Onboard booking and Costco

[ikelshellmad]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I’ve scoured the message boards about this topic and wanted to make sure how to do this correctly. I have read that some previous cruisers have received both the 10% onboard booking discount and the Costco cash card.

DH and I are going on a cruise in a few weeks (we couldn’t pass up the VGT deals), and we know for sure that we are taking our family on a cruise in August 2014. So based on my research, here are the steps that I think I should take:

1. Book the future cruise onboard.
2. List Costco as the Travel Agent.
3. Pay the deposit.
4. Contact Costco Travel after I get home to verify the reservation (and cash card amount).

Since Costco will be listed as the travel agent, the reservation is technically not a transferred reservation and I should qualify for the cash card, correct? Could someone who has done this before please verify if I’m doing this correctly?

Thanks so much for your help!

[UmmGooD]

I did this exact thing. Make sure you have the address for Costco Travel as they will ask when you book on board. We didn't have it but he was able to look it up from our previous reservation. When we got home I called Costco and it transferred over no problem. We haven't taken the cruise yet but I have the booking reservation from costco that shows the 10% discount and the cash card. I had them verify with Disney we were also getting the $200 OBC as well.

If you don't have the address I would call up the Costco Travel line and ask them for it.

[lovedmy1stcuise]

Yes, just make sure you call Costco yourself to transfer it. Computer system was off on the cruise we were on so we were able to book after we came back home with onboard discount, and I requested them to transfer it with Costco and I was send email that they did and was told Costco will contact me with their own booking number. About a month later I didn't hear anything from Costco so I emailed back to Disney and they advised me they did. I kind of forgot about it until I had to change my date about 6+month later and called Costco, they had no booking number for me. It took only 5 minutes on the phone for them to call Disney and transfer it with no problem.

[lpizzuro123]

I have a few questions.

Do you have to be a member of Costco to use their travel agency. We are now members of Sams Club but they are building a Costco 2 miles away from where we live and we are thinking of not renewing Sams and joining Costco.

We are cruising in November 2013. If we book another cruise and get the discount and on board credit - and put Costco Travel as our agent, we will still keep our discount and on board credit. Would I still be able to call up DCL and work with them? For our Disney cruise this past September, I made the reservations directly through Disney and was able to put in my step-sons birthday request, request for our dining rotation and ask them general questions. Once it switches over to Costco, can I still call Disney?

Thanks,
Linda

[ikelshellmad]

Thank you so much for your responses! I'll make sure to bring along the address and phone number of Costco Travel. I knew I could count on the DISboards to get my question answered.

I didn't even think about getting OBC as well, but if it is included....SUPER AWESOME!!!

@Linda: Yes, you will need Costco membership in order to use Costco Travel.

[UmmGooD]

Originally Posted by lpizzuro123

I have a few questions.

Do you have to be a member of Costco to use their travel agency. We are now members of Sams Club but they are building a Costco 2 miles away from where we live and we are thinking of not renewing Sams and joining Costco.

We are cruising in November 2013. If we book another cruise and get the discount and on board credit - and put Costco Travel as our agent, we will still keep our discount and on board credit. Would I still be able to call up DCL and work with them? For our Disney cruise this past September, I made the reservations directly through Disney and was able to put in my step-sons birthday request, request for our dining rotation and ask them general questions. Once it switches over to Costco, can I still call Disney?

Thanks,
Linda

You will need a Costco membership. We love Costco better than Sams but it really is personal preference and what you tend to buy in the warehouse. Sams has a better selection of some items like baby diapers, candy, etc... while I think Costco tends to sell better quality merchandise. You might want to overlap your membership so you have a time to figure out if you will be happy with Costco and if they carry what you are looking for. Some of the stuff is seasonal or even region specific so you'll want to have it for awhile before you rule it out. Just for the travel benefits alone I think it is worth it.

I have a long history with Costco since my mom joined in 1982 (it was a price club membership at the time) and my membership has the same start date on it so the clubs here in Texas are often surprised when they see my info on my card.

As far as being able to contact Disney directly it won't work. You'll have to call up Costco travel for any and all requests. I don't think it is that difficult and actually like that Costco answers the phone faster than Disney. In fact they can usually get in touch with Disney faster than you can by phone because they use some tricks in the office to keep the hold times down. Sometimes it can even take them 1 hour on hold to get a DCL rep on the phone.

The other small annoyance is some of the items in the web site are not available since you booked through an agent. It doesn't effect check-in, booking excursions/palo but it does effect some other things that you could do on the website but now need to do through costco. I think one example might be changing your dining rotation after the fact if it is available. I don't mind calling Costco when I need to though.

[lpizzuro123]

Thanks for all the answers.

Costco should be opening by us in a few months - and they are offering special for new customers - so I will have to check it out.

At the moment I feel better staying through Disney directly. I like speaking with them directly. We also purchased about $1000 of Disney Gift Card in December when Target was offering the special (buy $50 - get $10 back - so we spent around $800 for $1000 worth - a great savings right there) and I know we need to keep reservation with Disney to pay cruises off with Disney Gift Cards. We did this for our September cruise with the special that Stop and Shop was offering in June.

Something to keep in mind though for the future.

Linda

[UmmGooD]

Originally Posted by lpizzuro123

Thanks for all the answers.

Costco should be opening by us in a few months - and they are offering special for new customers - so I will have to check it out.

At the moment I feel better staying through Disney directly. I like speaking with them directly. We also purchased about $1000 of Disney Gift Card in December when Target was offering the special (buy $50 - get $10 back - so we spent around $800 for $1000 worth - a great savings right there) and I know we need to keep reservation with Disney to pay cruises off with Disney Gift Cards. We did this for our September cruise with the special that Stop and Shop was offering in June.

Something to keep in mind though for the future.

Linda

You might be able to get Costco to apply the gift card to your cruise balance since they don't process any of the credit card charges. It wouldn't hurt to ask and then you could also get the Costco cash card rebate as well. If you find out please make sure to comment back because I might try this. Do you know when Target runs these specials?

[Bear3412]

Originally Posted by lpizzuro123

.... I know we need to keep reservation with Disney to pay cruises off with Disney Gift Cards.....

This can't be true, perhaps with Costco, as there may be a minimum payment threshold.
Anyone ????

[Munkamamacallie]

Originally Posted by Bear3412

This can't be true, perhaps with Costco, as there may be a minimum payment threshold.
Anyone ????

They let me pay for the 1st part of our cruise with the cards, but then they told me that they were discontinuing that policy and that I would need to use the rest of my gift cards that day.

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

Just chiming in on using the Disney gift cards with Costco ~ yes you can still use the gift cards with Costco! My Fantasy cruise last month was a Costco booking and I also had several cards to apply. It's not as easy as it is when you can apply the cards directly online with DCL, however you just give the Costco rep the gift card info and they will in turn call DCL to apply them.

Just have a little more patience and time and no worries

Heather

[Cmbar]

Can someone tell me what the rebate card is for Costco? We have always used a travel agent to get extra on board credits. Is this similar?

Thanks!

[Bear3412]

Originally Posted by Cmbar

Can someone tell me what the rebate card is for Costco? We have always used a travel agent to get extra on board credits. Is this similar?

Thanks!

Yes this is similar.

Costco offers a Costco Cash Card that you receive in the mail within three weeks after your completed sailing if you book thru them, or name them as you TAs while performing an OBB(on board booking).

It is $ available after your sailing unlike most TA's who offer on board credit.

Costco's intention is that you will spend the card at their stores. However, reports exists that said card can be turned into cash at the physical locations.

Costco offer is usually more generous than other TA's. Albeit afterwards. It is between 7 - 10 % . Nice.

HTH

[TLSnell1981]

Originally Posted by Cmbar

Can someone tell me what the rebate card is for Costco? We have always used a travel agent to get extra on board credits. Is this similar?

Thanks!

You receive a Cash Card from Costco, approximately 3 weeks, after your cruise. It can be redeemed at Costco for merchandise and (it's been reported) for cash. I do know, Costco will cash their rebate checks, so I can see them doing the same for Cash Cards.
Here's an example:

Best Fare Price: Balcony 4A
2A. 3C.
$7,392.00
+$82.12 taxes per person

**$615 Costco Cash Card**

[Cmbar]

Originally Posted by TLSnell1981

You receive a Cash Card from Costco, approximately 3 weeks, after your cruise. It can be redeemed at Costco for merchandise and (it's been reported) for cash. I do know, Costco will cash their rebate checks, so I can see them doing the same for Cash Cards.
Here's an example:

Best Fare Price: Balcony 4A
2A. 3C.
$7,392.00
+$82.12 taxes per person

**$615 Costco Cash Card**

Oh wow! That's a good deal. Wish I would have known about it before we booked our Alaska trip! Thanks for the info!