RCCL "Cruise Care" Insurance or Alternatives?

[thurgood]

We have booked an RCCL cruise in February. We will be flying in to the port a day before the cruise departs, but I still have concerns about a bad storm interfering with our ability to get to the port. I have looked at RCCL's Cruise Care program, but, candidly, cannot determine whether it would be a good fit to protect against losses due to a weather-related cancellation. Does anyone have any thoughts on that issue? How about thoughts on whether there is a better alternative travel insurance to protect against losses due to bad weather? Thank you.

[JohninDC]

We always book trip insurance with someone besides the cruiseline. Check www.insuremytrip.com or with your regular insurance provider - we found a great deal through the company that insures our home and autos. Good luck! :)

[TWELVEOHONE]

We have booked an RCCL cruise in February. We will be flying in to the port a day before the cruise departs, but I still have concerns about a bad storm interfering with our ability to get to the port. I have looked at RCCL's Cruise Care program, but, candidly, cannot determine whether it would be a good fit to protect against losses due to a weather-related cancellation. Does anyone have any thoughts on that issue? How about thoughts on whether there is a better alternative travel insurance to protect against losses due to bad weather? Thank you.

 

I never tske insurance with the cruise lines.

First it only cover anything you booked with the crusie line, cruise, air, hotel (pre-Post)

If you book air seperate or hotel on your own it will NOT cover them.

 

My always take 3rd party insurance, mostly with Travelex. It will cover the full trip including all items you booked on your own. Also my Travel Agent will usually do all the necessary paper work and follow-up. On the rare occasion I used it got paid in full and fast.

[Coralc]

I never tske insurance with the cruise lines.

First it only cover anything you booked with the crusie line, cruise, air, hotel (pre-Post)

If you book air seperate or hotel on your own it will NOT cover them.

 

My always take 3rd party insurance, mostly with Travelex. It will cover the full trip including all items you booked on your own. Also my Travel Agent will usually do all the necessary paper work and follow-up. On the rare occasion I used it got paid in full and fast.

 

Had there been a real emergency......I have no idea how much travel insurance will cover you for anything. :)

 

But Cruise Care insurance does cover independently booked air:" CruiseCare Travel Insurance provides cancellation and interruption protection for independently reserved air, as well as coverages to protect you during your covered Trip, as follows:

 

Trip Cancellation for Independently Booked Air up to Total Original Airfare Cost.

Trip Interruption for Independently Booked Airup to 150% of Total Original Airfare Cost."

 

The major difference for us is when coverage begins and cost vs. age. When we bring my mom on a cruise, independent insurance becomes very expensive because of her age. Cruise Care is not based on the age of the traveler, so it is cheaper for her. But then everyone has to have it...so we all take it on some trips. :D

[Giorgi-one]

It seems that most people are only concerned with trip cancellation when they purchse travel insurance. Certainly, this is a consideration but there are actually more important reasons to purchase travel insurance - Emergency Medical Coverage and Emergency Evacuation. Consider if you had a medical emergency and had to be evacuated from the ship and flown back to the US for treatment. You could easily be looking at $100,000 or more for something like this. Most medical insurance policies do not cover this. Also, consider the cost of being treated at a local hospital for a medical emergency. They will not take your US Healthcare card. Social Security provides no coverage outside the US. A good travel insurance policy will guarantee payment to the local hospital up to the limits of the policy. Your own insurance is still considred primary insruance and the travel insurance will pick up any costs your own insurance does not cover. The tricky part is obtaining coverage for preexisting medical conditions if you have one. All insurance companies have different requirements but, in general, you must purchase the insurance before final payment and you must insure ALL NONREFUNDABLE COSTS. Airfare is considred nonrefundable. Most importantly, make sure you get high limits on Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation.

[Coralc]

It seems that most people are only concerned with trip cancellation when they purchse travel insurance. Certainly, this is a consideration but there are actually more important reasons to purchase travel insurance - Emergency Medical Coverage and Emergency Evacuation. Consider if you had a medical emergency and had to be evacuated from the ship and flown back to the US for treatment. You could easily be looking at $100,000 or more for something like this. Most medical insurance policies do not cover this. Also, consider the cost of being treated at a local hospital for a medical emergency. They will not take your US Healthcare card. Social Security provides no coverage outside the US. A good travel insurance policy will guarantee payment to the local hospital up to the limits of the policy. Your own insurance is still considred primary insruance and the travel insurance will pick up any costs your own insurance does not cover. The tricky part is obtaining coverage for preexisting medical conditions if you have one. All insurance companies have different requirements but, in general, you must purchase the insurance before final payment and you must insure ALL NONREFUNDABLE COSTS. Airfare is considred nonrefundable. Most importantly, make sure you get high limits on Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation.

 

Most travel insurance policies don't pay to have you flown back to the US for medical treatment either. Some specialized policies do, but most don't.

 

Some common policies including Blue Shield and Kaiser will cover international emergency medical care. Trip cancellation and trip interruption are important to us. Medical evac is too....but it's not the #1 thing for us. (It's very rare)

 

There is no "one size fits all" for purchasing a policy. Sometimes we purchase Cruise Care insurance, sometimes we purchase independent insurance. For a very expensive cruise next year, we purchased a policy from a student travel website that also covers non-students below a certain age. :D:):D