Need advice ..booking with costco and onboard booking

[Travelbug22]

We are sailing this end of the month. I want to book Alaska cruise with Costco to get cash card. Should I booked with costco now or wait when I'm board? I understand If i do it onboard, I can get 10% off plus OBB and if i mentioned Costco Travel, I can get cash card also. Thanks for any advice. I hope this make sense.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are sailing this end of the month. I want to book Alaska cruise with Costco to get cash card. Should I booked with costco now or wait when I'm board? I understand If i do it onboard, I can get 10% off plus OBB and if i mentioned Costco Travel, I can get cash card also. Thanks for any advice. I hope this make sense.

Since Alaska cruise prices tend to rise fairly quickly, I'd recommend booking now, and reshopping once onboard. The OBB discounts are taken on the prevailing prices (at the time the OBB is made). If the prices have risen enough, the perks may or may not be cheaper than the price you'll pay by booking now.

Either way, you can get the Costco card by using Costco as your TA.

 

[Travelbug22]

Thanks Princess Shmoo. If I booked with costco now, and the price is still the same onboard, can I booked onboard even i have reservation with costco?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks Princess Shmoo. If I booked with costco now, and the price is still the same onboard, can I booked onboard even i have reservation with costco?

You would make the onboard booking and then cancel the one you already hold. Tell the CM doing the booking that you want to do that, and they will be able to help you keep your same room. It's all done at the same time, so you're not really holding more than one reservation at a time.

 

[CM Dad]

You can book on board, but you will end up with a second reservation. You will just have to have Costco cancel the first one once you get back. NOTE: If you did not book the current cruise with costco, you probably can name them as the TA when you book on board. You would just need to make sure you transfer the reservation to them so that you can get their cash card.

 

[CM Dad]

You would make the onboard booking and then cancel the one you already hold. Tell the CM doing the booking that you want to do that, and they will be able to help you keep your same room. It's all done at the same time, so you're not really holding more than one reservation at a time.

If you are booked through a TA, doesn't the TA need to cancel the original reservation? When I reshopped a B2B, I had to let the TA cancel the original reservations and get the stateroom assign to the new reservations.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If you are booked through a TA, doesn't the TA need to cancel the original reservation? When I reshopped a B2B, I had to let the TA cancel the original reservations and get the stateroom assign to the new reservations.

Sorry, you're correct.

 

[Travelbug22]

Thanks for you help everyone!!

 

[lanejudy]

NOTE: If you did not book the current cruise with costco, you probably can name them as the TA when you book on board. You would just need to make sure you transfer the reservation to them so that you can get their cash card.

Just to clarify...I believe CM Dad meant "If you did not book the current cruise with costco, you probably canNOT name them as TA when you book onboard. ..." This rule took effect within the past year. However, as long as you do that transfer within 30 days of making the reservation you'll be fine.

Enjoy your cruises!

 

[CM Dad]

Just to clarify...I believe CM Dad meant "If you did not book the current cruise with costco, you probably canNOT name them as TA when you book onboard. ..." This rule took effect within the past year. However, as long as you do that transfer within 30 days of making the reservation you'll be fine.

Enjoy your cruises!

You are correct. I meant you can NOT name a travel agent different than the one that you are using for the current cruise.

 

[jtba]

whatever you do, make sure you transfer the reservation to Costco within 30 days. i did a placeholder OBB, and since it didn't have any specific dates attached to it i thought the 30-day rule did not apply. wrong! i was very sad to find out that because it was more than 30 days by the time last week's new itinerary came out, i could not transfer the cruise, so i lost out on the 8% Costco cash card.

oh well, live and learn...

 

[Travelbug22]

Thanks again!! I booked the cruise without TA, hoping it will be easier to cancel when I booked on board. So it wont be double booking. Just to clarify. I can book onboard without travel agent and transfer within 30 day. Do you just call the reservation and let them know you will transfer the booking to costco? Then call costco to check if the reservation is tag to them.