Looking for some advice re travel insurance and spending money please. First cruise!

[stokie1]

hello,

We are due to sail to the Eastern Caribbean on 17th Jan 2015. Please can someone help me? Where do you all get your travel insurance from? have looked but I cant see anything?

Also we have purchased all our trips prior to going, have £440 on board credit and really dont know how much money to take with us? I now it will be dollars but not sure how much to take? Obviously we will take a card for on the ship ut we are not sure how much cash to take. Can someone help please ?

Thanks in advance:):)

[Marie51]

As for how much cash to take this is an individual thing. You will need cash when you get off the ship for taxis, souveniers, and the like. You really do not need cash on the ship as everything goes on your Credit card but have some $1 for room service tips if you order.

I buy travel insurance from http://www.insuremytrip.com. They have several plans to chose from and the website does a good job of explaining it all.

Shipboard credit can go toward your gratuities, ship sponsored shore excursions, spa treatments, etc.

 

I always bring $500 cash with me for a 7 day cruise and end up bringing much of it home.

Edited September 3, 2014 by Marie51

[stokie1]

Thank you:)

[cb at sea]

If you plan on gambling, bring the cash you're willing to lose!

[stokie1]

If you plan on gambling, bring the cash you're willing to lose!

 

def no gambling!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

[EatSleepCruise]

I buy travel insurance from www.insuremytrip.com. They have several plans to chose from and the website does a good job of explaining it all.

e.

 

I second this company as they do provide very good coverage.

 

As for cash, I always recommend to first time cruisers that between shore excursions, gratuities, alcohol (if you drink), gambling (if that is your thing), souvenirs/shopping, and other miscellaneous to be looking to spend about close to same amount per person as your cruise fare.

 

For example, if you booked a balcony at $1400, per person, you will probably spend around a $1,000+ per person for the above mentioned. How you spend it will depend on your tastes and preferences.

 

Of course, you can spend more, and all of that does not have to be cash. If you have 440 in onboard credit, that is like $800 USD, yes?

 

How long is your cruise? The $800 should cover gratuities, plenty of drinks, and anything else you buy on the ship for a typical 7 night cruise. However, you can not use it for gambling.

 

Hopefully, that gives you some things to consider.

[soccerref]

hello,

We are due to sail to the Eastern Caribbean on 17th Jan 2015. Please can someone help me? Where do you all get your travel insurance from? have looked but I cant see anything?

Also we have purchased all our trips prior to going, have £440 on board credit and really dont know how much money to take with us? I now it will be dollars but not sure how much to take? Obviously we will take a card for on the ship ut we are not sure how much cash to take. Can someone help please ?

Thanks in advance:):)

 

Hi Stokie1,

Just wondering if your user name is an indication of your location and/or shows your football allegiance? If so, you will understand me saying that we are PVFC supporters but we live in Blurton.

Now to cruising and welcome to this wonderful world....we are avid cruisers and love the chance to see new places.

 

I will try to help with your questions. We get annual travel insurance through our bank where we pay a premium which covers both RAC and worldwide travel for a year. We have previously purchased travel insurance from our travel agent or through the cruise line. You can also use the internet comparison web sites (go compare, holiday extras etc) or do an internet search or look for the adverts in the travel sections of the newspapers.

 

You probably won't need a lot of US$ if you are doing pre-payed ship's excursions....just enough for a drink and souvenirs.

Try to get low denomination notes and be aware that you may well be given change in the local currency unless you ask beforehand for change in dollars.

 

We don't buy much these days so expect to spend arround $30 on shore which includes any tips for tour guide and driver. However we always take more than we need and whatever we bring back we don't convert back to sterling but keep for our next cruise!

 

The majority of outlets will take credit cards. I use my Nationwide CC as the conversion rate is very good.

 

You have a lot of OBC so that will definitely cover the daily service charge (£4pp per day if my memory serves me right = 4x14x2 = £112) and probably your drinks (roughly pub prices) and maybe even some souvenirs, spa treatment and/or speciality dining.

 

Have a wonderful time.

[Steviewonder1]

We budget $100 per day per person for gambling and trinkets to buy on an excursion. As far as Insurance we buy it everytime and google is your friend. My wife had a gallstone attack on one of our Alaskan cruises. We were promptly medivacuated off the ship where she spent 3 days in a Sitka hospital/old folks home. The insurance paid for half the cruise refund, the well into 5 digits medical bill, and First Class air fare back to Seattle to join our original flight home. Trip insurance is cheap and we never go without it. Can you afford well into 5 digits, read that as $36,000 Dollars US for a small medical issue?? If it is a big medical issue it can get into 6 digits easily.

[dancinman66]

Yes medical is very expensive in deed

A must to have unless you are only travelling locally

 

 

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[Mysticalmother]

hello,

We are due to sail to the Eastern Caribbean on 17th Jan 2015. Please can someone help me? Where do you all get your travel insurance from? have looked but I cant see anything?

Also we have purchased all our trips prior to going, have £440 on board credit and really dont know how much money to take with us? I now it will be dollars but not sure how much to take? Obviously we will take a card for on the ship ut we are not sure how much cash to take. Can someone help please ?

Thanks in advance:):)

 

Stokie1 - others have covered the cash issue well, but, assuming you are resident in the UK, you might want to try the Post Office for travel insurance? They are pretty good I am told. Or I use a firm which has the Beatles birthplace and a previous queen in its name ( sorry not supposed to advertise on this site) and they have been very good. Or most of the well known supermarkets do travel insurance! BUT - and it is a big but, do make sure whoever you use covers you for cruises , as not all of them do if you read the small print. And make sure they know where you are going, as you will need world wide cover for the Caribbean. Don't just take the cheapest as it could be false economy.

Have a wonderful time on your cruise!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I would get it from the cruise line ..

[stokie1]

Hi Stokie1,

Just wondering if your user name is an indication of your location and/or shows your football allegiance? If so, you will understand me saying that we are PVFC supporters but we live in Blurton.

Now to cruising and welcome to this wonderful world....we are avid cruisers and love the chance to see new places.

 

I will try to help with your questions. We get annual travel insurance through our bank where we pay a premium which covers both RAC and worldwide travel for a year. We have previously purchased travel insurance from our travel agent or through the cruise line. You can also use the internet comparison web sites (go compare, holiday extras etc) or do an internet search or look for the adverts in the travel sections of the newspapers.

 

You probably won't need a lot of US$ if you are doing pre-payed ship's excursions....just enough for a drink and souvenirs.

Try to get low denomination notes and be aware that you may well be given change in the local currency unless you ask beforehand for change in dollars.

 

We don't buy much these days so expect to spend arround $30 on shore which includes any tips for tour guide and driver. However we always take more than we need and whatever we bring back we don't convert back to sterling but keep for our next cruise!

 

The majority of outlets will take credit cards. I use my Nationwide CC as the conversion rate is very good.

 

You have a lot of OBC so that will definitely cover the daily service charge (£4pp per day if my memory serves me right = 4x14x2 = £112) and probably your drinks (roughly pub prices) and maybe even some souvenirs, spa treatment and/or speciality dining.

 

Have a wonderful time.

hhh yes we are resident in stoke and stoke city supporters!!

Thanks so much for all the lovely replies

[Boo's Mom]

hello,

We are due to sail to the Eastern Caribbean on 17th Jan 2015. Please can someone help me? Where do you all get your travel insurance from? have looked but I cant see anything?

Also we have purchased all our trips prior to going, have £440 on board credit and really dont know how much money to take with us? I now it will be dollars but not sure how much to take? Obviously we will take a card for on the ship ut we are not sure how much cash to take. Can someone help please ?

Thanks in advance:):)

 

insure my trip dot com is a great website where you can compare dozens of policies. Very user friendly.

 

If you haven't prepaid your tips when you booked your cruise, this is one area where you can plan to use your onboard credit.

[nana541]

insure my trip dot com is a great website where you can compare dozens of policies. Very user friendly.

 

 

 

If you haven't prepaid your tips when you booked your cruise' date=' this is one area where you can plan to use your onboard credit.[/quote']

 

 

The OP is from the UK and can't use USA insurance companies listed on Insuremytrip.com. He needs to get UK coverage.

 

 

 

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[nana541]

Stokie 1 - welcome to Cruise Critic, when you get a chance you might want to edit your Cruise Critic profile to include that you are from the UK.

 

Posters have offered you a variety of advice unfortunately some of it was meant for US cruisers and would not apply to a cruiser from across the pond!

 

 

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Edited September 7, 2014 by nana541

[Boo's Mom]

The OP is from the UK and can't use USA insurance companies listed on Insuremytrip.com. He needs to get UK coverage.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

I just went on insure my trip . com and pretended that I was from the UK. It is offering me coverage with companies that insure people from other countries (other than USA).

Edited September 7, 2014 by Boo's Mom

[nana541]

You learn something new every day... I put in a dummy listing for a UK citizen and it came up with one very marginal policy....

Someone from another country may be much safer and have greater number of offerings when purchasing thru there home country.

 

 

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Edited September 7, 2014 by nana541

[navybankerteacher]

Two types of travel insurance - trip cancellation is probably most easily gotten through the cruise line- while medical travel insurance elsewhere. We use American Express for travel medical (including evacuation).

[jocap]

Do get your insurance as soon as you can- the cruise line will ask for it, plus if something should happen to prevent you going, you'll be covered.

You'll be having a seamless journey out on the charter plane, and won't see your luggage until you reach your cabin- enjoy Ventura! :D