Book with TA or not?

[TeeDisney1025]

We will be trying to book tomorrow with DVC. Should I use TA or just call myself and my sister?
I'd like to use my TA but if I get through sooner, what can I do to give credit to her?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We will be trying to book tomorrow with DVC. Should I use TA or just call myself and my sister?
I'd like to use my TA but if I get through sooner, what can I do to give credit to her?

You can book direct with DCL and then transfer the booking to your TA. Be aware, if your TA gives OBC for using her, often it will be less booking direct and then transferring.

It's your call as to how you want to do it. A TA can sit on the phone just like you may have to. But, be sure your TA knows what you want (and 2nd & 3rd choices, also).

 

[Shanti]

We will be trying to book tomorrow with DVC. Should I use TA or just call myself and my sister?
I'd like to use my TA but if I get through sooner, what can I do to give credit to her?

I book the cruises myself, then transfer them to Costco to get an 8.5% cash card back, which I can have completely converted to cash at their customer service desk. It's a great way to save money. Costco gives the same % back whether they book the cruise, or if you book it & transfer it to them within 30 days.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I book the cruises myself, then transfer them to Costco to get an 8.5% cash card back, which I can have completely converted to cash at their customer service desk. It's a great way to save money. Costco gives the same % back whether they book the cruise, or if you book it & transfer it to them within 30 days.

There's a little discussion going on regarding this. Apparently Costco has changed their wording regarding the gift card and whether you can still get it when transferring the reservation later. https://www.disboards.com/threads/s...-card-for-first-timers.3709398/#post-59808213

 

[TeeDisney1025]

Thanks for the replies! I think my sister and I will just get on phone tomorrow morning and cross fingers!

 

[MelSpees]

Thanks for the replies! I think my sister and I will just get on phone tomorrow morning and cross fingers!

You can also book online.

 

[MillauFr]

Agreed. Book online. Too much chance someone could make a mistake typing in your reservation. I prefer to do it myself online at CostcoTravel.com. No reason ever to make a phone call.

 

[over50visits]

If you do decide to use a TA, I prefer one who will answer the phone and talk to me. Some cruisers are happy with a TA that will only work via email, will not talk to them on the phone, but for me that is no better than just booking online. I like the personal touch of a TA that I can talk to, go over options, and have the feeling they think I'm a person, not a email address. But, to each his own...

 

[bumbershoot]

We will be trying to book tomorrow with DVC.

Wait. If you’re using Dvc points then Dvc is the TA as far as I know. If you’re booking a Dvc cruise I still think you have to go through Dvc.

 

[_19disnA]

Most websites now online let you do basically what only a Travel Agent used to be able to do in the past. Unless you get some kind of extra discount for using them, I can't think of many other reasons to not book the trip on your own. Unless your Agent has a lot of specific knowledge of your vacation destination, I would just do it myself. When we did use one many years ago, we found they didn't know any more than we did about the place we were planning to visit and added zero value for us.

 

[CM Dad]

Most websites now online let you do basically what only a Travel Agent used to be able to do in the past. Unless you get some kind of extra discount for using them, I can't think of many other reasons to not book the trip on your own. Unless your Agent has a lot of specific knowledge of your vacation destination, I would just do it myself. When we did use one many years ago, we found they didn't know any more than we did about the place we were planning to visit and added zero value for us.

It does not cost you anything to use a TA. I have been on 17 DCL cruises and I think I used a TA for all except the first cruise. That one was booked while I had daughters working for WDW and we were able to cruise using their discount.
I like letting them spend time on hold with DCL, rather than me. As far as I know, you still cannot move a placeholder reservation to an actual cruise date online. Our TA is the one on hold on platinum booking day trying to book us our cruise.
The extra stateroom credit is an added bonus.

 

[disneylove69]

I use a TA for cruise for the OBC.

 

[southerngirl528]

There's a little discussion going on regarding this. Apparently Costco has changed their wording regarding the gift card and whether you can still get it when transferring the reservation later. https://www.disboards.com/threads/s...-card-for-first-timers.3709398/#post-59808213

I had seen that thread, PrincessShmoo and read it with interest as I had just booked an OBB placeholder last month and had planned on booking on opening day w/DCL for Hawaii 2020 and then transfer to Costco Travel. I have NEVER used a TA. Not once. I have been booking travel for myself and family as well as for others for many years because I enjoy it. But being a longtime avid Costco member, I wanted to transfer my newly booked (booked on platinum release date) cruise to Costco, which I did. (feels REALLY weird to pull up my DCL rez and see the "talk to your TA" message. LOL) I SPECIFICALLY asked the guy I spoke w/at Costco Travel if they could still issue me the cash card since I had booked my placeholder w/DCL and was later transferring to them. He verified YES, that I would definitely still be getting the Costco cash card after I take my cruise. SO I have a looooong time to wait to make sure that comes to fruition!

I have to call them today with a quick question, so I'm going to ask whomever I get today as well. I'll post here what they say.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I had seen that thread, PrincessShmoo and read it with interest as I had just booked an OBB placeholder last month and had planned on booking on opening day w/DCL for Hawaii 2020 and then transfer to Costco Travel. I have NEVER used a TA. Not once. I have been booking travel for myself and family as well as for others for many years because I enjoy it. But being a longtime avid Costco member, I wanted to transfer my newly booked (booked on platinum release date) cruise to Costco, which I did. (feels REALLY weird to pull up my DCL rez and see the "talk to your TA" message. LOL) I SPECIFICALLY asked the guy I spoke w/at Costco Travel if they could still issue me the cash card since I had booked my placeholder w/DCL and was later transferring to them. He verified YES, that I would definitely still be getting the Costco cash card after I take my cruise. SO I have a looooong time to wait to make sure that comes to fruition!

I have to call them today with a quick question, so I'm going to ask whomever I get today as well. I'll post here what they say.

I'm thinking they've change that wordage, but aren't actually implementing it yet. Once it's been in place for a while they MIGHT start enforcing it. Or individual Costos could invoke it, possibly, as they see fit.

 

[southerngirl528]

I'm thinking they've change that wordage, but aren't actually implementing it yet. Once it's been in place for a while they MIGHT start enforcing it. Or individual Costos could invoke it, possibly, as they see fit.

As to whether individual Costco's will cash out the issued Costco Cash Card one receives post sailing, from what we have seen here on the boards, as you know, some location apparently allow that and some do not.

*What I DID just learn from Costco Travel (literally just hung up from talking with the NICEST young man!), is that they DO still issue a cash card for cruises booked with Costco Travel, including one like mine, where I booked a placeholder OBB then booked w/DCL and THEN transferred to Costco Travel within that required 30 day window.

And to make it all the better, they fired off a new email confirmation for my cruise and it states in writing that I will receive a $545 Costco Cash Card post sailing. WOOHOO!!!!! So, I can tell you that I surely feel better having that in WRITING! So good news for those of us that love Costco and want to do the transfer to them!

 

[Dug720]

I'm thinking they've change that wordage, but aren't actually implementing it yet. Once it's been in place for a while they MIGHT start enforcing it. Or individual Costos could invoke it, possibly, as they see fit.

I’m wondering if the difference is that the reports we are seeing of “still getting it” are placeholders, so someone at Costco still had to do the work of calling.

Has anyone booked an actual cruise date (NOT a placeholder) where Costco had to do ZERO work who is getting it?

 

[southerngirl528]

I’m wondering if the difference is that the reports we are seeing of “still getting it” are placeholders, so someone at Costco still had to do the work of calling.

Has anyone booked an actual cruise date (NOT a placeholder) where Costco had to do ZERO work who is getting it?

Good question. I booked my own placeholder so all Costco has done is simply send DC the paperwork required to transfer the cruise from DCL to Costco Travel. Costco has done zero work for my cruise other than fax that piece of paper I sent them.

 

[Shanti]

I’m wondering if the difference is that the reports we are seeing of “still getting it” are placeholders, so someone at Costco still had to do the work of calling.

Has anyone booked an actual cruise date (NOT a placeholder) where Costco had to do ZERO work who is getting it?

I have but it was a few months ago. I am getting the discount for it, too.

 

[Dug720]

I have but it was a few months ago. I am getting the discount for it, too.

It will be interesting to see if this holds true with future reservations with the new wording.

 

[ChipNDale86]

Wait. If you’re using Dvc points then Dvc is the TA as far as I know. If you’re booking a Dvc cruise I still think you have to go through Dvc.

Yeah I'm almost sure that if you are using DVC points you can't also use a TA. We usually use a TA but we were looking to book a cruise next summer for the whole family, one room with points and the rest w/ cash and our TA told us she could only assist with the 'cash' reservations and we'd have to do everything through DVC for the 'points' reservation.