Costco questions

[Mom2PirateNPrincess]

we are considering booking our first disney cruise through Costco. Any reason not to book this way? What about excursions and character meet and greets?

Any advantage to booking through Disney instead?

After booking the cruise, what else should we do/consider?

ETA: if I book through Costco, can I pay with Disney credit cards?

Thanks!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

You still book your own excursions and meet and greets and etc.

I do not think there is any advantage to Disney instead, unless you like passing up phat Costco cash card. Fill the bathtub with hummus, yeah.

After booking the cruise, research excursions and stuff. On your first cruise, you're last in line to book stuff (unless you book concierge), so be flexible!

 

[FigmentSpark]

We used Costco solely for the cash card we will get after the cruise. Unlike any other TA, with Costco your file is handled by whomever answers the phone. You don't build a relationship with one TA, but if you get someone on the phone you're not happy with, you can just hang up and get someone else.

You book your own excursions, etc. Costco will book the room for you (and any other things like transfers, etc) and Costco collects the payment for the cruise. It's the same for other TAs, too. Yes, you could book with DCL directly and some people like that because it gives them control of all aspects of their cruise. It doesn't give them a $500+ gift card, however.

 

[Mom2PirateNPrincess]

Do TAs offer incentives?

If booking with Costco, can I pay with Disney gift cards?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do TAs offer incentives?

If booking with Costco, can I pay with Disney gift cards?

Yes, some TAs offer perks if you use them to book a cruise. These perks can range anywhere from onboard credit to a bottle of wine, photo packages, whatever.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

You cannot pay Costco with Disney gift cards. I don't know if you could end around and call Disney to pay some of it with gift cards.

 

[FigmentSpark]

You cannot pay Costco with Disney gift cards. I don't know if you could end around and call Disney to pay some of it with gift cards.

So conflicting information.

In another thread:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/transfer-booking-through-costco.3627272/#post-58079187


What I know is that when I pay on my credit card, the charge is from DCL, not from Costco, so I think Costco just sends the payment information to DCL to apply. Don't know how gift cards work, though.

 

[mama&me]

I just called Costco and gave them my egift card numbers. She put me on hold, called DCL and applied the credit. So yes you can use Disney gift cards with Costco.

 

[lanejudy]

Yes, since Costco simply passes payment info direct to DCL, you should be able to use any payment method accepted by DCL. The agent may balk at a huge stack of gift cards, in which case you can use a few at a time -- or consolidate them on the Disney gift card site.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[JW9DVC]

Do TAs offer incentives?

If booking with Costco, can I pay with Disney gift cards?

Sure you can. Yet. It will not be as great as the Costco cash card. Costco has been great and it's nice not working with just one person. This means someone is always able to help. Now Costco is also giving 2% on top of the cash card if you are an executive member.

JW

 

[JW9DVC]

You cannot pay Costco with Disney gift cards. I don't know if you could end around and call Disney to pay some of it with gift cards.

Of course you can. Please adjust this so it shows that you can.

 

[Billinaz]

The big benefit to Costco is that you get about 8.5% of your cruise cost back as a Costco Cash card.

For a $5000 cruise, the card would be $475. The more your cruise is, the higher the card is. TAs mainly have an OBC incentive but its in the $200 or $300 range, and stays the same for the inside cabins as the suites.

My next cruise gets me a cash card over $1000.

The only reason you would need to call Costco is to change rooms or dates. You can book the excursions, etc on the DCL website. You can make payments on the Costco website until you are PIF.

 

[Billinaz]

we are considering booking our first disney cruise through Costco. Any reason not to book this way? What about excursions and character meet and greets?

Any advantage to booking through Disney instead?

After booking the cruise, what else should we do/consider?

ETA: if I book through Costco, can I pay with Disney credit cards?

Thanks!

You can also book it on the DCL website and put it on hold or pay the deposit then transfer it to Costco (you have 30 days).

If booking directly on the Costco website the price is wrong many times leading some people to claim that they charge more to offset the price of the cash card. That is not true, Costco is the same as DCL and other TAs. When you get through the entire booking process then you see the price fixed.

 

[SteveMP]

Do TAs offer incentives?

If booking with Costco, can I pay with Disney gift cards?

Many TAs will offer incentives, especially for repeat. Ours guves us bonus onboard credit, usually surprise us with room decorations, usually some champagne and fruit, sometimes a cale etc are usually in our room,
care package arrives before we leave full of goodies. Etc etc.

Costco cash is always good too if you don't have a TA or someone recommended.

 

[elvispursley]

We've always just booked directly with DCL--and at first Costco sounds very tempting to do for our next OBC when we cruise next month, especially since we're executive members. But I don't know that I care for having to wait until travel to get the cash card. And then once we have it, only able to use it at Costco (although I suppose you could put money towards future cruise?).

The TA route, however, seems more personable, and when we've booked a WDW vacation, we did enjoy all the extra little perks the TA threw in. I know my parents TA gives them a ton of extra OBC since they've been loyal repeat customers. And I tend to feel more secure knowing that I can call so-and-so and ask if such-n-such has been added to our account/request made and build a trusting relationship, whereas with Costco, you have to trust that messages get passed on and completed, with no real person to take accountability (I know that a lot of people on the board use Costco and are very happy, this is just my opinion and neuroses ).

So, I'm not clear on who I'd use at this time either! Although I do have a question: can I name a TA when making an OBB if I didn't use a TA for the cruise I'm currently on?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Of course you can. Please adjust this so it shows that you can.

Costco told me no, so YMMV.

 

[bumbershoot]

It's been awhile, but isn't there a spot on the payment page on Costco travel for a gift card?


Remember that Costco IS a TA. They aren't one on one. But that's what they are. So it's not a question of Costco vs a TA.

 

[Mom2PirateNPrincess]

Thanks everyone! We did verify that you can use Disney cards to pay costco. They put they payment through the cruise line regardless.

We are booked!!!!!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Ok, so,assuming you can use Disney Gift cards, can you use multiple credit cards for payments? For example, could I make the down payment with a Visa card, then make a payment with Disney GC and a payment with MasterCard?

 

[JW9DVC]

Costco told me no, so YMMV.

Well. Sorry. Tell them they are wrong.