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Travel Agent or Costco

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EricaAlt
LIF Adult

Member since 7/08

22665 total posts

Name:
Erica

Travel Agent or Costco

Looking to book a Disney cruise next year. We have already done one. We always book our vacations through Costco. DH always finds great deals and love getting Costco cash back.

So we found a Disney cruise for next year and looking to book through Costco again. I am friendly with someone at the kid's school who is also a Disney TA and always talking about how she does a great job booking Disney vacations for a ton of people and some friends have used her.

Question is should I bother asking her too and see if she can help or just go through Costco like we always do. I'm afraid to also ask her and see what she can do and then DH would rather go through Costco so it's awkward asking her for help then not using her. DOn't want to waste her time
Thoughts? We are not that close. Just friendly through school bc we are both on the board. Not that our kids are really good friends or anything bc different ages.

Posted 11/1/19 10:19 AM
 
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Momma2015
Mommax2

Member since 12/12

6655 total posts

Name:

Re: Travel Agent or Costco

I'd probably just go through Costco. I don't think there's as much as TA can do for cruises as with regular Disney trips.

Posted 11/1/19 10:36 AM
 

ali120206
2 Boys

Member since 7/06

17789 total posts

Name:

Re: Travel Agent or Costco

Posted by Momma2015

I'd probably just go through Costco. I don't think there's as much as TA can do for cruises as with regular Disney trips.



Booking through a travel agent usually gets you on board credit.

I would ask and see what the price is and how much credit you will get and compare to Costco.

Posted 11/1/19 10:43 AM
 

EricaAlt
LIF Adult

Member since 7/08

22665 total posts

Name:
Erica

Re: Travel Agent or Costco

Posted by ali120206

Posted by Momma2015

I'd probably just go through Costco. I don't think there's as much as TA can do for cruises as with regular Disney trips.



Booking through a travel agent usually gets you on board credit.

I would ask and see what the price is and how much credit you will get and compare to Costco.



I feel bad asking the person only not to use her if she isn't as good.
I do know Costco does on board credit as well. I received a massage and we had some credit from Costco when we booked Royal Caribbean last year and also got Costco cash back. I just don't know what else a TA could do?

Posted 11/1/19 10:49 AM
 

Momma2015
Mommax2

Member since 12/12

6655 total posts

Name:

Re: Travel Agent or Costco

Posted by EricaAlt

Posted by ali120206

Posted by Momma2015

I'd probably just go through Costco. I don't think there's as much as TA can do for cruises as with regular Disney trips.



Booking through a travel agent usually gets you on board credit.

I would ask and see what the price is and how much credit you will get and compare to Costco.



I feel bad asking the person only not to use her if she isn't as good.
I do know Costco does on board credit as well. I received a massage and we had some credit from Costco when we booked Royal Caribbean last year and also got Costco cash back. I just don't know what else a TA could do?



That's exactly what I mean. I usually find the specialty bundles offered by places like Costco comparable to what a TA would be able to offer, especially for cruises.

Posted 11/1/19 11:02 AM
 

LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!

Member since 5/05

19453 total posts

Name:
L

Re: Travel Agent or Costco

A good friend of mine is also a Disney TA, but I got a better deal with Costco. The difference, is that if you are staying on property, and want reservations, etc. Then use a Disney TA because they will do that work for you. For a cruise, costco has similar prices and incentives.

Posted 11/1/19 11:25 AM
 

NYCGirl80
I love my kiddies!

Member since 5/11

10413 total posts

Name:

Re: Travel Agent or Costco

Posted by EricaAlt

Posted by ali120206

Posted by Momma2015

I'd probably just go through Costco. I don't think there's as much as TA can do for cruises as with regular Disney trips.



Booking through a travel agent usually gets you on board credit.

I would ask and see what the price is and how much credit you will get and compare to Costco.



I feel bad asking the person only not to use her if she isn't as good.
I do know Costco does on board credit as well. I received a massage and we had some credit from Costco when we booked Royal Caribbean last year and also got Costco cash back. I just don't know what else a TA could do?



Booking through Costco is essentially booking through a TA. You will usually get the same OBC as you would get through a TA (or by booking directly), but you also get the Costco cash card. A TA may be able to get you additional OBC, but it most likely won't be more than the Costco cash.

Personally, I book all my cruises through Costco and have never had any issues. The prices are very reasonable and it's easy to get someone on the phone.

If you're going to Disney, then I'd go through a TA (for help getting reservations, FPs, etc.). A Disney Cruise is not really the same thing.

Posted 11/1/19 11:58 AM
 

Diane
Hope is Contagious....catch it

Member since 5/05

30683 total posts

Name:
D

Re: Travel Agent or Costco

I definitely would ask the TA just to compare prices. We booked a trip to Mexico, and Costco had the same price, but the TA gave us a better flight (where as Costco, there was only one flight option, and it was arriving late at night and leaving early morning the day of departure) We also get resort credit through the TA.

Message edited 11/5/2019 3:59:22 AM.

Posted 11/1/19 12:13 PM
 

EricaAlt
LIF Adult

Member since 7/08

22665 total posts

Name:
Erica

Re: Travel Agent or Costco

So we decided to just go with Costco and their customer service is always great.
We wanted adjoining rooms next to our friends and they were grey on the site so the Costco TA called Disney and got the rooms we wanted from them so we got the rooms we wanted. Plus we get Costco cash back for using them.

Posted 11/4/19 11:09 PM
 

BargainMama
LIF Adult

Member since 5/09

15657 total posts

Name:

Travel Agent or Costco

I wouldn't book with the travel agent, simply because I don't like to lose control of my reservation. I like to call and speak to the cruise line myself to make requests, I like the docs to come directly to me, etc. If that means I lose out on the menial onboard credit many offer, than so be it.

Posted 11/5/19 12:37 PM
 

NYCGirl80
I love my kiddies!

Member since 5/11

10413 total posts

Name:

Re: Travel Agent or Costco

Posted by BargainMama

I wouldn't book with the travel agent, simply because I don't like to lose control of my reservation. I like to call and speak to the cruise line myself to make requests, I like the docs to come directly to me, etc. If that means I lose out on the menial onboard credit many offer, than so be it.



When you book a cruise through Costco you still get all of the docs directly to yourself. If you want to make a change, you call Costco and they call the cruise line while you're on the phone. It's really no different.

Posted 11/4/19 2:44 PM
 
 

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