Will there be penalties if I cancel my tour?
Regardless of reason, cancellations result in costly charges from travel and hotel providers covering penalties and fees incurred by canceling confirmed bookings. Guests choosing not to purchase Tauck’s Guest, Cruise or Event Protection will incur these cancellation penalties. Penalties vary depending on destination, and whether it is a land, rail, or cruise journey.

When you purchase Tauck’s Guest, Cruise or Event Protection, you are entitled to a money-back refund in the event your plans change. Our travel protection includes coverage for lost luggage, medical emergencies and more. All travelers, with the exception of residents of Puerto Rico, are eligible to purchase one of Tauck's Protection products. Residents of Puerto Rico are eligible for some cancellation protection by purchasing Tauck’s Cancellation Fee Waiver. For more information on how this protection can protect your travel investment, please visit Tauck’s Guest, Cruise and Event Protection designated by the “Tauck Travel Protection” link on each itinerary on this website.

Does Tauck sell any kind of plan that protects my money if I cancel my trip?
Your vacation is an important investment – and to help you protect it, Tauck offers the finest travel coverage in the industry. With our Guest and Cruise Protection, you can get a money –back refund in the event your plans change – right up to the day before departure. Our travel protection is available to all residents of the U.S. and Canada, and includes for lost luggage, medical emergencies and more. The cost of the protection plan varies for land and cruise journeys and is non-refundable, but the peace of mind it offers is priceless. All travelers, including international residents, are eligible for some cancellation protection by purchasing Tauck’s Cancellation Fee Waiver.

Travel Protection: Tauck’s Cruise Protection

Why should I purchase Tauck's Cruise Protection?
You’ve saved, you’ve waited, and now you’re all set to go on the vacation of your life. Preparing for your trip includes protecting yourself from unfortunate occurrences that threaten to interfere with even your best laid plans. By purchasing Tauck's Cruise Protection, you can help protect yourself against cancellation penalties, medical costs, luggage loss and delays, as well as gain access to a wide range of traveler’s assistance services.

Did you know that Tauck's Cruise Protection could protect you if:

You become ill and can’t travel
Someone in your immediate family has an illness or injury, even if they aren’t scheduled to travel with you
Your child comes down with the chicken pox and you are quarantined from travel
Your house becomes flooded due to a hurricane
A family member back home passes away and you must return from your Tauck vacation early
Your luggage is lost by the airlines
You twist your ankle and must visit a doctor while traveling
Many other unforeseeable events as listed in the Description of Coverage. Click here to download.
What does Tauck's Cruise Protection cover?
Tauck's Cruise Protection includes pre-trip cancellation protection and post-departure coverage for the following:
Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption: If you cancel or interrupt your trip FOR ANY REASON, Tauck’s Cruise Protection reduces the regular cancellation fees.
If you cancel your trip due to a COVERED REASON, Tauck’s Cruise Protection provides coverage up to your Total Trip Cost for the non-refundable cancellation charges imposed by Tauck, and/or airfare cancellation charges for flights joining or departing your trip and/or your Tauck on-tour airfare. If you interrupt your trip for a COVERED REASON, you are covered up to your Total Trip Cost for additional airfare paid to return home or rejoin the original trip arrangements.
Tauck’s Cruise Protection also covers the additional costs you may incur as a result of a change in the per-person occupancy rate of prepaid travel arrangements if a person booked to share accommodations with you cancels or interrupts his/her trip for a covered reason and you do not cancel.
Trip Delay: If you should miss the departure of your vacation due to carrier-caused delays or other covered reasons, Tauck's Cruise Protection reimburses you for additional accommodations, meals and "catch up" transportation expenses. The plan provides reimbursement up to $750 for U.S./Canadian Trips and up to $1,000 for International Trips.
Medical Protection: If you become ill or are injured while on your trip, Tauck's Cruise Protection will cover up to $5,000 in medical expenses for U.S./Canadian Trips and up to $10,000 for International Trips. The medical plan also covers emergency evacuation (up to $25,000 for U.S./Canadian Trips and up to $50,000 for International Trips) and repatriation of remains expenses (up to $25,000 for U.S. Canadian Trips and up to $50,000 for International Trips). Medical coverage while traveling overseas is particularly important as Medicare and some HMO’s may not cover medical expenses incurred outside the U.S.
Luggage Protection
Reimburses expenses up to $1,500 (U.S./Canadian Trips) or $3,000 (International Trips) for the covered loss, damage, or theft of luggage and/or personal effects during or while in transit to or from your vacation. This benefit also includes luggage delay protection, covering you for the purchase of necessary items (up to $300 for U.S./Canadian Trips or up to $500 for International Trips) in the event your luggage is delayed by a common carrier for more then 24 hours en route to your vacation.

24 Hour Worldwide Emergency Assistance
24 hour emergency telephone assistance hotline for medical and travel related problems.

Will my current home, renters, credit card or health insurance policies cover me during my trip?
Due to territory restrictions, many insurance policies may not offer any coverage while you travel. Still others may offer partial protection, but due to benefit limits, co-insurance and deductibles, you may not be reimbursed for the full amount incurred. Most people do not have any insurance coverage at all if they must cancel their trip. Tauck's Cruise Protection has a wide range of travel benefits that credit card, homeowners and renters insurance policies most likely do not offer. The medical coverage included in Tauck’s Cruise Protection is absolutely vital for most people whose health insurance policies (Medicare & HMO) do not pay for medical expenses incurred outside of the United States or do not cover transportation charges due to medical emergencies.

Is there help when I'm traveling?
One of the valued benefits offered in Tauck's Cruise Protection is the 24 Hour Emergency Assistance Service. On Call International is a leader in this field. With On Call International you have access to the services of a highly trained, multi-lingual staff around the clock to assist you with such emergencies as travel changes, lost luggage, cash transfers, lost documents, medical or legal monitoring or referrals. They are also equipped to respond to many unexpected circumstances, such as providing potentially costly air ambulance transportation in medical emergencies. If an emergency should arise during your vacation, call On Call International immediately and give the details of your problem or medical emergency.

When is Tauck’s Cruise Protection due and how do I enroll?
For your convenience, we will add the plan cost on our travel invoice and include it in the balance due. Simply pay the amount indicated on your travel invoice inclusive of this plan cost. You are enrolled upon Tauck's receipt of payment for the applicable plan cost, in addition to any required trip deposits and/or final balances.

Please be aware that it is in your best interest to purchase the program at time of deposit. The earlier the effective date will protect you against unforeseen circumstances that may arise at a later date and the pre-existing exclusion.

When does coverage go into effect and will it cover me for the entire length of my vacation?
The Trip Cancellation coverage takes effect upon receipt of the required plan cost by Tauck. All other benefits will take effect at 12:01 A.M. on your scheduled departure date and location. Your coverage will remain valid until 11:59 P.M. of your scheduled completion date or your return to you origination point as stated on your tickets, whichever is earlier. Click here to download the Description of Coverage for detailed information.

I know that I have a pre-existing medical condition, why should I bother with Tauck’s Cruise Protection?
Even if you have a medical condition that has been unstable in the 60 days prior to plan purchase, you should still consider enrolling in Tauck’s Cruise Protection because you can waive the pre-existing condition exclusion by simply enrolling in the plan and paying for it at the time of your initial trip payment. Doing so will remove the exclusion from the plan so that even pre-existing medical conditions can be covered. So long as you are medically able to travel at time of purchase, waiving the pre-existing condition exclusion is the easiest way to alleviate doubt as to chronic medical conditions.

I did not purchase my airfare from Tauck. Will I still have coverage for airline cancellation fees?
Yes. The Trip Cancellation benefit provided by Tauck's Cruise Protection includes coverage for flights joining and departing your Tauck trip.

How do I get reimbursement if my luggage and/or personal items are damaged/ stolen/ lost while I am away?
Upon your return home, submit verification paperwork to the Plan Administrator including claim forms, loss or police reports, and store receipts. You will be reimbursed for items damaged/stolen/lost while traveling up to $1,500 for U.S./Canadian Trips and up to $3,000 for International Trips.

If I incur medical expenses during my trip, should I submit them to my primary health insurance company first?
Yes. The Accident and Sickness Medical Expense portion of Tauck’s Cruise Protection is excess of all other valid and collectible insurance. Cruise Protection provides reimbursement, up to the maximum shown on the Schedule of Coverage, for all covered medical expenses not covered under your regular health insurance policy. Cruise Protection will provide reimbursement to you for deductibles and co-pays that may be imposed by your health insurance. Click here to download the Description of Coverage for a complete definition of covered medical expenses.

How do I file a claim? How long does it take to receive my money back?
In the event of a claim please contact BerkelyCare, our Plan Administrator, at 1-(866) 808-7352. If you plan to cancel your trip due to a covered reason call Tauck and BerkelyCare immediately to initiate the claims process and to avoid additional expenses due to late notification. You can also file a claim by logging onto www.travelclaim.com and completing the Claim Information Request Form. Claim forms will be mailed to you within two to three business days. For covered emergencies during your trip which require evacuation or interruption, promptly call On Call International, the assistance company, with your policy number and emergency details.

Once BerkelyCare receives full documentation, payment for a covered claim can be generated within five business days.

How do I check on the status of my claim?
To check the status of your claim you can contact BerkelyCare at 1-(866) 808-7352 or you can email questions to BerkelyCare at customerservice@berkely.com.

Who is considered an Immediate Family member under the program?
Our definition of immediate family is quite broad. It’s not just family members who reside with you. Instead, immediate family includes: mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, domestic partner among others. Download the Description of Coverage and see the Definitions section for a full listing by clicking here.

What are the Covered Medical Expenses if I become sick or injured while on my trip?
Tauck's Cruise Protection provides coverage for a vast array of medical expenses which could be incurred as a result of a sickness or injury. Tauck’s Cruise Protection provides Sickness and Accident Medical benefits for necessary services and supplies which are recommended by the attending physician. Covered medical expenses include the services of a legally qualified physician, surgeon, graduate nurse, dentist or osteopath; charges for hospital confinement and use of operating rooms; charges for anesthetics (including administration); x-ray examinations or treatments and laboratory tests; ambulance service; drugs, medicines, and therapeutic services and supplies.

Are there exclusions?
In order to provide this package of benefits, certain restrictions do apply. For example, the program does not provide duplicate payments if there are other sources of reimbursement available. Exclusions are standard in virtually every insurance product. Click here to download the Description of Coverage for a full list of exclusions.

Also, this program provides coverage for cancellations due to covered reasons such as illness, injury and death to yourself, a traveling companion or an immediate family member as well as specified, non-medical reasons for cancellation. Click here to download the Description of Coverage for a full list of covered reasons for cancellation.

What is the Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion? Can it be waived?
Tauck's Cruise Protection does have a pre-existing condition exclusion, which is quite liberal. The pre-existing condition limitation precludes coverage only for those medical conditions that manifested themselves, became acute, or were being treated in the 60 days before coverage goes into effect (date coverage is purchased). You may have a chronic condition that requires you to take medication and still be covered by the program. Only if the condition is unstable and/or if there has been a change in the required prescription would your condition be considered pre-existing.

Unless you, your traveling companion or a family member has a new medical condition or one that has recently "flared-up" right before you enroll in the plan, or you have had a change in your required medication, the plan should provide coverage. Click here to download the Description of Coverage for complete details.

PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU PURCHASE THE PLAN WITHIN 10 DAYS AFTER YOUR INITIAL VACATION DEPOSIT OR PAYMENT, THE PRE-EXISTING CONDITION

For More Tauck Tours: Click Here
For More Tour Companies: Click Here