Every week we will take a look at some fun, interesting, or new aspect of cruising the high seas!
As I write this, we are two weeks out from our next cruise. As you might imagine, clothes are being purchased, plans finalized, documents gathered.
This is not the point where we anticipate something going wrong. Not that there is a point for that, but we should be on cruise control now. Except one of our fellow travelers is having some health problems. While the problems aren’t necessarily serious, they are serious enough to make this person second guess taking a cruise.
Here comes the problem. Now we must contemplate moving people to different rooms in order to accommodate the shift in passengers. That, we can deal with. But what about the more pressing issue – will all of that money already put into the cruise be lost?
We are sitting at that magical day: 14 days out. No longer even in a partial refund phase. The sum total of the refund will be taxes and port charges. This is why adding insurance to a cruise is an important consideration. As with all insurance, no one really expects to use it, but it’s wonderful to know it’s there.
I understand that the cost of adding this insurance may be a bit daunting. But consider your options. Things can, and sadly do, happen to change plans. And while the health and safety of our loved ones is most important, there are financial repercussions to consider. Is the possibility of losing the entire cruise fare worth the savings of not purchasing insurance?
In order to really answer that question, take a little time and read your options in the insurance policy. But definitely do this step. And hopefully do this when you are initially booking your cruise, not two weeks before your cruise. Know your options well in advance. Armed with knowledge of your risks and choices, without the pressure of a problem, you will be able to see what is right for your family.
So, after our choices were presented, insurance investigated, and Plan B hammered out, I’m happy to report we are all going on the cruise after all. Things have definitely gotten better on the health front for everyone in our family. So we got back to packing bags, printing documents, and getting really excited for our upcoming adventure.
Bon Voyage!