concern is that the cruise will be cancelled because of a flood, and you would be driving to the port, then I wouldn't worry about that. If the cruise is cancelled, then Carnival can't just take your money for a cruise that never happened. You would get a full refund.

 

But there are other reasons to consider insurance. If the cruise sailed, but you couldn't make it because you were sick, or whatever reason, then you would lose your money, except they would refund your taxes and port charges. There is also a question of medical benefits. Your health provider may not cover you when you are out of the country.

 

I think you can still buy insurance from a third party, and it would probably be cheaper and better than what your TA offered to you. Try checking at insuremytrip.com to compare plans. You should be able to get something for less than $50 each.

 

If that was my trip, and only 2 weeks away, personally, I wouldn't worry about getting insurance. But I'm still covered for medical by my health provider when out of the country. Everybody is different.

[Ardo09203]

Thank You! To everyone who has replied so far.

 

The only expense I am concerned with is Carnival taking my money even if the cruise is cancelled. As far as airfare is concerned, I live about 150 miles west of NOLA and will be driving to the port the day of the cruise. So I'm not to worried about the insurance reimbursing me for airfare.

 

But if most of you agree that Carnival will refund my money, or apply it towards a future cruise. I won't bother with travel insurance.

[klfrodo]

Thank You! To everyone who has replied so far.

 

The only expense I am concerned with is Carnival taking my money even if the cruise is cancelled. As far as airfare is concerned, I live about 150 miles west of NOLA and will be driving to the port the day of the cruise. So I'm not to worried about the insurance reimbursing me for airfare.

 

But if most of you agree that Carnival will refund my money, or apply it towards a future cruise. I won't bother with travel insurance.

 

Just remember, only if the CRUISELINE cancels will they reimburse.

 

Cruiselines don't ( OK Very Rarely) cancel a sailing. If they can't get to NO, they may just divert to Mobile, AL. If the ship still sails, and you're not on the ship, your SOL

[Ardo09203]

Just remember, only if the CRUISELINE cancels will they reimburse.

 

Cruiselines don't ( OK Very Rarely) cancel a sailing. If they can't get to NO, they may just divert to Mobile, AL. If the ship still sails, and you're not on the ship, your SOL

 

That's fine with me haha. They'll let me know if they're going to divert right?

[klfrodo]

That's fine with me haha. They'll let me know if they're going to divert right?

 

Maybe

 

If you booked thru a TA, they'll "attempt" to contact your TA. It would then be up to your TA to notify you.

If you booked directly with Carnival, they'll "attempt" to contact you via the number you gave them.

 

Best bet, if the river keeps rising, stay in contact with Carnivals website. They'll post updates there.

[D4]

?...The only expense I am concerned with is Carnival taking my money even if the cruise is cancelled. As far as airfare is concerned, I live about 150 miles west of NOLA and will be driving to the port the day of the cruise. So I'm not to worried about the insurance reimbursing me for airfare.

 

IMO, the biggest reason to buy trip insurance is for the emergency medical evacuation coverage. Anybody could have something happen that is too big for the ship's medical staff to handle (appendix, slip and break a part that needs surgery, etc.). Not many of us can readily afford $50,000 or more to be medically evacuated.

[sirwired]

IMO, the biggest reason to buy trip insurance is for the emergency medical evacuation coverage. Anybody could have something happen that is too big for the ship's medical staff to handle (appendix, slip and break a part that needs surgery, etc.). Not many of us can readily afford $50,000 or more to be medically evacuated.

 

If all you want is medevac coverage, there are much cheaper ways to get it than a full comprehensive policy. In fact, you can get annual policies, with better coverage (evac at your option to the hospital of your choice, regardless of medical necessity) for less money than a single comprehensive policy.

 

Certainly, no comprehensive policy would be "comprehensive" without medevac coverage, but I wouldn't say that medevac is the "biggest" reason to purchase a comprehensive policy. And whether or not medevac coverage is 100% necessary depends on itinerary: basic medeveac is not really needed for Western European or Alaskan Cruises. Adequate medical care is readily available at the ports, (and the extremely rare helo evac right off the ship is usually provided free as a govt. service by Western Europe, Canada, and the US) hence no need for medevac.