LA Times article - cancellation policy

[katie5611]

I found an interesting article today about a couple who cancelled their NCL cruise a week before the cruise due to emergency surgery and did not have travel insurance. Now they're upset because NCL won't refund their money.

 

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-cruise-20131115,0,6039834,full.column#axzz2kjlbdroh

[gatorsfam]

I found an interesting article today about a couple who cancelled their NCL cruise a week before the cruise due to emergency surgery and did not have travel insurance. Now they're upset because NCL won't refund their money.

 

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-cruise-20131115,0,6039834,full.column#axzz2kjlbdroh

 

And the willing media marches out yet another sad story to bash the cruise industry

 

NEVER. I repeat NEVER cruise without insurance. It is so CHEAP and helps you avoid a lot of what this couple is going through.

[kcwingwalker]

I found an interesting article today about a couple who cancelled their NCL cruise a week before the cruise due to emergency surgery and did not have travel insurance. Now they're upset because NCL won't refund their money.

 

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-cruise-20131115,0,6039834,full.column#axzz2kjlbdroh

 

Interesting article, thanks for sharing.

 

While I do have sympathy for the couple the fact remains that they are not novice cruisers and did not by insurance.

 

If you make the decision not to buy insurance, than you have made the decision to take the risk. No company can make exceptions without running the risk of discriminating against other customers. Every year people have to cancel their cruises at the last moment and want an exception. Most have sad stories, but in no way is this the fault of NCL.

[luddite]

They are probably also upset that their neighbor won't mow their lawn. Or that the mayor hasn't declared their birthday a local holiday.

The media jumps on their bandwagon and they get some sympathy. Hopefully it ends there.

[GeezerCouple]

As sad as this situation is for the affected couple, it isn't at all difficult to imagine the sheer outrage of others who have requested similar "compensation because they didn't purchase travel insurance".

 

And they would have EVERY right to be indignant.

 

Plus... then others would decide they "didn't really need to get travel insurance", because if something really bad happened, they'd get their money back anyway, too...

 

Why doesn't the writer suggest that people who didn't get life insurance should have their family get a nice big check when the inevitable occurs?

 

Sad, yes.

But that's what happens to those who choose not to get insurance, for a variety of life events.

 

There is the risk of purchasing insurance and NOT needing it (our preference) vs not purchasing insurance... and finding out you certainly could have used it.

It is that simple.

 

GeezerCouple

[Keith1010]

Thanks for sharing the article.

 

Keith

[iceman2a]

I agree totally about buying insurance for a cruise, and that NCL is under no obligation to refund or credit someone for canceling so late.

 

However, there is something to be said for "good customer service"!

Last February I booked flights for a 7 day vacation to FL. They were cheap no-refundable fares. A few days before we were schedule to go I was hospitolized and there was no way we could make this trip, when my wife called to cancel the flights, not looking for anything,the airline said no problem we will credit you the amount you paid for a future flight. This is not the first time they have stepped up to give a credit or waive a change fee, going agianst "policy"! That is how that airline has earned my

loyality.

 

NCL could have gone outside "policy" and done something, 75pct, 50pct. credit, something, without setting precedent or upsetting other customers!

 

That being said, I would certianly not go to the press to complain about them not doing anything.

[brookie848]

Interesting. When my husband and I planned our first cruise, which was to take place in February of 2012, we bought insurance. Two days before our plane left, we found out my MIL was in the hospital. We cancelled our trip the day our flight was to leave when she took a turn for the worse. My MIL died the day our cruise left. I remember calling my Mom to tell her and she was in her cabin waiting for the muster drill.

 

While we didn't get everything back, we did get some back because of the insurance. And thankfully our flights were on Southwest, which makes it really easy to cancel and use the credit towards a future flight.

 

Now, as we plan what will hopefully end up being a fully successful first cruise for January, we certainly paid for the insurance. You either pay for the insurance or are prepared to lose the money if something happens. Since there are options to protect yourself, the company really doesn't have the need to step up. And as others have mentioned, setting a precedent can be dangerous.

[ColinIllinois]

Who is to say that NCL HASN'T done things to take care of their customers that is above and beyond or is that just not news worthy? There's been more than a few occasions where posters on this board have raved about how NCL customer service helped them with odd issues. I'm betting that they have done good things also that no one except for the guest and NCL know about.

 

Sounds like that reporter has an agenda.

 

I wish good health and long life for the person mentioned in the article.

[triptolemus]

Who is to say that NCL HASN'T done things to take care of their customers that is above and beyond or is that just not news worthy?

 

That's it, exactly. Just like these forums (and every day life). More often than not, people pout and complain about how the cruise line mistreated them, ripped them off, had horrible customer service, made them sleep in a broom closet, didn't clean their room quick enough, took forever to bring their food, didn't refund their money when they missed a port.

 

Everyone loves to complain. Curiously, it seems to come easier than praise.

[iceman2a]

Who is to say that NCL HASN'T done things to take care of their customers that is above and beyond or is that just not news worthy? There's been more than a few occasions where posters on this board have raved about how NCL customer service helped them with odd issues. I'm betting that they have done good things also that no one except for the guest and NCL know about.

 

Sounds like that reporter has an agenda.

 

I wish good health and long life for the person mentioned in the article.

 

And that's the way it should be handled! Those customers won't forget and remain loyal and others can't point and say "you did it for them, I want the same thing."

 

Any reporter, a sympathetic victim of a "heartless" corparation is always a good news story! They would never print:

NCL Steps up and does the right thing!

[skyfire53]

I love the part in the article where they compare it to the lady that was caught in crossfire at LAX....sorry, but that is a totally different scenario.....I can feel the couples pain and my heart goes out to them. My prayers are with them as well because I know what they are going through, I lost both of my parents to cancer but, they did say in the article that they were frequent cruisers with NCL, so they should know that if you dont buy insurance, its at your own risk...I personally dont buy it, and would never dream of asking for special treatment if I couldnt make my cruise...just a thought..

[loopy]

I feel bad for what this couple is going through but what makes them so special? It might not be cancer but many people have illness that can cancel a trip.

 

The reporter doesn't sound like he knows anything about cruising when he wrote the story. First...just because you are a Latitude member does not mean you are a loyal NCL customer. When you cruise once it makes you a member.

 

Unrelated but I once was driving to Love Field in Dallas for the last flight out to Little Rock and they had the airport shut down due to a bomb threat. They would not let anyone enter the airport. I called Southwest from outside and explained I could not get in. Their call center is here in Dallas too. They wanted to charge me the fare difference to fly out the next day. I argued and ended up having it changed. But the person in LA shouldn't have to buy trip insurance b/c of a security failure or crazy person at LAX. I can't believe United was so difficult to her!

 

Prayers for the couple in the story.

[cruisezr1]

Why buy even car insurance after all it was just an accident.....

[mypleasure]

I booked my cruise on Tuesday of this week and sail in January 2014 which is quite soon. I bought my insurance next day. Based on this case I should have saved myself £250 ($375) and just left it all to chance and then slagged off anyone and everyone who would not give me my money back if it all went wrong.

 

Insurance is a gamble, you win if you need it and you lose if you don't. Here in the UK it is pretty much compulsory to get it as our consumer protection lawas don't cover medical and our entitlement to free medical in the EU is basic to say the least.

 

In January 2010 I thought I might have to cancel my cruise planned for my 50th birthday in February. I didn't speak to NCL I spoke to my insurer and they immediately and without question offered a full refund of the cruise and airfare costs. We were 7 weeks from sailing and I had just had a heart attack. We decided to go as planned and with the best wishes of my cardiologist and paid £600 ($900) additional insurance to cover my potential medical needs.

 

I do the right thing for me and if that costs money then so be it. Some people think they are the only ones with health issues and are therefore entitled to something the rest of us wouldn't dream of asking for let alone screaming when we are told no.

[Charles4515]

I agree totally about buying insurance for a cruise, and that NCL is under no obligation to refund or credit someone for canceling so late.

 

However, there is something to be said for "good customer service"!

Last February I booked flights for a 7 day vacation to FL. They were cheap no-refundable fares. A few days before we were schedule to go I was hospitolized and there was no way we could make this trip, when my wife called to cancel the flights, not looking for anything,the airline said no problem we will credit you the amount you paid for a future flight. This is not the first time they have stepped up to give a credit or waive a change fee, going agianst "policy"! That is how that airline has earned my

loyality.

 

NCL could have gone outside "policy" and done something, 75pct, 50pct. credit, something, without setting precedent or upsetting other customers!

 

That being said, I would certianly not go to the press to complain about them not doing anything.

 

I disagree that going outside their policy would not set a precedent. As soon as word got out, and it would, others would expect the same. Some would probably stop buying insurance.

 

Also I don't think a cruise is the same as an air flight. For a cruise, filling the cabin at the last minute won't be easy and would probably require offering it at a large discount. For an air flight its going to be easier to fill those seats. There are often people standing by.

 

They were adults and made a choice not to buy insurance. Some figure in the long run even if they cancel one they will come out ahead and take the gamble. I always get the insurance because it is not just the flights. There could be the need for medical evacuation. I did have to cancel one cruise, was in surgery unexpectedly the day I was supposed to fly to the cruise. It was a complete surprise. I had not been ill. I got 100% back from the insurance with no problem.

 

They say they will take their business elsewhere. All the cruise lines would have likely done the same as NCL.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Charles4515

[billie5]

NEVER. I repeat NEVER cruise without insurance. It is so CHEAP and helps you avoid a lot of what this couple is going through.

 

There have been so many threads on buying insurance that I don't want yet again to reconstruct the arguments. However, gatorsfam's stricture is just not always true.

 

For some travelers, self-insuring makes perfect sense. For others, insurance would seem to be a necessity. as gatorsfam believes.

 

Anyone claiming a single answer which fits the situation of all travelers is being naive.

Edited November 16, 2013 by billie5

[Charles4515]

There have been so many threads on buying insurance that I don't want yet again to reconstruct the arguments. However, gatorsfam's stricture is just not always true.

 

For some travelers, self-insuring makes perfect sense. For others, insurance would seem to be a necessity. as gatorsfam believes.

 

Anyone claiming a single answer which fits the situation of all travelers is being naive.

 

I don't think there is a single answer but I think the average passenger needs it. People should take into consideration that it is not just the cancelation protection. There are medical benefits. And medical evacuation. Lucky for me I found out I needed surgery a couple of days before embarking. A few days later and I might have needed some kind of evacuation. That can run to thousands of dollars.

[Medtech2]

I buy insurance when the potential loss is more than I care to bear. Buying insurance pretty much guarantees I won't need it--Murphy's Law.

 

I want a new smooth top convection stove. I'm pretty sure my coil top plain stove is going to last the next 20 years...darn it

[billie5]

I don't think there is a single answer but I think the average passenger needs it. People should take into consideration that it is not just the cancelation protection. There are medical benefits. And medical evacuation. Lucky for me I found out I needed surgery a couple of days before embarking. A few days later and I might have needed some kind of evacuation. That can run to thousands of dollars.

 

Obviously, it is the large expenses, and not trip cancellation, which have the biggest effect. That does not change the fact that for those who can survive the economic risk, self-insuring is a perfectly sensible strategy.

[youngestof9]

my biggest problem is that people can never look at any other side but their own. Norwegian is a business. A for-profit company. So is Royal, Carnival and every single cruise line.

 

If they made this change for one, they have to change for all. I see this come up on the Norwegian Facebook page - people come on there complaining because something happened and they couldn't change/cancel/get money back, etc.

 

What people fail to realize is that with every single cruise, every sailing, every week on every cruise line there is someone who has a similar situation - car accident, cancer, unexpected death (are they ever expected). They cannot change people's reservations and give them their money back week after week, sailing after sailing. It's not fair to the corporation! And while I generally like to root for the little guy and not the corporation, it's selfish not to look at all views.

 

I personally don't travel without the insurance because losing $2000 or $4000 or whatever a cruise costs my family is a big deal. Others may not feel that way, but if you choose to take the risk of not protecting your investment, you forfeit the right to complain that they didn't give you what you want. They don't owe you anything. If they did it for this family, it would set a precedent. A very wrong precedent. And that would raise the prices for all of us.

[newmexicoNita]

And the willing media marches out yet another sad story to bash the cruise industry

 

NEVER. I repeat NEVER cruise without insurance. It is so CHEAP and helps you avoid a lot of what this couple is going through.

 

I had a friend send me this story this morning: like you, she and I had the same thing to say. The reporter also mentioned they had never cruised and brought up the latitude program. We do not know if the poor passengers had cruised once or 20 times on NCL. Yes, it might have been good PR if NCL would have done something and yet, there is a reason for insurance, just like auto, insurance, home and health. If they start making exceptions why would any of us bother to pay the extra $$S. It is pretty obvious the writer is not a fan of cruising even thought they never have cruised and they thought the story would be a sensational hit and they would get lots of Brownie points.

Edited November 16, 2013 by newmexicoNita

[triptolemus]

Yes, it might have been good PR if NCL would have done something....

 

But it wouldn't because there would be NO story if they did.