Compensation after returning from cruise?

[kiford]

You certainly are buying piece of mind. My cruises have all been to the Caribbean, Hawaii and Alaska so any medical evacuation would be provided for free by the U.S. Coast Guard since I am a U.S. Citizen.

I did not know that. Three of our cruises have been overseas and the rest in the Caribbean and Bahamas but I'm Canadian and I've no idea what, or whether, OHIP would cover so such insurance is definitely peace of mind for us. And given my father's experience needing an EMT-trained escort with oxygen (he figures that part cost >$15,000 for the flights and his time), I won't take chances. I'm quite certain that wouldn't be covered by OHIP. My father had to pay out a thousand euros in advance to the hospital and the insurance company reimbursed him and paid all of the rest directly. It's all about judging what the possibilities are, the costs associated with it, obtaining the right kind of insurance coverage and the price of it compared to the potential costs and/or upfront costs.

 

[tvguy]

I did not know that. Three of our cruises have been overseas and the rest in the Caribbean and Bahamas but I'm Canadian and I've no idea what, or whether, OHIP would cover so such insurance is definitely peace of mind for us. And given my father's experience needing an EMT-trained escort with oxygen (he figures that part cost >$15,000 for the flights and his time), I won't take chances. I'm quite certain that wouldn't be covered by OHIP. My father had to pay out a thousand euros in advance to the hospital and the insurance company reimbursed him and paid all of the rest directly. It's all about judging what the possibilities are, the costs associated with it, obtaining the right kind of insurance coverage and the price of it compared to the potential costs and/or upfront costs.

Yes. People need to know what their insurance already covers....over does not cover.....so they can make an informed decision about Travel Insurance.

 

[bumbershoot]

We have a child (a perfectly healthy child) who gets sick EVERY cruise. We have tried it all, but it never fails. If we are lucky, it is 24 hours. I was always sick as a kid and then by about age 12, I pretty much never got sick again, so i do think kids who are sick a lot end up with stronger immune systems as adults. So we just deal with it. Hubby brings extra books and work because he prefers sick duty. We are happy if we make it to Castaway Cay together (happened once). We would never think to ask dcl for compensation or "good will." Silly. That would mean they would have to compensate us for EVERY cruise. lol.

Weird question. Is she a nail biter? DS is a bit of a nail biter and I'm a nail "checker" (I end up with my nails between my teeth but not biting), and we have gotten noro-ish belly illnesses while at home. DH doesn't generally do those things as a habit and therefore he doesn't tend to get those. The one time he did it was in a Mexico/South America trip where he did everything right until he unthinkingly drank an ICED latte.

DS and I are trying to be better because we didn't like the last bout of it. And we really don't want to get it on the cruise. The important aspects for us is to wash in the bathroom and then not put our hands to our faces. That keeps anything we've touched away from nose or mouth. Habits are hard to break though!

And for the trip we're currently on, for worried about colds, we have our homeopathic coldcalm, our elderberry syrup, emergen-C, and if all else fails the alka seltzer cold plus to knock me out while my body heals up a cold lol.

 

[hardis5]

I did not know that. Three of our cruises have been overseas and the rest in the Caribbean and Bahamas but I'm Canadian and I've no idea what, or whether, OHIP would cover so such insurance is definitely peace of mind for us. And given my father's experience needing an EMT-trained escort with oxygen (he figures that part cost >$15,000 for the flights and his time), I won't take chances. I'm quite certain that wouldn't be covered by OHIP. My father had to pay out a thousand euros in advance to the hospital and the insurance company reimbursed him and paid all of the rest directly. It's all about judging what the possibilities are, the costs associated with it, obtaining the right kind of insurance coverage and the price of it compared to the potential costs and/or upfront costs.

Travel costs while injured or when needing to be brought back to Ontario are not covered by OHIP (even outside of Ontario but within Canada) per the Ministry of Health website:

You are responsible for the full cost of the land and/or air ambulance services received :

• if you are a resident of Ontario, and
• your ambulance trip originates outside Ontario.

Travel costs are a critical component of why we always buy travel insurance for one incident with an elderly family member needing to be brought back to Ontario cost then over $50K with attendant care (and that was 20 years ago).

 

[lbus42]

This thread is like a lot of ones here on these boards where there are differing opinions. And some of the posters get personal or nasty when others don't agree with them.

 

[squirk]

This thread is like a lot of ones here on these boards where there are differing opinions. And some of the posters get personal or nasty when others don't agree with them.

I think that's the same for, like, every message board ever, though?

 

[wilkeliza]

You certainly are buying piece of mind. My cruises have all been to the Caribbean, Hawaii and Alaska so any medical evacuation would be provided for free by the U.S. Coast Guard since I am a U.S. Citizen. And as I mentioned (I think ) earlier, our health insurance is good world wide, and not everyone's employer provides that kind of coverage. And I as I have posted in other threads, you should never leave home without enough cash or available credit for last minute travel arrangements and incidental costs since, while Travel Insurance will reimburse you for those covered expenses, you have to pay them out of pocket.

You do know the US Coast Guard only will do the call automatically if you are in US waters. If you are in a Caribbean port or in a Canadian Port or international waters it may not be the US Coast Guard responding. It is totally piece of mind but I'd rather pay 200 for piece of mind than get sick or hurt and have to pay the astronomical evac and medic fees.

 

[tvguy]

You do know the US Coast Guard only will do the call automatically if you are in US waters. If you are in a Caribbean port or in a Canadian Port or international waters it may not be the US Coast Guard responding. It is totally piece of mind but I'd rather pay 200 for piece of mind than get sick or hurt and have to pay the astronomical evac and medic fees.

No, they will go into international waters. A co-worker was airlifted off the Amsterdam halfway between San Diego and Hawaii.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/ChristmasCountdown/story?id=4018440

 

[wilkeliza]

No, they will go into international waters. A co-worker was airlifted off the Amsterdam halfway between San Diego and Hawaii.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/ChristmasCountdown/story?id=4018440

They can but it is not a guarantee. Between Hawaii and San Diego the US is most likely the closest responding unit but that is not always the case. You are only guaranteed a US Coast Guard as the responding team in US waters. Or course if an emergency was to happen on land in a different country they may not air lift you at all. It is very common for insurance to only cover someone in their home country and sometimes even their own state or area so it is really an individual decision if travel insurance is something they should buy.

 

[CindysFriend]

OP here, again

Wow, this thread has taken some really unexpected twists. LOL Then again, this *is* a message board! It's not uncommon for people to interject their own feelings and experiences into topics like this.

Anyway, I want to clarify a few things for people regarding travel insurance because I don't like to see misinformation being passed as fact:

With travel insurance, being quarantined in your cabin by the ship's doctor is a qualifying event for coverage under "Trip Interruption". It would cover the time lost while in quarantine. For example, 2 people on a 7-night cruise costing $4,700. Guest #1 gets sick and is quarantined by the ship's doctor for 2 days. Travel insurance company pays the claim: $4,700. / 7(nights) = 671.42 X 2(days in quarantine) = $1,342.85 + Unused Rainforest Spa Day passes (2 x $16) = $1,374.85 TOTAL PAID TO CLAIMANTS.

The above scenario is not just a made-up situation, it's what actually happened to a couple (party of 2 adults) on our cruise that I know personally. They had travel insurance through insure my trip, and the specific company was CSA. The husband was sick and quarantined for 2 days, proof provided to CSA was the medical forms provided by the ships doctor. They weren't charged anything for the doctor or medications or anything onboard; the insurance company paid strictly for the time that was "lost" due to him being quarantined, covered under the policy's "Trip Interruption" coverage.



As for DCL, "what happens between DCL and their guests STAYS between DCL and their guests". And in the words of Forrest Gump: "That's all I've got to say about that". Read in to that what you will.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

OP, it sounds like it worked out for you to your satisfaction.

 

[sayhello]

OP here, again

Anyway, I want to clarify a few things for people regarding travel insurance because I don't like to see misinformation being passed as fact:

With travel insurance, being quarantined in your cabin by the ship's doctor is a qualifying event for coverage under "Trip Interruption". It would cover the time lost while in quarantine. For example, 2 people on a 7-night cruise costing $4,700. Guest #1 gets sick and is quarantined by the ship's doctor for 2 days. Travel insurance company pays the claim: $4,700. / 7(nights) = 671.42 X 2(days in quarantine) = $1,342.85 + Unused Rainforest Spa Day passes (2 x $16) = $1,374.85 TOTAL PAID TO CLAIMANTS.

The above scenario is not just a made-up situation, it's what actually happened to a couple (party of 2 adults) on our cruise that I know personally. They had travel insurance through insure my trip, and the specific company was CSA. The husband was sick and quarantined for 2 days, proof provided to CSA was the medical forms provided by the ships doctor. They weren't charged anything for the doctor or medications or anything onboard; the insurance company paid strictly for the time that was "lost" due to him being quarantined, covered under the policy's "Trip Interruption" coverage.

Thank you.

Sayhello

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Weird question. Is she a nail biter? DS is a bit of a nail biter and I'm a nail "checker" (I end up with my nails between my teeth but not biting), and we have gotten noro-ish belly illnesses while at home. DH doesn't generally do those things as a habit and therefore he doesn't tend to get those. The one time he did it was in a Mexico/South America trip where he did everything right until he unthinkingly drank an ICED latte.

DS and I are trying to be better because we didn't like the last bout of it. And we really don't want to get it on the cruise. The important aspects for us is to wash in the bathroom and then not put our hands to our faces. That keeps anything we've touched away from nose or mouth. Habits are hard to break though!

And for the trip we're currently on, for worried about colds, we have our homeopathic coldcalm, our elderberry syrup, emergen-C, and if all else fails the alka seltzer cold plus to knock me out while my body heals up a cold lol.

Not a nail biter and we have had him tested for stuff... and nothing. He eats a lot but is still a skinny kid. So he is one of those types. I think he picks it up in the kid's club. The last couple of cruises we have held him back from the kid's club until mid- cruise to test it and so that he does not get sick until the end of the cruise. It has worked. So not sure if that's it or just coincidence. But we have another one who is two years younger who lives in the kid's club who never gets sick. Amazing how different kids can be.

 

[kiford]

With travel insurance, being quarantined in your cabin by the ship's doctor is a qualifying event for coverage under "Trip Interruption".

Depends on the insurance coverage you are purchasing; every policy is unique. The policy we purchased for our recent cruise did cover quarantine as a qualifying event but it only covered prepaid non-refundable travel services costs if said quarantine prevented one of us from returning home on the original return date. The "interruption" had to be cutting the cruise short and returning home early or having to stay longer. It did not cover a temporary interruption within the original trip dates.

Travel services was defined as transportation and sleeping accommodations and some vague words which may or may not include items such as rainforest passes - I guess you find that out if you try to file for reimbursement. Additional out-of-pocket expenses due to quarantine would be paid such as additional hotel costs if you have to stay longer, new plane tickets or the cost of changing tickets. So if one of us was quarantined for two days during a cruise, but we finished the cruise and flew home on original tickets, we would receive no reimbursement for the loss of those two days.

The rule is that you need to read the policy including what qualifies, what's covered, the exceptions and the definitions and decide on what level of coverage is worth the cost. Never make assumptions about what it does or doesn't cover.