cruise insurance

[bglidewell]

Thank you all for your suggestions and insight. We decided to buy our insurance through a separate company, and we got very similar coverage for a 45% savings. Hopefully we won't need it, but it does make us feel more secure. Happy cruising!

[sandy p]

Hi everyone..... I just wanted to keep in touch and let you know we still haven't heard anything from Travel Guard regarding our claim.
I did speak to a representative several weeks ago and she asked me what Alitalia's letter stated, when I told her Technical Difficulties she told me they will send it to the review board, but she doesn't think it will be covered.
She did mention that it was a secondary insurance policy when I was speaking to her.
I will wait a little longer and give them a call to see what is going on.
Hope everyone is well and enjoying the summer.
Sandy p

[sandy p]

Hi Chef Ken, I just wanted to let you know I spoke to a representative from AIG Travel Guard today regarding our claim.
I was told that out claim was denied and we will be receiving a letter of denial in the mail.
She stated since Alitalia said there was a "Technical Difficulty" that is not covered under our insurance plan.
If the Airline would have written a letter stating it was weather related it would have been covered.
She also said she doesn't think any of their policies cover a "Technical Difficulty". She also said most other insurance companies won't cover "Technical Difficulty" on their insurance plans either.
Sandy P

[TrvlPro]

The "Technichal Dificulty" issue sounds to me like an admission on the airlines part. I don't know how much of a disclaimer they have in the ticketing info you recieved but if their inability to fulfill there end of the contract and get you there, there may be some liability on their part. Have you even asked the question... "What are you, Mr. Airline corporation going to do for me for causing me to miss my vacation?" Continental once overbooked a Christmas flight I had my family booked on and bumped us at the gate with boarding passes in hand. Knowing I'd never get another flight at that time of year last minute I went down to the car rental desk and rented a Town Car. We drove to Ohio from Houston instead. I kept all me rental, hotel and meal reciepts along with the unused plane tickets. My wife works for attorneys so she drafted a nice little demand letter. Two weeks later I had vouchers for round trip flights anywhere Continental flies. In addition I had a check for all my expenses from the road trip.

Just a little food for thought and worth a try.

Cheers, Neil

[sandy p]

Thanks for the tips Neil.
We did send a letter to Alitalia, and they want a copy of our boarding passes, a copy of the cruise itinerary and a thousand other things. Joe's daughter is a paralegal and works for attorneys and she wrote us a Great letter in which we mailed to Alitalia a week or two ago. We didn't have the boarding passes etc with us, because we're down in Florida now and unfortunately I forgot to bring all that info with me. We can just hope for the best. We stated in the letter that we feel we deserve a free flight.
My daughter was stuck down in Florida with us last Feb. because of the ice storm in NY and Jet Blue gave her a free round trip flight, and she didn't even have to ask for it.
My other daughter went to Boston I believe it was, and three quarters of the way back to NY, the plane turned around because of an electrical problem. Bottom line, they had no landing gear and had to go back to Boston. She got a one way free flight without asking.
I did speak to someone I know, who is an attorney, he said that Alitalia doesn't have to give us anything, they did get us to our destination even though it wasn't on time.
All we can do is wait and see.
We also wrote a complaint letter to JFK Cargo Department, because as far as we know the truck that was going to put the luggage on the plane hit the door and that was the cause for us getting stuck in NY.
We did learn a valuable lesson, when we go to Europe again in January, 2008, we're staying in a hotel in Rome for 2 days prior to the cruise.
I sincerely appreciate your letter and help.
Thank you ever so much. It is really nice to know that there are good people left in this world.
PS. I'm sorry for taking up so much of your time with this long letter.

[Berick1234]

It's just like car or health insurance..you hope you never have to use it...but when you do....Amen...Happy Cruising...


Bob E

[jayge]

To Bglidewell, on one of our two rivercruises (which are great) a passenger tripped and fell on one of the tours of a town and had to be taken to a hospital, have an operation, etc. Always get insurance.

Jayge

[moeve]

By the way in the US there is also an distinction between a primary 3rd party policy and a secondary one. It seems the primary ones are better since you don't have to try and claim via other insurances you own (driving these rates up - like your home coverage) you can go directly to the travel insurance and claim there..

[Niles1091]

im going on a cruise

[Traveler33]

I learned my insurance lesson the hard way. I had a cruise booked on Renaissance when they went bankrupt. I had paid by check. And my insurance was through Renaissance so I lost all of my money and could get nothing. Lesson learned: Pay by credit card and buy your insurance from an independent company, NOT associcated with the trip provider. Not all credit cards will refund money after a 60 day period, so the insurance is important. Now Renaissance seems to have turned into Oceania - same CEO who was in charge of Ren when they had their problems. So I would also say - watch out for Oceania. Although they don't SEEM to have problems, Renaissance also didn't seem to have any problems. Then BOOM.