Port Rumors and Travel Insurance

[SMiller]

Good afternoon guys. We're embarking on our second cruise in May and have seen that Royal Caribbean has temporarily halted the port of Labadee which is one of our ports. Looking into getting travel insurance that covers missed ports. Does anyone have a specific company/plan that includes the missed port option in their insurance? Looking forward to any tips! 

[Biaggio]

They are doing you a favor by skipping Haiti. Whatever port they substitute will be better. Been there seen that. 

[SMiller]

1 minute ago, Biaggio said:

They are doing you a favor by skipping Haiti. Whatever port they substitute will be better. Been there seen that. 

I totally understand with all the violence. Was just curious if we could be reimbursed through travel insurance if we end up with another sea day/missing our port. 

[KJones]

The Allianz policy I bought through AAA had a line item for missed ports. It looks like up to $100/port, and maximum $300 per policy.

[smokeybandit]

Reimbursed for what though?

[SMiller]

18 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Reimbursed for what though?

Reimbursed for a missed port/itinerary change. 

[WAAAYTOOO]

I agree with @smokeybandit.  In order to file an insurance claim you must have suffered some financial loss that you are trying to recoup.  There is no financial loss in missing a port unless you have a non-refundable excursion already purchased and that’s not even possible on Labadee.  There is no claim to file.  

[SMiller]

1 minute ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I agree with @smokeybandit.  In order to file an insurance claim you must have suffered some financial loss that you are trying to recoup.  There is no financial loss in missing a port unless you have a non-refundable excursion already purchased and that’s not even possible on Labadee.  There is no claim to file.  

Here's the video I'm using as a reference: 

 

[smokeybandit]

There's nothing in that video that proves she got compensation simply for a missed port or for what reason.  She just says she got it.

[CanHardlyWait]

If Royal refunds all things Labadee, what loss can anyone legitimately seek compensation for? I just don't see it happening. No financial loss, no financial compensation.

[Atlantix2000]

Also consider that if you are buying insurance now, it may not apply to a cruise you have previously purchased.  This would fall in the same category as "Oops, I have to cancel my cruise, so I better go buy an insurance policy, so I can get all my money back."  The fact that you are already aware that your cruise could be skipping Labadee makes it too late to get insurance to cover that possibility.

[ChessE4]

I haven't ever filed a claim for a missed port, but as mentioned, I have seen it on my Allianz policies. As to whether a loss has occurred on a missed port, I'd say yes, as an imputed cost to the cruise. When taking a cruise, there is a reasonable expectation to visit ports, or else the fare would be less. So if no substitute port is provided, a loss HAS occurred. I would file a claim after the cruise. I agree this applies only if you already have the insurance. Not an attorney nor a spokesperson...

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

I believe the contract we enter into with Royal has a statement regarding the possibility of changes occurring during the cruise and that we agree and understand this can happen.  Not sure there would be a reason to file a claim and for what?

[smokeybandit]

28 minutes ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

I believe the contract we enter into with Royal has a statement regarding the possibility of changes occurring during the cruise and that we agree and understand this can happen.  Not sure there would be a reason to file a claim and for what?

Only if you booked some non refundable event with a third party tour company 

[ChessE4]

Yes, the itinerary can change. That isn't the point. The point is whether you are receiving the value of what you insured. When there is a substitute port, it's harder to argue your loss. You aren't suing Royal, so the contract isn't relevant, but that is just my opinion. Who has actually claimed this provision?

[ChessE4]

Checking policy now. Missed port is separate from shore excursion coverage, and missed port includes substitute ports. Low/high water coverage covers river cruising issues, like changing ships or using land based alternatives.

[BrianB]

I understand that some travel insurance policies do offer ‘Missed Port’ coverage for cruisers. It is an additional cost and allows a one-time set reimbursement per person covered. Usually $100.

There are some restrictions and conditions…such as the missed port was not replaced with another. The missed port had to be replaced by a sea day.

Even if port fees and excursions were refunded by the cruise line, and no loss occurred, the insurance would still pay out for the inconvenience of missing a planned port and not having a replacement.

But, again…it is a rider to the policy and incurs an additional cost. So you have to weigh the risk versus the cost…as with all insurance policies.

I never considered it so I didn’t really research it completely…but it’s always a good idea to check it out if that’s something that interests you.

[HeWhoWaits]

18 hours ago, Biaggio said:

They are doing you a favor by skipping Haiti. Whatever port they substitute will be better. Been there seen that. 

Unless it's Nassau.

[SMiller]

19 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

There's nothing in that video that proves she got compensation simply for a missed port or for what reason.  She just says she got it.

Do you want her to show her bank statements? 

[SMiller]

3 hours ago, ChessE4 said:

Yes, the itinerary can change. That isn't the point. The point is whether you are receiving the value of what you insured. When there is a substitute port, it's harder to argue your loss. You aren't suing Royal, so the contract isn't relevant, but that is just my opinion. Who has actually claimed this provision?

I'm totally fine with the itinerary changing. I just figured I'd ask to see if anyone has successfully submitted a claim like this to their insurance before. Fingers crossed they sub the port instead of doing another sea day. I've researched it and I've seen it on Redditt posts that people have done this but sadly no one says which insurance company/plan they go with. 

[SMiller]

13 hours ago, ChessE4 said:

I haven't ever filed a claim for a missed port, but as mentioned, I have seen it on my Allianz policies. As to whether a loss has occurred on a missed port, I'd say yes, as an imputed cost to the cruise. When taking a cruise, there is a reasonable expectation to visit ports, or else the fare would be less. So if no substitute port is provided, a loss HAS occurred. I would file a claim after the cruise. I agree this applies only if you already have the insurance. Not an attorney nor a spokesperson...

For sure! I wouldn't expect it if we didn't have travel insurance. Do you know which Allianz policy you've seen it on?

 

[AshleyDillo]

2 hours ago, SMiller said:

I'm totally fine with the itinerary changing. I just figured I'd ask to see if anyone has successfully submitted a claim like this to their insurance before. Fingers crossed they sub the port instead of doing another sea day. I've researched it and I've seen it on Redditt posts that people have done this but sadly no one says which insurance company/plan they go with. 

I have never personally had a claim for this because this coverage usually is not available for Florida residents. Anecdotally I have heard people were able to collect on this coverage even prior to sailing if the cruise line modified the itinerary. This is not to be confused with the coverage for pre-paid excursions which is a separate claim and included under the majority of trip insurance policies. Nationwide Universal Cruise Plan is one policy I have seen with this coverage (https://travel.nationwide.com/plans/cruise)

In this screen shot the $100 is the flat coverage for an itinerary change and the $250 is the limit they would pay on a claim for non-refundable excursions.

[DoomSlayer]

This was the first time in a long time I was happy I had travel insurance that included trip interruption because of the situation in Haiti.  Granted, it is through my credit card, but it gave me peace of mind when I received the new itinerary this morning for an upcoming trip.  Our ports of call were all reshuffled and I spent the morning working with 3rd party tour operators to get things moved or cancelled.  Because I had used my travel card to purchase everything, I knew if I was unable to get refunds, they would take care of me.  The only catch in this case is everything must have been purchased with that card, which it was in my case.  I already have the charges reversed and pending in my credit card account now.

[ChessE4]

3 hours ago, SMiller said:

For sure! I wouldn't expect it if we didn't have travel insurance. Do you know which Allianz policy you've seen it on?

 

it's on one we just had for a cruise in South Pacific.  It wasn't the basic coverage, but an enhanced one.

[jmcfarland84]

Hello,

Just curious if you ever received compensation for the missed port with your travel insurance? I have travel insurance through AAA as well that covers missed ports ($100 refund per port missed per person). I believe our cruise will be avoiding Haiti this year in August and my mother (who works as a travel through AAA) told me to file the claim for the compensation after the cruise and I should get the $100 per person if they miss the port or switch it with another. Our cruise line already changed one port on us due to too many ships being docked in the same port- so I'll file that one. However, due to the civil unrest in Haiti I wasn't sure if that would be paid out. 

[whitsmom]

21 hours ago, jmcfarland84 said:

Hello,

Just curious if you ever received compensation for the missed port with your travel insurance? I have travel insurance through AAA as well that covers missed ports ($100 refund per port missed per person). I believe our cruise will be avoiding Haiti this year in August and my mother (who works as a travel through AAA) told me to file the claim for the compensation after the cruise and I should get the $100 per person if they miss the port or switch it with another. Our cruise line already changed one port on us due to too many ships being docked in the same port- so I'll file that one. However, due to the civil unrest in Haiti I wasn't sure if that would be paid out. 

We use AAA also and for our Trip to Norway this past January, we missed 2 ports due to weather.  We received $400 check in the mailed around 4 weeks after we got home.  This is the first time every having to use the insurance.

[smokeybandit]

I'd be surprised if a switched port prior to the cruise would get you any compensation.

[tjcruisers]

Actually kind of surprised there is missed port coverage in the policy at all, I guess for non refundable excursion, but just generally missing a port

[AshleyDillo]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

I'd be surprised if a switched port prior to the cruise would get you any compensation.

For travel insurance policies that include this coverage they do cover at any point the itinerary changes from the date you book. It's a pretty rare clause and specifically just gives you a payout if there's a change without requiring any proof you suffered a financial loss.

[smokeybandit]

8 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

For travel insurance policies that include this coverage they do cover at any point the itinerary changes from the date you book. It's a pretty rare clause and specifically just gives you a payout if there's a change without requiring any proof you suffered a financial loss.

I don't see any such coverage in my standard Allianz plan. I wonder how prevalent it is across the spectrum of travel insurance.

[AshleyDillo]

10 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I don't see any such coverage in my standard Allianz plan. I wonder how prevalent it is across the spectrum of travel insurance.

As I said it's pretty rare. I think it's not allowed for NY residents at all and when I was shopping travel insurance most of the time it excluded FL residents also.  The coverage doesn't technically meet the definition of insurance, so it's more of an added feature/benefit of a policy.  Sometimes it's referred to as missed port cover or cruise itinerary change coverage and it is specific to providing a flat payout for a port change.  I see it a lot more on insurance policies outside of the US. Even for carriers that offer it, it's described very vaguely on their site and you can't really explore the policy language surrounding it without purchasing a policy.

[whitsmom]

5 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I don't see any such coverage in my standard Allianz plan. I wonder how prevalent it is across the spectrum of travel insurance.

Allianz was what I had and it covered it.  I didn't know anything about it but when I told me TA that we missed two ports, she is the one who told me she would take care of submitting it for me.  We were in Norway in January so that may be why.

[Andy of the Seas]

For what it’s worth I’ve had travelguard pay out for a missed port as part of the travel inconvenience benefit.  It was $250 per insured, so $1000 for my family of 4. First time was for wind causing us to miss Perfect Day (turned into a Sea Day) and second time was for Labadee’s swap to a Sea Day this past April due to an abundance of caution.  Just scanned the stateroom letters describing the reason for the change and submitted the claim.  Paid out fast which was nice.