Should I get additional insurance?

[memphislonghorn]

I'm cruising on the Glory, 1/10/09 sailing out of Port Canaveral. I'm flying in the morning of the cruise on Airtran, Memphis to Atlanta to Orlando. I am nervous about flight delays and missing the ship. Now is the weather in Memphis or Atlanta gonna be OK? Probably. But with flights these days, you never know, my plane may be delayed because of a blizzard up north.

I did purchase cruise insurance through Carnival. My PVP tells me that Carnival will cover up to $500 to help me with trip interruption should I miss the ship. I would not want to cancel my cruise, I would want help getting a hotel and transport to the ship's first port of call, which is Cozumel. What would the airline do for me if my flight is very late, or cancelled. (my current arrival is 11:11 am, which should be in plenty of time to make the ship)

So should I take out additional insurance in case I have to get a flight from Orlando to Coz?

Or should i just not worry?:(

[Keith1010]

I would have recommended flying in the day before your cruise.

 

You would need to figure out if you can get an additional insurance policy, and if you can what the cost is vs. the cost if you missed the ship. That's what insurance is all about. What is the cost (eg., the insurance) vs. the risk (cost if you miss the ship).

 

Keith

[uppitycats]

For your next cruise, fly in the day before, and don't buy insurance through the cruise line! There are several sources for much better and usually cheaper insurance.

 

For now, go to insuremytrip.com and see if you can find something that will cover what you need. In addition, do some research on your own:

 

what airlines fly from Orlando to Cozumel, and what times are their flights; print all this out and have it with you in case you do get there late.

 

how much will it cost you to fly to Cozumel(at this late stage you will have to pay for it yourself; the airline is only responsible for getting you to your destination, which is Memphis to Orlando...NOT to the ship at some further port!). If you know in advance you can have the cash with you, or enough "space" on your credit card to book the flight.

 

Make sure you have the phone numbers of the ship, their customer service department, or whoever they might designate, so if you DO miss the ship in Orlando, they'll know, and expect you in Cozumel.

 

Or alternatively -- rebook your flight to Orlando. It'll cost you, but might be easier.

[navybankerteacher]

You are a gambler - arriving Orlando at 11:11 AM cuts it close at best - allow an hour to get off the plane, wait for your luggage at the carousel, and get to ground transportation (a very realistic estimate); and then another hour to get from Orlando to Port Canaveral - means planning to board no earlier than 1:15 PM -If EVERYTHING goes well. When does the ship sail? When is the hour-earlier deadline for boarding?

 

With a change in Atlanta, you have two sets of chances for weather-related flight delays, equipment problems and late-arriving crew. Perhaps you should just bite the bullet and change flights to the day before.

[eh2zed]

The extra insurance you need is to fly in a day early. The cost of that is a hotel night. If you are locked into the flight, I would investigate the cost vs risk as Keith suggests.

[Traveler353]

Have you checked with the cruise line to varify that you can board in Coz? Not judging, just curious if that is possible.

[greatam]

Please read your cruise policy. Quite a few of them DO NOT cover expenses for missing the ship on initial embarkation UNLESS you booked the cruise line air.

 

And $500 will barely cover a last minute, walk up ticket for one person to Cozumel AND the hotel you will need to get there (IF there is availability for tickets). ALL flights out of COZ on Jan 10 will require a LONG (at least 16 hour) layover in Atlanta, Houston, Dallas or Charlotte OR a hotel in Orlando on Jan 10, so you can leave VERY early morning on Jan 11. AND when does the ship arrive Cozumel??? You will most likely have hotel bills there while the ship catches up.

 

IF it was my trip, I would be rebooking the AirTran flight to Friday night at 7:05PM. Depending on the price AirTran charges for change fees/additional air fare, it may be cheaper to book a one way ticket on US, NW or Delta for Friday night. I can see all kinds of one way tickets available from MEM to MCO on Jan 9 after 6:00PM for less than $100pp. Add in the hotel-book on Priceline. ANY of these changes will be cheaper than paying for a flight to Cozumel.

 

Good luck!!!

[cherylandtk]

Pete,

 

Most travel insurance policies have a limit of $500 max on travel delay or missed connection coverage. That won't go far in covering all your expenses if you have to fly to Cozumel last minute, but it is better than nothing. It won't really help to purchase additional coverage; they all have a similar limit depending on when you purchase.

 

You will need a passport to fly to Cozumel, but you could join the cruise there if that is your first port.

 

Edit-Just saw Greatam's post; Carnival is one of the few (if not only) that covers self-purchased air. Most do not. But it is still only $500.

[lvtotrvl1]

Please read your cruise policy. Quite a few of them DO NOT cover expenses for missing the ship on initial embarkation UNLESS you booked the cruise line air.

 

And $500 will barely cover a last minute, walk up ticket for one person to Cozumel AND the hotel you will need to get there (IF there is availability for tickets). ALL flights out of COZ on Jan 10 will require a LONG (at least 16 hour) layover in Atlanta, Houston, Dallas or Charlotte OR a hotel in Orlando on Jan 10, so you can leave VERY early morning on Jan 11. AND when does the ship arrive Cozumel??? You will most likely have hotel bills there while the ship catches up.

 

IF it was my trip, I would be rebooking the AirTran flight to Friday night at 7:05PM. Depending on the price AirTran charges for change fees/additional air fare, it may be cheaper to book a one way ticket on US, NW or Delta for Friday night. I can see all kinds of one way tickets available from MEM to MCO on Jan 9 after 6:00PM for less than $100pp. Add in the hotel-book on Priceline. ANY of these changes will be cheaper than paying for a flight to Cozumel.

 

Good luck!!!

 

Greatam, as usual :) you are right...cruiseline insurance will not cover air that is booked indepentley..only air purchased through the cruiseline is covered.

[EGG]

Personally, I would fly in the day before. If you need to work I would try the 7:05 suggestion. Why worry about paying more for the insurance and still worry about missing half your cruise and have to catch up with the ship when you can fly in a day early, get a decent hotel room, and start your vacation a day early. Orlando has some pretty cheap hotels.

 

I would also be careful about booking on another airline and not using my outgoing AirTran ticket. Don't some airlines cancel your return flight if you do that?

 

Just a thought that there might be some sort of paid shared shuttle to the port if you come in the day before which will be cheaper than a taxi - but I am just making a wild guess at that.

[cherylandtk]

...cruiseline insurance will not cover air that is booked indepentley..only air purchased through the cruiseline is covered.

Something new in this area is that Carnival's insurance now DOES cover independently booked air. But it is the only one that I know of that does.

[greatam]

 

I would also be careful about booking on another airline and not using my outgoing AirTran ticket. Don't some airlines cancel your return flight if you do that?

 

Just a thought that there might be some sort of paid shared shuttle to the port if you come in the day before which will be cheaper than a taxi - but I am just making a wild guess at that.

 

VERY good point about not flying the first segment. Didn't even think about it. So the OP really has NO option except to pay AirTran's change fee (and possibly additional air fare) and fly the evening before OR take a HUGE risk. It wouldn't be an acceptable risk to me-not so much for the extra money over and above the cruise insurance reimbursement (although definitely a consideration) but the hassle and stress of trying to book flights out of the USA and find a hotel in a foreign country, as well as missing 1-3 days of the cruise. FLY THE DAY BEFORE!!!!!

[Aunty Pat]

You can purchase “zero band” (doesn’t cover trip cancellation or interruption) insurance coverage from Travelex or Travel Guard that covers trip delays $750 to $1,000/person and missed connection of $250/person for as little as $18/person depending upon your age. It also covers loss luggage and medical expenses.

Aunty Pat

 

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[CC Help Michell]

The extra insurance you need is to fly in a day early. The cost of that is a hotel night. If you are locked into the flight, I would investigate the cost vs risk as Keith suggests.

 

I agree, my "insurance" would be to fly in the day before if at all possible. I saw this post this morning on my way to work and didn't have time to reply then, but when I read the original post all I could think was "same day flight with a connection at ATL????!!!!" :eek: That 11:11 scheduled arrival at MCO, that looks like "plenty of time" to make the ship, could work out fine, but actually leaves very little room for delays here and there of 45 min or so (the kinds of delays that happen every day -- ground holds, weather holds, takeoff lines, etc.)

 

AirTran's been good to me so far -- but they don't control everything involved in the timeliness of flights. I'd go the day before.

[greatam]

You can purchase “zero band” (doesn’t cover trip cancellation or interruption) insurance coverage from Travelex or Travel Guard that covers trip delays $750 to $1,000/person and missed connection of $250/person for as little as $18/person depending upon your age. It also covers loss luggage and medical expenses.

Aunty Pat

 

So you miss the flight for whatever reason and consequently miss the cruise. What RULES apply with this policy??? Quite a few travel delay policies REQUIRE you to miss your original flight by XXX hours (usually 4 or 6). You generally cannot collect on travel insurance under trip delay if your replacement connecting flight leaves just an hour or two later than your original connecting flight, even IF you miss your cruise (it's in the fine print of most policies). So I guess you would get another $250/pp, which would cover in conjunction with the Carnival insurance, the total cost of a trip to Cozumel.

 

Where do you get this insurance????

[alcpa1]

I hate to add to your angst, but Cozumel is one frequently missed docking in the Caribbean. High seas have been known to force ships to miss the port entirely. And, you do need a passport.

I'd opt for a change fee and head to Orlando the night before.

You also only have an hour in Atlanta. If the weather is foggy or icy like it could very well be you are facing another risk. There is a later connection getting into Orlando at 11:43 but that starts to cut things close. Remember you do have to be onboard at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours before sailing.

[memphislonghorn]

The consensus, I know, is to fly in the day before. Unfortunately, I can't do that. I am taking Saturday and Sunday off before my real vacation week starts on Monday. The reality is, I probably will be working overnight shift on Friday, getting off at 5 am, driving straight to the airport for my 6:30 flight to ATL. I have purchased Carnival transport to the pier, they have my arrival time in Orlando. So I should make the ship in time. Plane lands at 11:11, I get to baggage area in 30 min. or less, I will not have to wait for luggage, I am not checking any. So hopefully, at Noon or thereabouts, the transport leaves for the pier, which is a 45 minute drive. Gets me to the ship at about 1:00, 1:30 at the outside.

Believe it or not, with my work schedules, this is the only way to go if I wanted a 7 night cruise. I will just have to calm down and not worry.:)

[CC Help Michell]

The consensus, I know, is to fly in the day before. Unfortunately, I can't do that. I am taking Saturday and Sunday off before my real vacation week starts on Monday. The reality is, I probably will be working overnight shift on Friday, getting off at 5 am, driving straight to the airport for my 6:30 flight to ATL. I have purchased Carnival transport to the pier, they have my arrival time in Orlando. So I should make the ship in time. Plane lands at 11:11, I get to baggage area in 30 min. or less, I will not have to wait for luggage, I am not checking any. So hopefully, at Noon or thereabouts, the transport leaves for the pier, which is a 45 minute drive. Gets me to the ship at about 1:00, 1:30 at the outside.

Believe it or not, with my work schedules, this is the only way to go if I wanted a 7 night cruise. I will just have to calm down and not worry.:)

 

Well, it does seem you've done what you can schedule-wise, so hopefully you'll be able to calm down and not worry, too! I think it was smart to book that transport from MCO to the port via Carnival in this case, too. Have a wonderful trip!

[memphislonghorn]

Now I've found out that my flight from ATL to MCO originates in Philadelphia! LOL Now I'm really worried. They'll probably have a blizzard up there that day!

There are some other options for flights from ATL that will get me to the ship in time. So I will be checking the boards after I land in ATL and keeping my fingers crossed!:D

[BroncosFan2010]

We always fly in a day ahead, especially in the winter. We get the insurance from our TA, just in case. This also covers lost luggage, lost items aboard, and travel delays, or sickness....

I have not heard of anyone needing additional insurance, but I am sure there are people who have needed it for extreme emergencies...

 

Crossing my fingers for all the people affected by these nasty winter storms!