I Need Help--we missed our Magic Disney cruise 3/17-3/24/07

[misseulalie]

I don't have experience with this insurance company, but we did have to file a claim with Berkley Travel (through Costco) for our cruise because DD & I were sick and isolated for a day. We had to do the claim ourselves, and I expected to be given the run-around and have to fight for our money, but they were very straightforward and quick. We got exactly what we expected, the value of one day for each of us, and it was simple.

Good luck to the OP - I would like to know, too, if you have filed a claim with the insurance company or just talked to someone. I understand Disney sending you on to the insurance company. Just remember to document everything - every piece of mail, e-mail, every call - time, date and name of person you talked to.

KInda OT, but we had Berkley Care before and had to file a claim for my father. They took care of it and even refunded my mother's fare as well.

 

[goofyforlife]

OP-

Did you get your insurance through DCL (whose carrier is Access america)

or

do you go seperately and book a poilcy on your own with access america?

 

[dreamcometrue]

I am so sorry you missed your cruise! That's truly mine, and everyone elses nightmare! It really makes me feel good about us arriving the day before though. If there are any delays, there is plenty of time to catch up!

I don't have any experience or knowledge when it comes to dealing with travel insurance, so I can't be any assistance whatsoever. Some said that maybe DCL offered to have you flown to the next port and since you declined, they now refuse a refund. IMO, it should be up to the traveler to accept or decline that offer. If that was me, my vacation would be ruined. If you have your heart set on a 7 day cruise, and you dream of the sailaway party and entering the ship in Port Canaveral for the first time, that's part of the magic. Stressing over catching up with the ship in St. Maarten (if that is your first port of call) and missing 2 days of relaxation at sea and fun, I probably wouldn't want to go at all, and instead reschedule my cruise to a later date so I can fully enjoy it! Will Disney let you do that, instead of asking for a refund? I am truly clueless when it comes to that!

 

[fcrouch]

On the 3/17 cruise, becuase of bad weather in the northeast, several people missed leaving on the 17th - we met one family that had joined in St. Marteen - Disney did offer to let them reschedule - but because one memberof the family was on a short break from service in Iraq they could not reschedule. Disney did make arrangements to get them to St. Marteen and was going to reimburse for hotel and some meals.

 

[jilljill]

OP did you insist Delta put you on another flight, when did you decide to return home and what day did you return home?

Hopefuly DCL will let you reschedule your cruise.

 

[one princess]

What I find unbelievable about this is that Disney would book these people on 3 legs from St. Louis through ATLANTA and THEN to CHICAGO before going on to Orlando. You could drive faster.
So sorry you missed your trip. I hope you get your money back with a huge apology from Disney for booking you on this insane itenerary.

Jackie

 

[Skallywag]

Just wonder if you paid for your air/trip with credit card then perhaps you can claim back through them.
Good luck

 

[PhotoLisa]

I strongly suggest that everyone read their insurance policies carefully. There is literally NO coverage that will guarantee you a refund of your unreimbursed vacation costs for this situation. What you are insuring yourself for is cancellations/trip interruptions primarily due to health issues. About the only trip interruption coverage that is not health related is for a traffic situation than can be documented by police report.

If an air carrier cannot get you to your embarkation point on time due to something that is not weather related that shuts down services completely for a specified time period (in some cases 6 hours, some cases 12 or 24 hours), you have no recourse back against the insurance coverage if you have to cancel your vacation.

Even if you purchase "cancel for any reason" riders on your policies, you must cancel your trip 72 hours in advance of departure.

I believe your only recourse will be with Disney and then they will only be on the hook for the funds you have paid to them for your trip.

As others have suggested, plan to arrive in Orlando at least a day before your scheduled cruise. Sometimes a day isn't enough either -- ask the passengers of the 2/17 cruise who were trying to leave 3 days early only to be snowed in at home!!!

Good luck!!!!

Cruisers beware -- read the insurance you're purchasing before thinking that you're covered for all scenarios.

 

[gottaluvdisney]

I don't think the OP had to connect in O'Hare (ORD) - I think he may have been using ORD to represent Orlando (MCO). JMO

It sounds like they were scheduled STL to ATL to MCO.

 

[one princess]

I don't think the OP had to connect in O'Hare (ORD) - I think he may have been using ORD to represent Orlando (MCO). JMO

It sounds like they were scheduled STL to ATL to MCO.

Oh, well in that case...never mind.

Jackie

 

[cats mom]

Unfortunately I'm afraid I have to agree with PhotoLisa on this one. I doubt if you'll get any resolution from Access America no matter how far up the chain you take it. The fine print on your policy most likely covers them on this one.

I think I'd try approaching DCL to see if you could still reschedule the cruise. I don't know if they would do it this long after the fact or not... but I know when folks have had emergency situations and have had to cancel just days before their cruise DCL has charged them a cancellation fee but has allowed them to apply most of their cruise fare to a new date. No doubt you'd still take a financial hit, but it's certainly better than loosing everything.

Good Luck

I'm so sorry you missed your cruise.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

I strongly suggest that everyone read their insurance policies carefully. There is literally NO coverage that will guarantee you a refund of your unreimbursed vacation costs for this situation. What you are insuring yourself for is cancellations/trip interruptions primarily due to health issues. About the only trip interruption coverage that is not health related is for a traffic situation than can be documented by police report.

If an air carrier cannot get you to your embarkation point on time due to something that is not weather related that shuts down services completely for a specified time period (in some cases 6 hours, some cases 12 or 24 hours), you have no recourse back against the insurance coverage if you have to cancel your vacation.

Even if you purchase "cancel for any reason" riders on your policies, you must cancel your trip 72 hours in advance of departure.

I believe your only recourse will be with Disney and then they will only be on the hook for the funds you have paid to them for your trip.

As others have suggested, plan to arrive in Orlando at least a day before your scheduled cruise. Sometimes a day isn't enough either -- ask the passengers of the 2/17 cruise who were trying to leave 3 days early only to be snowed in at home!!!

Good luck!!!!

Cruisers beware -- read the insurance you're purchasing before thinking that you're covered for all scenarios.

Wow, thank you so much for posting this. I had no idea this is the reality of trip insurance. I never realized airline mechanical problems are not covered.

I learned my lesson about flying in the same day after having to get up at 3:30am. Never, never, never again.

I'm so thankful that we drive when we take our winter vacations.

 

[gottaluvdisney]

There is "fine print" in the DCL Access America guide that states--

If you purchase the Vacation Protection Plan and cancel your vacation for any reason not covered by the insurance plan, Disney Cruise Vacations will credit 100% of the non-refundable cancellation fee toward a future Disney Cruise Vacations package commencing within one year after the start date of your original package.

So, it is in writing that they will apply their monies to a new cruise. However, it sounds like the OP wants a refund. I don't think they will do that.

I am still interested if the OP filed a claim with Access America and it was denied---or was the OP just told by a CSR that it wouldn't be covered.

 

[cruisinluver]

Interesting that this is a first post by someone who just joined and they have not been back to respond to any questions.

If you read the fine print of your CRUISE contract, you will see that DCL merely makes bookings for air as a convenience for its passengers yet is not responsible for any failings of a third party carrier. Same thing with shore excusions.

There was a big storm in the NE and as such many airplanes were stuck there and cancelled by Delta and other air carriers over that weekend. There was just not equipment available. Also if you had no passport, the first port you could have met the ship was St. Thomas. This would not be considered emergency travel and it would be unlikely you would have been able to fly to St. Maarten without one.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

As others have suggested, plan to arrive in Orlando at least a day before your scheduled cruise. Sometimes a day isn't enough either -- ask the passengers of the 2/17 cruise who were trying to leave 3 days early only to be snowed in at home!!!

Cruisers beware -- read the insurance you're purchasing before thinking that you're covered for all scenarios.

yup, been there, done that! I was a very stressed person on 2/13-2/14! and we were one of the lucky ones (airport closed after our flight took off)

To the OP: Good luck, and I hope you are at minimum able to reschedule your cruise. DCL implies that you don't need to worry if you have them book the airfare. If they don't back that up, they shouldn't imply that to be so.

Airlines are not responsive to travelers these days-we are at their mercy. My mother recently (also on 3/16--she was supposed to leave from Boston) missed out on a terrific vacation because her international flight was cancelled. She has excellent trip insurance, which is covering her in full, but that is not necessarily the norm. The airline treated the passengers horribly (I won't go into details here, but trust me, it was bad!). You should however, get reimbursed for your ticket fare from the airline.

Once again, best of luck getting some type of reimbursement/rescheduling.

 

[PhotoLisa]

yup, been there, done that! I was a very stressed person on 2/13-2/14! and we were one of the lucky ones (airport closed after our flight took off)

To the OP: Good luck, and I hope you are at minimum able to reschedule your cruise. DCL implies that you don't need to worry if you have them book the airfare. If they don't back that up, they shouldn't imply that to be so.

Airlines are not responsive to travelers these days-we are at their mercy. My mother recently (also on 3/16--she was supposed to leave from Boston) missed out on a terrific vacation because her international flight was cancelled. She has excellent trip insurance, which is covering her in full, but that is not necessarily the norm. The airline treated the passengers horribly (I won't go into details here, but trust me, it was bad!). You should however, get reimbursed for your ticket fare from the airline.

Once again, best of luck getting some type of reimbursement/rescheduling.

Hi Sue

Were your ears burning?

Glad you posted your experience here.

 

[professorandmom]

Also if you had no passport, the first port you could have met the ship was St. Thomas. This would not be considered emergency travel and it would be unlikely you would have been able to fly to St. Maarten without one.

Not quite, you can't RETURN to the US without a passport by air, you can LEAVE it....
This does work
Barb

 

[cruisinluver]

Not quite, you can't RETURN to the US without a passport by air, you can LEAVE it....
This does work
Barb

Not true...

Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.

The airlines can be severely fined if they allow someone to board without a valid US Passport.

 

[InstImpres]

There is "fine print" in the DCL Access America guide that states--

If you purchase the Vacation Protection Plan and cancel your vacation for any reason not covered by the insurance plan, Disney Cruise Vacations will credit 100% of the non-refundable cancellation fee toward a future Disney Cruise Vacations package commencing within one year after the start date of your original package.

So, it is in writing that they will apply their monies to a new cruise. However, it sounds like the OP wants a refund. I don't think they will do that.

I am still interested if the OP filed a claim with Access America and it was denied---or was the OP just told by a CSR that it wouldn't be covered.

I think the key to this statement is "non-refundable cancellation fee". For example if 8 days prior to travel you cancel 50% of your cruise fare is your cancellation fee, so that would be applied. 7 days or less there fee states "no refund"

Also, it does sound like the OP opted to go home. I have spoken with Disney numerous times on situations like this will get you to the next port and pay expenses along the way if they booked the air.

 

[NoFussRuss]

I've been lucky flying two years in a row on the snowiest days of the year in the northeast (Feb 10, 06 - 26" snow - beat the storm out : Mar 17, 07 - 8" snow and ice returning after many flights were canceled!).

First off - I really think you can work something out with DCL - we had a segment of one of our excursions canceled last year and they gave us almost a 60% on board credit for that part of the canceled trip. I never asked for it - they just gave it to me.

Secondly - Both years I booked the entire trip with DCL (airfare, hotel, trip, etc). Last year they booked us with Continental (direct from Newark to Orlando) - This year we were booked with Delta (direct to Atlanta and then to Orlando). Now I don't know what deals DCL makes with airlines (bulk purchase), but common sense would be if you make people fly airlines where you have to catch a connecting flight, you have introduced more chances for problems to arise.

Unfortunately, if they knew - they may have looked into flying into Melbourne Airport - once they got to Atlanta - (that is where we flew out of) from Atlanta, which is closer than Orlando!

Personally - I think DCL should do better working out your flights and trying to avoid putting people into compromising positions.