Norwegian Cruise Line denies trip refund for Florida couple who canceled cruise to fight cancer
Bought trip insurance but their claim was denied
A Florida couple trying for months to receive a refund from Norwegian Cruise Line after having to cancel their trip to start urgent cancer treatments has been told a refund isn't covered under the trip insurance policy they bought, FOX 35 News has learned.
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - A Florida couple trying for months to receive a refund from Norwegian Cruise Line after having to cancel their trip to start urgent cancer treatments has been told a refund isn't covered under the trip insurance policy they bought, FOX 35 News has learned.
Evelyn and Jack Montelbano shared their story with FOX 35 in May. They booked a 10-day Caribbean cruise with standard travel protection with NCL. Plans, however, changed weeks before their trip when Jack's cancer returned. He was urged to begin treatment right away.
The Montelbano's thought it would be easy to get a refund as they purchased trip insurance through NCL's website. However, six months later, they hadn't received a refund and said they were unable to reach anyone with the cruise line. So, they contacted FOX 35.
"We took insurance. I should get my money back," Jack told FOX 35 at the time.
"I have been through so much stress with these people," Evelyn said.
A spokesperson for NCL did not answer FOX 35's questions then and instead directed us to a web page on the cruise line's website about their protection plans.
Florida couple fighting for cruise refund
Evelyn Montelbano and her husband, Jack, booked a 10-day cruise several months ago on Norwegian Cruise Line and made sure to buy trip insurance. However, after Jack's cancer came back forcing them to cancel their trip, they still haven't their refund. Where is the money? They contacted FOX 35's Marlisa Goldsmith who tried to find some answers.
Nearly six weeks later, the Montelbano's have not received a refund, but they did receive a letter from NCL denying their claim.
According to the letter, which was shared with FOX 35, NCL said because Jack's cancer is considered a pre-existing condition, it's "not eligible for payment." The cruise line offered them credits that could be applied to a future trip. – something the Montelbano's are not interested in.
Experts: Travel insurance is not one-size-fits-all
Travel experts caution that trip insurance is not one-size-fits-all, and it varies by policy, company, and situation.
"If there’s anything that they consider to be pre-existing which could be a diagnosis, a recommendation for treatment, any changes in your prescription, a whole bunch of things like that, there may not be coverage for those issues," said Megan Walch, director of product for InsureMytrip.com, a website that compared travel insurance quotes from multiple companies.
She said it's crucial for travelers to read the fine print of every policy.
"Every situation is going to be different. So even if you do buy a plan with coverage for pre-existing conditions, if there’s something that you may not qualify, it still may not guarantee coverage," she said.