Forward cruise date due to mega-storm damage

[robertmnch]

I was scheduled to sail on the Maasdam August 8th. Due to a huge storm in Southern California + damage that will take six weeks to just get an "estimate", Reservations would NOT allow me to move my Reservation ahead 3 or 4 weeks. Reservation date not cut in stone!

 

Anyone else experience this with HAL?:(

 

Robertmnch

[Hlitner]

Why should they allow you to change your reservation? Lots of folks have issues that would make them want to change a reservation at the last minute. That is why they sell "cancel for any reason" insurance. To allow you to alter a reservation would just send a message that others who purchase insurance from HAL really don't need that insurance.

 

Hank

[cp556]

You were just a week or two before sailing (if I read it right), and thus within cancellation penalty period.

 

Making any cruise date change would be considered a cancellation and rebooking, and penalties would apply. I agree that if you had HAL's "Cancel For Any Reason" policy, a high percentage of the cancellation penalty would come back to you.

 

I hope your storm damage isn't too bad and that you're able to cruise.

[Iwant2BatC]

I hope you purchased trip insurance and even more so I hope you have homeowners insurance. Good luck!

[Illyria]

Sounds like by the time they're ready for an estimate, you'll already be back anyway. No reason to skip the vacation, the damage will still be there when you get back...

[xlxo]

If you booked through a credit card.... sometimes they offer some travel insurance.

[take us away]

Hope you and your loved ones are safe. Sounds like you may need the cruise to be pampered after the horror of storm and its damage, and to recharge for the repairs especially with the lag time for the 'estimate'. Wish you the best and whatever you decide is the correct choice.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry that you had so much damage that you are going to miss your cruise.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Can you leave your home in order to take the cruise, or do you need to be there/nearby?

 

If you have travel insurance, check with them. We were scheduled to fly to England about 2 weeks after Superstorm Sandy. When we were still without power for more than a week, I called our travel insurance company and asked if having a house without power and all the potential issues that go with it was covered. I was told that having an uninhabitable home would be covered as a reason to cancel. Fortunately, the power came back a few days before we were schedule to fly out and we were able to travel. But knowing the cancellation insurance would protect us took away some of the storm-induced stress.