Cancelling a cruise for medical reasons: documents, airport taxes, and recourse

A sudden health problem, a last-minute hospital stay, and a whole cruise has to be cancelled. We know a health setback is stressful enough on its own; the paperwork, at least, can be handled calmly. Our concierge team deals with this kind of situation every day and will guide you through it. The process is straightforward, provided you follow the steps in order. Whether it is cancellation insurance, gathering your supporting documents or claiming back airport taxes, each step has its own logic. This guide explains what to do, in what order, and what your options are for getting your cruise refunded, depending on your situation.

How cancellation on medical grounds works

As soon as you know you will not be able to travel, the first thing to do is to notify your Filovent adviser and formalise the cancellation. The process is simple and clearly laid out: tell your adviser, formalise the cancellation from “My dashboard”, and file your claim on declare.fr with your medical certificate and cancellation invoice. Here are the steps in detail.

1. You notify your adviser by telephone or email, stating the medical reason and your booking number. This makes it possible to start processing immediately and to inform the partner(s) concerned (charter company, hotel, transport).
2. You declare the cancellation from your client area: go to the “My dashboard” section, then click “Cancel my booking”. This action officially confirms the cancellation of the charter.
3. We send you your insurance documents: your cancellation insurance certificate, the general terms and conditions that apply to it, and the cancellation invoice for your booking, all essential for the next steps.
4. You file the claim with the insurer and attach your medical supporting documents, your proof of payment and the cancellation invoice. Your insurer then processes the refund in line with your policy terms.

The documents to gather

To avoid delays, gather all the required documents from the outset. Several categories of document come into play.

• Your insurance references: your cancellation insurance certificate, which shows your insured number, or failing that your insurance policy number, along with your surname. The schedule of cover for your policy is also useful.
• Your medical supporting documents: this is the central document in your claim. Depending on the situation, it may be a medical certificate, a hospital admission note or any document confirming the reason. When the reason concerns an immediate family member, the insurer requires their medical certificate and proof of the family relationship (such as a birth or marriage certificate).
• Your cancellation invoice and your proof of payment: the invoice (or credit note) issued after the cancellation, showing the cancellation date and the amount withheld, together with a summary of your payments. It is the document most often requested, as it sets the exact amount to be refunded.
• Your general terms and conditions of sale: those in force at the time of purchase, which set out the cancellation scale applicable to your booking. We send them to you with your certificate.
• The air tax refund certificate: if your cruise included flights, this document completes your claim (see the dedicated section below).
• The details of your booking: booking number and booking confirmation, which you will find in your client area. They make it possible to link your request to the right contract.

Filing the claim with the insurer

Once the cancellation has been confirmed and your documents are to hand, you file the claim directly online with our insurance partner, Gritchen Affinity (in partnership with the company Areas). It takes just a few steps:

1. Log in to the claims platform declare.fr (the address also appears on your certificate) and choose the “make a claim” option. The platform is in French, but the process is straightforward and your adviser can help if you have any doubts.
2. Identify yourself using your insured number or your insurance policy number, together with your surname.
3. Complete the form with the information requested and attach your supporting documents, in particular the medical certificate, the cancellation invoice and your proof of payment.

Once you have submitted the claim, the insurer takes over the assessment and the refund. To find out exactly what cancellation insurance covers and whether an excess applies, refer to the terms of your policy. Your adviser remains on hand if you need a document or any clarification about your booking.

Recovering airport taxes

When your cruise includes flights, there is one point worth bearing in mind: the airport taxes (also called air taxes) included in the ticket price are largely recoverable as soon as you do not take the flight. They follow a procedure separate from cancellation insurance, with its own timing.

The key point is this: the refund request can only be made after the date of the flight concerned, and only if the flight has not been used. A flight already taken gives no entitlement to a tax refund. As long as the departure or return date has not passed, the request cannot be completed.

This refund comes from the platform or the airline that issued the ticket (for example MisterFly or another issuing partner), not from Filovent, but your adviser manages the process for you. The amount of recoverable taxes appears on your booking confirmation. As for the timeframe, it usually takes between 1 and 6 months depending on the airline or booking platform: the best course of action is to flag the situation to your adviser, then follow up once the flight date has passed to track the progress of your claim.

Your options for a refund, depending on your situation

The amount you can hope to recover depends above all on one thing: have you taken out cancellation insurance? In all cases, it is Filovent's general terms and conditions of sale that prevail for the cancellation, not those of the boat's charter company. And if you were counting on the cancellation cover from your bank card, check its scope carefully: it requires the same documents (cancellation invoice, general terms and conditions, and scale) and often covers less than a dedicated policy.

You have taken out cancellation insurance

This is the most protective scenario. The medical reason is one of the grounds covered, subject to supporting evidence. You file the claim with the insurer, who refunds the amounts paid within the terms and limits of your policy. Be careful not to confuse it with multi-risk insurance, which covers other contingencies such as repatriation, medical expenses while away or luggage. On top of this, where applicable, you can recover the airport taxes on unused flights.

You have not taken out the insurance

In this case, it is the general cancellation terms that determine the amount withheld, and this increases as departure approaches. By way of example, for some cruises, a cancellation attributable to the customer occurring less than 90 days before departure may mean the entire price of the trip is withheld by Filovent. These cancellation charges remain due even if the boat is re-let to other customers. This threshold also varies according to the type of service: boat hire (bareboat or skippered), cabin cruise, flotilla or organised sailing holiday with a crew. The full scale applicable to your booking appears in your general terms and conditions. Even without insurance, the airport taxes on unused flights remain recoverable, following the same timing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel my sailing holiday for medical reasons?

Yes. Illness and other medical reasons are among the grounds covered by cancellation insurance, subject to supporting evidence (a medical certificate or hospital admission note). Notify your Filovent adviser, formalise the cancellation from “My dashboard”, and file your claim on declare.fr. Without insurance, you can recover the portion set out in the general terms and conditions, depending on when you cancel.

What does cruise cancellation insurance cover?

Cruise cancellation insurance lets you claim back the amounts paid if you have to cancel for a covered reason, such as a medical issue affecting you or an immediate family member, subject to supporting evidence. The exact cover, limits and any excess are set out in your policy. It is different from multi-risk insurance, which covers contingencies during the trip such as repatriation, medical expenses or luggage.

What documents must I provide for a medical cancellation?

You will need your insurance certificate (or your policy number) with your surname, the cancellation invoice, your proof of payment, your general terms and conditions of sale, and above all a medical supporting document: a medical certificate, hospital admission note or any document confirming the reason. It is this document that allows the insurer to process your request.

Must the medical reason concern me personally?

Not necessarily. Depending on your policy, cancellation insurance may cover a medical reason that concerns you, but also that of an immediate family member or one of the participants in the trip. This is one of the big advantages of cancellation insurance covering the whole crew. When it is an immediate family member who is prevented from travelling, the insurer requires specific documents: their medical certificate and proof of the family relationship (such as a birth or marriage certificate). If you are unsure who is covered, check the schedule of cover for your policy or ask your adviser.

Can I cancel for only one person on the booking?

Yes. When a booking brings together several participants, a partial cancellation is possible: one person cancels while the others keep the trip. Tell your adviser precisely who is cancelling and who is travelling, so that the booking can be updated. The per-person price for the remaining participants may be recalculated, as it often depends on the number of travellers on board. If you have taken out cancellation insurance, the person prevented from travelling can be compensated for a covered reason, with supporting evidence.

How does the refund work?

After cancelling your booking from your client area, you file the claim online on declare.fr, attaching your supporting documents. The insurer Gritchen Affinity then assesses your claim and refunds the amounts paid, within the terms and limits of your cancellation insurance policy.

How long does it take to be refunded?

Once you have submitted a complete claim, the insurer handles the assessment and refund directly, according to their own timeframes. To avoid lengthening them needlessly, it is best to submit a complete claim from the outset, including the medical certificate, cancellation invoice and proof of payment. If things are slow, your Filovent adviser can help you provide a missing document or follow up on your booking.

Can I recover the airport taxes on my flights?

Yes, the airport taxes included in the ticket price are largely recoverable, provided the flight has not been used. The procedure is separate from the insurance and can only be started once the flight date has passed. The refund comes from the platform or the airline that issued the ticket (for example MisterFly or another partner), not from Filovent directly, but your adviser handles the process for you. The amount appears on your booking confirmation, and the timeframe is usually between 1 and 6 months.

What happens if I did not take out cancellation insurance?

Without insurance, Filovent's general terms and conditions of sale apply (not those of the charter company). The amount withheld depends on when you cancel: it increases as departure approaches and can reach 100% of the price (for example, for some cruises, less than 90 days before departure). The exact scale depends on the type of service and appears in the general terms and conditions for your booking. The airport taxes on unused flights nevertheless remain recoverable.

Should I cancel myself or does Filovent handle it?

The cancellation of the charter is declared from your client area, in the “My dashboard” section, via the “Cancel my booking” button. In parallel, your adviser notifies the partners concerned and sends you your insurance documents. So you are never alone in the process.

How long do I have to file the claim?

The deadline to report a claim is usually 5 working days from the event that causes the cancellation, unless your Gritchen Affinity policy states otherwise. Either way, the safest approach is to file the claim as soon as possible after cancelling, once your medical supporting documents are ready, so you do not risk missing the insurer's deadline.

Key takeaways

Cancelling a cruise on medical grounds rests on three pillars: declaring the cancellation from your client area; activating your cancellation insurance on declare.fr with your medical supporting documents, cancellation invoice and proof of payment; and, if flights were booked, recovering the airport taxes once the flight date has passed. If you took out the insurance, you are protected on the amounts paid; if not, Filovent's general terms and conditions apply, and the earlier you act, the more favourable they are. Either way, your Filovent adviser is here to guide you at every step and make the admin as light as possible.