![]() ![]() Instead, you'll see discounts in the form of extra perks.Ĭommon types of booking incentives include free beverage packages, specialty dining and shipboard credits - a rebate that shows up as a credit to your onboard bill at the start of your cruise and can be used for drinks, specialty dining, spa treatments or shore excursions. "We get around 8 percent back in onboard credits, which are refundable, so if we don't use them we get a credit back on our credit card."īecause the cruise industry aims to enforce pricing parity across all booking channels, discounts don't usually appear in the upfront cruise fare. "Costco is usually the best deal," says KirkNC, who is careful to compare multiple outlets before locking in a fare. The land of the $1.50 hot dog-and-soda meal is also a key source of cruise value for many Cruise Critic members. Meanwhile, discounts on more expensive cruises or multiple cabins can amount to hundreds of dollars. But the savings on a typical cruise booking for two will usually cover that annual fee. Like the warehouses, to access Costco's cruise discounts, you'll need to pony up for membership - $60 per household at the basic level. There's no hard sell (phone reps are not on commission), cruise cancellations are handled efficiently and without hassle, and the invoicing is clear and easy to read. You won't need to book multiple cabins or cruises in bulk to score these deals.Ĭostco Travel does not sell every cruise line, but it does handle all of the largest brands, including Carnival. ![]() (Think jeans, mattresses and wine, which can be purchased individually.) Cruises are the same. (Air can be packaged with cruises, but Costco does not sell air by itself.)Īlthough we know (and love) Costco warehouses for their bulk bargains, not all categories at Costco require plus-sized buys. The business is focused on just four travel "verticals": car rentals, hotels, vacation packages and cruises. The call center now has a staff of 250 selling cruises, though many bookings are completed online at. Yes, You Can Book Cruises Through CostcoĬostco started its travel subsidiary in 2000, according to Jody Zegers, a cruise buyer for Costco Travel. Intrigued? Here are five things you don't know about booking a Costco cruise - and why Costco Travel is my first - and usually last - stop when shopping for a cruise. Savvy cruisers, including many Cruise Critic members, have saved big by booking cruises through Costco. But more often than not, when shipboard credits and other incentives were tallied, Costco Travel came out as low as, or lower than, other options.Īnd I'm not the only one finding great pricing. I've booked direct with cruise lines, used traditional brick-and-mortar travel agencies and gone through online travel suppliers like Expedia, Vacations To Go and American Discount Cruises. That's been my experience when booking my own cruises, as well as sailings for family and friends. Did you also know that Costco Travel, the big-box chain's in-house travel agency, is a go-to source for some of the best cruise deals on the seven seas? I turned everything over to my agent who planned accommodations and flights and all I had to do was make a phone call and do a final approval.You know Costco for cheap gas, roasted chickens and mayonnaise by the gallon. I could have easily planned a family trip there but we were taking the kids and I didn't have time to do a bunch of research on condos, etc. We have been to Maui more times than I have fingers to count. When I need to book something but am short on time. An agent will also make sure I have the proper documents and inoculations. When we spent 2 weeks traveling the Amalfi Coast, my agent got us between all the cities and back to the airport in plenty of time and not at a breakneck pace. They have the experience to get you around an area as efficiently as possible. If I'm spending several weeks or just have many stops on a trip, I use a travel agent. Examples for me have been Hong Kong, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.Ĭomplicated itinerary. If I don't know where the best place in a city to stay or the best way to get to and from the airport or the best airport to fly in and out of, a trusted travel agent can help with that and arrange for the best way (for me it is often a private driver) to get to where I'm going and the most centralized place to stay. ![]()
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