What You Can Expect From Cruise Insurance
You've dreaded this moment for months. That one phone call, or doctor's appointment or national weather event that stops all your Holiday plans in their tracks. The unwelcome news will mean that you couldn't possibly be out of the country for the next few days. But though you wouldn't dream of going on holiday, losing hundreds or thousands of pounds to misfortune isn't going to make your current situation any happier, if it hasn't already made you physically sick. Because they operate in relative expense (and because people choose their industry for very special occasions), many cruise lines have begun to offer 'cruise protection plans' that cover travellers in the event of such show-stopping events. But to what extent can you expect your holiday plans to be covered??
Recently, industry members have started offering protection on your tickets right up until the day you sail. In the past, cancellation was a lengthy process and cancelling at any time in the last few weeks would net you no refund. The nature of this refund can also differ: whilst some lines, for instance Holland America Cruises will give you 80% of your purchase back regardless of your reason for cancelling, others including Carnival and Royal Caribbean prefer to give their customers a 'future cruise credit'. If you're cancelling because of crippling cash-flow problems and an inability to afford the cruise, this form of refund will obviously be problematic for you. You can generally expect to receive 100% of your cruise price if you cancel for a reason specifically covered in your cruise insurance: unexpected illness, weather delay and mechanical failure.
Cruise cover is an additional payment on top of your cruise package. Prices range between 5% and 10% of your cruise's normal price. You also pay per individual, so expect insurance to be expensive if you're one of the many family cruises that the various cruise lines operate. Consider also the inclusive (but usually more expensive) insurance available from third-party insurers. The key advice is to shop around and check the small print. Some policies cover sudden bankruptcy: it's happened in the past that lines have gone out of business, leaving their passengers stranded! Whilst there's no such thing as 100% cover, there are still some very inclusive deals out there.