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Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. 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. You can, however, use a future cruise credit from a cruise line to pay for all or part of your Costco cruise. Your shop card amount will be determined by the cost of the cruise fare, not how you pay for it. So, if you use FCC to pay for your entire sailing, you will still get the shop card based on the invoice price.
I'm really curious about Costco Travel
For folks who prefer to vacation at sea, Costco cruise deals can be among the most lucrative offers you can find. Getting a Costco membership could be one of the smartest financial decisions you ever make. Not only do you get the opportunity to save on groceries and household items, but you also get access to special seasonal discounts that can help you budget for purchases you might not otherwise afford. Traditionally, I haven't had a lot of money available in my budget for travel, and as such, tended to be more of a road tripper. But looking at the available Costco packages for destinations such as Greece and Fiji has me dreaming of saving up the cash and letting someone else handle all the planning for me. If the money I save on a Costco vacation adds up to more than $60 (and this seems likely), a membership will have paid for itself.
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This cot would normally sell for $56.99, but you can get $11 off when you purchase it before the epic savings event ends. The Ascent is a Motley Fool service that rates and reviews essential products for your everyday money matters. If you're new to cruising or unsure of what you want, Costco might not be the best travel agency for you. "I think a first time cruiser would be better off using an agency that walks them through everything," says NoVa Mimi, who books all her cruises exclusively through Costco.
Costco cruise cancellation policy
Although we know (and love) Costco warehouses for their bulk bargains, not all categories at Costco require plus-sized buys. (Think jeans, mattresses and wine, which can be purchased individually.) Cruises are the same. You won't need to book multiple cabins or cruises in bulk to score these deals. Deal hunters know that Costco Travel is an under-the-radar hit for finding travel deals.
Travel hammock
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. Lead-in rates were occasionally for guarantee rooms (where the cruise line picks your cabin), even when I thought I was choosing a regular cabin type. If you're not given a cabin number and you want control over your stateroom location, click the link to choose another room or cabin category. You can click on Kirkland Signature or Buyer's Choice deals to see featured offers, but they don't necessarily account for all of Costco's best deals. The main benefit of booking a cruise through Costco is that every booking comes with a Digital Costco Shop Card and/or onboard credit.
However, if you already have a membership and are planning a cruise, it's definitely worth seeing what the warehouse club is offering in terms of pricing and perks for the sailing you're contemplating. You might find a great deal and get a shop card to spend when you return home from vacation. Costco cruises are priced competitively, especially when you factor in the shop card or shipboard credit available with every purchase. Some cruises will be exceptionally good deals, especially ones that come with lots of complimentary extras.
7 Things You Didn't Know About Costco Travel - Money Talks News
7 Things You Didn't Know About Costco Travel.
Posted: Mon, 11 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
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. A six-night Mexico cruise on Carnival Miracle, departing from Los Angeles Oct. 8, was listed as $584 for a balcony cabin on Carnival and $564 on Costco. I was not surprised to see that you could book Disney cruises through Costco, but they are not eligible for either Kirkland Signature or Buyer's Choice deals.
Combine that with generally friendly service from the warehouse club's travel agents, and you might have another way to get maximum value out of your membership. During spring and summer, for example, Costco frequently runs epic savings events on outdoor equipment, furniture, and hiking gear. Often, these discounts are for big purchases, not bulk products or grocery items you'd purchase monthly.
Cobranded Cards
If you like the idea of camping, but hate the idea of sleeping on the ground, a folding camp cot could give you the feeling of a bed but with the sounds of the outdoors. This particular Hidden Wild XL Folding Camp Cot folds out and locks into place, thus requiring almost no setup. It can accommodate one person (maximum weight of 350 pounds) and fit in most two person tents.
If you need to change or cancel your Costco cruise, you may be subject to fees or forfeit your deposit or portion of your cruise fare, according to each cruise line's rules. I noticed a few things as I road-tested Costco's booking tool and compared it to the cruise lines' versions. The difference before the perks was $348, plus you get roughly $200 in value from the perks alone. But keep in mind Costco will have plenty more spring and summer sales. So, if these outdoor items don't interest you, keep your eyes peeled for more great savings opportunities in the future. When we checked, a Costco "savor and spa" cruise aboard Anthem of the Seas offered similar value.
Ultimately, savings will vary based on the specific itinerary, departure date and room you choose. Some deals were only available on close-in sailings or specific sail dates. In general, though, pricing was competitive with the cruise lines, and often the value-adds gave Costco the edge. Like the warehouses, to access Costco's cruise discounts, you'll need to pony up for membership -- $60 per household at the basic level.
With a policy like that, I feel better about contemplating a Costco membership later this year. Because 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. "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." Its cruise change and cancellation policies are simply what the cruise lines put in place themselves. Costco wasn't always clear about whether all sail dates and cabin categories were eligible for deals.
My two big reasons for contemplating a Costco membership are pretty compelling, but one big hurdle remains. I don't live especially close to a Costco location -- my closest one is about 50 miles away. This means I can't just run over there whenever I want, there would have to be some degree of planning involved. As such, I don't expect to visit Costco often, and would likely target a trip every other month or so. If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.
Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team. Thankfully, joining Costco isn't a financial risk for me -- or indeed, for anyone. A basic membership costs just $60 per year, and if I absorb that credit card hit and it turns out not to be worth it for me, I can lean on Costco's exemplary return policy. Costco will cancel and refund a membership fee at any time if you're not satisfied.
That's free money for you to spend, either in a Costco warehouse or on the ship – especially as Costco cruises typically have competitive fares. It's not like you're paying more than you would by booking directly and getting the difference in Costco money. What are the benefits of booking a cruise through Costco, and how do Costco's cruise prices compare with cruise line pricing? Since I have a household of one human and three cats, it's unlikely that I'll be taking advantage of Costco's deals on fresh produce and dairy products even after I move into a house. However, I am planning to get a second refrigerator or possibly a chest freezer for my basement, which opens the door to deals on frozen food from Costco. After more than two years of dreaming, planning, paying off debt, and saving for a down payment, I'm finally buying a house in 2024.
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