[Xmrsj]

Just booked a Viking Rhine River Cruise for July of 2015 thru AAA. I need to take out a travel protection plan. The one Viking offers costs $519 and AAA's policy costs $442. Viking seems to have higher benefit payments. Has anyone purchased travel protection policies from other agencies that they can recommend?

[Carla B]

Yes. Travel insurance is a morass. At InsureMyTrip.com you can look at the coverage and prices of several companies. Especially be sure to get a waiver for preexisting medical conditions. Generally, you have to purchase a policy with the waiver within a certain number of days of your first trip payment.

[Kahuna32162]

Taking the Rhine Getaway cruise with Viking in October, bought the insurance as a precaution. I think it is money well spent weighed against the total cost of the trip. Can't wait, should be a great trip!

[helen lovely]

Never get travel insurance as Medicare & our AARP supp. covers all health issues outside USA & most others also. Have been told it is a waste of money.

[ohvette]

Just came back from Viking Grand Europe tour from Amsterdam to Budapest, was great we never take out the insurance

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by ohvette

Just came back from Viking Grand Europe tour from Amsterdam to Budapest, was great we never take out the insurance

We never did either until my other half was diagnosed with cancer several months before the trip! Could not travel due to chemo treatments.

Try getting the air fare and cost of trip back without insurance ..........

Insurance is a necessary evil!

[Carla B]

Originally Posted by Madelaine Amee

We never did either until my other half was diagnosed with cancer several months before the trip! Could not travel due to chemo treatments.

Try getting the air fare and cost of trip back without insurance ..........

Insurance is a necessary evil!

Agreed! I've already been through the scenario once of having to cancel due to medical issues. Fortunately we had trip cancellation insurance.

[Bonny]

I agree with getting insurance, especially on costly trips.
I recently had to be airlifted off of St. Maarten in an ambulance jet. Cost was $24,100. This had to be paid in advance. Thank goodness I have good credit cards. We don't know yet if our insurance will pick any of that cost up. It's in processing now.

[Carla B]

Yikes! I hope the insurance will pay, Bonny. Medical evacuation is obviously very expensive.

[Kahuna32162]

Originally Posted by helen lovely

Never get travel insurance as Medicare & our AARP supp. covers all health issues outside USA & most others also. Have been told it is a waste of money.

Yes, but Medicare and AARP will not help you with hotels and airfare in the case of an unforeseen problem.

[D&Lsunfun]

buy the insurance, check out the best price, we used AAA for travel insurance instead of Viking, it was cheaper. the rates are adjusted by: age, time before travel date.

[Zipcat]

Insurance is a must ! We travel quite a bit...have done 2 Viking cruises and many ocean cruises. Accidents happen and especially traveling overseas, your Medicare & AARP insurance won't cover much.
We are retired Air Force and go through USAA ,but Insuremytriip.com is the other recommended site.

Have a wonderful cruise on the Rhine! You will love it.

[gadaboutgal]

Do not count on Medicare insurance to cover you outside the U.S.
There are only 3 situations where it may cover: "You're in the U.S. when a medical emergency occurs, and the foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your medical condition.
You're traveling through Canada without unreasonable delay by the most direct route between Alaska and another state when a medical emergency occurs, and the Canadian hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat the emergency.
You live in the U.S. and the foreign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your medical condition, regardless of whether an emergency exists" (see http://www.medicare.gov/coverage/travel-need-health-care-outside-us.html)
Our AARP supplement only covers in life or death emergency.Your supplemental policy may cover you, but don't assume it will--check it thoroughly. I, also, recommend getting travel insurance through insuremytrip.com