Think you dont need trip insurance or Passports?..........

[klfhngr]

Wow I just read your story, such an eye opener isn't it? At least you were stuck in a place where speaking English is standard.

 

I had the same feeling, when we were being disembarked and when the luggage was getting put in the hospital van.

 

I was standing at guest services getting our immigration papers, and heard the captain and Fidel, our port rep talking on the radios, "are we almost done" "we need to be going" "yes, Yes, he is finishing up the paperwork" feeling like they are trying to get rid of you, but you realize that its a ship on a schedule to keep.

 

And then loading the luggage in the hospital van and watching the ship pulling away, even theough you were told a hr ago that you were going to have to stay. Such a lost and bewildered feeling.

 

I agree though, research how to make a phone call from where you will be, It was so frustrating trying to make calls and getting a Spanish recording.

 

It was so much "work" dealing with everything, it doesn't even feel like we had a vacation last yr.

 

Big time eye opener, literally, lol!!!

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

I have my own horror story related to travel insurance. I had travel insurance Thank God!

 

We were in Ft Lauderdale coming back from pre-cruise dinner and while casually walking back to the hotel over the 17th street bridge, a bicyclist came flying and hit me head on. He had to be going at lest 35mph. Claims he had no brakes. It lifted me off the ground and I landed on my back on the sidewalk causing a gash in my head and concussion not to mention sore jaw from his shoulder hitting my face. Ambulance came and took me to Broward County hospital where they gave me a staple in my head, CT scan etc. Got back to the hotel and bled all night onto my pillow. Head still swirling I boarded the ship the next morning. Since head wouldn't stop bleeding I went to infirmary on the ship and they put the glue on my wound and told me I couldn't wash my bloody hair for 3 days. It finally stopped bleeding. Got home and had the staple removed to find out I had a hematoma which got infected with staph infection. I dealt with medical issues for the next year. The guy that hit me was a foreigner so it all came out of my pocket. What primary insurance didn't cover was $1700. I had to wait until I was completely done with treatment a year later before I could submit for travel insurance reimbursement. All to find out my travel insurance only covered those 7 days I was on travel. All after-care from hematoma, surgery, packing the wound, doctor visit after doctor visit for care was all out of pocket and not covered by my travel insurance. I did collect back about $1200 of the $1700 from travel insurance but all this for an accident that wasn't my fault. Just innocently walking on a sidewalk anticipating a fun vacation that didn't turn out so fun with my head spinning and unable to get in the water at beach with everyone.:mad:

[BlueRiband]

...It was so much "work" dealing with everything, it doesn't even feel like we had a vacation last yr.

 

FWIW rp23g7, many are taking this post in the "Ask a Cruise Question" section as confirmation that passports really were not needed to fly home internationally. Expired passport? No problem. The port agent fixed it up for you with the airline.

[rp23g7]

FWIW rp23g7, many are taking this post in the "Ask a Cruise Question" section as confirmation that passports really were not needed to fly home internationally. Expired passport? No problem. The port agent fixed it up for you with the airline.

My bad, yes you do need a passport.

 

Actually, Fidel told us what would happen, the answer is always No, at the counter, you then have to ask for the customs supervisor, a 45 minute ordeal, then sign papers, then get a hand slap

[indyrocks]

In this type of situation you might want to call the US State Dept, specifically the Passports and International Travel section. I learned this first hand on a Sunday morning several years ago.

 

I got an early morning call from my mother telling me that she was going to Scotland because my grandmother had died suddenly overnight. I told her that I would fly over too and help her with everything. We were in different parts of the country, so we would be traveling separately. When I looked for my passport (that I had just used a few months previous) I couldn't find it. All I could find was an old expired one. When I called the airline and explained the situation (this was pre-internet), the agent gave me a State Dept emergency number to call. The official there couldn't have been nicer or more understanding and promised that he would take care of everything for me. Did he ever! When I checked in for my flight later that day, a notation had already been made on my reservation that my travel was approved with the expired passport. The lead flight attendant on the transatlantic flight knew about me and made sure I was taken care of. Upon arriving in London, I was first off the plane and taken through Immigration and Customs by the British officials, who even offered "a spot of" breakfast. They made sure that I was taken to my connecting flight to Scotland with plenty of time to spare. I was supposed to pay a $50 fine for traveling on an expired passport when I re-entered the US, but the agent waived it when I told him the reason.

 

I don't know if this is the same office or not, but the Passports and International Travel section of the US State Dept. web site has this entry in the section on Emergencies Abroad:

From U.S. & Canada: 1-888-407-4747

From Overseas: 1-202-501-4444

It certainly couldn't hurt calling them, so I've added them to the Contacts list on my phone just in case (fingers crossed).

Edited September 22, 2017 by indyrocks

[Pierlesscruisers]

In this type of situation you might want to call the US State Dept, specifically the Passports and International Travel section. I learned this first hand on a Sunday morning several years ago.

 

I got an early morning call from my mother telling me that she was going to Scotland because my grandmother had died suddenly overnight. I told her that I would fly over too and help her with everything. We were in different parts of the country, so we would be traveling separately. When I looked for my passport (that I had just used a few months previous) I couldn't find it. All I could find was an old expired one. When I called the airline and explained the situation (this was pre-internet), the agent gave me a State Dept emergency number to call. The official there couldn't have been nicer or more understanding and promised that he would take care of everything for me. Did he ever! When I checked in for my flight later that day, a notation had already been made on my reservation that my travel was approved with the expired passport. The lead flight attendant on the transatlantic flight knew about me and made sure I was taken care of. Upon arriving in London, I was first off the plane and taken through Immigration and Customs by the British officials, who even offered "a spot of" breakfast. They made sure that I was taken to my connecting flight to Scotland with plenty of time to spare. I was supposed to pay a $50 fine for traveling on an expired passport when I re-entered the US, but the agent waived it when I told him the reason.

 

I don't know if this is the same office or not, but the Passports and International Travel section of the US State Dept. web site has this entry in the section on Emergencies Abroad:

From U.S. & Canada: 1-888-407-4747

From Overseas: 1-202-501-4444

It certainly couldn't hurt calling them, so I've added them to the Contacts list on my phone just in case (fingers crossed).

 

Really nice to hear how you were handled so easily and professionally. Usually you only hear about the horror stories and incompetent/rude employees (whether government or commercial) that people encountered. It's just really refreshing to hear about some of the "good guys/gals" out there who treat people so well. Thanks for sharing your story.

 

Tom