booking through DCL vs. Costco?

[emmabelle]

We're looking at a cruise out of Miami on the Magic in May. If I go through Costco I can get a $140 Costco cash card. Is there any reason I would want to go through DCL instead?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

No.

 

[kiford]

Not really. Some people prefer not to use a TA because they own the reservation instead of the TA. But that's only relevant if you're making changes to room, dates, names, etc. If you don't own the reservation you have to go through your TA to do those types of things. You can still do on-line check-in, all of the booking for adult dining, tastings, ticketed events, and port tours yourself. We always go through a TA not so much for anything they give us (we don't get much) but because: (a) I don't feel like camping on the phone for ages to make bookings for cruise, transfers and/or hotels or anything else; (b) if there is a problem, I have one person to call to get stuff sorted out and they not only know more than me but they have a bigger stick than little me does.

When going with a TA you do want to make sure that they are knowledgeable about DCL, easy to contact when you need them and quick to respond.

 

[Shanti]

We're looking at a cruise out of Miami on the Magic in May. If I go through Costco I can get a $140 Costco cash card. Is there any reason I would want to go through DCL instead?

Unless you're the independent type, no. A lot of posters on DIS use Costco or other TA's for their cruises & like it.

I'm the type who likes to be able to easily make changes when I want to make them, & personally control everything so I get exactly what I want, so I book myself via DCL. I've taken 2 DCL cruises & have 2 more to take within the next 6 months, and I've had no problems booking them all myself via DCL. It's easy to do.

But if booking yourself doesn't appeal to you, use a TA or Costco and get some cash back.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

FWIW, you do need to be independent to use Costco as your TA, You don't have a single point of contact to the TA. You won't be able to ask "which stateroom should I book and why?" None of that.

But if you know what room you want and have otherwise simple needs, Costco works. You get to check in on your own, book your own stuff, etc. And get bonus hummus after the cruise! Executive members also get an additional 2% cash back on the cost of the cruise, which is $$$ nice.

 

[dcassetta]

The cash card is nice. The only time booking with Costco is an issue, is if you want to do something that involves money - per-pay tips, change a stateroom, add transfers. In those cases, you call Costco and then the Costco agent calls Disney.

 

[cvjw]

You get the costco cash card PLUS 2% back on the cost of the cruise if you are an executive costco member PLUS 3% back if you use the costco credit card.

I have booked several cruises with costco, and never had any issues. I have changed staterooms, etc where costco had to call Disney cruise lines. It took a minute more, but the cash back more than made up for the inconvenience.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you want your hand held, don’t use Costco. The booking process is almost exactky like booking through dcl.

If you’re ever going to look for a different room or an upgrade ONLY look during hours that Costco Travel is open. Don’t torment yourself by looking at 2am. They aren’t open and they can’t help you and neither can Disney. Dream of upgrades and changes when they are open and able to help you. (Same goes for any TA though)

 

[emmabelle]

Thanks for the replies! We've taken 13 cruises, one being Disney and I usually don't change anything. Maybe I will go the Costco way. I do like their Kirkland Kcups.

 

[Billinaz]

The cash card is nice. The only time booking with Costco is an issue, is if you want to do something that involves money - per-pay tips, change a stateroom, add transfers. In those cases, you call Costco and then the Costco agent calls Disney.

You can pre pay tips, add money to your stateroom account without going through Costco. You just fax or email in the same form that has the stateroom celebrations. On the bottom right is a place where you can add money to the stateroom account. You just get the form to DCL.

 

[Billinaz]

Thanks for the replies! We've taken 13 cruises, one being Disney and I usually don't change anything. Maybe I will go the Costco way. I do like their Kirkland Kcups.

They give the best in incentives. It works out to 8.5% of your cruise cost. The higher the cost, the greater the card. Our next 2 cruises we get a card worth $1045.

 

[Billinaz]

If you want your hand held, don’t use Costco. The booking process is almost exactky like booking through dcl.

If you’re ever going to look for a different room or an upgrade ONLY look during hours that Costco Travel is open. Don’t torment yourself by looking at 2am. They aren’t open and they can’t help you and neither can Disney. Dream of upgrades and changes when they are open and able to help you. (Same goes for any TA though)

You can book online with costcotravel 24/7. You can also book with DCL and transfer to Costco within 30 days to get the cash card.

 

[bumbershoot]

You can book online with costcotravel 24/7. You can also book with DCL and transfer to Costco within 30 days to get the cash card.

I’m talking about changing the reservation to a new room after you’ve booked. Not making a new reservation. Costco’s gotta be awake and available to make a change to the room.

 

[EGHopeful]

If you are not a first time cruiser is using Costco still worth it? I'm going on my 3rd cruise in just under 2 weeks and I'm going to put a deposit down for an Alaska cruise. I get 10% off with Disney but a nice cash card with Costco but I CANNOT use a prebooked cruise. I think in this case booking with Disney gives a better discount unless I misread Costco's rules when booking onboard DCL. Anyone know or have done this before?

 

[EGHopeful]

They give the best in incentives. It works out to 8.5% of your cruise cost. The higher the cost, the greater the card. Our next 2 cruises we get a card worth $1045.

Can I assume you did NOT take the 10% offer from DCL and book onboard? I'm trying to see if getting both is an option. If not I'd rather get the 10% Disney gives me by booking onboard.

 

[FigmentSpark]

If you are not a first time cruiser is using Costco still worth it? I'm going on my 3rd cruise in just under 2 weeks and I'm going to put a deposit down for an Alaska cruise. I get 10% off with Disney but a nice cash card with Costco but I CANNOT use a prebooked cruise. I think in this case booking with Disney gives a better discount unless I misread Costco's rules when booking onboard DCL. Anyone know or have done this before?

My understanding is you still get the Costco card, because you will have Costco named as your TA, or you can transfer the cruise to them within 30 days of booking on board. That's what we did.

We had used another TA that didn't give perks, so when I booked on board, I said to leave it as 'no TA'. Then, when I got home, I transferred that to Costco.

 

[Geomom]

If you are not a first time cruiser is using Costco still worth it? I'm going on my 3rd cruise in just under 2 weeks and I'm going to put a deposit down for an Alaska cruise. I get 10% off with Disney but a nice cash card with Costco but I CANNOT use a prebooked cruise. I think in this case booking with Disney gives a better discount unless I misread Costco's rules when booking onboard DCL. Anyone know or have done this before?

I'm assuming you have a placeholder with Disney from your last cruise? If the placeholder reservation is transferred within 30 days you get both the 10% off Disney OBB, the $100 or $200 OBC from Disney, AND whatever your TA will give you--which for Costco is the cashcard.

 

[Billinaz]

If you are not a first time cruiser is using Costco still worth it? I'm going on my 3rd cruise in just under 2 weeks and I'm going to put a deposit down for an Alaska cruise. I get 10% off with Disney but a nice cash card with Costco but I CANNOT use a prebooked cruise. I think in this case booking with Disney gives a better discount unless I misread Costco's rules when booking onboard DCL. Anyone know or have done this before?

You can do it a couple of ways.

When you do a placeholder onboard, you can tell them then that Costco is your TA. The other way is to say no TA and transfer it within 30 days.

This way you get:

10% off (not for concierge level rooms)
The OBB credit
8.5% cash card from Costco
and if you are an executive member another 2% back from costco. In our case, it more than pays for itself with the cruise alone.

 

[MillauFr]

We always use Costco Travel for Disney Cruises. Still don't understand why you wouldn't get an equal discount by booking directly with Disney Cruise though.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

We always use Costco Travel for Disney Cruises. Still don't understand why you wouldn't get an equal discount by booking directly with Disney Cruise though.

Because TAs get a commission. When you book direct the commission is "paid" to Disney. Costco share their commission with members.