Coronavirus

[rkingphoto]

Ts&Cs here:-

 

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/booking/tandc?bdate=2019-11-16&bcode=TH&dkey=TERMS_CRUISE

[vwgolf]

12 minutes ago, rkingphoto said:

If We Cancel Your Holiday

If we cancel your holiday, except where it’s because you haven’t paid or you have been disruptive, you can have a refund or accept a replacement holiday from us of a similar standard and price if we can offer you one. We’ll also pay the compensation shown below (unless we have cancelled because of one of the reasons listed in ‘Events Beyond Our Control’ or where you haven’t paid) and we’ll refund the difference if the replacement holiday is of a lower price.

 

That would seem to say that Marella will refund or provide an alternative if they cancel due to FCO advice not to travel.

 

As for denying boarding due to health reasons, Marella appear to have the upper hand. From their T&Cs:

 

10.6. Where a Passenger is denied boarding and/ or is disembarked and/or confined to his/ her cabin as a result of health and or fitness to travel, the Carrier shall not be liable for any loss or damage or expense occasioned to the Passenger thereby, nor will the Passenger be entitled to compensation from the Carrier.

 

Hope I don't catch a cold before I go!

[helengp]

I think the 'fitness to travel' is a grey area and certainly if they stopped you from boarding because you had a common cold, that would be open to challenge as many people get colds and they have no ill effects on others. I suspect they would ultimately have to refund you if your illness was not a risk to others. Certainly it's open to interpretation and legal dispute!  I paid the balance on my credit card so I am hoping that I find all else fails they would reimburse me as the goods I had paid for were not provided.....but don't quote me on that! 

[Bertie Doe]

2 hours ago, davecttr said:

For cruises from ports in the UK there is less worry about being trapped on the ship, after all, in the worst case the ship can sail back to the UK and the authorities here can handle the situation.

 

I have a cruise booked departing from the UK in June from Newcastle but the following dated yesterday is worrying

 

To help us ensure the health and safety of our guests and crew, Marella Cruises will deny boarding at vessel check-in to anyone who is unable to complete the following screening:

uently display coughs and sneezes.

 

Interestingly, we have a cruise leaving Newcastle on 1st August and our balance is due in 10 days time. But they haven't sent us the Blood Chit that you received ??

 

I'm guessing here but our Itinerary includes Scotland, Shetland, Iceland and Norway and may be deemed low risk areas.

 

Obviously Asia is beyond the range of Newcastle (in theory) does your cruise include Italy or the Canaries Dave? Regards Paul

[rkingphoto]

17 minutes ago, helengp said:

I think the 'fitness to travel' is a grey area and certainly if they stopped you from boarding because you had a common cold, that would be open to challenge as many people get colds and they have no ill effects on others. I suspect they would ultimately have to refund you if your illness was not a risk to others. Certainly it's open to interpretation and legal dispute!  I paid the balance on my credit card so I am hoping that I find all else fails they would reimburse me as the goods I had paid for were not provided.....but don't quote me on that! 

Lot's of grey areas.  I think if they wanted to they could claim that you being unfit to board would be something that is out of their control therefore they are not responsible.   And travel companies are reluctant to pay out if they think you have insurance cover that could pay out instead.

But, they have to weigh that up against the possible bad publicity that could be coming their way if they left a large number of passengers at the quayside.

There's also the question of what happens next?  Do they leave you to find your way home or do they fly you home, at their expense? 

If you have booked a cruise and stay holiday, what happens to your hotel booking, are you able to go to the hotel or is that forfiet as well. 

TUI really should be saying what happens to passengers who are refused boarding in advance so that people can weigh up their options.

Edited February 26, 2020 by rkingphoto

[Pensioncruiser]

38 minutes ago, MrSilversurf said:

Interestingly, we have a cruise leaving Newcastle on 1st August and our balance is due in 10 days time. But they haven't sent us the Blood Chit that you received ?

I may be wrong MrSilversurf but should your final payment be due on the 1st May as it's normally 90 days prior to travel, we travel on the 6th June and payment is due in two weeks time😉

[Vitalsign]

The common cold is one virus more easy to catch than Coronovirus but it doesn't kill as many people

[vwgolf]

1 minute ago, Vitalsign said:

The common cold is one virus more easy to catch than Coronovirus but it doesn't kill as many people

 

Conversely rabies is much harder to catch than Coronovirus but has an almost 100% death rate!

[davecttr]

Here is the relevant bit from my insurance policy

 

They will cover you if

 

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advising against “All Travel” or “All but essential travel” to your intended destination, providing the advice came into force after you opened your Platinum account or booked your trip (whichever was the later) and was in the 28 days before your departure on your trip.

 

Now this might be open to different interpretation. I read it as the FCO advice not to travel still applies in the 28 days before your departure even if the advice was originally given before the 28 day period. In any case you cannot make a claim before the 28 day period. Or does the wording mean that the advice has to come into force during the 28 day period?

 

clear as mud

[Brummijam]

3 hours ago, helengp said:

I think the 'fitness to travel' is a grey area and certainly if they stopped you from boarding because you had a common cold, that would be open to challenge as many people get colds and they have no ill effects on others. I suspect they would ultimately have to refund you if your illness was not a risk to others. Certainly it's open to interpretation and legal dispute!  I paid the balance on my credit card so I am hoping that I find all else fails they would reimburse me as the goods I had paid for were not provided.....but don't quote me on that! 

 

Well done Helengp.😉👍

I had completely forgot that I paid the balance with my credit card. My feelings now are if we were to be denied boarding for whatever reason I will let TUI, My travel insurance and Mastercard sort it between them.

Just a small observation, The age demographic on tui ships is probably 50 plus years old. I would estimate that a percentage of these passengers have underlying medical conditions so there will be a lot of people with coughs, colds sore throat etc from before this coronavirus outbreak.  

Keep well.

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by Brummijam
spulling

[Pensioncruiser]

34 minutes ago, davecttr said:

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advising against “All Travel” or “All but essential travel” to your intended destination, providing the advice came into force after you opened your Platinum account or booked your trip (whichever was the later) and was in the 28 days before your departure on your trip.

That's identical wording to ours with the exception of the account ours is Flexi Plus. It also adds epidemic and pandemic in the what's covered notes. My understanding of the 28 days is that they could lift the advice 28 days prior to travel but as you say clear as mud.

[vwgolf]

I've emailed my insurance provider for clarification as the documentation sent to me makes no mention of cancelling through FCO advice. Common sense would seem to say that if your insurance won't cover you if travelling against FCO advice then it should cover you for cancelling your trip due to FCO advice. But insurance and common sense aren't words usually found in the same sentence!

[helengp]

The 28 days was I understood a reference to the 28 day period immediately before travel....i.e. the advice not to travel must still be in force at some point in that period. So if you are due to travel in May and there is a directive not to travel now which is then lifted next month, you would still be expected to travel and couldn't use the past 'directive' as reason to cancel.

[helengp]

Just a small observation, The age demographic on tui ships is probably 50 plus years old. I would estimate that a percentage of these passengers have underlying medical conditions so there will be a lot of people with coughs, colds sore throat etc from before this coronavirus outbreak.  

 

 

Well that doesn't always follow....we are both 55 and fit as fiddles with no health issues....but we still get the odd cold! Especially after getting off a plane! 

I'm just hoping this all blows over and that we can do our cruise! 

[Brummijam]

1 hour ago, helengp said:

Just a small observation, The age demographic on tui ships is probably 50 plus years old. I would estimate that a percentage of these passengers have underlying medical conditions so there will be a lot of people with coughs, colds sore throat etc from before this coronavirus outbreak.  

 

 

Well that doesn't always follow....we are both 55 and fit as fiddles with no health issues....but we still get the odd cold! Especially after getting off a plane! 

I'm just hoping this all blows over and that we can do our cruise! 

Hi Helen.

I did say a percentage of these passengers.🙂 You must be in the fortunate percentage that are well and long may it continue.😉 On previous cruises we have seen people with nebulisers and oxygen bottles so I am assuming that they were COPD sufferers. I don't know how they would get on with this new criteria.

Keep well.

[Bertie Doe]

4 hours ago, Pensioncruiser said:

I may be wrong MrSilversurf but should your final payment be due on the 1st May as it's normally 90 days prior to travel, we travel on the 6th June and payment is due in two weeks time😉

 

Oops, yes you're right. Next payment due 8th March (£250) and final payment due on the 9th May 2020. Paul.

[vwgolf]

1 hour ago, helengp said:

Just a small observation, The age demographic on tui ships is probably 50 plus years old. I would estimate that a percentage of these passengers have underlying medical conditions so there will be a lot of people with coughs, colds sore throat etc from before this coronavirus outbreak.  

 

 

Well that doesn't always follow....we are both 55 and fit as fiddles with no health issues....but we still get the odd cold! Especially after getting off a plane! 

I'm just hoping this all blows over and that we can do our cruise! 

Indeed. I'm in my mid 50s and am rarely ill but I don't think a day goes by without me coughing or sneezing. Mid 50s is the new mid 20s!

[insidecabin]

7 hours ago, Vitalsign said:

The common cold is one virus more easy to catch than Coronovirus but it doesn't kill as many people

A significant number of common colds are caused by coronavirus varients. 

[howmuch!]

33 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

A significant number of common colds are caused by coronavirus varients. 

Does that mean we'll have built up some immunity - I leave in 10 days time!

[so,ton saint]

34 minutes ago, howmuch! said:

Does that mean we'll have built up some immunity - I leave in 10 days time!

 

I am due to fly out Friday to the Caribbean for my stay and cruise,  28th   what will be will be      QUE SERA   SERA.

[vwgolf]

Found this on another thread. It's worth a quick read through:

 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/

 

I'm not leaving for almost six weeks and I'm not panicking yet! 

[MX-Drew]

On 2/26/2020 at 8:36 AM, helengp said:

I just checked my annual insurance policy and it specifically does not cover me for cancellation due to government advice not to travel. Apparently, I should have purchased the travel interruption upgrade! I asked to add it on now, but they said it could only be purchased at the time of buying the policy. So I have bitten the bullet and yesterday have purchased a second annual policy and have included the travel disruption section and this does cover cancellation if government advises not to travel. We have 4 holidays this year including our cruise from Italy in May with Marella. Paying an extra £100 for a second policy therefore seems prudent, if somewhat annoying! 

I have the same problem with our annual policy.

What company have you taken out your new policy with, I'm having a hard time trying to find one. I think the insurance companies are bolting the stable door.

[MX-Drew]

On 2/26/2020 at 10:12 AM, vwgolf said:

Really? I am sure you are right but I'm surprised that some insurance policies cover you for travelling to places where the FCO advise not to. To be honest, it's not something I tend to think about when booking insurance for a Mediterranean cruise as I never think it will be an issue. That has obviously now changed!

My policy is very strange, and yes I have phoned and checked this and even asked the advisor to check again as he thought it strange, but the insurer will NOT pay if I cancel due to the FCO saying it is not advisable to travel to the area where you embark the ship but will pay out on claims arising from any (valid) claim made whilst away in said area.

 

I guess they are playing an odds game and the chances of people cancelling are higher than a claim arising from the travel.

[Bertie Doe]

6 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

I have the same problem with our annual policy.

What company have you taken out your new policy with, I'm having a hard time trying to find one. I think the insurance companies are bolting the stable door.

 

I renewed my annual cover 2 days ago. I used the following search engine :-

 

https://www.travelsupermarket.com/travel-insurance/enquiry/

 

I'm 72, in good health and the policy cost £49.45 + £24.73 (cruise cover) total £74.20p. However this excludes USA and Caribbean as we don't intend to go there until say 2024/25 season. As in all policies, study the small print before you buy. As a postscript, I agree, now is a good time to buy, before the "Medical Expenses" element goes sky high.

[MX-Drew]

2 minutes ago, MrSilversurf said:

 

I renewed my annual cover 2 days ago. I used the following search engine :-

 

https://www.travelsupermarket.com/travel-insurance/enquiry/

 

I'm 72, in good health and the policy cost £49.45 + £24.73 (cruise cover) total £74.20p. However this excludes USA and Caribbean as we don't intend to go there until say 2024/25 season. As in all policies, study the small print before you buy. As a postscript, I agree, now is a good time to buy, before the "Medical Expenses" element goes sky high.

Thanks I shall take a look now.