Our first voyage, CunardCare?

[Cranky64]

Hello, 
I'm very new here and we have never been on any sort of cruise other than what we got while in the US Navy. That being said I have been spending a good deal of time here reading posts that seem to pertain to what we are doing. Two years ago my wife and I spent a few nights on the QM in Long Beach. It was a good experience and we started toying with the thought of a crossing. Yesterday we booked a Q5 room on the April 26, 2021 sailing to Southampton. 

 

Over the coming months I'm sure I'll be asking many questions after using the search feature. My first question; is CunardCare needed if you book with a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve? It does look like the Chase policy does the same thing just that CunardCare covers up to $50k whereas Chase only covers up to $20k.  

 

Thanks Again

 

H. Green

[Underwatr]

I'm assuming you're shopping for US travel insurance.

Cruise line insurance can be a poor bargain, but unlike most travel insurance it's not age rated. So if you're getting on in years the price for Cunard Care may appear lower than what you'll find elsewhere.

Disadvantages of which I'm aware:

- Cunard Care isn't effective until it's paid for and typically it's not paid for until final payment. So the look back period for a non-covered pre-existing condition begins at that point in time, and typically there's no waiver of pre-existing conditions as there can be with other insurance if you buy within a couple of weeks of down payment.

- Cunard Care won't protect you if the line itself defaults (goes under) where private insurance usually does.

- Credit card travel insurance usually doesn't cover medical expenses, where Cunard Care and comprehensive private insurance usually does (I don't know specifically about Chase). Your regular health insurance may or may not be valid outside of the US.

 

There's a travel insurance section of Cruise Critic, which may have more general expertise on travel insurance.

Edited October 26, 2020 by Underwatr

[DWhit]

I have been looking at Cunard Care as well, primarily because there is a "Cancel for Any Reason" option, which might come in handy for Covid restriction reasons.   But I am still not clear on exactly how things work.

[erniebernie]

We took out travel insurance with a "Cancel for any reason " clause for our now non existant Alaska cruise  and on claiming on it as the cruise was cancelled we were then told they would not have paid out  on anything Covid related!  

[Underwatr]

If you had bought it before 2020 they would have paid, I think. But yes, most policies I reviewed in late February were already saying the COVID pandemic was a "named event" much like a hurricane or blizzard and not insurable. CFAR coverage would still be be valid regardless.

[DWhit]

4 hours ago, erniebernie said:

We took out travel insurance with a "Cancel for any reason " clause for our now non existant Alaska cruise  and on claiming on it as the cruise was cancelled we were then told they would not have paid out  on anything Covid related!  

But I am assuming you received a refund or future cruise credit from Cunard when they cancelled on you.   I am more worried about having to jump through too many travel hoops, or put up with too many onboard restrictions that would make a cruise that does sail undesirable.

Edited October 27, 2020 by DWhit

[tag1000]

Yes, yes and yes.  Last year I had two transatlantic crossings booked.   One week before the first one my travelling companion had to have emergency surgery.  Had to cancel this trip.   Recovery went very well and everything was set for the next cruise five months later.  Then days before the second one my travelling companion had a fall and hip surgery ensued.  Hence a second cancelled crossing.  
 

I had purchased Cunard Care(luckily).  Claiming involved a one page form, the Doctor’s signature and uploading it to a website.  The claim was settled very quickly and the fares refunded.  So in my situation or rather situations-it worked very well. 

Now I know my credit card has travel insurance but I always hear stories about how it can be hard to claim.  
 

In my experience Cunard Care was very easy to deal with.  Hopefully I never ever have to use it again!
 

Of course I was really really really looking forward to a trip I booked this year.  Of course that did not work well.  
 

Fingers crossed for 2021!

[Denverbri69]

If you are a Veteran I am going to assume you use USAA as  your insurance company. Their travel insurance coverages and rates cannot be beat.