Cancelation question

[warriorking]

:confused: I have a cruise coming up March 16th on Epic..

My brother may have to cancel at the last minute do to a medical issue, we both purchased trip insurance and final payment was made months ago ...

If he is forced to cancel will I be liable for any additional cost for our aft balcony ...

Edited February 12, 2016 by warriorking

[sid_9169]

If your'e paid in full, you would not owe anything additional. But, the other person would only receive a refund for the port fees. Not sure how the insurance would play into any of this...

[warriorking]

:)Thanks, That's what I thought..

I believe due to his medical issue he will be covered under the purchased insurance..

I was a bit confused as to how it would effect me however..

Chances are good he will get to go but its going to be one of those not 100% sure till the last minute type cruise...

Edited February 12, 2016 by warriorking

[KeithJenner]

I have read reports on here before of not only the person who can't go losing their fare, but the remaining person having to pay a single person supplement.

 

I've no idea how these were resolved, and whether insurance helped on the second part (you seem covered with the first bit), but it's worth being aware that it could be an issue.

 

From memory (which is vague), some people suggested the second person just not turning up to avoid the supplement, as it is unlikely to be picked up at that point, rather than telling NCL beforehand. Would that affect the insurance claim though?

 

Sorry I can't help more, but I think you are correct to be considering this.

Edited February 12, 2016 by KeithJenner

[Weluv2cruise2gether]

In Sept 2014, 1 week before our cruise to Bermuda on the Breakaway, we had to cancel my MIL, due to an illness. We had purchased travel insurance through NCL. The insurance company sent her a form that she and her doctor needed to fill out. She was reimbursed all expenses except the cost of the insurance (about $120). Well worth it. Also, since she had shore excursions booked, their cost was refunded directly to her credit card by NCL because they were cancelled before the sail date. According to the policy she had, if she would have had a travel companion in her cabin, and the companion would have had the insurance, the insurance company would have covered any costs related to a change

in the per person occupancy rate for prepaid travel arrangements.

[hawkeyetlse]

If he is forced to cancel will I be liable for any additional cost for our aft balcony ...

Possibly, yes, because they may refare your cabin for single occupancy. In other words, they keep your brother's cruise fare because he canceled at the last minute, and then they recalculate your fare now that you are traveling solo in the cabin, and solos generally have to pay a double cruise fare. So basically the cruise line will pocket 3 cruise fares for one person to cruise… :eek:

 

But if you both have insurance, two of those cruise fares should be refunded, so all is well. You have to read your policy to know for sure, but for example NCL's BookSafe Protection Plan includes this clause:

We will pay your additional cost as a result of a change

in the per person occupancy rate for prepaid travel arrangements if a Traveling Companion’s Covered Cruise Vacation is canceled and your

Covered Cruise Vacation for a covered reason is not canceled.

 

What KeithJenner mentions about simply not showing up is for people who do not have full insurance coverage, or any insurance coverage. In that case, there may be no way to avoid losing one person's cruise fare, but the remaining person wants to avoid having to pay the single supplement. So the advice is usually to keep the cruise line in the dark and let them figure out at the last minute that one passenger failed to show up.

 

In your case, in order to make your insurance claims, you typically need to give NCL notification of cancellation before the cruise starts. Again, check your policy.

[bruadhin]

Insurance agent here...

 

First and foremost, never guess at what your policy says. Get it out and read it. If you bought it through an agent or one of the websites run by an agent, call them and ask for their help as well. Also, these are indemnity policies, which basically means they intend to make you whole. So if you find yourself coming out better off, you probably misread the policy. Generally you are slightly worse off, which is reasonable. A little "pain" is good as it motivates people to avoid situations that may lead to a loss.

 

My situation was with Carnival. We had booked a cruise for my mother and grandmother, full payment was due at time of booking. My mother had said she would go, but then she wouldn't get her passport and backed out. Obviously insurance wasn't going to cover that. After checking, it appears we were going to be worse off cancelling her from the room versus showing up without her. Eventually we found a friend to go with us so we just paid the change name fee and everything was good.

[warriorking]

:)Thanks for everyone's advise..

Still waiting to hear back from my TA about our options and coverage terms...

Will keep everyone updated as soon as I can...

Edited February 12, 2016 by warriorking

[warriorking]

:D Great News...

My brother had his surgery and it was not as serious as once believed so he is cleared for the upcoming cruise...(Please note nothing he is dealing with is life threatening)...

This is his first experience with cruising so he is going to have a ball.....

Epic Here we come...

Edited February 20, 2016 by warriorking

[All-ready2cruise]

:D Great News...

My brother had his surgery and it was not as serious as once believed so he is cleared for the upcoming cruise...(Please note nothing he is dealing with is life threatening)...

This is his first experience with cruising so he is going to have a ball.....

Epic Here we come...

 

Wonderful, so happy your brother is doing well... oh yeah and great that he can join you on the cruise too. :p Gotta love happy endings, enjoy your cruise :D