Costco booking questions for tomorrow!

[Peytonthe1st]

I am planning to book the Caribbean on Fantasy in October or November 2015 and since this is our first DCL cruise, I am planning to book tomorrow. We are going to use Costco to get the cash back (8%) card. A couple of questions:

1) Does anyone know what time I can book tomorrow with Costco? i.e. what time do they start answering phones?
2) How long should I anticipate the call lasting? My husband will likely call from work and I feel like I should give him some idea.
3) How helpful are the Costco travel folks? I am planning to have a VERY good idea of what category stateroom we want and maybe one or two dates to compare prices, but will they walk us through it? I am guessing they will not, but would be good to know.
4) How much of a deposit does Coscto require at time of booking?

Thanks!!!

 

[DahliaRW]

Honestly, it's easier to book online and then transfer to costco. Then you can do it yourself and compare.

They don't know a lot about DCL specific stuff. They can check if rooms are available, etc, but don't expect them to know the difference between the 7as and 6as beyond just readin the room description, for example.

The deposit is 20%, no matter where you book.

 

[Peytonthe1st]

Dahlia-

Have you done the book online and transfer to Costco? If I could do that for sure and still get the Costco card that would be preferable as we always book vacations online ourselves.

If I call Costco and know I want either a category 4 or 5 room, but don't necessarily care about the subcategory (i.e. A v. E, etc...) and will most likely allow price for the sub-cat to dictate what I book, is working with Costco on the phone fairly straightforward?

 

[DahliaRW]

Dahlia-

Have you done the book online and transfer to Costco? If I could do that for sure and still get the Costco card that would be preferable as we always book vacations online ourselves.

If I call Costco and know I want either a category 4 or 5 room, but don't necessarily care about the subcategory (i.e. A v. E, etc...) and will most likely allow price for the sub-cat to dictate what I book, is working with Costco on the phone fairly straightforward?

Yes, I just did this for my Norway cruise.

I have not booked directly on the phone with Costco, just transferred, but they were great, no issues. I called and they took my info and emailed me the form. Then I filled it out and sent it back and they sent it to DCL. Once it went through on DCL's end they called me to finalize, go over booking terms, etc. Very straightforward. And yes, I think if you know 4 or 5 they can tell you prices between a and e and such, but all of those are just based on location on the ship, and the lower letter (E) will be the cheapest, usually.

To compare, I went to their website and looked up the same cruise (after transferring) and it showed the same rewards I was getting. So I know they don't discount for transfers.

 

[PopsAndHis2Dwarfs]

I just booked with Costco for my 1st DCL cruise online. Very simple you can even see and pick your cabin.

 

[Matty Ice]

I am planning to book the Caribbean on Fantasy in October or November 2015 and since this is our first DCL cruise, I am planning to book tomorrow. We are going to use Costco to get the cash back (8%) card. A couple of questions:

1) Does anyone know what time I can book tomorrow with Costco? i.e. what time do they start answering phones? Costco Customer Service lines open at 7:00am PDT.
2) How long should I anticipate the call lasting? My husband will likely call from work and I feel like I should give him some idea. I haven't booked with Costco via phone. Just by transferring the res to them and that was very quick.
3) How helpful are the Costco travel folks? I am planning to have a VERY good idea of what category stateroom we want and maybe one or two dates to compare prices, but will they walk us through it? I am guessing they will not, but would be good to know. The Costco reps are extremely helpful, but they will call DCL if there is a specific question they can not answer it.
4) How much of a deposit does Coscto require at time of booking? Same as through DCL, 20%

Thanks!!!

Answers in red.

It's very easy to book online with Costco Travel too.

 

[100AcreWood]

I've booked directly with Costco. Some reps are better than others. I've also booked onboard and then transferred the reservation to Costco as well. Good luck tomorrow! I'm calling too but I'm not feeling too hopeful about the $$ . They just keep going up and I have a limit.

 

[holula]

I have a question about transferring to Costco.

If we transfer a booking to Costco, and then reshop it on board, can we cancel the first reservation with no penalty? I believe the answer is yes but I couldn't find a definite answer. (FWIW, we wouldn't be in a penalty phase to transfer and we are not concierge.)

 

[Peytonthe1st]

Thanks everyone! Feeling a little better about tomorrow.

 

[scrapshappen]

I jumped right on the phone at 7 a.m. pt to book in March when Summer 2015 opened up. Just warning you, I was on the phone for over 2 hours with Costco travel with 90% of that being hold time while the TA was on hold with DCL. Both cruises I've booked with Costco Travel, the agent placed me on hold and called DCL to complete the booking.

I only did it because I was trying to get opening day rates on an Alaskan Cruise by moving an OBB. Apparently, Disney's system went down which caused all kinds of delays. So if I were you, I would jump online as soon as the booking window opens and book your cruise and then in a day or so, call Costco and move it over.

 

[Peytonthe1st]

If I book online instead of calling Costco do I book on Costcos site or DCL? And what time can you book online?

 

[desamnik]

two cruises through Costco, I do it online on their website. You pick your room, you can see accurate pricing, they show you how much each category gives you for a gift card. The gift card was in our mail when we returned! You can pick your dinner seating time then also.

It is so much easier than calling. When you call, they have to go back and forth between you and DCL.

If you have any questions, you can call them after it is booked, it will be a much quicker phone call at that point.

Go poking around on their site, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[maberlyne]

Thank you for posting this! I have a similar question - I have a current cruise booked with the OBC that I wanted to move to one of these newly released itineraries. If I book online, like just through Disney, can I get it transferred to Costco and still retain the discount? (From the prior cruise)

 

[Muushka]

I have a question about transferring to Costco.

If we transfer a booking to Costco, and then reshop it on board, can we cancel the first reservation with no penalty? I believe the answer is yes but I couldn't find a definite answer. (FWIW, we wouldn't be in a penalty phase to transfer and we are not concierge.)

Yes, you can cancel a Costco cruise without a penalty $$.

We booked our Panama Canal cruise with DCL. Transferred it to Costco. Then while onboard a DCL cruise, re-booked the cruise for the discount and OBC. Transferred to to Costco again. Completed the cruise to come home to the gift card! Sweet!

 

[scrapshappen]

Thank you for posting this! I have a similar question - I have a current cruise booked with the OBC that I wanted to move to one of these newly released itineraries. If I book online, like just through Disney, can I get it transferred to Costco and still retain the discount? (From the prior cruise)

Someone might know better than I do, but I think you actually have to pick up the phone and call and transfer that booking to a new date.

 

[coloradocutie]

Someone might know better than I do, but I think you actually have to pick up the phone and call and transfer that booking to a new date.

When summer 2015 came out, I had to call Costco to move our OBB dummy cruise reservation, of which they were listed as the travel agent. I called right after the phone lines opened and waited 50+ minutes to talk to an agent. The agent was very nice, but due to Disney's system going down, she could not transfer my reservation. She had to take my room request, email it to her supervisor who was then going to contact Disney. I heard back from them 6-7 hours later, with the room we were wanting… however, we were choosing a very slow/not in demand cruise.

Maybe things would go more quickly if the Disney system had been up and running… but it did make me think that if I were dead set on a specific room, on a popular cruise, it might be worth it to forgo the OBB credit and only 10% down, and just book online at DCL and then transfer to Costco, just to ensure you do not have to wait on Costco and possibly lose a room you were set on… and to avoid an hour on hold.

Other than that caveat, I have found Costco to be great. Enjoy your cruise!!! and your Costco cash card when you return!

 

[DahliaRW]

Thank you for posting this! I have a similar question - I have a current cruise booked with the OBC that I wanted to move to one of these newly released itineraries. If I book online, like just through Disney, can I get it transferred to Costco and still retain the discount? (From the prior cruise)

Only if you're within the 30 day window that you booked the original cruise, and you'd have to modify it with Disney and then transfer. If you booked on board more than 30 days ago you cannot transfer it.

 

[maberlyne]

Only if you're within the 30 day window that you booked the original cruise, and you'd have to modify it with Disney and then transfer. If you booked on board more than 30 days ago you cannot transfer it.

Is that one of the new rules now? I haven't been following that closely. I'm way past 30 days lol, over a year, so I can't transfer at all?

 

[Ravenne]

Yes, I just did this for my Norway cruise.

I have not booked directly on the phone with Costco, just transferred, but they were great, no issues. I called and they took my info and emailed me the form. Then I filled it out and sent it back and they sent it to DCL. Once it went through on DCL's end they called me to finalize, go over booking terms, etc. Very straightforward. And yes, I think if you know 4 or 5 they can tell you prices between a and e and such, but all of those are just based on location on the ship, and the lower letter (E) will be the cheapest, usually.

To compare, I went to their website and looked up the same cruise (after transferring) and it showed the same rewards I was getting. So I know they don't discount for transfers.

How does that work in regards to the 30 day window? Do they base it on when you call Costco to initiate the switch over to them, or when they receive the paperwork from you, or when all of the paperwork is finalized (as in sent to DCL)? How long does it take? So if you were to call Costco, say, 28 days after the original booking date, would it still be transferable, or would it not work because the paperwork wouldn't be in on time?