Had To Cancel Cruise- Have Air Tix

[Gym Girl]

We had to cancel our cruise on Carnival's Miracle- 7/31-8/07- sailing out of Tampa. Unfortunately, we already have our airline tickets (3). I know United won't refund us them- any suggestions???

 

Thanks in advance!

Betsy

[doone]

I believe most airlines will let you cancel them, BUT you have one year to re-book and use those tickets. The only thing you will have to pay is for the difference in the tickets, if the ticket you are booking is more than what you had paid on the unused ticket, you pay the difference. But check with your individual airline, sometimes they have different policies.

[bUU]

Many airlines also charge a change fee (per ticket), and the fee itself may vary depending on which fare class you booked with that airline, initially. For example, on the same airline, I've had tickets where there was no change fee, a $50 change fee, a 50% change fee, and a 100% change fee (basically meaning that if you cancel your reservation, the tickets are worthless).

[Gym Girl]

Thanks very much for your info.

 

Betsy

[tam-tam]

Gym Girl,

I feel for you. DH and I had to cancel our cruise last week. We had insurance for the cruise portion, but not for the airfare. The airline has, so far, offered only to credit us for the tickets (standard procedure). I'm trying to work with them to get a refund because it was an unavoidable emergency. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[greatam]

Gym Girl,

I feel for you. DH and I had to cancel our cruise last week. We had insurance for the cruise portion, but not for the airfare. The airline has, so far, offered only to credit us for the tickets (standard procedure). I'm trying to work with them to get a refund because it was an unavoidable emergency. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Another reason to purchase INDEPENDENT travel insurance, not one tied to the cruise line or its affiliates.

 

Good luck getting a refund. You will have to do a lot of talking to get a refund. I fly over 100,000 miles per year, and have gotten only one refund on a discount economy ticket in the last five. Lots of credits, but no cash refunds.

[tam-tam]

Hi. I realize I'm off topic, but you've piqued my curiousity. Have you noticed a difference between independent insurance and that offered through the cruise line? For our recently cancelled cruise, we had independent insurance and are having to complete a lengthy claim form (as does the doctor, since we cancelled due to a medical emergency). Just curious if it would have been different through the cruise line. Thanks.

[greatam]

tam-tam

 

There is a major difference between cruise line insurance and independent insurance. Cruiseline insurance will only cover things you paid the cruise line for. Independent insurance will cover all things (within reason and policy limitations) that you purchased insurance for.

 

Example: Cruise line insurance covers cruise price. But you purchased air, pre or post hotels (non-refundable), private shore excursions, rental car (Priceline). All these things you have paid for up front and are non-refundable. Cruise line insurance will NOT cover them. Independent insurance will, so long as you included the price of these things in your quote and have receipts to back them up.

 

Yes, the claim forms are long and intrusive, but as with any insurance claim, the company wants to make sure that you cancelled for a covered reason, NOT a frivolous one. Especially when you have a medical reason.

 

Just curious, did you have FF air tickets or did you not include them in your insurance?

[tam-tam]

Hi. Thanks for the information. Unfortunately I didn't include the airfare in my insurance quote (I actually forgot), so it only covered the cruise portion of the trip.

[just4kixx]

I just had to cancel airfare for a booked cruise as well. Flying United too. They have a $100. fee per ticket, the balance value of original ticket to be available for one year. We are withing the penalty range of your deposit amount re cruise fare. We bought independant insurance and included the cost of airfare as well as hotels (prepaid through priceline) in our policy. We also made sure the dates covered included our pre cruise stay.

 

I am not anticipating any problems with our claims... just the pain in the butt paperwork!!!

 

Two groups within our family purchased their insurance through the travel agency, two through an independant vendor... will be interesting to see if there are any differences in processing.

 

Good luck and keep us posted.

A~:)

[greatam]

I just had to cancel airfare for a booked cruise as well. Flying United too. They have a $100. fee per ticket, the balance value of original ticket to be available for one year. We are withing the penalty range of your deposit amount re cruise fare. We bought independant insurance and included the cost of airfare as well as hotels (prepaid through priceline) in our policy. We also made sure the dates covered included our pre cruise stay.

 

I am not anticipating any problems with our claims... just the pain in the butt paperwork!!!

 

Two groups within our family purchased their insurance through the travel agency, two through an independant vendor... will be interesting to see if there are any differences in processing.

 

Good luck and keep us posted.

A~:)

 

You should be able to get your air rebooking penalty refunded (aout $100.00-some policies limit to $75.00). However, are you sure your insurance covers United? United has been on the NO COVERAGE list for most insurers for a couple of years, since they filed bankruptcy. Everyone flying an airline that is in bankruptcy needs to be aware that MOST travel insurers will not cover any portion of the air. Travel insurers also will NOT cover FF tickets in any way shape or form. Some will pay the rebooking fee, but most you are just out.

[just4kixx]

good point... I was thinking since I was cancelling the flight due to a medical emergency... not that the flight was being cancelled... that insurance would cover it regardless of the carrier. Will check into it.

 

Thanks

A~:)

[greatam]

good point... I was thinking since I was cancelling the flight due to a medical emergency... not that the flight was being cancelled... that insurance would cover it regardless of the carrier. Will check into it.

 

Thanks

A~:)

 

If the AIRLINE cancelled your flight, you would have NO problems. Fully refundable or transferable. But YOU cancelled the flight (no matter the reason). Then all the airline regulations fall into place-rebooking fee, possible fare increase, etc., etc. Hopefully, your travel insurance will cover your rebooking fee. I checked insuremytrip.com and 8 out of 11 travel insurers have United on the no coverage list. Now, the question is-does that mean NO coverage whatsoever on United for ANY reason, or does it just mean if United goes belly up or cancels your flights. Good negotiating skills will get you the furthest. Good luck!!!

[jerseygirl3]

We had to recently cancel two cruises because my seemingly perfectly healthy 45-year-old husband had a stroke. For one cruise we had Travel Guard, for the other we had CSA. Both involved filling out forms and the doctor had to fill one out as well. But if you just sit down and answer everything completely, it takes about an hour of your time. But we received a check for the full amount of the cruise and air without a problem. It took about 3 weeks to get the refund.

[just4kixx]

Jerseygirl... so very sorry to hear about your husband! I hope he is recovering quickly, and you'll be cruising the ocean blue soon!

 

I'm happy that your insurance claim went without a hitch. Hopefully it will go as smoothly for us as well.

 

A~:)

[juliew]

You should be able to get your air rebooking penalty refunded (aout $100.00-some policies limit to $75.00). However, are you sure your insurance covers United? United has been on the NO COVERAGE list for most insurers for a couple of years, since they filed bankruptcy. Everyone flying an airline that is in bankruptcy needs to be aware that MOST travel insurers will not cover any portion of the air. Travel insurers also will NOT cover FF tickets in any way shape or form. Some will pay the rebooking fee, but most you are just out.

 

I'm kind of late to this discussion, but the carriers that exclude United or USAIR or any bankrupt airline is only for financial default of the carrier, not for a medical emergency or other covered event. If United had stopped flying the insurance wouldn't cover for that. But it should cover for any other covered reason. By the way, Travelsafe Insurance DOES cover financial default for even bankrupt carriers - see your travel agent.

[tribbs1]

Did you book your air using your credit card to pay? Some credit card companies have a variety of coverages for travel (insurance - medical and otherwise, buyer protection, etc.) that it would be worth it to check w/your card company and see if you have any coverage for this cancellation due to medical problems.

[PinkPanther]

Just out of curiosity. If you have independent insurance, have to cancel, the insurance issues your refund, you're all taken care of. However, does that just leave the cruiseline free to open your cabin back up for booking and make double on the room? Or do they just upgrade someone else and leave open a less desirable cabin.

[DanJ]

However, does that just leave the cruiseline free to open your cabin back up for booking and make double on the room? Or do they just upgrade someone else and leave open a less desirable cabin

 

Yes, once you've cancelled, the cruise line can do whatever they want with that cabin. What they do probably depends on how close to sailing the cancellation occurs.