Quadruple bypass surgery one week before Med cruise

[tfrcal]

I am so sorry that your friend's husband is still in ICU. How devastating for their whole family. I am sure the cruise and what will happen is the least of their worries at this point. Thank you for the update.

 

As far as trying to be a no-show, I am not so sure that would work. PennyAgain mentioned that she missed her cruise due to flight delays. Her husband made the ship (he was coming in from a different location). Since she did not show up, he was charged the single supplement for the cabin.:eek:

 

There should not be a single supplement on a no-show since two people already paid.

[Pam in CA]

There should not be a single supplement on a no-show since two people already paid.

You're wrong. If the 2nd person cancels, the first is charged the single supplement regardless of who has paid what. That's what insurance is for, among other things. Not sure where you heard that if someone cancels, there's no additional charge.

[vbmom87]

There should not be a single supplement on a no-show since two people already paid.

 

I agree that it doesn't make sense, but the reality is you will be charged. More than one person on this forum had reported that happening. Even with insurance it depends what your coverage is. Some plans do not cover your losses if a traveling companion does not go on the trip. However, to my knowledge, most plans do. This is why it is so important to get informed about how travel insurance works and to read all the fine print of the policy you are buying.

 

Some say that at least some of the cruiselines insurance only offers $10,000 in medical. That is really nothing, especially since medicare does not cover you out of the country and the medicap plans have a lifetime cap of $50,000.

[tfrcal]

You're wrong. If the 2nd person cancels, the first is charged the single supplement regardless of who has paid what. That's what insurance is for, among other things. Not sure where you heard that if someone cancels, there's no additional charge.

 

How do they justify a single supplement if the fare they got was based on two people, they kept the entire fare and only one person cruised. Good luck with that one Princess.

[caribill]

How do they justify a single supplement if the fare they got was based on two people, they kept the entire fare and only one person cruised.

 

Same way a hotel gets a full charge for a night from a "no-show" and also resells the room to someone else.

[magiccruiser]

I wasn't thinking that they would get any money back if they had now no-show. Are you saying that if only one person went, they would have to actually pay more than what they paid for 2 people? I was just trying to figure out a way they could have at least one family member go for the price of 2, rather than having already paid and no one go.

[Pam in CA]

I wasn't thinking that they would get any money back if they had now no-show. Are you saying that if only one person went, they would have to actually pay more than what they paid for 2 people? I was just trying to figure out a way they could have at least one family member go for the price of 2, rather than having already paid and no one go.

One of the original people on the booking must remain on the booking. You can't replace both with a 3rd person.

 

Hindsight, the best thing to do is to get cancel for any reason insurance.

[Bowie MeMe]

a traveling companion had a stroke 3 days before our cruise to from Turkey to Greece. Her travel partner did have to pay the supplement because she was in the room alone. Travel insurance would have protected the single traveler for the increase in cost. We were not related to the traveling companion and only found out of the illness the day of the flight to the cruise. The travel companion did eventually get her money back from insurance. The TA was very helpful in negotiating with the insurance company (she had sold us the travel insurance). The single supplement was the biggest expense not paid by the travel insurance.

[vbmom87]

I wasn't thinking that they would get any money back if they had now no-show. Are you saying that if only one person went, they would have to actually pay more than what they paid for 2 people? I was just trying to figure out a way they could have at least one family member go for the price of 2, rather than having already paid and no one go.

\

 

Yes, that is what we are saying.

 

However, no one can tell you with 100% certainty what will happen if your friends attempt this. Sometimes you can get the right supervisor on the phone, or write a letter to corporate and they will actually be nice and take care of things for you.

 

However, it has been reported on this forum by a respected poster that once she and her husband booked a cruise. They were flying in from different locations. She missed the ship; he made it on time. Yes, besides her losing her cruise and not getting reimbursed, he was charged a single supplement. There is a long, long thread on this subject somewhere on CC. I have a spent a little time looking for it, but so far have not had any luck finding it. If I find it, I will post it here for you to read.

 

Again, no one can advise you with 100% certainty what will happen in their case.

[magiccruiser]

I thought I would give a final update on my friends and their Princess cruise. The good news is that the husband is home from the hospital after 6 days and recuperating well. He is insisting that his wife still make the trip so as not to be a total loss, and to accompany their adult kids and their families. They were able to substitute another family member (the wife's sister) into the reservation and have arranged for the husband's sister to stay with him at home. The whole family has cut the original trip short. They were supposed to stay an additional week to visit Lucca (their grandparent's homestead) and Cinque Terra, but they will fly home directly after the 12 day cruise. The husband is of course very disappointed, but greatful this didn't happen while on the ship and that he is alive! He also says that next time he will buy the insurance :o

[Pam in CA]

So glad this worked out with the best result. Not perfect but they made lemonade out of lemons. Hope their cruise is the best ever.

[Bowie MeMe]

I'm so glad that there was a solution to this family problem and it will work out for them. As Pam says, not the best but an alright cup of lemonade. Maybe hubby will improve and they can reschedule and wife can be the tour guide!

 

Do really make a decision on travel insurance. Self insure (know what you are risking) or buy but don't just let it happen as that is stressful. Might also want to consider a yearly medical evacuation policy like Medjet Assist. It is fairly reasonable when bought through AARP and is also good on road trips and land trips where you might need to be able to get to your home from more than 150 miles away (hospital to hospital transfer).

[PatriciaF]

I only bought travel insurance for our Feb 2012 cruise because my father is 94 years old!

 

Well--guess who tripped and shattered her wrist 2 days before we were to fly to FLL? Me, the 61 year old.

 

Made me glad I bought the insurance. Received our $4400 back in less then two weeks!

[scmexico]

I have recently read the T&C's of my credit card company. I was surprised at what they cover if you use the credit card to pay for travel. I have a Capitol One World Master Card and they will pay for many travel related cancellations. Check the small print with your credit card company and see if you qualify for any reimbursement from the credit card company if you used a credit card.

[vbmom87]

I thought I would give a final update on my friends and their Princess cruise. The good news is that the husband is home from the hospital after 6 days and recuperating well. He is insisting that his wife still make the trip so as not to be a total loss, and to accompany their adult kids and their families. They were able to substitute another family member (the wife's sister) into the reservation and have arranged for the husband's sister to stay with him at home. The whole family has cut the original trip short. They were supposed to stay an additional week to visit Lucca (their grandparent's homestead) and Cinque Terra, but they will fly home directly after the 12 day cruise. The husband is of course very disappointed, but greatful this didn't happen while on the ship and that he is alive! He also says that next time he will buy the insurance :o

 

So happy to hear your friend's DH is home and recovering well. That is the most important thing in all of this.

[vbmom87]

a traveling companion had a stroke 3 days before our cruise to from Turkey to Greece. Her travel partner did have to pay the supplement because she was in the room alone. Travel insurance would have protected the single traveler for the increase in cost. We were not related to the traveling companion and only found out of the illness the day of the flight to the cruise. The travel companion did eventually get her money back from insurance. The TA was very helpful in negotiating with the insurance company (she had sold us the travel insurance). The single supplement was the biggest expense not paid by the travel insurance.

 

It is very important that both travel companions have travel insurance that will cover them for any losses if either must cancel. Not all plans cover this from what I have read. Once again, I must say, read the fine print and don't depend on the person selling you the insurance to know all the ins and outs of the plan. They often do not. If you are concerned about particular coverage, make sure you read the fine print. Many TAs sell travel insurance, but many do not know much about the plans they are selling. They often learn the hard way when a client has a problem and the insurance won't pay out. Insurance will pay for all covered losses. The problem is when there is a loss, but it is not a covered loss. Anyone who purchases travel insurance needs to learn what is a covered loss and what is not.

[shepp]

This article was in today's SF Chronicle. Thought it was appropriate to the discussion: an example of someone not taking responsibility for her own mistakes, and Princess showing mercy. Good PR, I guess, but bad precedent?

 

The author says, "When you booked your cruise, either Princess or your travel agent should have mentioned the pre-existing clause in your insurance." Really? They should, unasked, enumerate all the terms and conditions? I've never had that happen when buying travel insurance. Seems to me that anyone who knows anything at all about insurance, knowing the potential policyholder was already diagnosed, should have inquired about the terms.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/25/TR9I1OI3E4.DTL

[Pushka]

This is unfortunate and hope your friend recovers. I have never, ever travelled without insurance.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk