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Savvy cruisers, including many Cruise Critic members, have saved big by booking cruises through Costco. Here are five things you don't know about booking a Costco cruise -- and why Costco Travel is my first -- and usually last -- stop when shopping for a cruise. 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. 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. The main benefit of booking a cruise through Costco is that every booking comes with a Digital Costco Shop Card and/or onboard credit.
I'm really curious about Costco Travel
Ultimately, savings will vary based on the specific itinerary, departure date and room you choose. 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. Like the warehouses, to access Costco's cruise discounts, you'll need to pony up for membership -- $60 per household at the basic level.
Costco Cruises Can Be a Great Deal
But the savings on a typical cruise booking for two will usually cover that annual fee. Meanwhile, discounts on more expensive cruises or multiple cabins can amount to hundreds of dollars. 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.
Costco cruise prices
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. 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. Steven Porrello writes about personal finances topics ranging from credit card offers to Costco deals to choosing the best places to park your cash.
Costco Travel: 5 Things You Need To Know - Forbes
Costco Travel: 5 Things You Need To Know.
Posted: Sun, 12 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
My two big reasons for contemplating a Costco membership are pretty compelling, but one big hurdle remains. I don't live especially close to a Costco location -- my closest one is about 50 miles away. This means I can't just run over there whenever I want, there would have to be some degree of planning involved. As such, I don't expect to visit Costco often, and would likely target a trip every other month or so. If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.
First-time cruisers who need a little more handholding to understand cabin and dining options might benefit by working with a traditional travel agent. Costco does not assign a specific agent to your booking, so you're unlikely to talk to the same call center representative twice. 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. This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a lengthy 0% intro APR period, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
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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. During spring and summer, for example, Costco frequently runs epic savings events on outdoor equipment, furniture, and hiking gear. Often, these discounts are for big purchases, not bulk products or grocery items you'd purchase monthly.
Although we know (and love) Costco warehouses for their bulk bargains, not all categories at Costco require plus-sized buys. (Think jeans, mattresses and wine, which can be purchased individually.) Cruises are the same. You won't need to book multiple cabins or cruises in bulk to score these deals. Deal hunters know that Costco Travel is an under-the-radar hit for finding travel deals.
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. 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.
This cot would normally sell for $56.99, but you can get $11 off when you purchase it before the epic savings event ends. The Ascent is a Motley Fool service that rates and reviews essential products for your everyday money matters. If you're new to cruising or unsure of what you want, Costco might not be the best travel agency for you. "I think a first time cruiser would be better off using an agency that walks them through everything," says NoVa Mimi, who books all her cruises exclusively through Costco.
With a policy like that, I feel better about contemplating a Costco membership later this year. Because the cruise industry aims to enforce pricing parity across all booking channels, discounts don't usually appear in the upfront cruise fare. "Costco is usually the best deal," says KirkNC, who is careful to compare multiple outlets before locking in a fare. "We get around 8 percent back in onboard credits, which are refundable, so if we don't use them we get a credit back on our credit card." Its cruise change and cancellation policies are simply what the cruise lines put in place themselves. Costco wasn't always clear about whether all sail dates and cabin categories were eligible for deals.
For folks who prefer to vacation at sea, Costco cruise deals can be among the most lucrative offers you can find. Getting a Costco membership could be one of the smartest financial decisions you ever make. Not only do you get the opportunity to save on groceries and household items, but you also get access to special seasonal discounts that can help you budget for purchases you might not otherwise afford. Traditionally, I haven't had a lot of money available in my budget for travel, and as such, tended to be more of a road tripper. But looking at the available Costco packages for destinations such as Greece and Fiji has me dreaming of saving up the cash and letting someone else handle all the planning for me. If the money I save on a Costco vacation adds up to more than $60 (and this seems likely), a membership will have paid for itself.
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. What are the benefits of booking a cruise through Costco, and how do Costco's cruise prices compare with cruise line pricing? Since I have a household of one human and three cats, it's unlikely that I'll be taking advantage of Costco's deals on fresh produce and dairy products even after I move into a house. However, I am planning to get a second refrigerator or possibly a chest freezer for my basement, which opens the door to deals on frozen food from Costco. After more than two years of dreaming, planning, paying off debt, and saving for a down payment, I'm finally buying a house in 2024.
Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team. Thankfully, joining Costco isn't a financial risk for me -- or indeed, for anyone. A basic membership costs just $60 per year, and if I absorb that credit card hit and it turns out not to be worth it for me, I can lean on Costco's exemplary return policy. Costco will cancel and refund a membership fee at any time if you're not satisfied.
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