Un vaccinated boy band

[alexmom]

I booked a cruise for my husband and I in one room, and my son and 3 grandsons in another room, for Jan 16, 2022.  The grandsons will be 15, 16, and 17 at the time of cruising.  All are unvaccinated and show no signs of getting vaccinated.  Do I wait for Carnival to deny the exemptions that they don't really qualify for?  Do I try to reschedule out a year and hope the insanity stops?  Do I ask Carnival to DROP the 3 boys from the reservation and attempt to get my retired, vaccinated brother to bunk with my son?  Or do we allow the trip insurance to kick in?

 

To make things more interesting, our original ports were Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios and Cozumel, so I really have no idea what our actual itinerary will be in January.  If Carnival subs a port in the Bahamas, I'm pretty sure that Carnival will have to cancel us.

 

And to layer yet another issue onto the issue, I just discovered that my travel agent booked us with non refundable deposits, which I'm assuming means that Carnival can tell us to go pound sand, pocket the $750 deposit, and rebook our cabins.   Any thoughts?  Any advice?  

[Jamesatgsu]

I'd reschedule. They should transfer your deposit.

[Elaine5715]

8 minutes ago, alexmom said:

I booked a cruise for my husband and I in one room, and my son and 3 grandsons in another room, for Jan 16, 2022.  The grandsons will be 15, 16, and 17 at the time of cruising.  All are unvaccinated and show no signs of getting vaccinated.  Do I wait for Carnival to deny the exemptions that they don't really qualify for?  Do I try to reschedule out a year and hope the insanity stops?  Do I ask Carnival to DROP the 3 boys from the reservation and attempt to get my retired, vaccinated brother to bunk with my son?  Or do we allow the trip insurance to kick in?

 

To make things more interesting, our original ports were Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios and Cozumel, so I really have no idea what our actual itinerary will be in January.  If Carnival subs a port in the Bahamas, I'm pretty sure that Carnival will have to cancel us.

 

And to layer yet another issue onto the issue, I just discovered that my travel agent booked us with non refundable deposits, which I'm assuming means that Carnival can tell us to go pound sand, pocket the $750 deposit, and rebook our cabins.   Any thoughts?  Any advice?  

If you don't get the exemptions, Carnival will most likely allow the deposits to be refunds.  However, that notification does not occur until after final payment.  

I would be very surprised if your travel insurance covered anything due to COVID unvaccinated refusal.

[BroadwayGirl]

As of right now, there are no exemptions for anyone over the age of 12 for any Caribbean itineraries unless it's a valid medical exemption bc of the rules in the Bahamas.  If you are leaving from anywhere that cruises in the Caribbean where Bahamas is a backup port, you're under the 12+ no exemptions for "they didn't want to get vaccinated".    Who knows what January will bring and what the protocols will be, but I don't expect them to change much.  

[K_e_short]

You have to wait until January protocols are announced.

 

Once they are announced and they say "no unvaccinated guests over the age of 12" you can call and get a full refund.

 

You will get a refund even if it's a non refundable deposit. (I got that back PLUS my restricted airfaire).

 

It does mean you have to wait it out and hope that January looks the same as December.

[klfrodo]

Travel insurance? What are you going to try to claim that makes you think travel insurance is going to reimburse?

[alexmom]

31 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

Travel insurance? What are you going to try to claim that makes you think travel insurance is going to reimburse?

If Carnival cancels my cruise, trip insurance refunds everything, including non refundable deposits.  I cannot cancel my cruise because of covid concerns, but if Carnival cancels me, I'm golden.

[alexmom]

9 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

If you don't get the exemptions, Carnival will most likely allow the deposits to be refunds.  However, that notification does not occur until after final payment.  

I would be very surprised if your travel insurance covered anything due to COVID unvaccinated refusal.

At the time that I booked us, I purchased the insurance.  There were no covid vaccines in July 2020 when I purchased, so I'm pretty sure that if they try to deny coverage, I have plenty of ammo.  No one should be forced to take the mRNA vaccines.  I've told them that the J&J is safest for them, but they say no, even though my 26 year old son took it with no heart inflammation side effects.

[MrMarc]

5 minutes ago, alexmom said:

At the time that I booked us, I purchased the insurance.  There were no covid vaccines in July 2020 when I purchased, so I'm pretty sure that if they try to deny coverage, I have plenty of ammo.  No one should be forced to take the mRNA vaccines.  I've told them that the J&J is safest for them, but they say no, even though my 26 year old son took it with no heart inflammation side effects.

Having "plenty of ammo" only applies if you are willing to try and go to court if they refuse.  There is the obvious solution, but that clearly won't work.  I would call and ask about changing it now and see what they say.

[alexmom]

Thank you Jamesgnu, Elaine5715, Broadway Girl, and K_e_short for all the help and advice.  You all seem to have some experience with moving reservations and cancellations and I have none

[Babr]

34 minutes ago, alexmom said:

If Carnival cancels my cruise, trip insurance refunds everything, including non refundable deposits.  I cannot cancel my cruise because of covid concerns, but if Carnival cancels me, I'm golden.

If Carnival cancels the  entire cruise, Carnival is obligated to refund everyone. Insurance does not apply because you have been compensated.

 

Not sure what you mean by Carnival cancelling your cruise as an individual, but insurance does not play any part in that.

 

Read the policy section labeled “Covered Reasons for Cancellation.”

19 minutes ago, alexmom said:

At the time that I booked us, I purchased the insurance.  There were no covid vaccines in July 2020 when I purchased, so I'm pretty sure that if they try to deny coverage, I have plenty of ammo.  No one should be forced to take the mRNA vaccines.  I've told them that the J&J is safest for them, but they say no, even though my 26 year old son took it with no heart inflammation side effects.

No provisions in insurance for this. The cruise line may allow you to cancel because the requirements changed, but don’t look to insurance for coverage. You do not have any ammo. They are obligated to reimburse you for covered reasons only. Vaccination is not one. Read your policy.

Edited September 9, 2021 by Babr

[Elaine5715]

26 minutes ago, alexmom said:

At the time that I booked us, I purchased the insurance.  There were no covid vaccines in July 2020 when I purchased, so I'm pretty sure that if they try to deny coverage, I have plenty of ammo.  No one should be forced to take the mRNA vaccines.  I've told them that the J&J is safest for them, but they say no, even though my 26 year old son took it with no heart inflammation side effects.

Not having the vax would not be the reason.  The reason would be that they didn't meet the requirements to sail.  Kinda of like losing your ID and being refused boarding.  Didn't meet the requirements.  Or there is specific language about COVID cancellations wiggle words to get they out of paying 

[Babr]

2 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

Not having the vax would not be the reason.  The reason would be that they didn't meet the requirements to sail.  Kinda of like losing your ID and being refused boarding.  Didn't meet the requirements.  Or there is specific language about COVID cancellations wiggle words to get they out of paying 

Any travel insurance policy has a defined list of reasons that they cover for cancellation. Failing to meet requirements is not one. It is an issue for the passenger and the cruise line to resolve.

 

Anyone who buys a policy should read it so they know what to expect. While insurance policies can be difficult to wade through, the list of covered reasons is pretty straightforward.

[Elaine5715]

Just now, Babr said:

Any travel insurance policy has a defined list of reasons that they cover for cancellation. Failing to meet requirements is not one. It is an issue for the passenger and the cruise line to resolve.

 

Anyone who buys a policy should read it so they know what to expect. While insurance policies can be difficult to wade through, the list of covered reasons is pretty straightforward.

That is what I said

[Babr]

1 minute ago, Elaine5715 said:

That is what I said

Then I misunderstood your statement about “wiggle words” to get out of paying. Actually the language is pretty clear. Failure to meet requirements does not appear anywhere in the list of covered reasons.

 

I don’t know what kind of insurance the OP has, but Carnival insurance treats Covid as any other illness for cancellation or trip interruption. It deals with medical issues after a diagnosis. It has nothing to do with vaccination status or failure to meet requirements to sail.

 

[Woodfaerie]

You would probably have more luck winning a powerball than predicting what January's protocol's will be. 

[klfrodo]

2 hours ago, alexmom said:

If Carnival cancels my cruise, trip insurance refunds everything, including non refundable deposits.  I cannot cancel my cruise because of covid concerns, but if Carnival cancels me, I'm golden.

If Carnival cancels the cruise, Carnival refunds everything. Insurance does nothing. The insurance that you bought from Carnival is sold and managed by AON. Carnival just sells it as a 1 stop shopping event. (Plus they make a commission)

[Ellaleah]

14 hours ago, alexmom said:

I booked a cruise for my husband and I in one room, and my son and 3 grandsons in another room, for Jan 16, 2022.  The grandsons will be 15, 16, and 17 at the time of cruising.  All are unvaccinated and show no signs of getting vaccinated.  Do I wait for Carnival to deny the exemptions that they don't really qualify for?  Do I try to reschedule out a year and hope the insanity stops?  Do I ask Carnival to DROP the 3 boys from the reservation and attempt to get my retired, vaccinated brother to bunk with my son?  Or do we allow the trip insurance to kick in?

 

To make things more interesting, our original ports were Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios and Cozumel, so I really have no idea what our actual itinerary will be in January.  If Carnival subs a port in the Bahamas, I'm pretty sure that Carnival will have to cancel us.

 

And to layer yet another issue onto the issue, I just discovered that my travel agent booked us with non refundable deposits, which I'm assuming means that Carnival can tell us to go pound sand, pocket the $750 deposit, and rebook our cabins.   Any thoughts?  Any advice?  

Tell the kids to get vaccinated.  It is their civic duty and they should not be privileged with a cruise to expose people.

[BoozinCroozin]

Trip insurance won't cover anything if you choose to just let things lapse. The kids that are legally able to be vaccinated will not get an exemption. In that case you will get FCC for each one individually. You are at the mercy of your airlines for how they compensate for canceling a flight. If you booked a hotel, it is based on the refund policy you chose.

 

Insurance is only valid for specific reasons. It will not cover denied exemption because that is a choice. The cruise line will be giving you an FCC and refund of taxes and port fees. Insurance won't cover any of that. Flights would only be covered if you missed the flight and couldn't get on another flight, regardless of whether you are cruising or not. Their stance is you could have still flown and/or taken the credit. If you booked non-refundable hotel(s), then they will not cover that either because you still could have used them. Nothing prevented it. Each piece of the entire puzzle is treated as a separate piece. If one is lost, the others can still be used. The only way the covid portion of the policy works is if one person tests positive. They will require proof of that. 

 

Your best bet before losing money and watching FCC's be assigned to individuals is to cancel when you can for a refund. Anything beyond that will be a pain to get money back. Believe, I have gone through it for a year. Because of BS flight credits and expirations, we have $2,000 in flights, $200 in ground transportation, $30 luggage storage fees, $90 in luggage fees where I could have just driven for $150. 

[alexmom]

11 hours ago, klfrodo said:

If Carnival cancels the cruise, Carnival refunds everything. Insurance does nothing. The insurance that you bought from Carnival is sold and managed by AON. Carnival just sells it as a 1 stop shopping event. (Plus they make a commission)

I'm sorry that I wasn't clear, I purchased AIG from the travel agency, not Carnival.  I will read it very carefully, as it has been suggested that Carnival denying exemptions isn't a valid insurance trigger.

[alexmom]

5 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

Trip insurance won't cover anything if you choose to just let things lapse. The kids that are legally able to be vaccinated will not get an exemption. In that case you will get FCC for each one individually. You are at the mercy of your airlines for how they compensate for canceling a flight. If you booked a hotel, it is based on the refund policy you chose.

 

Insurance is only valid for specific reasons. It will not cover denied exemption because that is a choice. The cruise line will be giving you an FCC and refund of taxes and port fees. Insurance won't cover any of that. Flights would only be covered if you missed the flight and couldn't get on another flight, regardless of whether you are cruising or not. Their stance is you could have still flown and/or taken the credit. If you booked non-refundable hotel(s), then they will not cover that either because you still could have used them. Nothing prevented it. Each piece of the entire puzzle is treated as a separate piece. If one is lost, the others can still be used. The only way the covid portion of the policy works is if one person tests positive. They will require proof of that. 

 

Your best bet before losing money and watching FCC's be assigned to individuals is to cancel when you can for a refund. Anything beyond that will be a pain to get money back. Believe, I have gone through it for a year. Because of BS flight credits and expirations, we have $2,000 in flights, $200 in ground transportation, $30 luggage storage fees, $90 in luggage fees where I could have just driven for $150. 

Wow, I'm really sorry that you're dealing with all that !  I feel like a small and whining idiot compared to what you're going through.  And you have given me the best advice so far, however, my husband has just been informed that his vacation time in January has been revoked because 1 of their designers has gone to 20 hours a week and they need him in January because of several trade shows setting up during the time he requested off !  WTH !!  I'm beginning to think this cruise is CURSED !  Not sure what happens now.  I'm thinking that I call the travel agent first and let him tell me my options.

 

We usually fly Southwest because I loathe the Lindberg terminal here in MN, plus I hate baggage fees.  We have had to cancel them before and they are easy and generous in that department.  And I am a rewards member with all the hotel chains so I get great refundable rates with AAA and I just cancelled a reservation with no hassle and rebooked in the same hotel chain for a lower rate.  We're headed to the Black Hills for 5 days in a few weeks.  My husbands job is really stressful so I schedule small getaways for the safety of everyone.

 

Thanks again, and good luck, sincerely !

[BoozinCroozin]

We are good. Just lost a lot of money on all expenses for cruising. Just go with the flow and enjoy when we do go. Flights were the quest of everything. Cruise lines were great. Hotels very accommodating. Airlines, Southwest and American, nearly useless. We used all the credits, but would have never spent like that is it was cash.

[alexmom]

6 minutes ago, BoozinCroozin said:

We are good. Just lost a lot of money on all expenses for cruising. Just go with the flow and enjoy when we do go. Flights were the quest of everything. Cruise lines were great. Hotels very accommodating. Airlines, Southwest and American, nearly useless. We used all the credits, but would have never spent like that is it was cash.

We wound up using ours in May to fly down to Orlando, although we also went to St Pete and Daytona Beach too.  The best part was not paying one red cent because we also have a timeshare from Bluegreen. Food, car rental, and Epcot and Volcano Bay tickets were our only expenses and all accommodations were at resorts so we had a full kitchen.  And Orlando has a BUCKEE'S !!  If you've never been, I highly recommend ; )

[Babr]

1 hour ago, alexmom said:

Wow, I'm really sorry that you're dealing with all that !  I feel like a small and whining idiot compared to what you're going through.  And you have given me the best advice so far, however, my husband has just been informed that his vacation time in January has been revoked because 1 of their designers has gone to 20 hours a week and they need him in January because of several trade shows setting up during the time he requested off !  WTH !!  I'm beginning to think this cruise is CURSED !  Not sure what happens now.  I'm thinking that I call the travel agent first and let him tell me my options.

 

 

The good news in all of this is that AIG does cover a cancellation for work reasons depending on which policy you purchased. If you have the Deluxe or Preferred plan you should be OK, but check your policy to be sure.

[SNJCruisers]

I would call Carnival and see if they would let you push your cruise back.  A worst case scenario as has been previously  mentioned is that you may have to wait until the January  protocols are announced, which should be in a few weeks.