Good afternoon everybody. Just wonder if any of you have been brave enough to book a cruise going round the British Isles without cancer cover insurance. I have been refused by many companies but one did accept me for £2.500 another for a mere £900. Bearing in mind this cruise is only for 3 nights I’m not sure these high quotes are acceptable. I know I can get insurance much cheaper if I leave out cancer cover. Can anyone give me any advice as I don’t know what to do. There are medical facilities in place on board like ICU and Covid stuff . It’s a silly question really because I know eventually it’s up to me if I take the risk or stay at home. Just asking!
Angela x
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High Angela. I’d just go on my normal insurance and hope for the best. It’s not as though you are miles from civilisation. They will surely have fluids, IV paracetamol and antibiotics on board. Nothing is likely to go wrong in 3 days and if it does they’ll have to deal with it. If it’s something they can’t deal with then it won’t matter whether you have insurance or not!!!!! Go and have a great time. X
I don’t think I’ll need chemo while on board. I’d just take my own medication and a bottle of Oramorph. I’ve told my family to drop me over the side if I die. What a way to go. Angela xx
Gosh I love cruising bet thats more than the cruise. Insurancewith has been recommended on here. Search travel insurance to see posts. Do hope you get something reasonable. Let us all know. Good luck
I travelled to USA in March 2020 to visit my daughter - so glad I did in light of what happened next! I got travel insurance at a very reasonable cost but the excess if I had to claim for any cancer related illness was very high, much higher excess than claims for other items covered. Bearing in mind I was travelling to US I felt this was a fair compromise. Fortunately, I did not have to make any claim for the week.I will find the details of the company for you you if you are interested.
The insurance company I used for my trip to US in March 2020 was Insurewith . As mentioned it was very reasonable with a low excess, except for a claim for anything cancer related which had a much higher excess. Had to fill in very comprehensive medical form but to me it was a wonderful peace of mind given the unpredictability of OC! I do hope you manage to get away.C
My oncologist said that but the ship is The Disney Magic. It’s American. Although all medical equipment is on board I think you’d have to pay for treatment. How you’d get on shore if there was a real problem would probably involve a helicopter. I would probably insure for a broken leg or similar but not cancer. It needs exploring deeper I think. Disney don’t insist on insurance but advise it. They would wouldn’t they! It’s such a difficult one - it’s only 3 nights but I’d hate to have to sell the house to get home 😀
The insurance was for medical treatment Sassy. We have up to 14 days to cancel before we go for covid related issues. We will just lose the deposit. Don’t quote me on this. My daughter does all the booking so I’m not entirely sure. I’d better check on that. Thank you Angela x
Ahh I see, so if you needed treatment on board you would have to pay- I can see that complcates things. I hope you can find a solution & get a holiday - Good Luck with this xxx
Hi Sassy, I’m going to ring a few companies today and get quotes for basic insurance without cancer cover. I doubt cancer protection will be necessary for 3 nights. I’ll let you all know what happens. Love Angela xx
In 2019 I went to Spain for 5 days just on the insurance on my bank (with the cancer exemption) I just reckoned I’d take the risk, and all was ok! I’d go on your normal insurance with the exemption and enjoy it xx
Please check with the cruise company even if you are travelling in British waters. Usually if you have to seek medical advice whilst on the ship you will have to pay as the medics are not NHS. My son had to have a course of anti biotics and it cost about £50 plus consultation.
Pre Covid we went on a cruise to Scotland and because we we sailing within British waters I was able to get my cancer insurance cheaper, you could ask about that. However when I looked at the cruises on offer this year they seem to be just sailing and not stopping at ports so I'm not sure if that makes a difference.
I hope you manage to get a reasonable insurance, especially as it is only three days xx
Thank you mrstadpole, This is a Disney cruise and you’re right they won’t be stopping. I’ll take my own medication ie antibiotics and paracetamol and a bottle of Oramorph. I’m about to ring a few companies about basic insurance without cancer cover. Thank you Love
I don't know if it helps but l have insurance with my Nationwide Flexi yes there are restrictions but lve got a managed Brain tumour & incurable ovarian cancer. Obviously they take each caseseparately lve been with Nationwide a long time when l took it out originally my insurance had gone sky high but those days it was just the Brain tumour and l couldn't get insurance for more than a couple of wks. They dont really cover me for my cancer because of it being incurable but cover everything else. Incidentally my husband had pancreatic cancer nearly 30 years ago , and is a diabetic because of it. But there not really bothered about the past when they ask you the questions each year its just yes or no you have to have an account with them
And we pay £13 paids a month for the account that gives you holiday insurance, and car breakdown should you need it plus l pay a supplement each year usually a couple of hundred pounds but sometimes we will go on holiday for 90 days at a time . And can do that over and over throughout the year cant honestly
Fault it. Hope that helps l believe there are companies that will cover you. But we have peace of mind with our cover . Good luck and enjoy your cruise SheilaFxxx
Thank you Sheila, I’ve made a note of that. I’m exploring all options. Our cruise is only 4 nights /3 days around the British Isles. However it’s a Disney cruise with everything in place on board for Covid. Like ICU etc. Treatment will have to be paid for I imagine.
The ship may just sale into European waters so I’ll have to get cover for there too.
I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine, and it will probably do you a world of good. Just go enjoy every minute . Were only on this earth once l think, enjoy every minute. Love & hugs SheilaFxxx
Hi Angela,I haven’t posted before but have read and followed a lot since last July and one of the posts was for holiday insurance I can’t remember all the companies mentioned in it but one is called Insurancewith.com - I have just booked a UK cruise and have got insurance with them for £90 for 9 nights (I’m stage 4 and will be still on treatment) the post I got it from was quoting the same figures you have been given and they got the same for £22 with this company - I had to answer almost 100 questions but can totally see it was worth it - hope you have success and enjoy your cruise 😊
I use insurewith as well, it was about £550 ish for the family for a whole year. Although we haven’t used it!! We would normally go away at least once a month. I agree with the last post, there’s loads of questions to answer online but worth it. You probably won’t get through if you try and ring. Good luck.
Hi Angela, I think you should go for it and have a great time. Take your precautionary medication with you just in case. The bonus and uplifting effect outweighs the negative of losing a deposit and we all need it at the moment. Love Sue xx
Insurancewith are superb, I’ve used them, with full cancer disclosure, 3 times since diagnosis on trips to the USA, 1st time I was 6 months NED, I found them to be really competitive and knowledgeable, their questions are pertinent and cover easily obtained. I hope you get something to suit very soon and go on a well deserved holiday. Stay safe and well ❤️xx Jane
Hi Jane, my problem is I’m still having treatment and will be when we sail. I also have a neurological condition, which isn’t life threatening in any way but they just bang up the price anyway. I can’t remember what insurancewith said but I’ll. all them again on Monday. Angela x
Hi Angela, my cruise company has told me they won't accept me on board without disembarkment insurance. That's perhaps worth checking. Enjoy your holiday whatever you decide x
It's not until mid-July but we're departing from Liverpool and cruising up to Shetland and the Faroe islands not stopping at any of the ports we pass on this 5- day cruise. The cruise company insist on disembarkment insurance in case you have to be airlifted to hospital. So far, I've only spoken to one insurer and they asked me to apply for a quote 60 days prior to the departure date.I hope their quote isn't as expensive as the cruise itself and it's a gamble I'm willing to take as I need a break, just like Angela and many others. Gina x
The whole thing is a drama but perhaps we should just think about the joy these cruises will bring us rather than suffering anger for the greedy insurance companies. Mickey Mouse will cheer you up! Gina x
You’re right of course. The insurance companies won’t let me take out annual insurance for not much more. They’re still sticking to their 3 nights😔Angela x
From reading many posts over these past five years I think the most frequent short-notice problem requiring urgent treatment, are bowel obstructions. If your medical team do not think you are in danger of a bowel obstruction, you may be safe for three days.
Maybe others though can think of serious problems that might arise within three days though.
I'd be tempted to go for it for just three days but make sure you a least take normal insurance, accidents can happen to anyone.
This is a difficult one I hadn’t thought of. I had a bowel blockage in 2017 2/3 months before I had cancer. The blockage was managed without surgery and the cause was adhesions from a tummy operation almost 20 years before. I now avoid anything with skins, even vegetables. I chew everything extremely well I’m so scared of this happening again. I may have to rethink about the whole thing. Love from Angela x
I suppose you could ask the cruise company approx how far you'll be from the shore and try and find the approx cost of a helicopter uplift. Then you'd know what you might be letting yourself in for financially and help come to a decision.
I think that should be our next task January. I’ve got print out of charges for medical services on the ship but the print is so small I can’t flipping read it Angela x
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