Recently we spoke with a former customer service agent from a major cruise line. What she had to tell us changed our perspective on our investment in cruise travel. Cruise travel is one of the most cost effective ways to travel to exotic lands, eat gourmet foods, and relax in style–BUT every year thousands of people lose the money that they have invested in cruise travel due to unexpected events that occur.
This former customer service agent let us in on some of these facts:
- 1/5 of all United States flights run late (or are cancelled) every year raising a lot of cruise travelers risk of missing their cruise ship when it leaves port
- With the recent outbreaks of Norovirus and viral infections, over 2,000+ cruise passengers get sick on board cruise ships every year
- Luggage gets lost or mishandled quite often during cruise travel–over 2.04 million luggage bags were mishandled alone in 2013
- It is EXTREMELY hard to get a refund from the cruise line in most cases past your final payment date–no matter WHAT your situation may be.
- When you purchase insurance directly from the cruise line, often times you are getting minimal amounts of coverage
Let’s explore the typical costs of unexpected events that happen during your cruise (these are typical costs):
- Missed Flights/Flight Changes $250-$450
- Hotel for delays etc. $100-$300 (per night)
- Not getting a refund on a cruise that you cannot go on $750-$5000
- Sickness/Illness on a cruise ship (seeking and getting proper care) $1000+
- Lost/Destroyed Luggage+Personal Items $350+
So, what happens if you need a new flight in order to make it to the ship when your flight is delayed? Or if you need emergency medical care? What happens if your luggage is destroyed?
The BEST CRUISE TIP EVER that was given was quite simple–get a cruise insurance plan. One company that we have started using recently is Allianz Travel Insurance because ALL travelers can be covered for under $100 total (a FRACTION of the cost of insurance through the cruise line), children under 18 are covered for FREE (unheard of by the cruise lines), and they offer more coverage than cruise line insurance.
Most cruise lines offer limited protection and credit vouchers, wheras Allianz will provide cruise travelers with 100% cash back reimbursement up to the purchased amount of insurance for trip interruption, lost tickets, flight delays and more.
Here are some of the KEY differences in Allianz Cruise Travel Insurance and Cruise Line Insurance plans:
Here’s how Cruise Travel Insurance saves you THOUSANDS that you could lose otherwise:
- Coverage for everyone for less than $100 per cabin (or LESS in some cases)
- Children 18 years of age or younger are covered for FREE
- Missed flight/connection coverage
- If you lose your passport, Allianz will expedite the process for replacing it
- Primary emergency dental and medical coverage AND pay for a new one
- Baggage loss/damage protection: most travel insurance companies take from 6 weeks to 3 months to pay for your damaged luggage–Allianz provides coverage to replace your needed items right away
- 24/7 Travel Insurance
- Trip Cancellation (for work reasons, death/illness of a family member etc)
We recommend that all cruise travelers get cruise travel insurance because you never know what is going to happen. You don’t have to spend a lot of the money with your cruise line for it with minimal coverage either; Allianz Travel Insurance plans feature a FREE 10 Day Look where they will give you a FULL refund of your insurance premium if you are not satisfied up to 10 Days after you purchase.
