Booking onboard and Costco

[momofthreeangels]

Sorry guys, but I couldn't find the answer. If I book a dummy cruise onboard can I
1. Transfer to costco?
2. Get the costco cash card?
3. Still keep the discounts and OBC for booking on the ship?

Trying to get the best deal on a Med cruise in 2016 as airfare is expensive for a family if 5!

 

[Lisa Lisa]

Sorry guys, but I couldn't find the answer. If I book a dummy cruise onboard can I
1. Transfer to costco?
2. Get the costco cash card?
3. Still keep the discounts and OBC for booking on the ship?

Trying to get the best deal on a Med cruise in 2016 as airfare is expensive for a family if 5!

The short answer is yes, yes, and yes. Now for the longer answer! You can transfer your OBB to Costco, get the cash card and keep your OBB benefits, but it's generally easier to just name Costco as your TA when you book onboard. The CM at the future cruise desk will need the following info:

Costco Travel
425-657-1900
Issaquah, WA

When you get home from your cruise, just call Costco and give them the DCL booking number. They will pull the reservation over to their system and assign a Costco booking number. Easy Peasy!

 

[momofthreeangels]

Thanks for the quick response!

 

[Lisa Lisa]

One important thing I forgot to mention: Keep in mind the recent OBB changes. You now have to cruise within 18 months of making the OBB, or you lose the benefits. Also, there are now blackout dates for OBBs. There's no telling at this point what those dates will be beyond April 2015.

And one last thing. If you do decide to transfer the reservation to Costco vs. naming them when you make the OBB, you must do so within 30 days of making the original reservation.

 

[Ofinn]

If I decide to transfer a reservation to Costco. Do you know what it requires? Do I just call Dcl and ask to transfer it or do I call Costco. I may book another cruise on board, but I would like to give myself some time to make sure I'm set on the date, cat, and stateroom before handing it over to a TA. The last time I named Costco while onboard, and it was such a pain making changes.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

The short answer is yes, yes, and yes. Now for the longer answer! You can transfer your OBB to Costco, get the cash card and keep your OBB benefits, but it's generally easier to just name Costco as your TA when you book onboard. The CM at the future cruise desk will need the following info:

Costco Travel
425-657-1900
Issaquah, WA

When you get home from your cruise, just call Costco and give them the DCL booking number. They will pull the reservation over to their system and assign a Costco booking number. Easy Peasy!

Yep - what Lisa said wave We are both Costco "fans" and it's worked smoothly. It is so much easier to just name Costco when you book on board but don't fret if you don't or forget.

Have fun,
Heather

 

[lanejudy]

If I decide to transfer a reservation to Costco. Do you know what it requires? Do I just call Dcl and ask to transfer it or do I call Costco. I may book another cruise on board, but I would like to give myself some time to make sure I'm set on the date, cat, and stateroom before handing it over to a TA. The last time I named Costco while onboard, and it was such a pain making changes.

If you don't name the TA when making the OBB, and you decide to transfer:

1) it must be transferred done within 30 days
2) there is a form, I believe Costco can provide it

Some TAs (I don't think this pertains to Costco but for other readers who might choose a different TA) won't accept transferred reservations, and/or provide a lower "incentive" back to the passenger. DCL changed rules regarding transferring reservations to TAs last spring and the commission paid is considerably lower for a transferred reservation than one originating with a TA (or an OBB naming the TA).

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Heyriddle]

So we did name Costco as our agent when doing our OBB back in August but I haven't contacted Costco. Is that bad?

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

So we did name Costco as our agent when doing our OBB back in August but I haven't contacted Costco. Is that bad?

I wouldn't say bad but I would call ASAP Just let them know you named them when booking and you'll usually provide your reservation number as they will "pull" the reservation over and confirm the amount of your Costco cash card and provide your costco booking number then email you everything as a confirmation.

Heather

 

[momofthreeangels]

So there's no point in booking onboard next month if I plan to cruise in the summer if 2016, right? I will loose the OBC and discount since it's 2 years away.

 

[lanejudy]

So there's no point in booking onboard next month if I plan to cruise in the summer if 2016, right? I will loose the OBC and discount since it's 2 years away.

That's correct. With the new OBB rules, you have to sail with 18 months of booking or lose the OBB bennies.

 

[kylmac]

I have a question if anyone can help me-we booked this morning (yes, our wait was only 30 minutes) and named Costco as the travel agent. I called Costco this afternoon and they could not pull the reservation over. They said I would need to fill out an "agency transfer form". Tried pulling that up on the DCL website but nothing is coming up. He also said it would take 48 hours to complete the transfer-I guess an OBB is different from just a normal phone booking. Does anyone know where that form is on the DCL website?
Thanks for your help.
Elizabeth

 

[lanejudy]

I have a question if anyone can help me-we booked this morning (yes, our wait was only 30 minutes) and named Costco as the travel agent. I called Costco this afternoon and they could not pull the reservation over. They said I would need to fill out an "agency transfer form". Tried pulling that up on the DCL website but nothing is coming up. He also said it would take 48 hours to complete the transfer-I guess an OBB is different from just a normal phone booking. Does anyone know where that form is on the DCL website?
Thanks for your help.
Elizabeth

Correct, a regular booking is different than an onboard booking with regards to naming a TA because the TA simply cannot be on the cruise to book for you, but you could use a TA to do a regular booking. So since you made the reservation yourself, you will have to transfer it to the TA (Costco). Costco should have the form you need, and it must be done within 30 days. This is from the DCL website:

Q: Can I transfer my cruise reservation to a travel agent?
A: You can transfer your reservation to a travel agent as long as the voyage fare portion of your cruise has not been paid and the request is received within 30 days of your reservation being created. Please contact your travel agent to assist you in completing the necessary authorization form to transfer your booking.


Enjoy your cruise!

 

[kylmac]

Thanks lanejudy! Going back to the Costco website to find my form.
Elizabeth

 

[Devi8or]

Not to derail the OPs thread but, if I already have a cruise booked through DCL what is the benefit of changing to a TA? Is it just for the OBC?

Also, would I then be paying Costco or could I still make payments through the DCL website?

 

[noahsmom]

Not to derail the OPs thread but, if I already have a cruise booked through DCL what is the benefit of changing to a TA? Is it just for the OBC?

Also, would I then be paying Costco or could I still make payments through the DCL website?

It depends on what the TA is offering as an incentive. Some offer on board credits. Costco doesn't, but upon completion of the cruise you receive a Costco cash card. I just booked a 7 night Western for June 2015 and will receive a $500 Costco card when we get home. Better than any onboard credit I've ever received.

So far, Costco has been very easy to deal with.

 

[ranidayz]

It depends on what the TA is offering as an incentive. Some offer on board credits. Costco doesn't, but upon completion of the cruise you receive a Costco cash card. I just booked a 7 night Western for June 2015 and will receive a $500 Costco card when we get home. Better than any onboard credit I've ever received. So far, Costco has been very easy to deal with.

I've heard rumors that you can take the Cash Card to Customer Service and exchange it for cash. Any truth to that?

 

[seidelhd]

I've heard rumors that you can take the Cash Card to Customer Service and exchange it for cash. Any truth to that?

I read that on Disboards last year. I tried it after our October cruise on the Dream. The customer service agent looked at me like I had two heads. He said that they can only do that if the cash card balance is less than $25. It may depend on what state you live in.

Costco tends to give the best incentives. For our cruise this summer, we have two cabins booked. One will give us a $735 cash card and the other $500. I looked at many TA incentives and they were the best. I'd rather have the cash card which I know I'll use than an onboard credit that I may or may not use.

 

[twopeasonepod]

We love Costco and have transferred bookings. Just a heads up -- this last one, although Costco was declared our TA when OBB, we still had to do it within a certain amount of days, and I think it was far less than 30. Please don't quote me on this (brain cells all dead), but I remember stressing out about it, because I *thought* it was 30 days and it was NOT.

 

[Devi8or]

So the obvious benefit is the cash card. My next question is, what is it that Costco gets out of you switching to them after its already booked? What incentive do they have?