Almost a nightmare... almost

[7SeasLover]

56 days out from our cruise to South America on the Crown, my friend tells me she can't go. What!!! I scramble into high gear. I call the airline broker... no refund, no transfer, just eat it. Ugh. (I knew that going in, of course, but I liked the fare.)

 

Next call to my TA. Please call NCL and ask 3 questions: Can I transfer name of traveler to someone else? What's the price difference to stay solo in my suite? What's the price to move me into steerage solo? (Well, not quite steerage becasue I had to have a BIG window.) What's the penalty to my friend who's canceling due to medical reasons? (Ok, that was 4 questions.)

 

NCL was very helpful. Transfer the name to someone else was $35, staying solo in the suite... only for Bill Gates coud cough that up, moving to Cat D Deck 5 just $959 more. So, ok that's doable.

 

No way was I NOT going to go. I'm running around my office dropping hints here and there and (giggle) even had the fleeting thought of coming here to post (Anybody wanna go to SA?) ha ha ha! (I wonder if that's ever been done before?)

 

When I told my girlfriend that my husband refused to go (duh) and that I got the prices for solo travel, that I was going even without her. We had a feew more e-mail exchanges as to her reason and the hooey I thought of those reasons, she changed her mind.

 

Now, 1/2 head of grey hair later, and 5 years of good life drained from my heart, the trip is back on as scheduled. I did feel a twinge of panic, as I had the Hilton booked in Buenos aires, a couple of private tours for 2 and several NCL excursions booked.

 

I do have a question at the bottom of all this chatter... can we cancel or reduce the excursions by one and not be charged? She's looking at how rugged (or not) the excursions are and my opt to stay on the ship -- I'm going! I have never canceled an excursion before. Can it be done online or must it be done when we board?

 

Oh, just to let everyone know... my mother (bless her) said she would abslutely go with me but preferred that I find someone else (she's 80 and blind and hates to fly). I thought that was super sweet of her!

[denims]

Good Short Story!:D I'm glad everything worked out!

[kdzgon]

...

 

I do have a question at the bottom of all this chatter... can we cancel or reduce the excursions by one and not be charged? She's looking at how rugged (or not) the excursions are and my opt to stay on the ship -- I'm going! I have never canceled an excursion before. Can it be done online or must it be done when we board?...

 

With few exceptions excursions can be canceled until 24 hrs prior to the time of the excursion. The tours that cannot be canceled are usually marked as such.

[calmac]

From memory, I think you can cancel shore excursions more than 24 hours in advance without penalty in most cases but I do remember that this did not apply to some of the more expensive ones in Alaska (maybe including helicopter flights?). Worth checking out yourshore excursion list. We haven't cancelled any so not sure how you would be best to do that.

 

Glad you're still going - this in one trip we'll be doing in the future.

[candydane]

I'm glad things worked out for you!

 

This is an excellent example of why you should buy always travel insurance - regardless of your age or medical condition! If you'd had travel insurance and your friend could not go for a qualified medical reason, your insurance would have paid the single supplement for you to stay in your suite! Plus, if your friend had had cruise insurance, she could have cancelled for a qualified medical reason and gotten all her money refunded.

 

I'm a firm believer that travel insurance is a must for everyone because we never know what may happen. An unexpected accident or illness can happen to any of us, our traveling companion(s), or our family at home!

 

If you haven't left yet, it's not too late to buy medical insurance. Depending on the circumstances, It might not cover your friend's current medical condition, but it would cover other things between now and during the trip.

[BeachBumMama]

If you'd had travel insurance and your friend could not go for a qualified medical reason, your insurance would have paid the single supplement for you to stay in your suite! Plus, if your friend had had cruise insurance, she could have cancelled for a qualified medical reason and gotten all her money refunded.

 

I've always wondered how things worked out with insurance and someone else having to cancel. Yes I too am a firm believer in the insurance. Never used to be but had a close call once and that was enough for me to become a fan and spend the few extra dollars. For it is only a few extra dollars when you're talking about losing thousands.

 

And to the OP... as for coming on here and posting? I for one possibly would have taken you up on it! So hard sometimes when hubby doesn't or can't go, and friends can't get away for one reason or another and I WANT TO GO! The price for a single seems such a waste to me when I know it pays for another cruise.

[Jana]

Your friend will thank you forever for "making" her go on this trip. It's fabulous, my favorite itinerary ever. I hope you make it into Stanley, and I hope you plan on spending some extra time in Buenos Aires.

[johnql]

Your friend will thank you forever for "making" her go on this trip. It's fabulous, my favorite itinerary ever. I hope you make it into Stanley, and I hope you plan on spending some extra time in Buenos Aires.

I completely agree - this was one of my favorite cruises, too. To the OP: if you're extending your trip either pre- or post-, I would highly recommend visiting Iguazu Falls. It's a spectacular sight to behold, a place that you will absolutely never forget.

[flyingpirate]

Seven -

 

As the others have said, always get insurance -

 

And if you ever find yourself in need of a cruising partner again, call me! :D

[mailbroad]

Oh, just to let everyone know... my mother (bless her) said she would abslutely go with me but preferred that I find someone else (she's 80 and blind and hates to fly). I thought that was super sweet of her!

mothers are awesome!:)

[JuneauMe]

If you'd had travel insurance and your friend could not go for a qualified medical reason, your insurance would have paid the single supplement for you to stay in your suite! quote]

 

This is interesting, I am curently working on booking a cruise with a friend, who can be somewhat unreliable. If she bails on me at the last moment, my insurance would cover the single supplement? Which travel insurance does this, cause the last one I used only covered me for a medical emergency cancellation. This info would be invaluable to me now, cause I'm really nervous about losing my vacation if she bails at the last min.

[Maryfrei]

You've had so much adventure already with this cruise, I think it is destined to be the best cruise ever:)!

[7SeasLover]

IThis is an excellent example of why you should buy always travel insurance

 

We both have travel insurance. Always buy it. I didn't know it would have paid for the difference.

 

We actually both have excellent medical reasons to cancel. I was just diagnosed with a malignant tumor and will be having surgery in a few days, but I hope to be well enough to travel by March. Chemo, if necessary, will start when I get back.

[7SeasLover]

And to the OP... as for coming on here and posting? I for one possibly would have taken you up on it! So hard sometimes when hubby doesn't or can't go, and friends can't get away for one reason or another and I WANT TO GO! The price for a single seems such a waste to me when I know it pays for another cruise.

 

Wow! That's nice to know! My husband is a hard man to get to leave the country. I travel a lot with this particular girlfriend (former coworker). I have never traveled solo, but I don't think I'd hesitate to do so if I couldn't find anyone to go with!

[7SeasLover]

I guess I should have said in my original post that we both had insurance. I think it just never occurred to me that I could draw on it for her bailing. I knew she'd be able to get a full refund - I just never thought about the insurance.

 

So, now we know... if we're ever bailed out on a trip we can come here and advertise for a cruising partner! ha ha ha!

 

Have met some really nice folks from CC on past cruises, and I'm sure we'll remain friends for a long time to come. I'm even planning on Scandinavia cruise with a fellow CC couple we met.

[flyingpirate]

We both have travel insurance. Always buy it. I didn't know it would have paid for the difference.

 

We actually both have excellent medical reasons to cancel. I was just diagnosed with a malignant tumor and will be having surgery in a few days, but I hope to be well enough to travel by March. Chemo, if necessary, will start when I get back.

 

:eek::eek:

 

Best of luck with your surgery!

 

I'm sure you'll cruise right through!

[Jana]

If you'd had travel insurance and your friend could not go for a qualified medical reason, your insurance would have paid the single supplement for you to stay in your suite!

 

This is interesting, I am curently working on booking a cruise with a friend, who can be somewhat unreliable. If she bails on me at the last moment, my insurance would cover the single supplement? Which travel insurance does this, cause the last one I used only covered me for a medical emergency cancellation. This info would be invaluable to me now, cause I'm really nervous about losing my vacation if she bails at the last min.

 

http://cruisecritic.com/features/articles.cfm?ID=274

 

:)

[JuneauMe]

Ginny, Good luck with your surgery, and I'm really glad that your cruise is back on.

I don't mean to be a ditz, but I'm still unclear about the Travel insurance. My reading of the article seems as though I would also get reimbursed if I couldn't go because my travel companion had to cancel, but I don't see (and really want) is that I could still go, and the added cost of the single supplement would be payed by insurance. You see, once I commit to a vacation slot, I can not change it, so I would still want to go. Sorry if I'm dense, but this could help me rest easy.

[osiebosie]

I'm glad everything has worked out. There's nothing like a cruise to help with stressful situations at home.

 

Shay

[osiebosie]

I'm glad everything has worked out. There's nothing like a cruise to help with stressful situations at home.

 

Shay

[Jana]

Ginny, Good luck with your surgery, and I'm really glad that your cruise is back on.

I don't mean to be a ditz, but I'm still unclear about the Travel insurance. My reading of the article seems as though I would also get reimbursed if I couldn't go because my travel companion had to cancel, but I don't see (and really want) is that I could still go, and the added cost of the single supplement would be payed by insurance. You see, once I commit to a vacation slot, I can not change it, so I would still want to go. Sorry if I'm dense, but this could help me rest easy.

 

I'm an airline retiree so I know all about comitting to a vacation slot! Boy, that sure does bring me back...

 

The owner of the company in the second link in that article was extremely helpful to us when we had questions. My mother, nephew and I were traveling with two cabins. My nephew had just had surgery on his knee and my mother is almost 80 so we had several concerns, and he was great. His name is Steve. Try him tomorrow. Your question is a good one but I can't remember what his answer was when we asked the same question!

 

Jana

[candydane]

I'm still unclear about the Travel insurance. My reading of the article seems as though I would also get reimbursed if I couldn't go because my travel companion had to cancel, but I don't see (and really want) is that I could still go, and the added cost of the single supplement would be payed by insurance. You see, once I commit to a vacation slot, I can not change it, so I would still want to go. Sorry if I'm dense, but this could help me rest easy.

It may not have been in the article, however it should be included in your insurance policy. I checked several and it was under the section about "Pre-Departure Trip Cancellation Benefits" or whatever. It generally stated that they would pay your additional cost as a result of a change in the per person occupancy rate for prepaid travel arrangements if a Traveling Companion's Covered Trip is canceled for a covered reason and your Covered Trip is not canceled." Or somesuch wording. Then if you look up the definition of "covered trip", it's basically the stated period of time you'll be away from home.

 

The wording is slightly different in the various policies I checked real quick so you'd want to be sure to carefully read the policy you're considering BEFORE you buy.

[cruizinwithkids]

You've had so much adventure already with this cruise, I think it is destined to be the best cruise ever:)!

 

I agree with Mary. I've kept up with your adventures from the start. Please keep us posted on your surgery. I will keep your in my prayers. I am so sad about it.

[Cosmopolitan]

We both have travel insurance. Always buy it. I didn't know it would have paid for the difference.

 

We actually both have excellent medical reasons to cancel. I was just diagnosed with a malignant tumor and will be having surgery in a few days, but I hope to be well enough to travel by March. Chemo, if necessary, will start when I get back.

 

So happy it all worked out.

 

Good Luck with your surgery, you are in my prayers.

[7SeasLover]

Ginny, Good luck with your surgery, and I'm really glad that your cruise is back on.

I don't mean to be a ditz, but I'm still unclear about the Travel insurance. My reading of the article seems as though I would also get reimbursed if I couldn't go because my travel companion had to cancel, but I don't see (and really want) is that I could still go, and the added cost of the single supplement would be payed by insurance. You see, once I commit to a vacation slot, I can not change it, so I would still want to go. Sorry if I'm dense, but this could help me rest easy.

 

I'm as confused as you. :confused: I didn't know that my travel insurance (through NCL) would have allowed (or paid) for me to travel solo. I jus never thought about checking into my insurance. when I called my TA with the problem, she never indicated that my insurance would take care of this. I somehow think it wouldn't have covered the diference in the fare from 2 in a suite to 1 in a suite.

 

The only time I used my insurance was when my hard luggage (from the olden days) was crushed. First it got destroyed on the flight to Canada, then it got even more destroyed on the flight back home. I just bought a new piece, took digital photos of the busted piece and mailed a letter. A few weeks later I got a check in the mail for the full cost of the new suitcase. I was delighted.

 

(thanks for the well wishes on my surgery). :)