Another good reason for travel insurance...

[J9sling]

If you ever questioned why you might need travel insurance just read the news on the Celebrity Millenium cruise right now (on the front page of CC). My parents are on the Celebrity Millenium cruise right now (Barcelona to Venice) and let me know that their cruise, that has been stalled outside of Rome for days due to prop damage, will no longer be able to sail any further and will be sent to dry dock. For more info you can read the Celebrity boards...

 

Even though Celebrity is doing a good job taking care of the current cruisers they will now need to cancel the next sailing (July 12th) and are offering those passengers a refund of their cruise and a free cruise in the future. No word, as yet, has been given about refunding costs of airfare (especially not airfare not purchased through Celebrity). Flying to Europe from the states can be very expensive...so use this tale as a caution to purchase travel insurance (that provides coverage for cancellation and flight reimbursement), especially for those expensive trips!

 

I am not starting this thread to elicit complaints about Celebrity or it's service but more to caution people that things DO happen and you need to be prepared for them.

[Sea Island Lady]

I am really sorry that this has happened to your parents! :( The Millennium was a great ship for us.

[kathyemma]

I just read the info on the home page and I wish i was booked on the July 12th sailing...the home pages reads "The July 12 sailing has also been canceled. Guests booked on that sailing will receive a 100 percent refund of everything paid to Celebrity plus a future cruise credit worth the value paid for the canceled cruise." (so, if you did buy air on your own you have lost that money...unless you still fly and take a land vacation)

 

Sorry your parents are stuck - but if you are going to be stuck somewhere - a cruise ship is a great place!

 

Hope they are enjoying it as much as they can.

 

Kathy

[J9sling]

No worries about my parents. They have still had a great time and are taking it in stride. They are getting all of their cruise money refunded as well as refunds on all of their excursions and a large OBC. The only problem they have had are with vocally disgruntled passengers constantly complaining and treating staff poorly. Fortunately, they are pretty flexible in their travel time so taking another Medi cruise will be easy...not the case for everyone though!

 

But, I'm sure the passengers who have good travel insurance are sitting much more comfortably than those who don't.

[daisysheridan]

...The only problem they have had are with vocally disgruntled passengers constantly complaining and treating staff poorly...

 

That is just sad! Like it is the cruise employees fault the prop failed.

[Sue L]

I know I have read that other cruises that have been canceled for mechanical reason that they have refunded the airfare also for the ones on the current cruise and those on the future cruises. I hope they come through on this one.

[AFT_LOVER]

for driving into a rock that wrecked the props.

 

That is just sad! Like it is the cruise employees fault the prop failed.

[Trainman-2]

In January I had a heart attack three weeks before a cruise.

 

Our cruise insurance got me a refund for everything, air and the cruise cost.

 

Insurance pays! :)

[MGoBlue2]

If you ever questioned why you might need travel insurance just read the news on the Celebrity Millenium cruise right now (on the front page of CC). My parents are on the Celebrity Millenium cruise right now (Barcelona to Venice) and let me know that their cruise, that has been stalled outside of Rome for days due to prop damage, will no longer be able to sail any further and will be sent to dry dock. For more info you can read the Celebrity boards...

 

Even though Celebrity is doing a good job taking care of the current cruisers they will now need to cancel the next sailing (July 12th) and are offering those passengers a refund of their cruise and a free cruise in the future. No word, as yet, has been given about refunding costs of airfare (especially not airfare not purchased through Celebrity). Flying to Europe from the states can be very expensive...so use this tale as a caution to purchase travel insurance (that provides coverage for cancellation and flight reimbursement), especially for those expensive trips!

 

I am not starting this thread to elicit complaints about Celebrity or it's service but more to caution people that things DO happen and you need to be prepared for them.

Let's see, I'm getting a full refund, a free cruise in the future and (worst case) I may have to pay $150 to change the dates on my air tickets. Why is it again that this is such a good example of the need to buy travel insurance?

[J9sling]

Free future cruises and cruise refunds are great....but what if you booked $2000+ for airfare on your own that isn't refunded...are all airline trips refundable? That's a lot of money to lose...not to mention privately booked excursions or other travel before or after the cruise that may not be refundable. Those who have good travel insurance don't have to worry about those things. For the minimal cost of travel insurance it still seems worth it to have that peace of mind.

 

Also, these passengers were fortunate they are getting what they are getting. Who knows if people will always be so well taken care of in future sailings by this company or any other?

[Toddcan]

Free future cruises and cruise refunds are great....but what if you booked $2000+ for airfare on your own that isn't refunded...are all airline trips refundable? That's a lot of money to lose...not to mention privately booked excursions or other travel before or after the cruise that may not be refundable. Those who have good travel insurance don't have to worry about those things. For the minimal cost of travel insurance it still seems worth it to have that peace of mind.

 

Also, these passengers were fortunate they are getting what they are getting. Who knows if people will always be so well taken care of in future sailings by this company or any other?

 

You know, I still don't get it. I've looked into travel insurance, and talked to sales reps form several firms offering the insurance. Insurance is very restrictive.

 

About the only thing it covered was if I fell ill, or any or my party fell ill, we would get our money back if we had to cancel the cruise.

 

It would not cover us having to cancel the cruise for the following reasons:

1. A relative of mine getting ill, forcing me to cancel the cruise

2. Losing my job, and I would have to cancel

 

To me, it was not worth the $150 pp or so to cover the event of illness on the part of our party.

 

If a cruiseline cancels a cruise, and refunds my money as well as gives me a free cruise in the future.. I say HE SCORES!!!! Even if I cannot change my airfare, I still fly down to wherever the port was, and take my cruise money and spend a week (or whatever) at a local resort/hotel. I still have a free cruise in the future. Ka-Ching!

[maldemar]

You know, I still don't get it. I've looked into travel insurance, and talked to sales reps form several firms offering the insurance. Insurance is very restrictive.

 

About the only thing it covered was if I fell ill, or any or my party fell ill, we would get our money back if we had to cancel the cruise.

 

It would not cover us having to cancel the cruise for the following reasons:

1. A relative of mine getting ill, forcing me to cancel the cruise

2. Losing my job, and I would have to cancel

 

To me, it was not worth the $150 pp or so to cover the event of illness on the part of our party.

 

You probably need to look at other insurance options. When we were in the travel business, both the the insurance companies we offered covered illness/death of a family member that wasn't part of your party. The variable was how close of a relative they would cover. Most companies will cover pre-existing for you and your relative if purchased within a certain time frame.

 

Sorry, but nobody covers loss of job. There are some self-insured land travel companies that offer cancel for any reason, but no third-party insurers do.

[Autumnrose]

Sorry, but nobody covers loss of job. There are some self-insured land travel companies that offer cancel for any reason, but no third-party insurers do.

 

Not true. Access America covers employer termination. They also now cover other work related cancellations such as being required to work.

[Autumnrose]

Let's see, I'm getting a full refund, a free cruise in the future and (worst case) I may have to pay $150 to change the dates on my air tickets. Why is it again that this is such a good example of the need to buy travel insurance?

 

I have to agree that this is not a good example of why you need insurance. I do recommend insurance, but in this case the cruise line is taking care of everyone. I had some passengers booked on the Star Princess after the fire. They were fully refunded when their departure was cancelled. Princess refunded the airfare as well even though they had booked the air separately.

[J9sling]

You're right. I agree this particular circumstance is probably not the best example of why to get travel insurance. Fortunately these people ARE being taken care of. I'm just thinking that you need to be cautious because you are not always guaranteed to be so well taken care of. I think that if I were going to Europe for a cruise I would get travel insurance anyway (we got it for a trip right out of our home port). However, some people are so wishy washy about spending that extra money...counting on the fact that no problems will arise.

[vacation fool]

Not true. Access America covers employer termination. They also now cover other work related cancellations such as being required to work.

 

Travel guard does as well.

[heatherb1958]

It amazes me when people disregard the safety blanket travel insurance can provide, it is not just for cancellations!!. There are several companies out there that give different levels, you just have to find the one that suits.

 

My dear FIL ( sinced passed away) never used to take out insurance, we told him how foolish he was. The first time he did take it out was his Godsend. He was travelling with his MIL and my MIL. As a precaution they had Grandma checked out by the doctor to see if she was fit to travel, He gave her the okay and off they went to Spain.Sadly, half way through the vacation, Grandma passed away in her sleep. The insurance company weren't willing to pay at first for repatriation of the family and the body but because she had been seen by the doctor and he gave the okay they ended up being marvelous.They paid for the family to return to the UK, organised undertakers to meet the flight . The airport was not our local one , it was 2 hours away. They took away a lot of the stress for my in-laws at a very sad time.

 

You get what you pay for, so shop around for the best policy to suit your needs

[Lightsluvr]

I'm happy when travel insurance covers major medical expenses in a part of the world where my Group Health coverage won't pay...such as pretty much anywhere outside of U.S.A. and Canada...

Also, I'm happy to know I have major coverage in the event of a catastrophe to fly me or my dead body back home without a major burden to my spouse and family... but that's just me...:rolleyes:

 

LL

[MGoBlue2]

In January I had a heart attack three weeks before a cruise.

 

Our cruise insurance got me a refund for everything, air and the cruise cost.

 

Insurance pays! :)

I've saved enough over the years by not buying insurance to more than cover the cost of having to cancel one vacation.

[maldemar]

Travel guard does as well.

 

 

I've been away too long.

 

Despite the limitations of travel insurance, at this point I cannot see not having it. When the assorted parents were younger, it may have been worth the gamble. but with my mother now 87 and with the FIL not in great health, the cost of coverage is cheap peace of mind.

[OHCruisin]

Actually, I read where X is going to pay for flights for the current passengers from the airport near Rome or will pay to get them to the original debarkation point to catch their original flights. So, refund, new cruise, OBC and airfare taken care of, one way or another. Can't see how they could do more. And it sounds like the OP's parents made the best of a bad situation and had a good time anyway. Good for them.

[nurseone]

for the primary purpose of medical cost and flights (ie - helicopter off ship - in hopsital in foreign land and have to fly back later etc) Since I'm an ER nurse I know how these unexpected things can happen and to me those dollars can add up real fast.

[turquoisesea]

And here's another reason for Travel Insurance - On the local news they told the story of three couples who flew into Glasgow to catch their cruise on the day of the airport terrorist incident. Actually, their flight was to another airport, but it was cancelled so the airline booked them on the Glasgow flight. It turned out that they did have trip insurance but it did not cover terrorism! On our last cruise we used "iTl Insurance" because our TA said it was the only company that allowed for a "terrorist Incident." Unfortuantely, you can only get insurance from this company through a TA, you can't get it independently.