Costco Travel - Cannot get through

[SamFaniam]

The Disney phone lines have been swamped for days - it isn’t just today. Disney needs to hire more cast members to handle all the cruise cancellations and rebookings. It isn’t fair to those of us who need to get thru to cancel before a deadline or make a payment before a deadline. This is Disney’s fault for not being able to handle the demand on their phone system.

I understand your frustration and am not a DCL apologist, but what could Disney have done? They would have had to know several weeks ago that cancellations/changes would be offered for a huge number of sailings, then find and train employees. I do not know, but I would guess that DCL probably has as many people as possible manning the phones right now.

 

[meremac]

The agent at Costco told me she was able to help 4 people the day before with DCL changes because they couldn’t get Disney to answer the phone. This is on Disney.

This has not been my experience this week (or last weekend). Sure, wait times are long with every travel supplier right now from airlines to cruise lines to package vendors. But I'm willing to wait (there's lots of other things I can do while I'm waiting) and I've eventually been able to get through to DCL every time I've needed to talk to them since Friday.

 

[KevinFL]

Ah, youre fancy! I dont know about fancy concierge stuff. LOL I hope you can get through soonish and that you enjoy your cruise whenever you get to go.

Personally I cant bring myself to try calling Expedia yet because I just cant summon the will. I keep telling myself that I am really just waiting for my doctors appointment on Thursday but at this point even if the dr said go there are too many other reasons not to go. So, yeah, just dont wanna be on hold for hours. The 19th is when it will start costing me more to cancel and I already know I need to start trying a few days before that. Ugh.

Hehehheee, I love it! Yes, Disney sure does make you pay for it though (the fancy).

Yes I also dreaded the half day phone hold event of rebooking. I made it through 3 hours into a call with Costco on Friday and they were still holding for Disney after they said the Disney rep was transferring them to a different department which made no sense and have never heard of before. Usually when Costco reaches Disney they have them so this 'other' department was probably a Disney overflow stall tactic since they are so swamped.

 

[meremac]

the Disney rep was transferring them to a different department which made no sense and have ever heard of before.

Guest Services or Shoreside Services. Your TA had to call the main phone line first. If all you wanted was to convert your current cruise fare into a placeholder credit for a future cruise, the folks on the main line can do that for your TA. But if you knew exactly what cruise you wanted to reschedule to, they have to transfer your TA to Guest/Shoreside Services to actually complete the rescheduling process.

 

[Gentry2004]

I understand your frustration and am not a DCL apologist, but what could Disney have done? They would have had to know several weeks ago that cancellations/changes would be offered for a huge number of sailings, then find and train employees. I do not know, but I would guess that DCL probably has as many people as possible manning the phones right now.

They can make the changes possible online. What is this, 1995?

 

[princesscinderella]

Unrelated question, but similar enough to not start a new thread...
Does anyone know if Costco is accepting emails for already booked cruises now?
I want to cancel my October one. It's not urgent to cancel it, but since I have to rebook my April cruise, I don't want the October one. I know their phones are out of control and was hoping that they could just cancel the October one and let me know when it's done.

I have logged into Costco travel and cancelled a cruise before paid in full online. It will show up in your booked travel list. It won’t help the poster here who is concierge but you should be able to cancel it online since nothing needs to be moved around.

 

[Gentry2004]

So just to clarify/confirm...if I booked with Costco, I can call Disney directly to have my cruise converted to a placeholder for my amount of cruise credit and then later worry about having Costco rebook me?

We are cruising April 6 and haven’t yet decided but don’t want to risk losing our cruise credits because we can’t get though to Costco on the phone.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I just tried calling Costco as well. My issue isn't emergent so I can wait but yea, the recording said to email them if you are canceling, otherwise call back another time. call disconnected.

I have to say, I totally get they are busy, but that's not really the level of service I expect from Costco. Just to disconnect everyone that calls isn't great.

 

[Gentry2004]

This was my first time booking through Costco and I’m pretty sure it will be my last. Am I required to rebook the new cruise with them?

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

I have to say, I totally get they are busy, but that's not really the level of service I expect from Costco. Just to disconnect everyone that calls isn't great.

I agree, and I’m dreading having to call in a few weeks to rebook my cruise. I am seriously considering not using them again for future cruises.

 

[jmelan]

So just to clarify/confirm...if I booked with Costco, I can call Disney directly to have my cruise converted to a placeholder for my amount of cruise credit and then later worry about having Costco rebook me?

We are cruising April 6 and haven’t yet decided but don’t want to risk losing our cruise credits because we can’t get though to Costco on the phone.

this is correct

disney was able to convert our cruise to a placeholder but said that costco travel would need to call to rebook

 

[Malyficent]

Personally I cant bring myself to try calling Expedia yet because I just cant summon the will. I keep telling myself that I am really just waiting for my doctors appointment on Thursday but at this point even if the dr said go there are too many other reasons not to go. So, yeah, just dont wanna be on hold for hours. The 19th is when it will start costing me more to cancel and I already know I need to start trying a few days before that. Ugh.

Expedia has a call back feature. It keeps your place in line but they call you back. I've used it twice in the last week. Very easy!

 

[monkeydawn]

Thanks! Dreading it 50% less now!

 

[allashore]

We have a final payment due today for August 2020 cruise and are booked through Costco Travel. We are going to reschedule the cruise for a later date. I have called Costco Travel 10 times this a.m. and their message says "they have unprecedented call volume and to call back later".

So unable to make any changes to sailing date with final payment due today; not sure how to deal with this one. Anyone else running into this?

Have you tried calling shoreside? not sure if they will help since it is booked thru costco

 

[cruisehopeful]

I have logged into Costco travel and cancelled a cruise before paid in full online.

Thanks,but I just logged in and it isn't giving me that option. It's only showing that I can pay it off today, make an additional payment or change my final payment information. It would have been so much nicer and easier to be able to just cancel it without doing a long phone call.

 

[lanejudy]

This was my first time booking through Costco and I’m pretty sure it will be my last. Am I required to rebook the new cruise with them?

No, you can have a placeholder or OBB without a TA. After you get home, you can then transfer it to another TA if you choose, or keep it without a TA.

oops! Just realized you may be asking about a rescheduled cruise - that would remain with Costco if you take the credit/reschedule option. I can’t recall if you might be able to cancel for a partial refund - if so, you do not need to use Costco for a future booking.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Gentry2004]

No, you can have a placeholder or OBB without a TA. After you get home, you can then transfer it to another TA if you choose, or keep it without a TA.

oops! Just realized you may be asking about a rescheduled cruise - that would remain with Costco if you take the credit/reschedule option. I can’t recall if you might be able to cancel for a partial refund - if so, you do not need to use Costco for a future booking.

Enjoy your cruise!

Yes it’s a rescheduled cruise. I’m in the 75% penalty now. So I guess I’m stuck with Costco then.

 

[Dug720]

Right, but Costco is swamped because they are on hold with DCL!

And any number of other cruise lines, airlines, etc. They don't only book Disney.

 

[LovesBelle]

called costco travel exactly at open time, put on hold for exactly 3 hours, then received message they cannot take calls today, call disconnected

disney is able to put cruise in placeholder status without costco but costco needs to rebook another date

right now, dealing with costco is impossible

if you cannot call exactly at open and get through, then it seems they are not taking any disney calls at all right now

That is awful. I have had similar experiences for four days now. It is ridiculous that we can’t do this online.

 

[LovesBelle]

Expedia has a call back feature. It keeps your place in line but they call you back. I've used it twice in the last week. Very easy!

Costco claims to have this feature. I have tried it for the past four days and have yet to receive a call back.