Jim Grace Presents a look into the current concerns of cruise traveling

A look into the current concerns of cruise traveling.

@JimGrace3JimGrace.com

Travel Insurance and Cruise Disasters

Jim Grace Presents:


You’re more likely to fall in the shower than have a travel mishap.

But how often does the media cover shower falls?

The cruise industry has had a tough stretch of bad publicity. Capsized vessels,

boats adrift at sea with no power and short on supplies, all accompanied by the

multiple images of stressed and stranded travelers.

The deteriorating conditions aboard stranded ships

dominated travel headlines…


When the ill-fated Carnival Triumph finally docked in Mobile, Alabama after

passengers had endured four days of discomfort following a fire that knocked out

much of the ship’s power, the deteriorating conditions aboard the ship had dominated

travel headlines for days.

Let’s use the Triumph situation as a study into expectations, obligations, and travelers protection.

The deteriorating conditions aboard stranded ships

dominated travel headlines…


Carnival Cruise Lines made efforts to patch things up with the understandably

shaken passengers of the Triumph. The cruise line’s arrangements to charter buses

and planes, book blocks of hotel rooms, and secure ways for all of the Triumph’s

travelers to get home safely and quickly have been the subject of much scrutiny.

No matter what any cruise line ultimately does or does not do for its passengers will

invite opinions on all sides.

No matter what any cruise line ultimately does or doesn't

do for its passengers will invite opinions on all sides…


The trouble is, as consumer advocate Clark Howard aptly pointed out, Carnival was

not actually obligated to do anything to assist these unfortunate

passengers. Contracts of carriage aboard cruise ships don’t usually include any kind of

language that barely hints at the cruise line bearing responsibility for passengers’

happiness, comfort, or transportation needs should something on board go awry.

By offering the assistance they had, the cruise line had already gone well beyond what

it’s contractually obligated to do.

No matter what any cruise line ultimately does or doesn't

do for its passengers will invite opinions on all sides…


With the laws as they were at the time, if Carnival had chosen not to extend offers of

assistance, there wouldn’t have been any legal need for them to do so.

Presumably, it would have resulted in an even worse public relations

nightmare the likes of which no company aiming to stay in business would ever

have wanted to experience. In the event that the cruise line had not taken care of

its passengers’ immediate needs, what recourse did they have?

If Carnival had chosen not to extend these offers

there wasn’t a legal obligating for them to do so…


Travel insurance may have provided solutions for many of the Triumph’s

passengers in that circumstance. Comprehensive travel insurance plan —

one purchased from a third party, not from the cruise line — would very likely have

covered most, if not all, of the difficulties experienced by these travelers.

A comprehensive travel insurance plan may have helped

these travelers with the difficulties they experienced…


Damaged belongings.

If conditions aboard the ship — whether fire or flood — led to property damage,

the baggage coverage included in a travel insurance package policy could have helped

with replacing the affected items.




Medical Care.

If a passenger fell ill or was injured on board, the medical coverage on their travel

insurance policy might have helped to cover the costs of their treatment, if those costs

were not already covered by their primary health insurance carrier.




Rebooking.

The Triumph’s passengers all ended up having to get home through alternate

arrangements, not using the means they had originally planned. A reputable

travel insurance company would not only have assistance available to make the

necessary arrangements for transportation and, if necessary, lodgings, but would also

potentially reimburse those costs.




Reimbursement for pre-paid expenses.

If any passengers had made arrangements for further travel beyond the scheduled

return of their cruise and lost the opportunity to fulfill those plans, travel insurance

could have helped recover any pre-paid, nonrefundable expenses.




It is important to have a plan. We all love to travel, and spend so much time and

energy, and money, into visiting our favorite places and making lifetime memories.

Unforeseen events happen. No one on that cruise thought their voyage would turn the

way it did. Know your options, and what terms and coverages protect your

itinerary. Protect them even further with Travel Insurance from a reputable company.

Asking questions and understating your options is important.

I can help, and know dozens of other trusted and experienced resources available

to consumers. Reach out to me on twitter, follow my blog, and most importantly,

know what you are purchasing.


Asking questions and understating your options is important.

Jim Grace Presents a look into the current concerns of cruise traveling

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Transcript of Jim Grace Presents a look into the current concerns of cruise traveling