Costco travel

[havaneselover]

I have a question about combing OBB and Costco.

I just booked a cruise through Costco, and on the cruise I plan to reserve a place holder. How will I then book my second cruise with my placeholder AND use Costco to get the cash back card?

You transfer the placeholder to Costco within 30 days. When you are ready to book you call Costco and they book it as an onboard booking and you get a cash card. These two combined are saving me about $2,000 next year on Alaska ($685 in cash cards, $400 in obc, and $900 off the fare).

 

[spankswife]

You transfer the placeholder to Costco within 30 days. When you are ready to book you call Costco and they book it as an onboard booking and you get a cash card. These two combined are saving me about $2,000 next year on Alaska ($685 in cash cards, $400 in obc, and $900 off the fare).

So when I get off the first cruise, I call Costco within 30 days and tell them about the placeholder? Or do I call DCL and tell them Costco is my TA, and they transfer it?

I also want to do Alaska next! When you say it is saving you $900 off the fare, is Costco's price cheaper?

 

[wombat_5606]

I have a question about combing OBB and Costco.

I just booked a cruise through Costco, and on the cruise I plan to reserve a place holder. How will I then book my second cruise with my placeholder AND use Costco to get the cash back card?

You can list Costco as your travel agent on the OBB form.

 

[havaneselover]

So when I get off the first cruise, I call Costco within 30 days and tell them about the placeholder? Or do I call DCL and tell them Costco is my TA, and they transfer it?

I also want to do Alaska next! When you say it is saving you $900 off the fare, is Costco's price cheaper?

List Costco as the TA when you book your placeholder. I think I also called Costco to confirm the transfer, but maybe not.

No, the $900 was the 10% saving from the OBB. Costco's price is the same.

 

[spankswife]

List Costco as the TA when you book your placeholder. I think I also called Costco to confirm the transfer, but maybe not.

No, the $900 was the 10% saving from the OBB. Costco's price is the same.

Gotcha, thanks for taking the time to explain!

 

[Travelbee]

Is the gift card from Costco reduced when it is an OBB compared to booking directly with Costco? Other TAs have reduced their OBB offer by half if it is an OBB. With Costco's gift card being higher % then other TAs to begin with, combined with the reduced incentive for OBB, I am very tempted to switch.

 

[Travelbee]

If you name Costco as the TA while booking an OBB onboard, do you specify a specific agent's name or just Costco?

 

[wombat_5606]

Is the gift card from Costco reduced when it is an OBB compared to booking directly with Costco? Other TAs have reduced their OBB offer by half if it is an OBB. With Costco's gift card being higher % then other TAs to begin with, combined with the reduced incentive for OBB, I am very tempted to switch.

There is no loss in the amount of cash card, whether directly or with a OBB.

If you name Costco as the TA while booking an OBB onboard, do you specify a specific agent's name or just Costco?

Just tell them Costco.

 

[havaneselover]

Is the gift card from Costco reduced when it is an OBB compared to booking directly with Costco? Other TAs have reduced their OBB offer by half if it is an OBB. With Costco's gift card being higher % then other TAs to begin with, combined with the reduced incentive for OBB, I am very tempted to switch.

No although at some point I had heard there would be because DCL pays TAs less on transferred bookings. My cash card is 8-8.5% of my fare (not including taxes). On my last cruise it was 7%. Both were onboard bookings.

 

[wombat_5606]

Since 2012, I've received a gift card that varies from 6.78% to a high of 8.39%. It seems to be a larger percentage when the cost of the cruise is increased.

If my cruise cost less than $2,000, it was no more than 7%. If my cruise was $2500, the gift card was closer to 8%. If my cruise was $4,000, it was over 8%.

So, it's a sliding scale. The more the cruise costs, the larger percentage you will receive back in the form of the cash card.

No although at some point I had heard there would be because DCL pays TAs less on transferred bookings. My cash card is 8-8.5% of my fare (not including taxes). On my last cruise it was 7%. Both were onboard bookings.

I'm traveling so I don't have all my information at hand and I can't tell which cruises were OBB, but you can see my previous post.

Do you know the prices of your previous cruises? Since you know both of yours were OBB's, maybe the price and dates will help us figure this out.

 

[havaneselover]

I'm traveling so I don't have all my information at hand and I can't tell which cruises were OBB, but you can see my previous post.

Do you know the prices of your previous cruises? Since you know both of yours were OBB's, maybe the price and dates will help us figure this out.

$235 on $3,352 booked 4/15 (cruise was 8/16)

$450 on $5166 booked 2/17 (cruise is 8/18)
$235 on $3,025 (same as above).

Prices are net of taxes.

 

[wombat_5606]

$235 on $3,352 booked 4/15 (cruise was 8/16)

$450 on $5166 booked 2/17 (cruise is 8/18)
$235 on $3,025 (same as above).

Prices are net of taxes.

My calculations are that you received 7% for the cruise booked 4/15
For the 2 booked 2/17, I calculate that you received 8.71% for the more expensive ($5,166) and 7.76% on the less expensive ($3,025).

Thus, if my math is right, I'm not seeing any reduction in the OBB cash card.

 

[havaneselover]

My calculations are that you received 7% for the cruise booked 4/15
For the 2 booked 2/17, I calculate that you received 8.71% for the more expensive ($5,166) and 7.76% on the less expensive ($3,025).

Thus, if my math is right, I'm not seeing any reduction in the OBB cash card.

I agree. The change happened between the two bookings but I got a higher % back on the more recent onboard booking transfer.

 

[Billinaz]

I have a question about combing OBB and Costco.

I just booked a cruise through Costco, and on the cruise I plan to reserve a place holder. How will I then book my second cruise with my placeholder AND use Costco to get the cash back card?

I think you can name costco as your travel agent when you place the reservation. I dont book onboard anymore because they removed incentives from the Concierge level rooms.