Travel Companion Cancellation Questions

[alli7784]

My husband and I are scheduled to sail on Oct. 31. It looks like he may not be able to go because of issues at work. We have travel insurance.

 

If he cancels and we file a claim for future credit, will I end up having to pay the single occupancy fare in addition to the fare already paid?

 

If so, what happens if he just doesn't show up for the cruise on departure day and we never file a claim?

 

Any experience, advice, or information would be so appreciated! 

[dickinson]

Maybe you can do a search on here as I know this topic has been covered before.  I believe it is best to not cancel and have him as a no show.  I THiNK that you won't be charged double occupancy then but I am not sure.  It has never applied to me so I don't remember the answer... just that others have asked the same question.

 

Hopefully other people will chime in.

[klfrodo]

Read thru your insurance policy and/or call the insurance company.

 

Many policies,,,,, if he cancels for a covered reason, he gets his money back. Meanwhile, if the cruiseline then charges you a "Single Supplement", you pay it, then after the cruise,  file a claim and your insurance will reimburse you for the Single Supplement.

 

Or

 

if his cancellation is not a covered reason and you're going to just lose his money anyway, just show up and enjoy your cruise.

[denmarks]

If your husband is a no show you would not pay additional fees. You should get his taxes and port fees as a refund. There is no single supplement. You basically pay twice the fare. With insurance it can get complicated.

[Bonnie J.]

You can ask your TA or the cruise line to just move your cruise date to a late date. WE have DONE THAT TWICE. 1ST TIME WE HAD ANOTHER DATE, 2ND TIME THEY JUST KEPT OUR DEPOSIT/FULL PAYMENT ON HOLD UNTIL WE HAD A NEW DATE. See if this will work for you. (sorry about caps, didn't know I hit caps!)

 

 

JUST THOUGHT IF YOU GO ALONE, YOU WILL PAY FOR YOURSELF BUT YOUR HUSBAND WILL BE CHARGED EVEN IF HE DOESN'T GO WITH YOU-CHECK THIS OUT WITH THE CRUISE LiNE!

Edited September 25, 2019 by Bonnie J.
new thought

[bbwex]

I would check your insurance policy.  If it is a covered reason, I would think that they would allow you both to cancel.  This isn't an unrelated companion, it is your spouse after all.  In the past we had a policy that covered "any reason," and though it was more expensive, we were traveling with a couple that had a death in the family.  Other than the "any reason" policy, we would have been on the trip ourselves.

 

 Due to the late date involved, I doubt that the cruise line would give you a credit for another cruise, but I would try for that so you don't have to go alone if the insurance thing doesn't work.  Let your TA, if you have one, argue your case for you perhaps.  Or call yourself, and plead your case.  Who knows?

[new_cruiser]

You need to check the specifics of your policy. Work related issues may not be a covered reason for cancellation so insurance might not come into it unless you bought "cancel for any reason coverage." 

 

I looked at covered reasons for a couple of policies that we have used before.

 

In one of the policies, the only work related reason covered was involuntary termination. 

The other policy does cover being required to work but there are a lot of caveats - including: presenting a notarized statement signed by an officer of the employer, the company has to have at least 25 full-time employees,  the traveler isn't owner or co-owner of the company.

 

In both cases, a covered reason can apply to either you or your traveling companion so if you are covered you could both cancel and be covered. Also, your traveling companion cancels for a covered reason and you still go, than additional charges for going from double to single occupancy are covered. Again, that is from a sample of two policies.

[alli7784]

Thank y'all! 

 

It's definitely not a covered reason, but the insurance has a "cancel for any reason" provision. We're traveling with my parents and another couple, so I'm going to go without him. It certainly won't be the first time!

 

I just need to determine if it's better to file a claim on the insurance and risk having to pay double for my own cruise, or just let him be a no-show and eat the cost of his fare. 

 

I remember reading a post ages ago with this exact situation but cannot find it now. It seems like the end decision was for the other party to just be a no-show, but I  can't remember for sure.

Edited September 25, 2019 by alli7784

[nolatravelgirl]

Do you have a friend who could take his place if you are going to lose the money anyway? I had 3 day cruise booked with friends and had a personal emergency. We just called and had my friend's sister added in my place. 

[klfrodo]

21 minutes ago, alli7784 said:

Thank y'all! 

 

It's definitely not a covered reason, but the insurance has a "cancel for any reason" provision. We're traveling with my parents and another couple, so I'm going to go without him. It certainly won't be the first time!

 

 

Read the CFAR provision carefully. It can be any combination of 40% future cruise credit up to 100% cash back or anywhere in between depending on the policy.

[SuiteTraveler]

In your case, if your husband's company is requiring him to work over previously scheduled vacation, then they should be willing to reimburse your husband for any extra costs associated with the cancellation.  If they are (and ethically they should be willing), then you can cancel him off the reservation and they should pay whatever extra cost you wind up with.

[hallux]

What happens if he's a last-minute no-show (refund of the port fees and taxes), then file the insurance claim that he had to no-show for a last-minute work thing?

[alli7784]

1 hour ago, SuiteTraveler said:

In your case, if your husband's company is requiring him to work over previously scheduled vacation, then they should be willing to reimburse your husband for any extra costs associated with the cancellation.  If they are (and ethically they should be willing), then you can cancel him off the reservation and they should pay whatever extra cost you wind up with.

Thank you - that would be ideal. But. He's actually the head butcher at a local restaurant/butcher shop. It's a fairly small place, fully staffed when they have 16 total employees. Which means that when they lose employees, it leaves a big gap. And two of the three butchers have been fired recently and new ones have not been fully trained yet. It's much more like a family-owned small business than a large company. 

 

I'm self-employed - my company was generous enough to send us both on a 10-day cruise! 😉🤣

 

But it's all going to work out. Princess reports that I'll get 100% credit on a future cruise and would actually get a small refund for the difference in the fares for both of us vs. just me. 🤷‍♀️ So if he has to cancel, we'll at least not be out anything. I can also substitute a friend if I decide to go that route, though there are few people with whom I would want to share a cabin for 10 days!

[cb at sea]

If you don't file insurance, and he's a "no-show"...nothing happens, except you get his port fees and taxes returned.  They don't really care if anyone shows up...they've got your money!