costco travel cruise shore excursions

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In this article: .

• Booking pre/post-cruise hotel  
• Adding port transfers
• Shore excursions
• Arriving at port

Check-in may also be available at the cruise port, with a recommended arrival of about 3-4 hours before departure. Contact the cruise line at least 30 days before departure to verify this option. 

• Be aware of the distance from the hotel to the cruise port; transfers aren't included in these hotel reservations
• Book a pre/post-cruise package, which can include flights, transfers, and hotels, by calling us.
• 1-888-691-2530 , Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. ET
• Shore Excursion Group

You must contact the ship if you anticipate arrival less than 60 minutes before the published sailing time; their emergency contact information is on your electronic documents. You may also call the cruise line directly.

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Related Answers

• Making Changes to Your Cruise
• Cruise Add Ons for a Fee
• Shipboard Credit

Costco cruise deals: How to save money booking travel at a warehouse club

Deal hunters know that Costco Travel is an under-the-radar hit for finding travel deals. For folks who prefer to vacation at sea, Costco cruise deals can be among the most lucrative offers you can find.

That's because low fares and value-added extras are hallmarks of Costco cruise bookings. 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.

What are the benefits of booking a cruise through Costco, and how do Costco's cruise prices compare with cruise line pricing? I went online to road-test the booking platform. Here's what I learned.

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Benefits of booking a cruise through Costco

First things first (because I've seen people misinterpret this): a Costco cruise is a sailing booked through Costco Travel. Costco does not operate its own branded cruise line where the buffet line serves Kirkland hot dogs and churros and all cabins are equipped with Lovesac beanbag chairs. (That would be epic, though.)

Related: 5 unexpected places that sell cruises

The main benefit of booking a cruise through Costco is that every booking comes with a Digital Costco Shop Card and/or onboard credit.

Also, if you're an Executive Member, you earn 2% back on qualifying Costco purchases (up to $1,000), including many travel purchases. With cruises, you'd earn the 2% back on the cruise fare but not on the taxes, fees, auto-gratuities, other surcharges and trip protection.

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.

This brings me to my second point. Typically, Costco Travel offers competitive rates on cruises, so you can either find a discounted deal or at least pay a similar rate offered by other travel sellers.

Finally, Costco offers "Buyer's Choice" and "Kirkland Signature" cruise deals, which offer "exclusive savings and included extras," according to the Costco Cruises website. The added-value perks vary by cruise line but may include shipboard credit, complimentary dinners and spa treatments on board and special wine and culinary theme cruise access with exclusive meals, tastings and demos.

My quick search through these deals revealed that Costco's Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line cruises usually have the most added freebies. Norwegian cruises even feature free perks, such as a photo package or spa credit, that are combinable with the line's Free at Sea value-adds offered to everyone. Celebrity cruise deals were the ones centered around food-and-wine theme cruise perks, while Costco Carnival cruise deals typically offer both onboard credit and a Costco shop card.

Related: The best cruise booking perks – and which ones are actually free

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.

Costco cruise prices

Costco Travel boasts "exclusive Costco member rates," but are you really getting a deal? I priced out three sailings on different cruise lines to see how much you could potentially save by booking a Costco cruise.

I started with a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean 's Harmony of the Seas, departing Sept. 9.

Costco listed balcony cabins from $784 per person. Booking perks included $50 onboard credit per room, one meal for two people in a specialty restaurant and a Costco shop card. Royal Caribbean listed rates starting from $833 per person on the same departure.

The cheapest balcony cabins where I could pick a cabin were Boardwalk-facing balcony cabins (inward-facing balconies toward the back of the ship) on Deck 14. Costco's final price for the two-person cabin was $1,849.56, plus a $95 shop card and the dining and credit perks. Royal Caribbean's final price was $2,197.56, with no perks.

Both prices included taxes and fees. The difference before the perks was $348, plus you get roughly $200 in value from the perks alone.

Related: Costco lovers: Consider the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi

Next, I priced out a Carnival cruise , which didn't offer as many extra perks.

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.

Carnival offered $50 onboard credit per room, and Costco offered a $70 shop card and possibly some shipboard credit, but it wasn't clear the way the fine print was written.

Final prices worked out to $1,478.40 on Carnival (for two people sharing a cabin) and $1,444.40 on Costco. The Costco cruise deal was slightly better, especially if it really did come with shipboard credit.

For my last cruise, I looked at a seven-night Hawaii cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line 's Pride of America, departing May 27.

Starting prices were similar: $2,649 per person for a balcony cabin through Costco and $2,549 on Norwegian's website. Both included Norwegian's Free at Sea perks (complimentary beverage package, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credit).

However, Costco also offered the following valuable perks:

• Photo package.
• $50 spa credit for two people.
• 200-minute Internet Package.
• $50 arcade credit for one guest.
• One bottle of wine and chocolate-covered strawberries (per room).

On the other hand, Norwegian listed additional Free at Sea perks – free airfare and free third and fourth guests – that Costco did not mention on its site.

Ultimately, this sailing priced out the same at $6,375.28 per balcony cabin, based on double occupancy. Norwegian might have the edge if you can take advantage of the airfare offer. Otherwise, the Costco deal could be better value with all the extra inclusions.

Things to know when booking Costco cruises

I noticed a few things as I road-tested Costco's booking tool and compared it to the cruise lines' versions.

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. Sort by destination or cruise line to see more options.

Costco wasn't always clear about whether all sail dates and cabin categories were eligible for deals. The links that prompted you to click them to determine eligibility never gave me that information. Because I was not actually booking cruises, I could not see if these details became clearer just before you gave Costco your credit card information.

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.

Costco only accepts Visa and MasterCard for cruise booking payments. You will not be able to use your American Express and earn Membership Rewards points for your vacation purchase.

Related: Use these credit cards to maximize your next cruise vacation

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.

Ultimately, savings will vary based on the specific itinerary, departure date and room you choose. The more you spend, the higher the shop card amount will be. 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.

Costco cruise cancellation policy

Costco Travel operates like a typical online travel seller. Its cruise change and cancellation policies are simply what the cruise lines put in place themselves. They aren't different because you booked through Costco.

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.

You cannot get a rate reduction once you pay in full for the cruise, usually 90 to 160 days before departure. "Exceptions to this policy, if any, are at the full discretion of the cruise line and are outside of the control of Costco Travel," according to the online terms and conditions.

Are Costco cruises a good deal?

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. Others will be roughly the same value as you'd find elsewhere.

You can spend a lot of time searching the site for the most amazing Kirkland Signature or Buyer's Choice steal, but it isn't always simple to assess the value. Still, if you're flexible, focus on these featured offers, especially ones with lots of freebies.

Travelers generally report having good experiences with Costco, either booking online or using one of their agents. You can use future cruise credit to book cruises with Costco. You will still earn cruise loyalty points toward status and can earn points, miles or cash back for your purchases made with rewards-earning credit cards like Visa and Mastercard.

It's likely not worth joining Costco just for its travel services. 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.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

• South America

shore excursions group????

By teacherman , April 29, 2019 in South America

Recommended Posts

I have found this company "Shore Excursions Group" which is offering me some tours at very good prices for many of our South America ports.  I am sure they are a booking company using local tour companies, but they are much less costly than the ship tours.  Have many of you used them?  If so, were the tours decent?  Someone said they are recommended by Costco when you book a cruise through them.  Any information/advice on this company would be appreciated.

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craftygrandma

• We have used them in several places and the tours are smaller groups, than the cruise line.  Also you can use the Costshrx coupon for 10% discount.  

• 2 months later...

On ‎4‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 4:08 PM, teacherman said: I have found this company "Shore Excursions Group" ...  Someone said they are recommended by Costco when you book a cruise through them.  Any information/advice on this company would be appreciated.

You only need a Costco membership and perhaps, a Costcotravel.com account.  On the Costco travel website, click on "Cruises", then scroll to the bottom of the Cruises page, then click on "Shore Excursions".  This will take you to:

https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/v/a/costco/

Booking shore excursions only requires a Costco membership.  As I understand, it is not necessary to book the cruise through Costcotravel.com 

We've really enjoyed this Costco membership benefit!

• 2 weeks later...

I just compared all the tours listed on the Costco shore excursion group to the ones I've arranged already (mostly ship's tours plus some private).  In most cases, the tours offered were quite basic, and not what we wanted to do in port.  In the few cases where they did list something we were interested in, the prices were higher than the ship's tours.  Which I could not believe at first.  Even the semi-private tour booked on the cruise line was only $8 more than the SEG price.

That said, I will be sure to check this site for future cruises.  If what we want in port is pretty basic, then they very well might have a good deal for us.

Budget Queen

This is simply a booking agent and do not operate any tours.   I am picky and venders are what’s important for my touring.     

• 3 weeks later...

They are associated with Costco, however, they were just recommended to a friend through an independent travel agent. We used them during Alaskan cruise for whale watching excursion. Excellent guides, small group, equipment well maintained and very clean. Others going out on the 2nd small boat with this company, stated they had booked through the mouse cruise itself. Also used for a train excursion and was simply a separate car from the other cruise line cars using the same engine. Again, excellent, knowledgeable narrator.  I am in the process of comparing their excursions in Hawaii for our upcoming trip. Like everything these days, you need to compare prices and details to see if it fits what you want.  I would have no hesitation booking through them if it fit what I wanted and the price was right!

This company is also linked to by American Airlines.  We booked our cruise with AA for the tens of thousands of extra miles we got, and we're flying to and from South America for $40!  (taxes and fees only)

We did book Puerto Chacabuco and Puerto Madryn with them.

We booked Ushuaia with a small local tour company that came highly recommended by a former cruiser last year.  If you're on the NCL Star out of San Antonio Jan 18, 2020, and are interested, let me know.  I'm posting info on that roll call, too.

Thanks for the information.  We are on HAL Zaandam out of San Antonio on January 9.  Did you use an AA credit card to book and get all of the miles?

3 hours ago, teacherman said: Thanks for the information.  We are on HAL Zaandam out of San Antonio on January 9.  Did you use an AA credit card to book and get all of the miles?

Of course!  🙂   I think we got 40,000 miles for booking then another 10,000.  We were able to fly first class to our Alaska cruise last year.  Just love me some free miles!

Best wishes for a wonderful cruise!  We're on NCL Star, leaving 1/18.

• 1 month later...

I’ve used shore excursions. Booked cruises through delta sky miles and received 60,000 freq flyer miles. I, too, like the miles. Excursions are great.

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Costco Travel Cruises: Can You Save Money?

Alyce Meserve

14 August 2019

20 min read

Did you know you can book cruises at Costco Travel? 

You won’t find much info about it in Costco warehouses beyond a flyer, but Costco Travel has a huge website with an array of vacations and cruises at your fingertips.

While Costco Travel provides vacation packages, hotels and car rental bookings, for this review we focus only on cruise vacations. Can you save money on cruises by booking through Costco Travel? Let’s find out.

Table of Contents

How to access cruises at costco travel, what cruises does costco travel offer.

• Can You Get a Discount Off the Cruise Line Price?
• Costco Cash Cards
• Onboard/Shipboard Credit
• Costco Added Values
• Buyer’s Choice
• Kirkland Signature
• Executive Members

Transfer Your Booking to Costco

• You Can Book Flights, Hotels, Transfers
• They Sell Shore Excursions, Too

Costco Travel Offers Travel Insurance

Good customer service.

• Costco Travel Doesn’t Initiate Fare Price Checks For You
• Difficult to Reach
• Website Is Outdated and Not Mobile Friendly
• Can’t Search Multiple Cruises by Cheapest Cabin

Forget About Upgrade Offers from the Cruise Line

Would we recommend costco travel.

First, Costco Travel services and products are only available to current Costco members residing in the US and Canada.

Current membership prices:

• Gold Star: $60 per year
• Gold Star Executive: $120 per year
• Business: $60 per year
• Business Executive: $120 per year

All Costco membership levels include access to Costco Travel, but the Executive levels receive 2% annual cash back from Costco purchases, including Costco Travel .

Second, simply visit Costco Travel’s website and search for cruises. Make sure you’re logged in to the site with your Costco membership or prices may not show up. 

If you’re not a Costco member but one of your traveling companions is, you can use their membership to log in and pay with your own credit card.

Costco Travel sells cruise itineraries for Uniworld River Cruises as well as most major American cruise lines, including:

• Azamara Cruises
• Carnival Cruise Line
• Celebrity Cruises
• Crystal Cruises
• Cunard Line
• Disney Cruise Line
• Holland America Line
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Princess Cruises
• Regent Seven Seas
• Royal Caribbean

You can search by date, destination, cruise line, specific ship, departure port or duration. In addition, Costco Travel offers several categories to choose from:

• Last-minute cruises – 90 days or less
• Kirkland Signature – Exceptional quality and value
• Voyage to Alaska
• $799 and under per person
• Getaway cruises – 5 nights or less
• Exotic adventures – Extraordinary locations
• Where land meets sea – Cruise tours
• Cruise through the holidays 
• Grand voyages and world cruises

Can You Get a Discount with Costco Travel?

While Costco Travel’s cruise fares are similar to the cruise lines and other travel agencies, cruise planners may find more value with Costco Travel in the form of extras or perks for most sailings. These extras can add up to big savings in the long run:

• Buyer’s Choice

Costco Travel Cruise Perks and Bonuses

All of the perks are pre-approved by the cruise line’s marketing department.

Important to note, bonuses and perks may be exclusive to a particular room type, such as interior, oceanview, balcony or suite. 

Costco Travel cruise prices also reflect any promotions currently run by the cruise lines. For example, Norwegian has perpetual “Free at Sea” addons with every cruise, so Costco includes them, too:

Here you see the Costco Cash Card that most cruises offer, and the Costco Added Values which are actually the NCL Free at Sea promotion. Here you can see the Free at Sea promotion increases based on the room type.

If you’re familiar with current promotions run by cruise lines, you can easily identify which cruises offer standard promotions, and which offer added value above the cruise line.

Costco Travel Bonus: Costco Cash Cards

Most cruises at Costco Travel offer Cash cards.

In lieu of onboard or shipboard credits, Costco refunds a portion of their commission back to you in the form of a Cash card, usually around 5-8% of your total cruise fare.

They are mailed 2-3 weeks after the completion of the cruise, and range from $10 to hundreds of dollars, depending on the cost of the cruise fare. 

You can spend Cash Cards in the warehouse or gas station. Unfortunately, Costco does not accept redemption through their website, mail order pharmacy or towards a future trip booked through Costco. So, don’t save up your cards hoping to make a free cruise–it’s not permitted.

Fortunately, the Costco Cash cards are transferable, so you can give it as a gift or sell it. The recipient does not need a Costco membership to use a Costco Cash card. However, if you don’t live near the warehouse and would rather have cash money, you can sell them on eBay, often for more than face value.

Costco Travel Bonus: Onboard/Shipboard Credit  

Some cruise lines like, Holland America and Princess, don’t allow Costco Cash card promotions, but permit Costco to offer onboard credit/shipboard credit (OBC/SBC). You can use it for anything on board: dining, excursions, gratuities, shopping.

Shipboard credit can only be used during the cruise, not for deposits or final payments. If you don’t use it, most cruise lines allow you to cash it out on board at the end of the cruise.

Costco Travel Bonus: Costco Added Values  

Some cruises offers dining credit, spa credit, drink packages or additional on board credit. You’re more likely to find these promotions off peak season itineraries, when they have more inventory to sell.

Take a look at a spa credit promotion for a Royal Caribbean cruise.

First, notice the price of a balcony room is less than the cost of an Interior or Oceanview room. Nice!

Second, this particular offer for Symphony of the Seas has 4 different types of Balcony rooms: Boardwalk, Central Park, Oceanview and Spacious Oceanview. This offer does not specify the category of room, only that it’s a balcony, so it’s safe to assume the offer stands for any balcony room. Of course, it’s best to double check with Costco before booking.

Third, I checked Royal Caribbean’s website for the spa promotion and it does not exist. So, we know this is a Costco-exclusive bonus.

Even if they misstate something on their website, Costco Travel will honor the error in your favor.

All Royal Caribbean Boardwalk and Central Park balcony rooms come with a “ Dine-Drink-Discover ” (link to another article) promotion on every sailing. This is a promotion sponsored by Royal Caribbean.

Boardwalk balconies include: 

• Complimentary meal for up to four guests at Johnny Rockets
• Unlimited soda package for two guests
• Rock climbing wall session for the entire family

Central Park balconies include:

• Complimentary lunch for two at Jamie’s Italian, Sabor or Johnny Rockets
• A complimentary bottle of red wine 
• Casino gaming lessons from an onboard expert

Therefore, if you chose the 9/25/2019 sailing date and a Boardwalk or Central Park balcony, you can enjoy the Dine-Drink-Discover promotion, the spa bonuses, and Costco Cash Card. That’s quite a nice cruise value. Between 2 people, that’s over $400 in savings, on top of the already discounted balcony price!

Costco Travel Bonus: Hot Buys

Occasionally, Costco Travel offers Hot Buys, which are short-term sales on specific itineraries. At the time of this review, the Hot Deal for cruises featured Royal Caribbean and offered spa amenities and $25 dining credit, along with a Costco Cash card.

Hot Buys are only valid for new bookings made during the promotion period.

Costco Travel Bonus: Buyer’s Choice

Costco Travel Buyer’s Choice typically provides additional value beyond the Costco Cash Card. However, these promotions are typically for new bookings only. Transferred bookings are not eligible for Buyer’s Choice promos, even though most other promotions are eligible.

Here’s an example of a Buyer’s Choice promotion:

This promotion offers a Costco Cash card, specialty dining for four guests at Giovanni’s or Chops Grille, soda package for two, and lunch for four guests at Johnny Rockets. 

Since this promotion is limited to certain room categories, and the fact it includes the soda package and Johnny Rockets dining, it’s obvious this promotion is for a Boardwalk balcony promotion (mentioned earlier). However, it adds on a very nice specialty dining bonus, worth about $30-40 per person.

While the suite class offers a spa treatment bonus, that particular offer is not part of the Buyer’s Choice promotion.

Costco Travel Bonus: Kirkland Signature  

The Kirkland Signature promotions are also unique to Costco Travel, and offer exceptional amenities like extra onboard credit, private meals, cooking classes, tours and excursions.

Here’s an example of a Kirkland Signature promotion:

This deal on Celebrity Edge includes a $330 Costco Cash card, beverage package for two, $300 shipboard credit, private hosted welcome reception, private 4-course luncheon, private culinary demo and private behind-the-scenes tours. This is well over $1,200 in value.

In this case, the Kirkland Signature promotion only applies to balcony room categories E4, E3, E2, E1 (Infinite Verandah) and C3 (Concierge Class). 

Before you check out, make sure that the room you selected shows the promotion. When I selected an E4 room, it did not show the promotion, but an E3 room did.

Worth noting, we also checked Expedia, AAA and VacationsToGo for the same cruise and cabin and the price came about $800 less, but they didn’t offer anything extra except $75-$125 onboard credit. While the price might be lower, the value doesn’t even come close to what Costco Travel provides.

Costco Travel Bonus: Executive Members

If you look carefully, Costco also provides additional perks for Executive Members above and beyond the Cash cards. It might be extra onboard credit or similar bonus.

This Uniworld River Cruise includes a Costco Cash card between $380 and $805, and an Executive Member benefit of $50 shipboard credit per person. Gold Star Costco members would not be eligible for the latter. 

Given the Executive membership is only $60 more than a Gold Star membership, it’s a no-brainer to upgrade. Remember, Executive members enjoy more than ship credit. They also enjoy annual cash back including Costco Travel expenses.

If you got a sweet deal by booking directly through the cruise line (online, phone, on a previous cruise, etc.), you can double down on perks and transfer your booking to Costco Travel. As a benefit, Costco Travel will honor all the perks you received through the cruise line, and in addition to their own bonuses on top of that (except promotions for new bookings only).

However, the transfer process requires a bit of babysitting since it can take up to 2 weeks for your booking to finally transfer. You’ll receive an email but must still call Costco to finalize it. We are not a fan of micromanaging bookings. Keep in mind that there may be a limited period of time after making the deposit to transfer. 

You Can Book Flights, Hotels, Transfers at Checkout

Similar to cruise lines, Costco Travel can book airfare at the time of initial booking or purchase.

Choose your airport of departure and Costco provides a list of suggested flights. They don’t get special discounts on airfare, so it’s the same cost to buy it directly from the airline. Costco Travel can manage it for you, but since it’s non-refundable, you’re stuck with it if you purchased it many months before your cruise. You might prefer to buy airfare on your own so you can watch prices. 

By default, Costco Travel schedules flights on embarkation day and debarkation day, but you can choose other dates if you wish to spend extra time pre- and post-cruise in the port city. Costco Travel works with Hilton, Hyatt, Fairmont, Swissotel and Raffles to negotiate lower prices and bonuses for members. In addition, you can book rental cars with Costco Travel.

When you book airfare at checkout, it makes sense to also book transfers at the same time. If you’re not a fan of ridesharing companies like Lyft and Uber, pre-purchased transfers can save you hassle and time. If you prefer to rent a car instead, Costco Travel can book that for you also, but separately from the cruise.

Costco Travel can only book your airfare if you make your initial cruise booking with them. If you transfer a booking to Costco Travel, you’ll have to make your own airfare arrangements since they do not permit ex post facto air booking.

They Sell Shore Excursions Too

Booking shore excursions through cruise lines can be very expensive, but Costco Travel partnered with Shore Excursions Group to provide tours. They have a limited variety of options, but better prices than the cruise lines. When you purchase a shore excursion through Costco Travel’s partner, they receive a commission. 

Alternatively, you can book your own shore excursions directly with tour operators or create a custom excursion booking. Take a look at our other posts to learn more about planning shore excursions.

As you see, Costco Travel doesn’t stop with transportation bookings. They also sell travel insurance. 

Costco’s white-label travel insurance is with AIG Travel Guard. It has decent medical and evacuation, but the medical is low if you’re traveling farther than a few hundred miles off the US border. And it’s expensive.

We always recommend taking travel insurance for a cruise, even if it’s just to the Bahamas or New England. You never know what sort of unexpected catastrophe can happen, and if you’re without travel insurance, you could end up paying off the debt for decades.

Savvy DIY cruise planners can find better coverage for a lower cost through one of the travel insurance marketplaces . We recommend shopping around and skipping the Costco travel insurance.

Costco also receives a commission for the insurance you purchase through them.

Costco Travel agents are very helpful and offer the same great service you expect from Costco. Unfortunately, they often cannot solve your problem directly and must call the cruise line on your behalf. Since they use a special travel agent line, they can reach the home office quickly.

Make sure you know what the perks are before you call into customer service. We’ve occasionally spoken with agents who are unaware of perks and don’t add them to the booking unless you point it out to them.

Costco Travel Isn’t Without Some Problems

While Costco Travel can offer a lot of value, it also has a few aspects that can make you think twice about booking through them. 

It’s important to view Costco Travel more as a booking agent, rather than a full service travel agent. When you use Costco Travel to book your vacations, you’ll have to do the planning yourself. If you want a full service agent that does all the legwork for you, Costco Travel is not the best choice.

You’ll have to do some micromanagement that the small travel agencies typically handle, and  the website is in dire need of redesign and lacks important features.

Costco Travel Doesn’t Initiate Fare Price Checks For You

Traditional travel agents make a habit of price checking fares for clients when new sales go live. If there’s a reduction in cost, the travel agent often contacts you to get permission to rebook at a lower rate, or does it automatically. 

Costco Travel does none of this. However, the attentive DIY planner is always checking fares for lower prices. So, if you find a lower price on the cruise line website weeks or months after making your deposit, simply call Costco Travel. Usually, they call the cruise line directly to update it for you.

Normally, after you’ve made the final payment, the cruise line cannot adjust your rate if the rates drop, but might offer some onboard credit. Costco Travel also honors that if the cruise line does.

Difficult to Reach Costco Travel

Good communication is one of the most important factors when working with a travel agent. 

Sometimes you can call and reach a Costco Travel agent immediately. Other times, it can be downright hard. What good is a travel agent if you cannot reach them?

If you are booking a new reservation, you can chat with Costco Travel reps through their website. However, if you already booked and need to make changes, you cannot chat with an agent online. There is also no way to email Costco Travel for service. 

Your only option is to call and it can take a long time to get through.

During business hours, you can schedule an automatic call back, but if you call within 2 hours after opening or 2 hours before close, Costco Travel disables the call back system. 

It can often take 30-50 min to reach an agent during the day. Other times you might get through on the first ring. Once you reach an agent, most calls last 15-60 minutes long, depending on your needs. This is because Costco Travel agents must call cruise lines directly to make changes, so it’s no wonder the phone lines get backed up with long wait times. 

As a result, the agent puts you on hold to call the cruise line. Costco Travel doesn’t have many agents, so other callers behind you have to wait for those long calls to end before they get through.

Website is Outdated and Not Mobile Friendly 

With more DIY cruise planners researching websites, frequently on phones, mobile friendly browsing is a must. 

Disappointingly, Costco Travel’s website is neither contemporary nor mobile friendly site. Researching is a slow and torturous activity. 

Get with the times, folks! People buy vacations on their phones, and Costco Travel’s website is in dire need of an update. Users must constantly zoom and scroll to read what’s on the site. 

The maps showing cruise itineraries are useful, but the entire interface is crowded and antiquated. 

Get with the times, folks! People buy vacations on their phones, and Costco Travel’s website needs an update from 10 years ago. Users must constantly zoom and scroll to read what’s on the site. The maps showing cruise itineraries are useful, but the whole interface is crowded and not modern. Costco Travel shows only the total price for all travelers, but not the breakdown of per person fares and taxes.

Can’t Search Multiple Cruises by Cheapest Cabin

Many times I like search cruises by cheapest cabin to find the lowest price and maximum value.  Unfortunately, this is not an option offered by Costco Travel. 

For example, if you want to take a cruise to Alaska using the least expensive option, you’ll have to do research elsewhere.

The only way they can sort cruises is by date or cruise line.

If you are booked directly with the cruise line and opt in for upgrade offers, you might get a call or email. Unfortunately, you’ll never get this call or email if you’re booked through Costco Travel.

Because Costco does not check their communication with cruise lines very often, they cannot guarantee that people will get upgrades, therefore they do not even offer it. Therefore, if you win the cruise line lottery for upgrades, you will get skipped because you’re booked through Costco.

Example: You booked a less expensive class of state room, and 3 weeks before sailing, the cruise line sends out offers to upgrade to a balcony for $100. Costco Travel does not pass on these upgrade offers to the booked passengers. In addition, most cruise lines can wait list you for a suite if none available at time of your booking. However, with a Costco booking, this will not happen. You will never receive an offer for an upgrade or notice that a sold out class is available.

Fortunately, you can re-fare if the cruise line has a sale that will save you money. However, if you’re booked through Costco, you must call them to enact changes, since most cruise lines prohibit customers from making changes without the travel agent’s knowledge.

Costco Travel’s greatest feature is its additional perks and bonuses. You can add a lot of value to your vacation without any extra cost. The agents are helpful and will go above and beyond to help you.

There are some advantages and drawbacks of using Costco Travel for DIY cruise planning. Although Costco Travel can supply cruise value few travel agents can match, there are also factors that make Costco Travel frustrating. Carefully consider the pros and cons before booking or transferring a booking to Costco Travel.

That is, if you can reach them. 

Without a doubt, our greatest complaint with Costco Travel is how difficult it can be to reach an agent. They need to improve the means of contact and implement a site-wide chat system to help new customers and booked travelers alike. Favoring communication with only new bookings really shows already-booked customers they’re not important, and even unwelcome.

In addition, Costco Travel’s booking site needs a total overhaul. It requires major interface redesigns and it must be mobile friendly. There’s no excuse for a major company like Costco not to have a mobile friendly travel site.

Would we recommend it? 

Yes! Costco Travel promotions can offer access to things you may not otherwise have or experience on a cruise, such as specialty dining or spa treatments. You can spend your Costco Cash card in the warehouse on things you need (or gear for your next cruise) or exchange it for cash money on eBay. 

Have you booked through Costco Travel?

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What's included in a cruise?

Book any cruise with Costco Travel and receive a valuable Digital Costco Shop Card. Look for Kirkland Signature™ and Buyer's Choice sailings for extra value like Exclusive Costco Member savings or other exclusive amenities.

The price of your cruise includes accommodations, onboard activities and entertainment, most meals and snacks onboard, and an itinerary featuring popular ports of call.

Accommodations

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Onboard Activities and Entertainment

Onboard activities may include a fitness center, shopping, a full-service spa, a casino, swimming pools, recreational attractions, enrichment programs, guest lecturers, a supervised youth program and more.

Most Meals and Snacks

Cruise lines differ in their dining options, but generally offer a range of choices including fixed-time dining, flexible-time buffet dining, and room service.

Ports of Call

Itineraries are designed to include some of the most celebrated, scenic and culturally enriching places in the world.

Extras available on most ships include specialty dining, select onboard activities, shore excursions and gratuities.

Specialty Dining, Select Onboard Activities, and Shore Excursions

For an extra cost, many ships offer specialty venues such as gourmet restaurants, a casino, shopping, a spa and more. There’s typically a cost for alcoholic beverages, specialty coffees, smoothies, energy drinks and soft drinks.On most cruise lines, shore excursions are available for purchase.

Tipping and Gratuities

On most ships, it’s customary to tip restaurant, bar, housekeeping, spa and salon staff. Typically, a standard per person, per service and/or per day gratuity is added to the shipboard account, which travelers may adjust, if they wish, at the end of the cruise.

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