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

A sudden illness or emergency hospitalization shouldn't mean losing everything you paid for your cruise. Our advisors handle this kind of situation every day, and they'll walk you through it. The process is straightforward as long as you follow the steps in order. Whether it's cruise cancellation insurance, gathering your medical documents, or recovering airport taxes, each step has its own logic. This guide explains what to do, in what order, and how to get the most of your money back, whether you booked a cabin cruise or a yacht charter.

How cancellation on medical grounds works

As soon as you know you can't travel, the first thing to do is notify your Filovent advisor and start the cancellation. In short: tell your advisor, formalize the cancellation from “My dashboard”, and file your claim on declare.fr with your medical certificate and cancellation invoice. The process is simple and straightforward. Here are the steps in detail.

1. You notify your advisor by phone or email, with the medical reason and your reservation number. This lets Filovent start processing right away and inform the partners involved (charter company, hotel, transportation).
2. You report the cancellation from your client area: go to the “My dashboard” section, then click “Cancel my reservation”. This action officially confirms the cancellation of the charter.
3. We send you your insurance documents: your cancellation insurance certificate, the general terms that apply to it, and the cancellation invoice for your reservation, all essential for the next steps.
4. You file the claim with the insurer and attach your medical documents, your proof of payment, and the cancellation invoice. Your insurer then processes the refund according to your policy's coverage.

The documents to gather

To avoid delays, gather these documents as soon as possible. A few categories come into play.

• Your insurance details: your cancellation insurance certificate, which shows your insured number (or your policy number if you don't have the certificate handy), along with your last name. Your policy's schedule of coverage is also useful.
• Your medical documents: this is the key document in your claim. Depending on the situation, it could be a medical certificate, a hospital admission record, or any document confirming the reason. When the reason concerns an immediate family member, the insurer asks for their medical certificate and proof of the family relationship (such as a birth or marriage certificate).
• Your cancellation invoice and proof of payment: the invoice (or credit memo) issued after the cancellation, showing the cancellation date and the amount withheld, along with a summary of your payments. It's the document most often requested, because it sets the exact amount to be refunded.
• Your general terms and conditions of sale: the ones in force when you purchased, which set out the cancellation scale for your booking. We send them to you with your certificate.
• The air tax refund certificate: if your cruise included flights, this completes your claim (see the section below).
• Your reservation details: reservation number and booking confirmation, which you'll find in your client area. These let Filovent match your request to the right contract.

Filing the claim with the insurer

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

1. Log in to the claims platform declare.fr (the address is also on your certificate) and choose the “file a claim” option. The platform is in French, but the process is simple, and your advisor can help if you get stuck.
2. Identify yourself with your insured number or your insurance policy number, plus your last name.
3. Complete the form and attach your supporting documents, especially the medical certificate, the cancellation invoice, and your proof of payment.

Once you submit the claim, the insurer takes over the review and the refund. To find out exactly what cancellation insurance covers and whether a deductible applies, check your policy terms. Your advisor is on hand if you need a document or have a question about your reservation.

Recovering airport taxes

If your cruise includes flights, here's something worth knowing: the airport taxes and fees built into your ticket price are largely refundable as soon as you don't fly. This is a separate process from cancellation insurance, with its own timing.

Here's the catch: you can only request the refund after the date of the flight in question, and only if the flight wasn't used. A flight you've already taken doesn't qualify for a tax refund. Until the departure or return date has passed, the request can't go through.

This refund comes from the platform or airline that issued the ticket (for example MisterFly or another issuer), not from Filovent, but your advisor handles the process for you. The refundable amount is shown on your booking confirmation, usually the taxes-and-fees portion of your ticket, which can add up per passenger. As for timing, it usually takes 1 to 6 months depending on the airline or booking platform. The smart move is to flag it to your advisor, then follow up once the flight date has passed to track your claim.

How much you can get back, depending on your situation

How much you can hope to recover comes down to one thing: did you buy cancellation insurance? Either way, Filovent's general terms and conditions of sale govern the cancellation, not the boat's charter company. And if you were counting on the cancellation coverage from your credit card, check the fine print: it asks for the same documents (cancellation invoice, general terms, and scale) and usually covers less than a dedicated policy.

You bought cancellation insurance

This is the best-protected case. A medical reason is one of the covered grounds, with supporting evidence. You file the claim with the insurer, who refunds the amounts paid within your policy's terms and limits. Don't confuse it with travel (multi-risk) insurance, which covers other situations like repatriation, medical costs while you're away, or lost luggage. On top of that, where it applies, you can also recover airport taxes on unused flights.

You didn't buy the insurance

Here, the general cancellation terms decide how much is withheld, and that grows as departure gets closer. Without cancellation insurance, you may lose up to 100% of your cruise cost if you cancel within 90 days of departure, depending on your booking terms. These cancellation charges still apply even if the boat is re-rented to someone else. The exact threshold varies by type of service: boat rental (bareboat or skippered), cabin cruise, or an organized sailing vacation with a crew. The full scale for your booking is in your general terms and conditions. Even without insurance, airport taxes on unused flights are still refundable, on the same timing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel my sailing vacation for medical reasons?

Yes. Illness, injury, and other medical reasons are covered by cancellation insurance, with supporting evidence (a medical certificate or hospital admission record). Notify your Filovent advisor, report the cancellation from “My dashboard”, and file your claim on declare.fr. If you didn't buy insurance, you can still recover the portion set by the general terms, based on when you cancel.

What is cruise cancellation insurance, and what does it cover?

Cruise cancellation insurance lets you get back the amounts you paid if you have to cancel for a covered reason, such as a medical issue affecting you or an immediate family member, with supporting evidence. Your exact coverage, limits, and any deductible are spelled out in your policy. It kicks in before you travel, when you cancel the trip.

What's the difference between cancellation insurance and travel insurance?

Cancellation insurance refunds what you paid when you have to call off the trip before departure for a covered reason. Travel (multi-risk) insurance covers things that happen during the trip, like medical care abroad, repatriation, or lost luggage. Many travelers want both: one protects your money if you can't go, the other protects you while you're away.

How much can I expect to get back if I cancel?

It depends on two things: whether you bought cancellation insurance, and when you cancel. With insurance and a covered medical reason, you can recover the amounts paid, within your policy's limits. Without it, you may lose up to 100% of your cruise cost the closer you are to departure (for some cruises, within 90 days). In both cases, airport taxes on unused flights are refundable separately.

What documents do I need for a medical cancellation?

You'll need your insurance certificate (or policy number) with your last name, the cancellation invoice, your proof of payment, your general terms and conditions of sale, and most importantly a medical document: a medical certificate, hospital admission record, or anything that confirms the reason. That medical document is what lets the insurer process your claim.

Does the medical reason have to involve me personally?

Not necessarily. Depending on your policy, cancellation insurance can cover a medical reason involving you, but also an immediate family member or someone else on the trip. That's one of the big advantages of cancellation insurance that covers your whole crew. When an immediate family member is the one affected, the insurer asks for their medical certificate and proof of the family relationship (such as a birth or marriage certificate). If you're not sure who's covered, check your policy's schedule of coverage or ask your advisor.

Can I cancel for just one person on the reservation?

Yes. If a reservation includes several people, you can do a partial cancellation: one person cancels while the others keep the trip. Tell your advisor exactly who's canceling and who's traveling, so your reservation can be updated. The per-person price for everyone else may be recalculated, since it often depends on how many travelers are on board. If you bought cancellation insurance, the person who can't travel can be reimbursed for a covered reason, with supporting evidence.

How does the refund work?

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

How long does it take to get my refund?

Once you submit a complete claim, the insurer handles the review and refund directly, on their own timeline. To keep things moving, submit everything at once: medical certificate, cancellation invoice, and proof of payment. If things stall, your Filovent advisor can help you add a missing document or follow up on your claim.

Can I get my flight's airport taxes back?

Yes, the airport taxes built into your ticket price are largely refundable, as long as the flight wasn't used. This is separate from your insurance and can only start once the flight date has passed. The refund comes from the platform or airline that issued the ticket (for example MisterFly or another issuer), not from Filovent directly, but your advisor handles it for you. The amount is on your booking confirmation, and it usually takes 1 to 6 months.

What if I didn't buy cancellation insurance?

Without insurance, Filovent's general terms and conditions of sale apply (not the charter company's). How much is withheld depends on when you cancel: it grows as departure approaches and can reach 100% of the price (for some cruises, within 90 days of departure). The exact scale depends on the type of service and is in your booking's general terms. Airport taxes on unused flights are still refundable.

Should I cancel myself, or does Filovent do it?

You report the cancellation from your client area, in the “My dashboard” section, using the “Cancel my reservation” button. At the same time, your advisor notifies the partners involved and sends you your insurance documents. So you're never on your own.

How long do I have to file the claim?

File your claim as soon as you can after canceling, once your medical documents are ready. Your policy sets a deadline for reporting a claim, so check your Gritchen Affinity terms to be sure you don't miss it.

Key takeaways

Canceling a cruise on medical grounds comes down to three things: report the cancellation from your client area; activate your cancellation insurance on declare.fr with your medical documents, cancellation invoice, and proof of payment; and, if you booked flights, recover the airport taxes once the flight date has passed. If you bought insurance, your payments are protected; if not, Filovent's general terms apply, and the sooner you act, the better your outcome. Either way, your Filovent advisor is here to guide you at every step and keep the paperwork as light as possible.