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Costco offers these benefits to their customers on select cruises; executive-level Costco members usually receive even greater credits. Booked direct through the cruise line, a the lowest-priced balcony cabin came to $1,894 per person, including a $100 onboard credit offer. Something else to consider when booking hotels through Costco Travel is loyalty program rewards and elite status.
Everything you need to know about Costco Travel — and why I love it for saving money
Costco and Disney partner on major vacation offers for travelers - TheStreet
Costco and Disney partner on major vacation offers for travelers.
Posted: Tue, 16 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
I've found that the Costco Travel deals alone are worth paying the $60 Gold Star annual membership fee, even though I don't regularly use Costco for my grocery store runs. Once you log in to Costco Travel, you can search for specific dates or destinations or browse through available deals and featured destinations. I personally love perusing the limited-time deals when I know I want to plan a getaway but don't have a specific destination in mind.
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Costco does not assign a specific agent to your booking, so you're unlikely to talk to the same call center representative twice. And since Hotel Wailea isn't a member of any major hotel loyalty program, booking through Costco Travel wouldn't mean missing out on elite night credits or other loyalty program benefits. Costco isn't just the place where you can buy toilet paper in bulk, inexpensive gas, cheap hot dogs and gift cards. I am typically a staunch proponent of booking directly, but Costco Travel is an exception. I've found that the benefits I can get by booking some trips via Costco outweigh the cons (some of which include having to go through Costco for any customer service help or occasionally losing out on elite night credits).
Deals on non-points hotel stays and all-inclusive resorts
Here's another example — this time for a Universal Orlando theme park trip from June 4-6 for one adult and two children from Houston. The total cost when booking each part (hotel, tickets and airfare) individually came to $2,701.35, while booking it as a package via Costco saved just over $300. Unlike a typical travel agent, Costco Travel also offers rebates issued as Costco Cash Cards. There's no rebate form to fill out; the cash card arrives in the mail two to four weeks after your cruise, to be used at Costco's warehouses or for online orders.
And, as anyone who regularly shops at Costco knows, it doesn't take long to blow through a few hundred dollars in gas fill-ups alone. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don’t cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. The Digital Costco Shop Cards can be used for Costco warehouse purchases (a game changer with grocery prices so high due to inflation), but you can also use them toward future Costco Travel bookings. You could use a Digital Costco Shop Card to buy a new flat-screen TV for movie nights and game days, a new outdoor patio setup ahead of summer or even Costco Pharmacy prescriptions.
Do you have to be a Costco member to use Costco Travel?
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. 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. First-time cruisers who need a little more handholding to understand cabin and dining options might benefit by working with a traditional travel agent.
Having reservation information for multiple aspects of a trip, such as a hotel and rental car package, makes sharing and saving the itineraries a breeze. Costco Travel has a nice deals section, and I usually look there first if I'm not sold on a specific destination for a getaway. While deals found on Costco generally have a narrow booking window, I've found that many offer a lot of flexibility for the actual trip dates. I admittedly don't use Costco for groceries often (buying in bulk doesn't make a lot of sense for someone who lives alone), but I have used shop cards to help pay for Christmas presents and future Costco Travel trips. I've actually been looking into using my most recent Digital Costco Shop Card on a new pair of AirPods and a new TV mount for my living room.
While Costco had a deal available for the same resort, we happened to be booking when the resort chain was having a Mother's Day sale for anyone booking directly. We were able to try out a new TRS resort closer to Playa Del Carmen, TRS Yucatan; we saved more than $100 on an even nicer suite than Costco Travel offered by booking directly (even when considering the Digital Shop Card we would have gotten by booking with Costco). "We had already decided on where we were going, but we were flexible on the travel date and ship," said Ostrander. While the disadvantage of a cash card over a shipboard credit is that Costco hangs onto your rebate for a month longer, the payoff is usually greater.
All Costco members have access to the Costco Travel booking platform, where you can find and book a wide range of travel — from vacation packages to hotels, cruises and rental cars. You can even book theme park vacation packages to Disney and Universal or specialty vacations such as an African safari. Vacation packages range from hotel-only offers to all-encompassing packages that include airfare, hotel stays and rental cars.
Savvy cruisers, including many Cruise Critic members, have saved big by booking cruises through Costco. 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. Whether or not you currently have a Costco membership, you shouldn't dismiss Costco Travel as just another online travel agency.
When we checked, a Costco "savor and spa" cruise aboard Anthem of the Seas offered similar value. Another member, RSF Cruiser, has booked about two Princess cruises a year for the past five years and has been "totally pleased." For me, the $60 annual membership fee to Costco has been more than worth it to utilize Costco Travel. Costco Travel does not sell every cruise line, but it does handle all of the largest brands, including Carnival. 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.
My favorite thing about booking trips through Costco Travel is the Digital Costco Shop Card I get after booking. The card's value varies from trip to trip (generally depending on how expensive the package you book), but you can get hundreds of dollars back to use at Costco. You'll also have to use Costco customer service if you run into any issues rather than going directly to the brand. This is especially important when considering booking a vacation package that includes flights, given the higher potential for delays or cancellations.
If you're on the hunt for a long weekend getaway, you may not be able to take advantage of some Costco Travel deals. For instance, sailings marked "Buyer's Choice" or "Kirkland Signature" come with extra perks and amenities, exclusive to Costco members. After booking our fantastic stay at TRS Coral just north of Cancun through Costco, I looked at booking through Costco again in 2023 when planning our annual beach vacation.
