Did you know that you can book a cruise with Costco? Yes, the very same store known for ridiculously low prices on bulk goods. The Costco Travel division of the company is a relatively unknown business venture, but it’s one that every Costco member should know about. And hey, if you’re not already a member, this may just be the offer that helps you finally take the plunge! (Fair warning, though: you’ll never go back.) Here’s all that you need to know about Costco Travel and its cruise itineraries.
It’s not a cruise line
Let’s get one thing straight before we dig in any deeper. Costco Travel allows you to book cruises, but that doesn’t make it a cruise line. The itineraries that the corporation offers aren’t unique; they simply give their customers great deals on other cruise line’s trips. You can access their deals from the Costco Travel website, and you’ll immediately recognize the cruise brands. You can think of Costco Travel as a sort of travel agent that exclusively serves Costco customers. Cruise lines like Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and more can all be found on Costco Travel.
First time buyers beware
There aren’t many bad things that we can say about Costco Travel. It’s a simple and effective search engine, and they have the great customer support that Costco is known for. However, there is one thing that you should be aware of. Because Costco Travel is simply a division of a much larger company, you can’t really expect the kind of hands-on help that you would get from a cruise-specific agency. If you’re new to travelling via cruise ship, you may want more assistance than Costco can really offer. You should mainly think of Costco Travel as a way to get good deals; you shouldn’t use it as anything more.
The savings are real
There are lots of sites that claim to get you amazing deals on cruises. Don’t let that dissuade you. Costco Travel is indeed legit, and many travelers have snagged some real discounts using the service. For instance, many cruise itineraries currently offered on the site are 30% off the market price. In addition to that, many itineraries will also feature some type of bonus in the form of a Costco Shop Card. While that isn’t strictly a discount, it will still save you money in the long run. These two types of savings combined add up to some huge possible discounts.
In short: Costco Travel is a great way to book an affordable cruise, but it may not be the best for novices. If you’re just trying to book at a low rate, though, you should definitely check out the site.
