benefits of booking a cruise through costco

10 Surprising Benefits To Booking A Cruise With Costco Travel (10 Facts That'll Make You Stay Away)

When compared with longtime travel companies, Costco seems to hold its own with the occasional better offer.

Vacation season is just around the corner! While chilly winds whip past us and snow piles up at our doors, we're too busy dreaming about sunny islands and warm sand under our feet.

The most complicated process of booking a vacation is usually the actual 'booking' part, but luckily, technology has given way to an almost instant process. With so many sites, companies, and deals to sort through, one stands out above the rest: Costco Travel.

Since so many people already have Costco memberships, it just makes sense to take advantage of the deals they already offer their members.

The only question we have is this: Is it actually worth it? When compared with longtime travel companies, Costco seems to hold its own with the occasional better offer. Alternately, there are also some things that make us a bit hesitant about hitting that 'book' button.

20 Worth It: Their Travel Agents Are Genuinely Helpful

Not every travel agent is friendly when it comes to playing 21 questions about booking, especially when it comes to cruise lines. Additionally, travelers may find that it's nearly impossible to get a human being on the phone. Costco Travel has both friendly, helpful agents, as well as real-life people rather than androids.

19 Not Worth It: Travel Costs Plus The Cost Of A Costco Membership

While Costco memberships cost as low as sixty bucks per year (that's only five dollars a month), as opposed to going with an outside agency, customers are paying the Costco membership as well. Executive members receive additional, worthy travel perks, meaning that $120/year is in addition to the cost of a travel package.

18 Worth It: Location Options Are Fairly Decent

Costco has made it their goal to offer competitive locations as far as cruise travel goes, and they do offer some unique packages that might pique the interest of those seeking something different. However, they also offer traditional cruise options for families and groups.

17 Not Worth It: Travel Insurance Is Pretty Pricey

In comparison with travel insurance outside of Costco, the company's prices are pretty steep. They also won't necessarily cover travelers outside of a certain mile range, complicating things further. Of course, you could skip travel insurance, but most companies don't recommend it.

16 Worth It: Only One Traveler Needs To Have A Costco Membership To Enjoy Travel Perks

A pleasant surprise is that when traveling with a group, only one person is required to have an active Costco membership in order to reap the rewards. That might make Costco worth it despite the cons - it's an easy, simple, and convenient way to book a trip without going through a third party.

15 Not Worth It: Included Extras Are Only For Executive Members

Executive members pay $60 more a year and as such, do have access to additional perks that aren't available to Gold and Business members . This can be a steep price to pay simply to reap rewards for one trip; it might be worth it if you travel often but if not, this is definitely a downside.

14 Worth It: Costco Offers Cash Cards As Part Of Their Commission Returned To Customers

Costco has a neat program where they return 'cash cards' to customers as a perk of booking with them. These cash cards do vary, but many of the time they're just over $100 or more. They're procured with the commission that Costco makes from your booking, and it's a neat perk available to all members.

13 Not Worth It: Their Excursion Options Are Very Limited

When booking with an outside party or sometimes, directly through the cruise line, travelers usually have a decent number of excursions to choose from. These can be redeemed at each stop along the cruise and are generally varied, but Costco doesn't offer too many options in this category.

12 Worth It: Activities Can Be Chosen With Credits Included In The Package

Just as with their other travel packages , Costco offers travel credits for cruises, too. These credits can be applied on-board to various activities and entertainment, and really come in handy as an added perk. It's also something you're not likely to see from another travel agency.

11 Not Worth It: Credits On-Board Can't Always Be Cashed Out After The Trip

More often than not, travelers will have the option to cash out any credits that go unused. However, that's not always the case. Credits are based on each individual package and depend on how a customer chooses to build it, therefore, the issue may arise that you're stuck with cruise credits after you've off-boarded.

10 Worth It: 'Hot Buys' Are Often Great Deals

'Hot Buys' are Costco's version of budget-friendly and special deal packages. These are definitely worth it mainly because they do come at such competitive prices. Since Costco offers last-minute vacation options as well, these are a great thing to check out regardless of your vacation time frame.

9 Not Worth It: Certain Promotions Only Come With Certain Room Selections

When booking a cruise, it's required that travelers choose which room type they'd like to stay in. For solo passengers or those on a budget, this could be an issue when it comes to extra perks. Some are only associated with certain rooms, and it's all dependent on cruise lines and availability.

8 Worth It: Package Options Are Varied And Unique

One thing Costco prides itself on as far as cruises are the options they offer to those looking to book something exciting. They offer plenty for everyone and there's really no limit to where you can go and which ship size you choose. Working with many different cruise lines helps them to achieve and awesome options list.

7 Not Worth It: Promotions vs. Overall Price When Compared To Other Companies

One thing to note is that Costco may not offer as competitive pricing options as some others depending on the time of year and availability. Their options may be limited as far as promotions go, so this is one reason to do some heavy research and shop around before dropping an extra $300 for no reason.

6 Worth It: Costco Packages Offers Options For 11 Cruise Lines

Everyone loves options, right? With Costco Travel, those seeking a cruise will be ecstatic to find that they can choose from 11 different cruise lines. Of those 11, included are: Azamara, Carnival, Celebrity, Crystal, Cunard, Disney, Holland, Norwegian, Princess, Regent, and Royal Caribbean. All you need to do is choose and click!

5 Not Worth It: Gold Star Members Have Fewer Perks Than Executive Members

Those with Executive Costco memberships do pay an extra $60 a year to get those perks, but it is unfortunate that Costco Gold Members don't have the same perks. While Costco Travel does offer competitive pricing and respectable options, all of those options depend on your actual Costco membership.

4 Worth It: Costco Is Usually Worth It For All-Inclusion Travel Options

A great perk of Costco Travel is its all-inclusive travel options. Not all of us live near a cruise ship port, therefore airfare is required, right? We've got good news. Costco does offer airfare options for those who don't want to hassle of booking everything separately - they also offer limited car rentals.

3 Not Worth It: Airfare Can Be Included But Isn't Always Worth It

The downside of booking airlines through Costco is that their airfare might not be saving us much money. It's a decision of convenience over money-saving, which is more of a personal choice. If you don't mind paying a bit extra, then it might be worth it to just book everything together without searching elsewhere.

2 Worth It: Costco Honors Bookings Done Directly Through Cruise Lines

If customers book a cruise directly through one of the affiliated cruise lines, Costco will usually honor the booking and provide the same price. This is an amazing benefit of booking with Costco, as they can make the transition as seamless as possible.

1 Not Worth It: Costco Does Not Honor External Flight Bookings

However, this is limited to cruise lines only - airfare is not included in the list of things Costco will honor as a travel package. There are many options when booking with them, but it all depends on how and what you're looking to spend - and the ease of your travel planning.

Cruise Spotlight

Helping you find cruise ships you'll love

How Much I Saved Booking a Cruise Through Costco Travel

Last Updated on July 1, 2022

Yesterday, I booked a cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas for a 7-night Alaskan Experience in May 2022. Alaskan cruises have been on our wish list for a while now, and after a year of being trapped at home with no travel, it seemed like next year would be a perfect time to try one: beautiful mountain views, whales, moose, adventurous excursions. Sign me up!

In the past, when planning a cruise, I’ve either booked directly through the cruise line or through a travel agent. This time, I tried Costco Travel and ended up saving quite a bit of money.  

About Costco Travel

To be clear, Costco is NOT a sponsor of this post, and it’s NOT a paid endorsement for them. As my friends and family know all too well, I always talk about Costco’s extra benefits. I purchased my last two cars through the Costco Auto Program. I bought my dishwasher and oven through their website and got free installation. I’ve purchased preprinted checks through them at a much better price than I saw elsewhere. Long story short, Costco offers outstanding deals if you look for them. 

If you’re a Costco member, you can book travel or rental cars through the website CostcoTravel.com . It’s technically a separate company from Costco, and you won’t see any of these offers in the Warehouse. Still, the vendor has to go through a pretty stringent selection and review process to get to use the Costco name, and they must offer certain deals and benefits to Costco customers. I’ve booked rental cars through this website in the past and had a great experience and got a great price. 

Why I booked this cruise through Costco Travel

Honestly, I intended to book my cruise through Royal Caribbean’s website. I started my search on the Royal Caribbean website and identified the ship and itinerary that was important to me. Because it’s colder and rainy in Alaska, I wanted a ship with enough to do inside. The Ovation of the Seas was perfect. Two indoor pools, bumper cars, an esplanade (this ship’s version of Royal Caribbean’s famous Promenade), and the pièce de résistance; a glass-enclosed adults-only solarium that looks over the front of the ship that just screamed Alaska.

I went through the whole process and was about to book only to be greeted with a blank white screen error screen. I refreshed and tried again, the same. I tried to start from scratch, and nothing; Royal Caribbean’s site kept crashing. I was all ready to book the cruise at that moment, so I thought I’d try an alternative, and Costco Travel was the first that came to mind. 

Costco Travel cruise booking process

Costco Travel’s website seems a bit dated in their navigation, but at least it works (compared to Royal Caribbean’s site). It’s a very traditional website; you’re not going to find fancy chatbots or pop-ups trying to upsell you or move you along the process. There are no bells and whistles, but honestly, do you need any? 

I searched through the cruises and found the one I was looking at previously. Right up front, the website listed this itinerary as a “Kirkland Signature Cruise,” which meant it had special prices and benefits. I couldn’t see what those benefits were until I created an account with my Costco membership number. I logged into my account and continued through the screens. Most of the process was pretty standard for a cruise booking website. You start by picking your sailing, then entering the number of guests and the type of room you want. The only part that got confusing was when I had to choose the actual cabin. 

I selected a balcony room, and a map came up with a highlighted room. Looking at the picture, it looked like there were no other rooms available and this was the only one I could choose. I like to see all my options when I book, so I scrolled down and found a white box that said, “Choose Different Stateroom.” The page refreshed and then showed me all the possible rooms on that deck and let me switch deck. There were quite a few other rooms available that I wouldn’t have known about initially. The button does the trick, but I just wish the button was more straightforward, or like other websites, it just shows all possible rooms.

After that, I just put in my information and credit card, and I was set. Alaska, here I come! Just a note, if you are a Costco Executive Member (that’s a black card), you’ll get 2% of this cost back at the end of the year! 

How much Costco Travel saved me on this cruise

I honestly wasn’t prepared to save a lot when I started, but after I selected the room I wanted, I was pleasantly surprised with the deal. If you look at the out-of-pocket cost, or what will show up on my credit card, booking through Costco Travel saved me $260 or about 8% . That alone is pretty impressive. You can see the comparison below:

Not only was the cruise $260 than Royal Caribbean’s website, but I also received several perks like a $50 onboard credit, two free soda packages (valued to be $149 for this cruise), a free spa treatment for 1 ($100 value), and a $190 gift card to Costco.

Extra Perks:

I saved $749 compared to booking directly through Royal Caribbean. Now, if you don’t use all these perks, they’ve of no value. For sure, I’ll use the $190 Costco Gift Card, Shipboard Credit, and I would have purchased a soda package for myself, so that means it saved me $575 in total or 17%. That’s a killer deal. 

Planning my cruise activities through Royal Caribbean

Within minutes, I received the confirmation email from Costco Travel. It included a cruise line confirmation number that I was able to put into the Royal Caribbean website. It linked that cruise to my account, and minutes later, the cruise showed up in my cruise planner just like if I booked it through Royal Caribbean. I could then book excursions, wifi, drink packages, etc. By booking through Costco Travel, though, I can’t change dining times, guest names, or request room changes on the Royal Caribbean website. For that, I’d have to contact Costco Travel, but that is pretty rare for me anyway.  

Your mileage may vary

Is Costco Travel going to save you hundreds on every cruise you look at? No, I highly doubt that, but based on my experience, it’s an option worth considering, especially if you’re a Costco member already. For my cruise, it saved me money and gave me a few additional perks. Do your homework and price it out a few ways to see what your best deal.  

Overall, the process was simple, painless, and saved me money. I’ll update this post as the cruise gets closer to let you know how it goes and how the experience with Costco Travel pans out. 

Update – 7/7/2021 – Scoring a price drop

Every once in a while, I check on the price of the cruise. To do that, I have to go to Costco Travel and complete a mock booking. I try to pick cabins nearly identical to mine, so I’m comparing apples to apples. Today, I noticed the price looked lower. It’s hard to be sure, though, because of all the stipulations, so I gave them a call to see.

Their automated system said it’d be about 20 – 30 minutes to speak to a representative, so I put my phone on speaker and waited. This time can vary a lot; I called once before and got an agent in 5 minutes; other times, it was an hour, so I hung up and called later. In COVID times, your wait time will be all over the place, and I totally understand that.

After 25 minutes, an agent picked up. She was friendly and, using my Costco travel booking number, pulled up all the information to confirm. I said that it looked like the cruise was cheaper on the website and is it possible to make a price adjustment. She looked at my reservation and ran the numbers, and said it looked like I was correct. She put me on call and then called Royal Caribbean to see about the adjustment. She was on hold for about 20 minutes waiting for a Royal Caribbean representative but kept coming back every 5 minutes to let me know she was still working on it. When she finally got someone, she confirmed the lower price, which saved me $275. She sent me an email with the confirmation and updated price and waiting to make sure I received it. All the selections I’d made previously with Royal Caribbean (dining time, internet package, etc), stayed precisely how they should be.

Overall, it took me about an hour to save $275, so it was totally worth it. While there was a bit of a wait, it’s understandable with all the COVID changes going on. The Costco Travel representative was friendly, efficient, and competent. The one downside is that I had to be actively looking for this price drop. Some travel agencies will automatically do this for you, but apparently, that’s not part of Costco Travel’s services.

Update 9/1/2021 – Another price drop

Here’s a helpful tip. Once you book a cruise, look for your sailing’s Facebook group. These groups are not affiliated with the cruise line and are often created by a fellow passenger, but it gives you a great place to get ideas and input about your specific cruise. Today, someone in the Facebook group for this cruise posted that they saw a price decrease today. I repriced the cruise on Costco Travel’s website, and saw the price was now $220 lower. I called up Costco Travel and was connected to an agent in about 5 minutes. He verified that I could be eligible for the price drop and then he called Royal Caribbean to get it changed. He was on hold about 35 minutes to make that change, but kept checking in to let me know he was waiting on the cruise line. Overall, it took me 40 minutes on the phone to save another $220. Overall the process with Costco Travel was simple and I still am really impressed with the service. Again, the only thing I wish is that they monitored the prices and adjusted them accordingly.

Update 6/10/2022 – Costco Travel cruise was a success!

Our Alaskan Cruise through Costco Travel was a success. We had an amazing time ( read more here ). In the end, booking through Costco Travel was not much different than if I booked through Royal Caribbean. The letter below was left in our cabin around 6 PM on the first day. It was accompanied by coupons for the spa and the soda packages. There was no hassle in using the coupons. The one down side was that for the soda package, they couldn’t activate it until I gave them my coupon. I didn’t receive the coupon until 6 PM so that meant I had to go from 10 AM (when we boarded) until 6 PM without a soda. As a caffeine addict, it was rough, but not the end of the world. Two weeks after we arrived back home, we received our $190 Costco Gift Card as promised as part of the deal.

Costco Travel can be right for you if…

• You have to be a member to see the pricing and book a cruise. Plus, Executive members get 2% back on travel through this website
• If you know what you want in a cruise and what to expect when booking, then this is no different than many other websites
• You can find excellent deals on the website, especially if you’re flexible.

You might want to avoid booking a cruise through Costco Travel if you…

• If you’re new to cruising and don’t want to do the research, you might be better off using a travel agent. Do you need a passport? Which dinner seating is best? If you have many random questions and don’t want to spend time on the internet, a travel agent is a better fit for you.
• The website experience isn’t great for booking more than 2 cabins. If you’re booking a cruise for more cabins, you can call them although I’d suggest using a travel agent who can act as a point person with everyone.

CruiseSpotlight is an Amazon Associate. We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods.

Related posts:

• Why It’s Good to Go on a Cruise with a Private Island
• Taking a Brewery Tour on a Carnival Ship

Randy Young

Randy Young is the founder and editor-in-chief at Cruise Spotlight. He has been in marketing for 19 years and has been cruising for just as long. Over the years, he's worked with products like TVs, copiers, light bulbs, and EV chargers, but cruising has always been his passion. There's nothing Randy likes more than the first couple of hours on a ship, exploring every nook and cranny and seeing how it's different from everything else out there. He's known for providing detailed and analytical coverage of cruising to help cruisers get a comprehensive picture of a ship's offerings.

You May Also Like

How I Decided on a 2023 Cruise on the Carnival Celebration

7-Night Ovation of the Seas Alaskan Cruise Summary

Leave a reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Everything you need to know about Costco Travel — and why I love it for saving money

Costco isn't just the place where you can buy toilet paper in bulk, inexpensive gas, cheap hot dogs and gift cards. You can also book great trips via the company's online travel agency, Costco Travel.

I know, I know: At TPG, we're often staunchly against booking travel through third-party sites , as there can be tradeoffs versus booking directly. But in recent years, I've become a big fan of the travel deals I can find via Costco Travel.

When planning our annual beach trip back in 2022, my best friend found a few options for Mexican all-inclusive resorts on Costco Travel and shared the links with me. I promptly told her we'd probably be better off booking directly and brushed off the idea of booking through Costco — neither of us even had a membership at the time.

However, comparing the prices and benefits at a few of the resorts proved my initial reaction wrong.

I actually got a Costco membership to book the deal since the cost of the membership was less than what we'd save by booking through Costco. We saved around $300 on a three-night stay at TRS Coral near Cancun (one of TPG's best all-inclusive resorts in Cancun ), not including the free hydrotherapy spa circuit and the $241 Digital Costco Shop Card included in the package.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Madison Blancaflor (@madison_ave18)

Our stay was fantastic, and I officially became a Costco Travel convert.

If you're curious about how to use Costco Travel to find deals, here's everything you need to know about Costco Travel — and why I love it for saving money on travel.

What is Costco Travel?

All Costco members have access to the Costco Travel booking platform, where you can find and book a wide range of travel — from vacation packages to hotels, cruises and rental cars. You can even book theme park vacation packages to Disney and Universal or specialty vacations such as an African safari.

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

Once you log in to Costco Travel, you can search for specific dates or destinations or browse through available deals and featured destinations. I personally love perusing the limited-time deals when I know I want to plan a getaway but don't have a specific destination in mind.

Trips booked through Costco Travel are often discounted and/or include perks and benefits you may not get by booking directly or through other booking portals. Usually, a trip booked through Costco Travel will also include a Digital Costco Shop Card (essentially a type of Costco gift card) of varying value.

What travel can you book through Costco Travel?

You can book hotels, cruises, rental cars and vacation packages through Costco Travel. Vacation packages range from hotel-only offers to all-encompassing packages that include airfare, hotel stays and rental cars. You can even build your own package.

However, one thing to note is that you can't book stand-alone flights via Costco Travel. There is an option to book flights through some vacation packages, but if you're only looking for airfare, you'll want to head to Google Flights to check out your options and book.

You can book Costco Travel offers both online and by phone.

Do you have to be a Costco member to use Costco Travel?

Yes. Costco Travel is an exclusive service for Costco members.

There are two personal membership levels: Gold Star and Executive. Gold Star costs $60 per year, while an Executive membership costs $120. The basic membership will give you access to all of Costco's services, including Costco Travel, while the Executive membership also comes with a 2% reward on all Costco (and Costco Travel) purchases.

I've found that the Costco Travel deals alone are worth paying the $60 Gold Star annual membership fee, even though I don't regularly use Costco for my grocery store runs.

Check sites like Groupon for discount Costco memberships, as you can sometimes save on that rate — or get an included gift card that helps offset the cost.

Is Costo Travel worth it?

Costco Travel has its pros and cons, but there are definitely times when it's worth it.

For example, let's look at a five-night stay in Maui in early April. At the time of writing, Costco is currently offering a hotel and rental car package for Hotel Wailea, a Relais & Chateaux affiliated property and one of TPG's favorite Maui hotels .

Here's one cost comparison breakdown of Costco Travel's deal versus booking directly:

Even without including the additional benefits, you're already saving more than $400 via the Costco deal. Add in the value you get from the card, daily breakfast and resort credit (which is more than $1,000 in value if you maximize all benefits), and you're looking at $1,442.45 in savings by booking through Costco Travel versus directly.

And since Hotel Wailea isn't a member of any major hotel loyalty program, booking through Costco Travel wouldn't mean missing out on elite night credits or other loyalty program benefits.

Here's another example — this time for a Universal Orlando theme park trip from June 4-6 for one adult and two children from Houston. The total cost when booking each part (hotel, tickets and airfare) individually came to $2,701.35, while booking it as a package via Costco saved just over $300.

That's a fair amount of savings you could use for some frozen butterbeer or even a new wand inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter .

When is Costco Travel not worth it?

Not every offer on Costco is worth booking.

For one, you won't necessarily find the same availability on Costco Travel. For example, flights booked through Costco may have some seats blocked off, and certain dates for hotel stays may be unavailable. Additionally, not all rental car companies are bookable through Costco Travel (such as Hertz*, which is my preferred rental car company due to the perks I get through my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ).

Plus, some hotel stays have a minimum stay requirement. If you're on the hunt for a long weekend getaway, you may not be able to take advantage of some Costco Travel deals.

Even when you do find availability, you should always price-check what you can find by booking directly or through your credit card travel portal and hotel programs.

After booking our fantastic stay at TRS Coral just north of Cancun through Costco, I looked at booking through Costco again in 2023 when planning our annual beach vacation.

While Costco had a deal available for the same resort, we happened to be booking when the resort chain was having a Mother's Day sale for anyone booking directly. We were able to try out a new TRS resort closer to Playa Del Carmen, TRS Yucatan; we saved more than $100 on an even nicer suite than Costco Travel offered by booking directly (even when considering the Digital Shop Card we would have gotten by booking with Costco).

Something else to consider when booking hotels through Costco Travel is loyalty program rewards and elite status. There are a lot of hotels available to book through Costco Travel that are part of major loyalty programs, from Hyatt Honors to Marriott Bonvoy to IHG One Rewards and more. But booking through Costco Travel — just like booking through most other third-party services such as Expedia — means you likely won't earn loyalty rewards, elite night credits or have any elite night benefits honored.

You'll also have to use Costco customer service if you run into any issues rather than going directly to the brand. This is especially important when considering booking a vacation package that includes flights, given the higher potential for delays or cancellations.

Why I love Costco Travel

I am typically a staunch proponent of booking directly, but Costco Travel is an exception. I've found that the benefits I can get by booking some trips via Costco outweigh the cons (some of which include having to go through Costco for any customer service help or occasionally losing out on elite night credits).

Digital Costco Shop Cards

My favorite thing about booking trips through Costco Travel is the Digital Costco Shop Card I get after booking. The card's value varies from trip to trip (generally depending on how expensive the package you book), but you can get hundreds of dollars back to use at Costco.

The Digital Costco Shop Cards can be used for Costco warehouse purchases (a game changer with grocery prices so high due to inflation), but you can also use them toward future Costco Travel bookings. And remember — Costco doesn't just carry bulk grocery items. You could use a Digital Costco Shop Card to buy a new flat-screen TV for movie nights and game days, a new outdoor patio setup ahead of summer or even Costco Pharmacy prescriptions.

I admittedly don't use Costco for groceries often (buying in bulk doesn't make a lot of sense for someone who lives alone), but I have used shop cards to help pay for Christmas presents and future Costco Travel trips. I've actually been looking into using my most recent Digital Costco Shop Card on a new pair of AirPods and a new TV mount for my living room.

Deals on non-points hotel stays and all-inclusive resorts

When I'm looking at booking a hotel stay at a brand like Hyatt or Marriott, I generally choose to book directly in order to earn elite night credits and points. However, when looking at properties not part of a major loyalty program, Costco Travel is often a go-to anytime I can find a deal.

Costco Travel has a nice deals section, and I usually look there first if I'm not sold on a specific destination for a getaway. While deals found on Costco generally have a narrow booking window, I've found that many offer a lot of flexibility for the actual trip dates.

A few examples of limited-time deals for January include Hotel Wailea from the example earlier in this guide, all-inclusive resorts in Mexico's Riviera Maya, and Disney and Universal theme park packages.

Simplifying group vacations

I'm often the travel planner in my friend group (which makes sense, considering what I do for a living), but not everyone is an avid points and miles user like myself. For group trips where we're splitting the cost of hotel rooms among multiple people, it often doesn't make sense to use points and miles to book.

Costco Travel vacation packages offer a way for all of us to save money, and it makes narrowing down potential destinations and hotels easier. Rather than everyone having to spend hours researching ideas and prices from across the internet — which might be my idea of a fun Wednesday night but isn't for some of my friends — I typically just send them to Costco Travel to see if any of the featured deals catch their eye.

Having reservation information for multiple aspects of a trip, such as a hotel and rental car package, makes sharing and saving the itineraries a breeze.

Bottom line

Whether or not you currently have a Costco membership, you shouldn't dismiss Costco Travel as just another online travel agency.

If you know where to look and are willing to price-check the deals you find, you can save a lot of money with Costco Travel deals. I've personally had a lot of success booking friends getaways to popular destinations like Mexico through Costco. Using the service has helped me save on other expenses with the Digital Costco Shop Card I've gotten with my bookings.

For me, the $60 annual membership fee to Costco has been more than worth it to utilize Costco Travel.

*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through Dec. 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.

Related reading:

• Key travel tips you need to know — whether you're a beginner or expert traveler
• The best travel credit cards
• How my Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi is a workhorse when it comes to cash back
• Where to go in 2024: The 16 best places to travel
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• 8 of the best credit cards for general travel purchases
• 13 must-have items the TPG team can't travel without

Here's how you can use your Costco membership to book a cruise

• Costco members can book cruises through Costco Travel .
• Members can search for cruises offered by 12 cruise lines and compare their destinations, prices, and features.
• Cruises booked through Costco Travel include perks like credits that can be used toward onboard purchases.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Costco membership comes with advantages beyond the ability to shop in the company's warehouses. Among other benefits, Costco members can purchase travel accommodations through Costco Travel, which allows members to shop for cruises, hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages.

Through Costco Travel, members can search for cruises offered by 12 cruise lines and compare their destinations, prices, and features. Cruises booked through Costco Travel include perks like credits that can be used toward onboard purchases.

Here's how you can book a cruise through Costco Travel.

1. Choose your destination, departure date, cruise line, and the duration of your cruise.

Once you've gone to the Costco Travel website , you can narrow the options you're given if you have criteria in mind. Otherwise, you can browse the cruises that are available in a given month. The month of departure is the only criterion you need to specify.

2. Review your options.

Once you've decided what you're looking for, you'll be shown the options that meet your criteria. This page gives you a snapshot of other relevant information, like the per-night prices for different rooms, the ship's features, the ports of call it will stop at, and an overall rating for the cruise ship from the travel guide company Berlitz.

For some cruises, you won't be able to see prices unless you enter your Costco membership number.

3. Select your cruise.

Once you've decided on a cruise, specify how many rooms you want, how many people will be staying in each room, and each passenger's age. You can also note if anyone in your party qualifies for a senior discount or is a member of the cruise line's loyalty program.

4. Select your room.

You can decide the size of the room you'd like, your room's location, and whether you want a room with a view outside the ship.

5. Decide if you'd also like to purchase plane tickets.

You can also purchase flight tickets and hotel reservations for before and after the cruise. While Costco will make a recommendation, you can switch to another option if you'd like.

Costco says it does not offer tickets from all airlines in every market, so you may have to book flights separately to get the best price.

6. Reserve the cruise.

From there, you'll land on an order page where you can review and confirm your reservation.

If you're booking a cruise with Viking River Cruises, you'll have to pay the full cost of the trip at the time you make your reservation. Otherwise, full payment will be due 90-160 days before the cruise, depending on the cruise line. If full payment is not due at the time of your reservation, you'll pay a deposit.

• Main content

We are an independent publisher. Our reporters create honest, accurate, and objective content to help you make decisions. To support our work, we are paid for providing advertising services. Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Next” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. The compensation we receive and other factors, such as your location, may impact what ads and links appear on our site, and how, where, and in what order ads and links appear. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, our site does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. We strive to keep our information accurate and up-to-date, but some information may not be current. So, your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms on this site. And the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you.

This page may include: credit card ads that we may be paid for (“advertiser listing”); and general information about credit card products (“editorial content”). Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Apply Now” button or “Learn More” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. When you click on that hyperlink or button, you may be directed to the credit card issuer’s website where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer. Each advertiser is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its ad offer details, but we attempt to verify those offer details. We have partnerships with advertisers such as Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Discover. We also include editorial content to educate consumers about financial products and services. Some of that content may also contain ads, including links to advertisers’ sites, and we may be paid on those ads or links.

For more information, please see How we make money .

Save on cruises with Costco Travel

Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money .

Update:   One or more card offers in this post are no longer available.  Check our  Hot Deals  for the latest offers.

I know lots of folks who love to vacation at sea.

Cruises are popular because there’s so much included in the price, like meals, onboard entertainment, and unlimited use of the water slides. So it’s a great option for a family getaway. Plus, many cruise itineraries include visits to multiple destinations — and you only have to unpack once!

If you’re planning a cruise and are a Costco member , I recommend checking options on Costco Travel  because similar to  warehouse club’s vacation packages , you can often find the bfest prices and get extra perks. For example, a Costco Travel cruise migh

t come with a credit to use onboard or an all-inclusive beverage package.

I’ll share the benefits of booking a cruise with Costco Travel . And compare prices and perks you find through the warehouse club with what you’ll get booking directly or through a 3rd party site.

How to use Costco Travel for a cruise

There are a variety of cruises available through Costco Travel . Destinations include popular spots like:

• Asia, Africa, and the Middle East
• Caribbean and Bahamas
• Mexico and Central America
• South America
• South Pacific

And you can choose to sail with most of the popular cruise lines, such as:

• Azamara Club Cruises
• Celebrity Cruises
• Crystal Cruises
• Disney Cruise Line
• Holland America
• Princess Cruises
• Regent Seven Seas
• Royal Caribbean
• Uniworld River Cruises

You can book just about any cruise that’s available directly through the cruise line on Costco Travel . The prices are typically similar or cheaper to those you’ll find booking directly, but the benefit of using Costco Travel is you could earn a Costco shop card, which you can then use to purchase merchandise or gas at any of their warehouse clubs in the U.S. and Canada.

If you’re looking for exclusive Costco Travel cruise deals, we recommend checking out the “ Featured Cruises ” section of the site. These packages come with additional perks like a larger Costco cash card or extra savings like an all-inclusive beverage package.

Here are a few sample cruises you can book through Costco Travel :

Disney Cruise to the Bahamas

I found a seven-night cruise on the Disney Fantasy , which departs from Port Canaveral in Florida and stops in:

• Cozumel, Mexico
• George Town, Grand Cayman
• Falmouth, Jamaica
• Disney Castaway Cay

Disney cruises are popular because they include Disney Character experiences, excellent food, and adult nightclubs and lounges.

For a sample trip in April 2020, the cheapest price I found on Costco Travel for two adults and one child under age 17 was ~$5,015, which includes all taxes & fees. But you also get a $380 Costco cash card, which effectively makes the cruise price ~$4,635.

I checked the price of the same itinerary directly through Disney Cruise Line and it’s ~$28 more AND you don’t get any additional perks like you do with Costco Travel.

The price on Costco Travel is also better than what I found on  Orbitz ,  Expedia , and  Priceline .

Mediterranean cruise through the Greek islands

There are many amazing cruise itineraries for folks looking to sail the Mediterranean Sea.

I found a seven-night Mediterranean cruise on the Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas , which departs from Venice, Italy and stops in:

• Dubrovnik, Croatia
• Kotor, Montenegro
• Santorini, Greece
• Katakolon, Greece

Through Costco Travel, the cost for two adults traveling in June 2020 is ~$2,322.

For this sample trip, the cost when booking directly through the cruise line is actually slightly cheaper — ~$2,247. But the benefit of booking through Costco Travel is you get a $140 Costco shope card. So in the end, you’re saving $65 by booking with Costco.

Earn bonus miles & points on Costco Travel purchases with these cards

When you book a cruise through Costco Travel, you can earn bonus cash back, miles, or points when you pay with a card that includes travel as a bonus category. Here are a few to consider:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve® – 3X Chase Ultimate Rewards points
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – 2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi – 3% cash back on eligible travel purchases

The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

If you’re a Costco member , you can find amazing deals on cruises through Costco Travel .  The prices I found are usually the same or cheaper than what you’ll find booking directly with the cruise line or through online travel agencies like  Orbitz ,  Expedia , and  Priceline .

But the main reason to book through Costco Travel is they often include extra perks like a Costco cash card or unlimited beverage package. For example, a sample Disney Cruise I found comes with a $380 Costco cash card, which you can use toward merchandise or gas at any of their warehouse clubs in the U.S. or Canada.

Have you used Costco Travel to book a cruise? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Meghan Hunter

Contributor

Meghan Hunter is an editor for Million Mile Secrets. She covers points, miles, credit cards, airlines, hotels and general travel. Her work has also appeared in The Points Guy.

More Topics

General Travel

Join the Discussion!

You May Also Like

BonusTracker: Best credit card bonus offers

June 14, 2021 4

Best Hilton credit cards: Improved weekend night certificates, earning rates and more

June 12, 2021 2

Our Favorite Partner Cards

Popular posts.

Protect Your Trip »

Costco Travel: How to Save Money When Booking a Vacation

Costco can help you save big on your next getaway, but only if you're a member of the wholesale club.

Getty Images

Costco Travel offers deals on everything from cruises to rental cars.

Bulk shoppers who buy groceries and household supplies at their local Costco store have access to another savings tool many don't even know about. With Costco Travel , you can secure deep discounts on hotels, airfare, cruises, vacation packages and rental cars. Better yet, you can qualify for special incentives like Costco gift cards or onboard cruise credits.

Before diving in, it's important to note that you do have to be a Costco member to use the Costco Travel website. There are four membership options to choose from: two for individuals and two for businesses.

The basic Gold Star membership costs $60 annually and it's available at all Costco locations. You can pay more for a Gold Star Executive membership for $120 that comes with an annual 2% reward on qualified Costco and Costco Travel purchases, as well as extra benefits on select Costco services.

The two Costco business memberships are also $60 and $120, with tiered benefits set up to appeal to businesses instead of families. The $60 Business membership comes with the same benefits as the personal Gold star membership, but you can also pay to add additional members to your account, and you can purchase items for resale.

The Business Executive membership, on the other hand, allows those benefits plus the annual 2% reward on qualified Costco purchases and Costco Travel, as well as special benefits on select Costco services.

The Best Ways to Save with Costco Travel

While you have to pay for a Costco membership to take advantage of travel perks, this may not matter if you shop at Costco anyway. And really, the $60 membership fee could be worth it if you travel a lot and know how to leverage this travel savings site to the hilt.

So, how can you make the most out of Costco Travel? U.S. News spoke with experts and Costco Travel enthusiasts to find out all the best ways to save.

Always Check Pricing for Rental Cars

Vicki Cook, a Costco Travel enthusiast who writes about personal finance for the website Women Who Money , says she religiously checks Costco Travel before she rents a car, and she finds better pricing almost every time.

" We took a trip to Germany and Italy in the fall of 2019 and saved big on a car rental with Costco Travel," she says.

Not only did Cook and her travel companions get a medium-sized SUV for nine days for less than $250, but they also locked in a one-way rental without any one-way rental fees.

[Read: 15 Tips to Save Money on Your Next Vacation .]

Fortunately, Costco Travel makes it easy to compare pricing just like you would on a website like Expedia.com or Travelocity.com. All you need to do is enter your pickup and drop-off destination and dates, and you can compare rental options with multiple agencies in one place.

Book Rentals with No Upfront Deposit

Another benefit of booking rental cars on Costco Travel is that you can reserve a rental car without paying upfront. This allows you to lock in a price you like without necessarily having to commit.

"Because there's no upfront payment or deposit, you can check for price drops and book the lower rate when you find one," says cruise expert Melissa Lagerquist of Cruise Frugal . "Even better, their search engine automatically applies relevant coupons to applicable bookings, saving you both time and money."

Get a Free Second Driver

Lagerquist also says that Costco Travel lets you add an additional driver to your rental car reservation for free, which is a perk you don't get with every rental agreement.

Ruby Escalona, a blogger who writes about travel on A Journey We Love, says having the additional free driver is a huge bonus for her travel plans since she and her husband travel together and they both like to drive. In that sense, using Costco Travel helps them save money while offering some added flexibility.

Compare Cruise Pricing and Keep an Eye Out for Freebies

When it comes to cruising, Lagerquist says Costco Travel is hard to beat, but not because the pricing is lower. Cruise fares tend to be consistent whether you book directly or with a travel agent, she says. What sets Costco Travel apart from other travel agencies is that it provides more to its customers.

"Not only can Costco Travel book the same promotions cruise lines are offering, but they also rebate a portion your cruise fare in the form of a Costco Shop Card sent approximately three weeks after you return home from your cruise," she says.

If you browse cruises on Costco Travel, you can also find options that come with freebies like free Wi-Fi packages, room upgrades, drink packages and more.

Look for Special Incentives on Vacation Packages

Also consider the prospect of booking all your travel in one place with a vacation package. This typically means booking your airfare and hotel in a single package in order to score a discount, but you can also book vacation packages through Costco Travel that include a rental car.

Robert Farrington, who writes about personal finance at The College Investor , says he stumbled upon some excellent perks when he booked a vacation package to Maui in late 2019.

"Costco had a bundled deal that included the hotel, rental car and free breakfast at the hotel buffet every day, and a $200 resort credit," he said. Amazingly, the breakfast benefit was worth $100 per day because breakfast was so pricey at this hotel, which was the Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui , a luxury oceanfront property.

"That deal was significantly better than any deal offered by the resort itself, or through any other booking site and even places like American Express [Travel's] Fine Hotels & Resorts," says Farrington.

[See: 50 Awesome Vacation Ideas for Every Type of Traveler .]

The bottom line: If you're shopping for a vacation package, make sure to see if Costco Travel throws in anything extra. You never know what kind of perks you can get for the same price as booking elsewhere.

Sign Up for a Costco Executive Membership to Earn 2% Back

As mentioned previously, signing up for an Executive Costco membership (individual or business) sets you up to earn an annual 2% reward on all qualifying Costco and Costco Travel purchases.

While this membership costs $60 more per year, this benefit could pay off quickly if you can use Costco Travel to score hundreds of dollars in resort freebies or Costco Shop Cards (cards with preloaded funds to use toward a membership and merchandise at Costco) for booking a cruise.

Watch for "Hot Buys"

Check Costco Travel's Hot Buys section, which includes a wide range of special travel sales and last-minute deals for resort stays, vacation packages, cruises and more. These deals usually include special savings and discounts, as well as perks like Costco Shop Cards, drink packages and resort credits.

Make sure to check the Hot Buys page on Costco Travel frequently since these deals change all the time.

Check for Member Exclusives

While Hot Buys from Costco Travel are normally available for a limited time and on select travel plans, Costco Travel also offers featured experiences that are curated for Costco Travel members. These can include cruises with an array of excursions or even guided tours throughout the world.

Either way, member exclusives from Costco Travel are meant to provide good value and come with plenty of extras you can't get when you book travel elsewhere.

Sign Up for the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi

If you want to maximize your Costco Travel purchases even further, consider the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi. Not only does this card give you 4% back on eligible gas purchases (including Costco gas purchases) on up to $7,000 in spending per year (then 1% after that), but you also earn 3% back on dining and eligible travel purchases, 2% back on Costco and Costco.com purchases and 1% back on everything else.

Costco Travel purchases are considered eligible travel purchases and you can also stack this with the annual 2% reward you can earn with a Costco Executive membership, although those savings will be doled out separately.

You can also use this card and earn rewards in conjunction with all the other savings tips offered in this piece.

Remember You'll Lose Out on Some Loyalty Program Benefits

Finally, keep in mind that you'll miss out on some loyalty perks when you book travel with a third party, including Costco Travel.

If you book a Hilton or Marriott hotel through Costco Travel, for example, you won't earn points on your booking with the respective Hilton Honors or Marriott Bonvoy programs. You will also miss out on any elite benefits you may have, such as complimentary breakfast or executive lounge access.

In those cases, you may be better off skipping over Costco Travel and booking your travel directly with hotel programs instead.

[Read: The Best Travel Rewards Programs .]

As a side note, you will typically earn airline miles when you book flights through Costco Travel. All you need to do is link your frequent flyer account to your reservation when you make your booking. You can also go in after the fact and add your reservation to your frequent flyer account.

The bottom line: Costco Travel can help you save money on hotels, cruises, vacation packages, car rentals and more, but make sure to consider if booking through Costco is worth giving up any perks you may receive when booking directly.

Tags: Travel , Vacations , Costco Wholesale Corp.

World's Best Places To Visit

• # 1 South Island, New Zealand
• # 4 Bora Bora

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

You May Also Like

The best east coast beaches.

April 19, 2024

The Best Carry-on Luggage

Erin Evans , Rachael Hood , Catriona Kendall , Amanda Norcross and Leilani Osmundson April 17, 2024

The Best Luggage Brands

Rachael Hood April 17, 2024

The Best Hard-sided Luggage Picks

The Best Yellowstone National Park Tours

John Rodwan April 17, 2024

The Best Rome Colosseum Tours

Laura Itzkowitz April 17, 2024

Best Alaska Tours

Lyn Mettler April 16, 2024

The Best Fredericksburg Wine Tours

The Best Personal Item Bags

Rachael Hood April 16, 2024

The 17 Best Costa Rica Tours

Lyn Mettler April 12, 2024

What travelers should know about booking a trip with Costco Travel

When Cathi White books a trip, she always checks Costco Travel first. For over a decade, she has booked a range of vacations with the wholesale retailer, from theme parks to island getaways with her family.

"Places like Disneyland are very, very expensive, but they've always got some kind of deal going," said White, 50, who lives in Indianapolis.

On a trip she booked through Costco to Grand Cayman in 2019, she estimated she saved $2,000 by using the service.

Much like packs of paper towels or jumbo jars of mayonnaise, Costco Travel can offer shoppers deals on everything from cruises to rental cars. But travelers and travel experts say the service has some limitations as well.

Should I book my summer travel now?: Travel experts share how to find the best deals

Learn more: Best travel insurance

He visited Disneyland every day for more than 8 years: Here's how he got started and his tips for your visit

Purchases you make through our links may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

How does Costco Travel work?

Costco Travel offers a range of options for travelers looking to book a trip. "We use our buying authority to negotiate the best value in the marketplace, and then pass on the savings to Costco members ," the service said on its website .

Those include curated vacation packages to select destinations around the world, which may include combinations of flights, hotel stays, car rentals and more, according to Assistant Vice President and General Merchandise Manager Chris Hendrix.

"In these bundled packages, our buyers vet and hand pick each resort and component. … We limit our selection to ensure the best quality and value," he said in an email.

Sign up for a Costco membership

What can you book through Costco Travel?

Travelers can also book cruises, rental cars and build their own trips to various U.S. cities, booking hotel stays or bundling them with flights and car rentals, according to Hendrix. Those making bookings can do so online or by phone, and the service has reservation agents that can assist travelers before, during and after their trip, he said.

Can Costco Travel replace a travel agent?

Brian Ayers and his wife booked a Costco Travel package for their honeymoon in Greece in part because of the convenience. The 2019 trip, which took them to Athens, Santorini and Mykonos marked his first time out of the country, and he said it "was going to be much too complex for us to measure it out, just because booking ferry times and hotels, there were just so many choices."

Even when their plans hit a snag after a ferry was canceled, leaving them "hanging out at the ferry station for a couple of hours," the 29-year-old said, Costco Travel was a helpful intermediary. Ayers, who lives in Lewisville, Texas, and works for a semiconductor chip   manufacturer, called the service, which confirmed with the ferry provider that their tickets would be valid on the next one available.

However, Kerry Mooneyham, owner of Midwest Travel Solutions said booking through Costco Travel is not the same as working with a travel agent that can offer more personalized guidance.

"You're going to have the same cruise whether you book it directly with Carnival, you book it with Costco, or you book it with me," she said. "The cruise is exactly the same. ... It's behind the scenes that we do things to make it better."

She said booking with Costco Travel may make more sense for some trips than others.

"I think maybe when you're not exactly sure what is the best option for you is really a time when you should be reaching out to an expert that understands the differences between cruise A and cruise B," Mooneyham said. "But if you know exactly what you want, that's a time where you might only be looking at, you know, 'What's the best value for me?'"

However, Hendrix said the company has more than 1,000 Costco Travel employees with experts in various focus areas, including cruises, Hawaii and Europe.

But travelers may not always find what they are looking for. Hendrix said Costco only offers car rentals with Avis, Alamo, Budget and Enterprise, for example, and it has a limited selection of hotels and hotel brands. Certain destinations may also not be available for their vacation package and build-your-own-trip options.

Can you book flights with Costco Travel? 

"Flights are available as part of our vacation packages or our build-your-own options," Hendrix said. However, travelers cannot currently purchase flights alone through Costco Travel.

Do you have to be a Costco member to use Costco Travel?

Yes. Travelers must be active Costco members to use the service. Depending on the tier, Costco memberships cost between $60 and $120 per year – before any applicable sales tax – according to its website .

"Many of our programs offer Costco Travel members an exclusive Costco Shop Card for their travel purchase, which they receive once their travel is completed, and can be used in the warehouse or online at Costco.com," Hendrix added.

Costco Executive members also get an annual 2% reward – up to $1,000 – on qualifying purchases made through Costco Travel.

This new Vegas show wants you out of you out of your seat: What to know ahead of 'DiscoShow'

Should you buy travel insurance through a cruise line?: Maybe not, experts say

Is Costco Travel a good deal?

Some travelers have found significant savings using the service. Ayers booked a 2022 trip to Spain with Costco Travel after pricing the trip out themselves. 

"The cost for just the airline tickets would have been the cost for the entire Costco package," he said, which included flights, hotels and more.

White also noted that resort fees  have always been included when she has booked through the service. When possible, Hendrix said Costco Travel's buyers work to include those fees "or negotiate the waiving of those fees."

And despite its budget-friendly reputation, White has booked luxury hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton through the service.

When she doesn't book with Costco, she said it's usually just because they don't have what she's looking for. "But they do have an amazing selection," White said.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

The Best Ways to Book a Cruise

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Not all cruise sites are created equal. While you may find comparable prices on different sites, each site has its own benefits, offers and cancellation policies. 

Before you book, though, have a look at these credit cards that come with cruise benefits to sweeten the pot even more.

What is the best way to book a cruise?

The best place to book a cruise will vary depending on what you're looking for out of the experience. We've broken out cruise booking sites based on common booking goals.

From our findings, here are the top cruise booking sites for your next vacation, plus the pros and cons they offer travelers.

For sailings across the Caribbean, Mexico or Central America: CheapCaribbean

CheapCaribbean.com is the best cruise website for the Caribbean, Mexico or Central America. It offers a best-price guarantee plus limited-time offers and discounts.

If you find a better deal within 24 hours of booking, CheapCaribbean will price match and beat it by $25. The company's customer service is available seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

Best-price guarantee.

Customer service is available seven days a week.

Charges a $24.99 processing fee on reservations.

Must provide an email address to receive the best deals and promos.

» Learn more: The best cruise lines

For consulting reviews from other cruisers: Cruise Critic

Cruise Critic is an independent website that encourages community members to post reviews and share tips.

Its message boards offer ways for website visitors to ask questions and share feedback with others based on their personal experiences and opinions. The site also acts as a metasearch for cruise deals, pulling in prices from multiple cruise websites.

Read cruise reviews from travelers who've been on that itinerary before.

"Deal Score" ranks deals to find the best value.

Price tracker shows 90-day trends for cruise prices.

Must click through the deal to book your cruise on other websites.

Prices are not guaranteed and can change before booking due to fees and restrictions on the sites where the cruises are being sold.

To review several cruise prices at once: CruiseDirect

CruiseDirect is the best cruise website when all you want are cruise prices. It doesn't offer hotels, flights, rental cars or other reservations you may want for your next vacation. CruiseDirect does, however, offer bonuses for travelers booking through its site.

Travelers can filter search results by destination, cruise line or departure port on various ships. This site offers cruises for every type of traveler, from budget to luxury, and every type of ship, from riverboats to mega-ships.

Bonus offers on every reservation provide extra value.

Best-price guarantee and free reservation holds.

Buy now, pay later financing options.

Promos offered by cruise lines aren't exclusive to CruiseDirect.

Customer service can be unfriendly.

» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?

For budget-friendly options: Priceline

Priceline was originally known for its "Name Your Own Price" promotions, but has grown into a full-service online travel agency offering flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises, saving consumers more than $1 billion dollars per year.

Travelers who book a cruise with Priceline receive up to $2,000 to spend at sea, plus waived deposits on their reservations.

Up to $2,000 to spend on board.

Waived deposits of up to $500 when booking your cruise.

110% best-price guarantee within 48 hours of booking.

Ability to book flights, hotels, rental cars and more from the same site.

Must call Priceline to get exclusive offers and unpublished fares.

Restrictions make the best-price guarantee harder to benefit from.

» Learn more: Tips for getting the best cruise deals

For booking travel experiences beyond the cruise: TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is an online reviewer community where travelers share their experiences, pictures and ratings of hotels, suggested activities and more. This honest feedback and travel inspiration also make it one of the best websites to book a cruise.

Search over 70,000 cruise deals from more than 60 sites at once.

Dedicated ship pages share details, reviews, photos and itineraries.

Too many search results make it harder to narrow down your choices.

» Learn more: Are cruises all-inclusive?

To match with a vacation planner: Avoya Travel

Avoya Travel is a family-owned website that matches travelers with a vacation planner based on their preferences. It's the best way to book a cruise using a travel planner because it offers a low-price guarantee without charging extra fees for the planner.

The downside is that online pricing is not "live." Therefore, you must speak with a travel planner to get the latest prices and book your cruise.

Match with cruise planners according to your needs.

Does not charge Avoya fees for booking, changes or cancellations.

Get a low-price guarantee and the expertise of a vacation planner without extra fees.

Must become a member to unlock the best deals.

Pricing on the website is not "live" pricing, so actual cost may vary.

Cannot book a cruise online. You must speak with an independent vacation planner.

» Learn more: The best cruise insurance right now

To book a vacation package with an airline or hotel

American airlines cruises.

American Airlines AAdvantage members can earn airline miles when booking cruises at BookAACruises.com . All members earn one mile for every dollar they spend on cruise reservations, up to 10,000 miles. Some cruise specials offer up to 100,000 miles based on your selected cruise.

If you have an American Airlines credit card, you'll earn 2x miles, up to 20,000 miles. These miles and Loyalty Points count toward airline elite status. Additionally, trips booked through this site are eligible for promotions offered by the cruise lines.

Earn miles and Loyalty Points toward travel and elite status.

Cardholders earn 2x miles, up to 20,000 miles on cruises.

Cruise experts are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Cruise reservations are offered by a third party, so customer service issues can be a challenge.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Delta SkyMiles Cruises

Delta Air Lines is another airline that allows members to earn airline miles when booking cruises through its portal. Booking through SkyMilesCruises.com helps you earn Delta SkyMiles on your purchase.

Members get up to 10,000 miles on most cruises and up to 100,000 miles on luxury cruises. Plus, the site waives deposits on eligible cruise reservations.

Can earn up to 100,000 miles when booking a cruise.

Waives deposits when booking eligible cruises.

110% price guarantee within 48 hours of booking.

Most cruise awards are capped at 10,000 miles.

Miles earned are based on the length of the cruise, not the amount spent.

United Airlines Cruises

United Airlines MileagePlus members can earn up to 25,000 miles when booking a cruise through United at Cruises.United.com .

When you have a United Airlines credit card, you'll earn up to 45,000 miles. By offering up to 4x miles per dollar spent (or 7x as a cardholder), this site is the best way to book a cruise and earn airline miles on your purchase. If you have Premier status, you receive additional perks on select cruise lines, like wine and onboard credits.

Earn up to 7x miles on cruises.

United MileagePlus Premier members receive additional perks.

Can redeem miles to pay for some or all of your trip.

Not all cruises can be booked online.

Prices do not include a nonrefundable $24.99 processing fee.

Marriott Bonvoy Cruises

If you want to earn hotel points on your cruise, Marriott Cruise with Points is the best cruise website for you. You'll earn up to 6x points on your cruise purchase, or you can redeem Marriott Bonvoy points to pay for your trip.

Plus, Marriott cardholders can earn an extra 2x points when they use that card for their purchase. While most cruises max out at 25,000 Bonvoy points earned, some luxury cruise lines offer up to 250,000 Marriott points.

Earn up to 6x points on your cruise, up to 250,000 Marriott points.

Marriott cardholders receive an extra 2x points when paying with their cards.

Can use Bonvoy points to pay for your cruise.

Redemption value of Bonvoy points is only 0.4 cent.

Must call to book cruises using points.

Processing fee of $24.99 per reservation.

» Learn more: Airline credit cards vs. hotel credit cards

For cruise package deals: Costco Travel

Costco is a retailer that offers exclusive products and pricing to its members. Through its Costco Travel website , members receive exclusive prices and benefits when booking hotels, rental cars, cruises and travel packages.

Executive Members earn 2% back on Costco Travel purchases and receive additional benefits on select packages. Plus, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi cardholders earn 3% cash back rewards on Costco Travel purchases.

Earn 2% rewards and extra perks with Executive Membership.

Some cruises offer Costco gift cards or onboard credit.

Must be a member to book reservations with Costco Travel.

Directly with the Cruise Line

In some cases, booking directly with the cruise line can be best because it eliminates a third party. If there's a problem with your reservation or you need to make a change, you don't have to worry about the booking site and the cruise line pointing fingers at each other.

This may be the best approach if you know which cruise line you want to book and which cities you want to visit. However, you may miss out on promotions offered by third-party sites.

Simple search functions.

No hassles with third parties for problems, changes or cancellations.

Less likely to get scammed by fraudulent sites.

Miss out on deals offered by third-party sites.

Harder to compare prices, benefits and routes from multiple cruise lines.

Comparing cruise prices across websites

Without being able to compare prices, it can be a challenge to determine the best site for booking a cruise. To make it easier to compare, we priced out a 7-night Caribbean cruise for two adults. 

We selected the lowest-priced balcony room on Royal Caribbean departing from Miami in August 2023. Here are the results:

Mitigate cancellation policy risks with travel insurance

If you're worried your trip plans being disrupted by bad weather or a change of plans, travel insurance might help. This optional standalone insurance can be purchased separately from your cruise bookings.

But you might not even need to pay out-of-pocket for trip insurance because many credit cards offer travel insurance as a built-in benefit to customers who pay for travel expenses on that card.

» Learn more: The best credit cards for cruises

Travel cards with cruise benefits

You can get even more perks by booking your cruise with the right card.

on Chase's website

on Bank of America's website

on American Express' website

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Get 25% more value out of your points when you book cruises through Chase.

Book with your card to get automatic travel protections for your cruise.

Redeem miles as a statement credit to cover spending on cruises.

Book with your card to get automatic travel insurance coverage for your cruise.

Earn 2x points on travel spending, including cruises and some ship excursions.

Book with your card to get trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation coverage and other travel assistance services.

Get American Express Cruise Privileges Program benefits when you book at least five nights with eligible cruise lines. Terms apply.

Cruise program benefits include $300 credit redeemable toward dining and spa services plus amenities like wine, chocolates and champagne. Terms apply.

Booking a cruise recapped

When looking for the best way to book a cruise, the price is virtually the same on every website. The difference lies in how each seller sweetens the deal.

Several cruise booking sites set themselves apart from the competition by offering additional benefits to encourage booking through them. Additionally, being able to book other parts of your trip — like flight and excursions — on the same site, or offering access to a travel agent, distinguishes some of the best cruise websites. 

When prices are the same, we recommend cruise bookers compare the perks being offered, then book on the site with the most appealing bonuses, like onboard credits, airline miles, hotel points or cash back.

If you're searching for cruises on a third-party website, you may question the legitimacy of that site. This is especially true if the site doesn't look professional or some of the information is outdated.

For this reason, you should stick with one of the best cruise booking sites on this list because they've been vetted for legitimacy and have a good track record with travelers.

Yes, last-minute deals can be the best way to book a cruise. If your travel plans are flexible, these deals can save you a lot of money. Keep in mind that you may not be able to book your preferred destination or routing if it is sold out.

Unfortunately, most cruise lines do not offer free cancellations or changes to take advantage of price drops after you book. Passengers can always negotiate with a booking site or cruise line, but they aren't obligated to refund the difference. Instead, they may offer you onboard credit, complimentary excursions or credit toward another cruise booking.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5x-2x Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

clock This article was published more than  4 years ago

7 things to know about booking travel through Costco

Costco, America’s beloved wholesale behemoth best known for its bulk goods and Kirkland Signature™ private label, has long been one of the country’s favorite one-stop shops. Here, you can get high-end perfume and camping gear. Although most people know that Costco has great deals on household paper goods, they may not realize that Costco has been in the travel business since 2000. Costco Travel offers members discounted rental cars, cruises and guided group trips, as well as domestic and international vacations.

Because Costco Travel is a division under the regular Costco umbrella, its users can expect the same benefits shopping for a vacation as they would shopping for chicken. Here’s how it works: Costco Travel is made up of buying teams, just like the dealmaking foot soldiers who work for regular Costco. These buyers work with travel vendors to negotiate lower prices on a limited number of goods (i.e., hotel rooms or cruise fares), then offer those discounted rates and packages to the many millions of Costco members. Buyers don’t work on commission or incentives; their job is simply to secure the best value.

Other wholesale stores like Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club also sell discounted travel experiences, but Costco’s cult-like following and robust vacation package options make the company stand out from the pack.

Perhaps the nicest part of booking with Costco Travel is that it’s straightforward. The prices advertised on the website already include taxes, so you don’t end up with a completely different estimate at the end of the process, unlike other online travel agencies (like Booking.com or Hotels.com).

Intrigued? Before you book a trip with Costco Travel, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. There’s something for everyone

There isn’t one kind of Costco Travel vacation. The most popular itineraries usually involve Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and cruising, but there’s much more out there to book. Costco Travel has trips for adventure-seekers , for young people ages 18 to 35 who want to travel with fellow young people, or people who want to drink a bunch of wine in a new place.

The prices vary, too. Travelers can hunt for packages around $300 in the Under $499 category or splurge on one of the “Costco Vacations of a Lifetime.”

You don’t have to book a big blockbuster vacation to reap the Costco Travel benefits, either. You can use the service to book an individual hotel room, or a hotel and flight. And according to insiders, one of the best-kept secrets is its rental-car business.

2. Look for Buyer’s Choice vacations or cruises, or Kirkland Signature vacations

Costco Travel insiders say that where the real savings lurk are in Kirkland Signature vacations , Buyer’s Choice vacations and Hot Buys, or limited-time deals that are advertised online and in Costco email newsletters. These trips will offer added value and amenities beyond what regular Costco Travel experiences already deliver.

3. Take advantage of flexible payment options

Costco members have options when it comes to how to pay, like setting up recurring payments to cover the whole cost. You’ll probably have to pay a deposit on packages or pay for your airfare upfront, and some payment requirements may depend on the time of year. People who are able to pay early may be eligible for bigger savings .

4. Do your research on airfare before you book

Shalen Fairbanks, a Costco member who lives in Silver Spring, Md., first started using Costco Travel six years ago. She has booked five trips for her family to Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. Her advice to potential Costco Travel users would be to shop around for flights before booking a trip, because she has occasionally found better airfare deals than what Costco offered.

“You pick where you want to go, [Costco Travel] gives you a bunch of different options of hotels and packages, and then I do look at airfare separately,” Fairbanks says. “Sometimes it’s cheaper to go buy your own flight and then book the rest of the package” through Costco Travel.

If you do go with Costco Travel’s airfare option, which often comes with airport transfers, make sure you book any upgrades ahead of time. Charleston, S.C., resident Michael Fanning booked an African safari through Costco Travel when he noticed that it cost drastically less than what he had seen elsewhere.

“The trip was fantastic,” Fanning says. “I mean, it really was extraordinary.”

But one thing he would’ve done differently: “The one part that was not as fun was the 14-hour plane ride on South African Airways from JFK to Johannesburg,” Fanning says. “That’s a tough trip. We would have preferred to have upgraded our seats, but we weren’t allowed to do that through the package.”

Already thinking about summer travel? Good. It’s time to book flights now.

5. Get cash back on your vacation purchase

Depending on your membership level, you may be able to get even better deals on a vacation when you book with Costco Travel. Executive Members (whose annual fee is $120) earn 2 percent cash back on their Costco Travel purchases.

Members who book their travel with a Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi credit card (a card with no foreign transaction fees, by the way) earn 3 percent cash back.

6. Costco Travel trips come with perks

Executive Members are treated to benefits like food and beverage credits, spa credits, room upgrades and more for the primary cardholder booking the trip. The extras that get thrown into vacation packages are one of Fairbanks’s favorite parts of using Costco Travel.

“They’ll give you a $250 Costco Rebate Card,” she says. “The [trips] we’ve been on have a $100 or $200 spa credit per room. The one to Jamaica, we had a spa credit per room, plus we got $200 to use toward the local activity” company.

That Jamaica trip also included access to a VIP departure experience at the airport that got the Fairbankses through customs quicker. Accounting for the perks her family of five earned, Fairbanks estimates she saved the cost of one person’s trip.

7. Costco can’t control everything

While the planning and booking can be seamless, keep in mind that Costco Travel trips can have hiccups, like any travel experience. For example, the Fairbankses’ airport transfer didn’t show up for their scheduled pickup. “But that’s a problem on the company that made this transfer,” she says — not Costco’s. “Their driver didn’t show up that day.”

In the event that anything goes awry, pick up the phone and contact a Costco Travel representative to assist with any issues.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misnamed the airline flown by Michael Fanning. He used South African Airways. This article has been corrected.

Map out your visits to national parks around their free-entry days

Follow By The Way on Instagram for city highlights, travel tips and more

7 tips for more strategic duty-free shopping

How to Save on Booking a Cruise

Kiplinger editors have found three methods for saving money on cruises.

• Newsletter sign up Newsletter

We may get compensation if you visit partner links on our site. We may not cover every available offer. Our relationship with advertisers may impact how an offer is presented on our website. However, our selection of products is made independently of our relationship to advertisers. Credit card offers checked as of January 4, 2024.

Booking a cruise for a family vacation or romantic getaway? Cruises can be a great way for extended families to enjoy time together, as they offer activities for kids, adults and seniors. And if you book a cruise strategically with travel rewards credit cards or cash back cards, you can save money and get extra perks for your trip. 

1. Book a cruise with rewards credit cards

If you are a veteran cruiser, you know that booking a cruise can be a complicated ordeal, especially if you are trying to earn or redeem credit card rewards at the same time. "The best strategy is to keep it simple and flexible," according to Ted Rossman of Creditcards.com. Rossman recommends avoiding cruise-branded credit cards, which typically deliver meager rewards and lock you into only one cruise line. Instead, he advises using a flexible travel rewards card or a cash back card.

Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Be a smarter, better informed investor.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters

Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.

Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.

Booking with a travel rewards credit card can help you get travel-related perks, like travel assistance and no foreign transaction fees. Here are some of Rossman's favorite travel cards for maximizing the points you earn when booking a cruise:

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns five points for every dollar booked through its travel portal. Instead of booking directly through the Chase travel portal, you must call a Chase cruise specialist at 1-866-331-0773. Chase works with almost every cruise line except Disney and will match the price of any package you find on a partner cruise website. Chase is offering 60,000 bonus points , worth $750 in travel when redeemed at Chase Travel℠, after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. The annual fee is $95, and interest rates are 21.49% - 28.49% variable APR.
• The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns five miles for every dollar booked through Capital One Travel and two miles per dollar on all other purchases. New cardholders can get 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening the account. You can also book a cruise without using the Capital One Travel platform and get reimbursed at the rate of one cent per mile. See rates and fees . Need more details? Read Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card  — $750 Bonus Offer . 

If the thought of managing points or miles for booking and redeeming travel sounds like a hassle, keep it simple with one of the best cash back credit cards . One of the best options for travelers is the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card . Earn unlimited three points back on each dollar spent on travel, restaurants, gas and other categories, and one point back on everything else. Earn a welcome bonus of 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months, worth a $300 cash redemption value. There is no annual fee.

2. Use a Costco or BJ's membership

Costco If you're a fan of the perks a Costco Membership can give you, check out the company's travel discounts. Costco cruise packages, especially those under the store's Kirkland brand, are some of the cheapest on the market. Costco also partners with Disney and other major cruise lines. An entry-level Costco membership costs $60 per year.

BJ's BJ's Wholesale Club members receive up to a $500 BJ gift card when they book a cruise through the company's travel portal . BJ's offers discounts on major cruise lines, as well as everything you may need to get you to the departure dock, like airfare, rental cars and hotel. The lowest membership tier costs $55 per year.

Both Costco and BJ's provide last-minute deals on cruises, some of which are incredibly cheap. For example, Costco is advertising a five-night cruise on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship to Cabo and Ensenada, Mexico for $349 per person, plus taxes and fees. BJ's touts a four-day Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas and Florida starting at $209 per person. Both of these deals are for "interior" rooms with no windows or portholes, which are ideal for cruisers on a budget.

3. Use travel agents

Remember travel agents? The internet certainly decimated the industry, but it has adapted — using a travel agent to plan a trip can provide clients with real value and save on time and hassle. This is especially true when booking a cruise, which is exceptionally complicated. 

A good travel agent can help you find a great deal, understand pricing tiers and perks and help you keep track of multiple payment deadlines. And best yet, you don't pay the travel agent any direct fees – those are typically covered by cruise lines commissions.

To find a reputable agent, ask family and friends who cruise if they have any recommendations. Vet agencies by reading reviews from the Better Business Bureau , and consider looking for an accredited agent, such as through the American Society of Travel Agents’ consumer site,  Travel Sense .

Other considerations

The cruise industry is not always pretty; just think of recent norovirus or COVID-19 outbreaks that put passengers at risk and ruined vacations. Cruises are also very polluting, with a typical ship having a carbon footprint of 12,000 cars . 

If environmental issues are important to you, look for a cruise line with a higher rating in the most recent Cruise Ship Report Card from Friends of the Earth. The top-rated lines in 2022 were Regent Seven Seas and Disney. 

For a sense of how clean and sanitary a cruise ship or cruise line is, you can conduct a search on the CDC's Advanced Cruiseship Inspection Search tool.

As an independent publication dedicated to helping you make the most of your money, the article above is our view and is not the opinion of any entity mentioned such as a card issuer, hotel, airline, etc. Similarly, the content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of those entities. 

• 7 Unique Cruises Destinations for a Vacation Upgrade
• The 10 Safest Countries to Visit in the World
• 10 Credit Cards with Travel Insurance
• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Ellen writes and edits personal finance stories, especially on credit cards and related products. She also covers the nexus between sustainability and personal finance. She was a manager and sustainability analyst at Calvert Investments for 15 years, focusing on climate change and consumer staples. She served on the sustainability councils of several Fortune 500 companies and led corporate engagements. Before joining Calvert, Ellen was a program officer for Winrock International, managing loans to alternative energy projects in Latin America. She earned a master’s from the U.C. Berkeley in international relations and Latin America. 

Learn how to maximize investing in a 529, a state-sponsored college education savings account for qualifying educational expenses.

By Emma Patch Published 20 April 24

Older men today came of age amid the social upheavals of the 1960s and ’70s, but their formative years were deeply planted in the traditional world of segregation and sexual stereotyping.

By Dawn Fallik Published 20 April 24

• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Advertise with us

Kiplinger is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

• Help Centre
• 1-855-863-0357

Start Searching

• Packages  
• All-Inclusive  
• Cruises  
• Rental Cars  
• Hotels  

* Indicates required fields

Rental Period:

pickUpDate - dropOffDate

Pick-Up: pickUpTime - Drop-Off: dropOffTime

Pick-Up Location:

pickUpAddress

pickUpAgencyName

pickUpAgencyAddress

Drop-Off Location:

Same as Pick-Up Location

dropOffAddress

dropOffAgencyName

dropOffAgencyAddress

Coupon Override

Please call.

For drivers under the age of 25, additional fees and/or restrictions may apply.

For information and assistance in completing your reservation, please call:

We're unable to find your location.

{"canada":{"mapOfRegionInfo":{"YUL":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Montreal","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"YYZ":{"region":"Toronto","city":"Toronto","dropDownDisplayValue":"Toronto, CA"}}},"YVR":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Vancouver","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"WHI":{"region":"Whistler","city":"Whistler","dropDownDisplayValue":"Whistler, CA"}}},"WHI":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Whistler","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"YVR":{"region":"Vancouver","city":"Vancouver","dropDownDisplayValue":"Vancouver, CA"}}},"YYZ":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Toronto","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"YUL":{"region":"Montreal","city":"Montreal","dropDownDisplayValue":"Montreal, CA"}}}},"defaultChecked":false,"multiIsland":false,"multiCity":true},"hawaii":{"mapOfRegionInfo":{"HNL":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Oahu","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{}},"LIH":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Kauai","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{}},"KOA":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Hawaii Island","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{}},"OGG":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Maui","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{}}},"defaultChecked":false,"multiIsland":true,"multiCity":false},"arizona":{"mapOfRegionInfo":{"PHX":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Phoenix/Scottsdale","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"SDO":{"region":"Sedona","city":"Sedona","dropDownDisplayValue":"Sedona, AZ"}}},"SDO":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Sedona","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PHX":{"region":"Phoenix/Scottsdale","city":"Phoenix/Scottsdale","dropDownDisplayValue":"Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ"}}}},"defaultChecked":false,"multiIsland":false,"multiCity":true},"california":{"mapOfRegionInfo":{"SVV":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Napa Valley/Sonoma","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{}},"SFO":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"San Francisco","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{}}},"defaultChecked":false,"multiIsland":false,"multiCity":true},"texas":{"mapOfRegionInfo":{"SAT":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"San Antonio","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{}},"AUS":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Austin","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{}}},"defaultChecked":false,"multiIsland":false,"multiCity":true},"europe":{"mapOfRegionInfo":{"PAR":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Paris","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"AMS":{"region":"Netherlands","city":"Amsterdam","dropDownDisplayValue":"Amsterdam"},"JTR":{"region":"Greece","city":"Santorini","dropDownDisplayValue":"Santorini"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"EDI":{"region":"Scotland","city":"Edinburgh","dropDownDisplayValue":"Edinburgh"},"BCN":{"region":"Spain","city":"Barcelona","dropDownDisplayValue":"Barcelona"},"FLR":{"region":"Italy","city":"Florence","dropDownDisplayValue":"Florence"},"SVQ":{"region":"Spain","city":"Seville","dropDownDisplayValue":"Seville"},"DUB":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Dublin","dropDownDisplayValue":"Dublin"},"ROM":{"region":"Italy","city":"Rome","dropDownDisplayValue":"Rome"},"MAD":{"region":"Spain","city":"Madrid","dropDownDisplayValue":"Madrid"},"MIL":{"region":"Italy","city":"Milan","dropDownDisplayValue":"Milan"},"ATH":{"region":"Greece","city":"Athens","dropDownDisplayValue":"Athens"},"VCE":{"region":"Italy","city":"Venice","dropDownDisplayValue":"Venice"}}},"AMS":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Amsterdam","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"BCN":{"region":"Spain","city":"Barcelona","dropDownDisplayValue":"Barcelona"}}},"GWY":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Galway","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"DUB":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Dublin","dropDownDisplayValue":"Dublin"},"KIR":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Killarney","dropDownDisplayValue":"Killarney"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"EDI":{"region":"Scotland","city":"Edinburgh","dropDownDisplayValue":"Edinburgh"},"WSI":{"region":"Ireland","city":"West Ireland","dropDownDisplayValue":"West Ireland"},"EIR":{"region":"Ireland","city":"East Ireland","dropDownDisplayValue":"East Ireland"}}},"JTR":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Santorini","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"HER":{"region":"Greece","city":"Central Crete","dropDownDisplayValue":"Central Crete"},"ATH":{"region":"Greece","city":"Athens","dropDownDisplayValue":"Athens"},"JMK":{"region":"Greece","city":"Mykonos","dropDownDisplayValue":"Mykonos"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"}}},"JMK":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Mykonos","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"HER":{"region":"Greece","city":"Central Crete","dropDownDisplayValue":"Central Crete"},"ATH":{"region":"Greece","city":"Athens","dropDownDisplayValue":"Athens"},"JTR":{"region":"Greece","city":"Santorini","dropDownDisplayValue":"Santorini"}}},"LON":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"London","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"AMS":{"region":"Netherlands","city":"Amsterdam","dropDownDisplayValue":"Amsterdam"},"GWY":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Galway","dropDownDisplayValue":"Galway"},"JTR":{"region":"Greece","city":"Santorini","dropDownDisplayValue":"Santorini"},"EDI":{"region":"Scotland","city":"Edinburgh","dropDownDisplayValue":"Edinburgh"},"WSI":{"region":"Ireland","city":"West Ireland","dropDownDisplayValue":"West Ireland"},"BCN":{"region":"Spain","city":"Barcelona","dropDownDisplayValue":"Barcelona"},"FLR":{"region":"Italy","city":"Florence","dropDownDisplayValue":"Florence"},"SVQ":{"region":"Spain","city":"Seville","dropDownDisplayValue":"Seville"},"DUB":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Dublin","dropDownDisplayValue":"Dublin"},"ROM":{"region":"Italy","city":"Rome","dropDownDisplayValue":"Rome"},"MAD":{"region":"Spain","city":"Madrid","dropDownDisplayValue":"Madrid"},"MIL":{"region":"Italy","city":"Milan","dropDownDisplayValue":"Milan"},"SCB":{"region":"Scotland","city":"Scottish Countryside","dropDownDisplayValue":"Scottish Countryside"},"KIR":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Killarney","dropDownDisplayValue":"Killarney"},"ATH":{"region":"Greece","city":"Athens","dropDownDisplayValue":"Athens"},"VCE":{"region":"Italy","city":"Venice","dropDownDisplayValue":"Venice"}}},"EDI":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Edinburgh","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"DUB":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Dublin","dropDownDisplayValue":"Dublin"},"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"SCB":{"region":"Scotland","city":"Scottish Countryside","dropDownDisplayValue":"Scottish Countryside"},"KIR":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Killarney","dropDownDisplayValue":"Killarney"},"GWY":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Galway","dropDownDisplayValue":"Galway"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"WSI":{"region":"Ireland","city":"West Ireland","dropDownDisplayValue":"West Ireland"}}},"BCN":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Barcelona","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"ROM":{"region":"Italy","city":"Rome","dropDownDisplayValue":"Rome"},"MAD":{"region":"Spain","city":"Madrid","dropDownDisplayValue":"Madrid"},"AMS":{"region":"Netherlands","city":"Amsterdam","dropDownDisplayValue":"Amsterdam"},"VCE":{"region":"Italy","city":"Venice","dropDownDisplayValue":"Venice"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"FLR":{"region":"Italy","city":"Florence","dropDownDisplayValue":"Florence"},"SVQ":{"region":"Spain","city":"Seville","dropDownDisplayValue":"Seville"}}},"WSI":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"West Ireland","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"DUB":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Dublin","dropDownDisplayValue":"Dublin"},"KIR":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Killarney","dropDownDisplayValue":"Killarney"},"GWY":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Galway","dropDownDisplayValue":"Galway"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"EDI":{"region":"Scotland","city":"Edinburgh","dropDownDisplayValue":"Edinburgh"},"EIR":{"region":"Ireland","city":"East Ireland","dropDownDisplayValue":"East Ireland"}}},"FLR":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Florence","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"ROM":{"region":"Italy","city":"Rome","dropDownDisplayValue":"Rome"},"MAD":{"region":"Spain","city":"Madrid","dropDownDisplayValue":"Madrid"},"MIL":{"region":"Italy","city":"Milan","dropDownDisplayValue":"Milan"},"ATH":{"region":"Greece","city":"Athens","dropDownDisplayValue":"Athens"},"VCE":{"region":"Italy","city":"Venice","dropDownDisplayValue":"Venice"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"BCN":{"region":"Spain","city":"Barcelona","dropDownDisplayValue":"Barcelona"},"RRO":{"region":"Italy","city":"Sorrento","dropDownDisplayValue":"Sorrento"}}},"RRO":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Sorrento","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"ROM":{"region":"Italy","city":"Rome","dropDownDisplayValue":"Rome"},"VCE":{"region":"Italy","city":"Venice","dropDownDisplayValue":"Venice"},"FLR":{"region":"Italy","city":"Florence","dropDownDisplayValue":"Florence"}}},"SVQ":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Seville","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"MAD":{"region":"Spain","city":"Madrid","dropDownDisplayValue":"Madrid"},"ROM":{"region":"Italy","city":"Rome","dropDownDisplayValue":"Rome"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"BCN":{"region":"Spain","city":"Barcelona","dropDownDisplayValue":"Barcelona"}}},"EIR":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"East Ireland","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"DUB":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Dublin","dropDownDisplayValue":"Dublin"},"KIR":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Killarney","dropDownDisplayValue":"Killarney"},"GWY":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Galway","dropDownDisplayValue":"Galway"},"WSI":{"region":"Ireland","city":"West Ireland","dropDownDisplayValue":"West Ireland"}}},"DUB":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Dublin","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"SCB":{"region":"Scotland","city":"Scottish Countryside","dropDownDisplayValue":"Scottish Countryside"},"KIR":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Killarney","dropDownDisplayValue":"Killarney"},"GWY":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Galway","dropDownDisplayValue":"Galway"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"EDI":{"region":"Scotland","city":"Edinburgh","dropDownDisplayValue":"Edinburgh"},"WSI":{"region":"Ireland","city":"West Ireland","dropDownDisplayValue":"West Ireland"},"EIR":{"region":"Ireland","city":"East Ireland","dropDownDisplayValue":"East Ireland"}}},"MIL":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Milan","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"ROM":{"region":"Italy","city":"Rome","dropDownDisplayValue":"Rome"},"VCE":{"region":"Italy","city":"Venice","dropDownDisplayValue":"Venice"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"FLR":{"region":"Italy","city":"Florence","dropDownDisplayValue":"Florence"}}},"ROM":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Rome","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"MIL":{"region":"Italy","city":"Milan","dropDownDisplayValue":"Milan"},"MAD":{"region":"Spain","city":"Madrid","dropDownDisplayValue":"Madrid"},"ATH":{"region":"Greece","city":"Athens","dropDownDisplayValue":"Athens"},"VCE":{"region":"Italy","city":"Venice","dropDownDisplayValue":"Venice"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"BCN":{"region":"Spain","city":"Barcelona","dropDownDisplayValue":"Barcelona"},"FLR":{"region":"Italy","city":"Florence","dropDownDisplayValue":"Florence"},"RRO":{"region":"Italy","city":"Sorrento","dropDownDisplayValue":"Sorrento"},"SVQ":{"region":"Spain","city":"Seville","dropDownDisplayValue":"Seville"}}},"MAD":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Madrid","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"ROM":{"region":"Italy","city":"Rome","dropDownDisplayValue":"Rome"},"VCE":{"region":"Italy","city":"Venice","dropDownDisplayValue":"Venice"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"BCN":{"region":"Spain","city":"Barcelona","dropDownDisplayValue":"Barcelona"},"FLR":{"region":"Italy","city":"Florence","dropDownDisplayValue":"Florence"},"SVQ":{"region":"Spain","city":"Seville","dropDownDisplayValue":"Seville"}}},"SCB":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Scottish Countryside","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"DUB":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Dublin","dropDownDisplayValue":"Dublin"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"EDI":{"region":"Scotland","city":"Edinburgh","dropDownDisplayValue":"Edinburgh"}}},"HER":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Central Crete","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"ATH":{"region":"Greece","city":"Athens","dropDownDisplayValue":"Athens"},"JMK":{"region":"Greece","city":"Mykonos","dropDownDisplayValue":"Mykonos"},"JTR":{"region":"Greece","city":"Santorini","dropDownDisplayValue":"Santorini"}}},"KIR":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Killarney","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"DUB":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Dublin","dropDownDisplayValue":"Dublin"},"GWY":{"region":"Ireland","city":"Galway","dropDownDisplayValue":"Galway"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"EDI":{"region":"Scotland","city":"Edinburgh","dropDownDisplayValue":"Edinburgh"},"WSI":{"region":"Ireland","city":"West Ireland","dropDownDisplayValue":"West Ireland"},"EIR":{"region":"Ireland","city":"East Ireland","dropDownDisplayValue":"East Ireland"}}},"ATH":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Athens","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"ROM":{"region":"Italy","city":"Rome","dropDownDisplayValue":"Rome"},"HER":{"region":"Greece","city":"Central Crete","dropDownDisplayValue":"Central Crete"},"JMK":{"region":"Greece","city":"Mykonos","dropDownDisplayValue":"Mykonos"},"JTR":{"region":"Greece","city":"Santorini","dropDownDisplayValue":"Santorini"},"VCE":{"region":"Italy","city":"Venice","dropDownDisplayValue":"Venice"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"FLR":{"region":"Italy","city":"Florence","dropDownDisplayValue":"Florence"}}},"VCE":{"supportedBundleRegions":[],"regionDisplayName":"Venice","cityCodeToRegionAndCityWithDropDownDisplayValues":{"PAR":{"region":"France","city":"Paris","dropDownDisplayValue":"Paris"},"ROM":{"region":"Italy","city":"Rome","dropDownDisplayValue":"Rome"},"MIL":{"region":"Italy","city":"Milan","dropDownDisplayValue":"Milan"},"MAD":{"region":"Spain","city":"Madrid","dropDownDisplayValue":"Madrid"},"ATH":{"region":"Greece","city":"Athens","dropDownDisplayValue":"Athens"},"LON":{"region":"England","city":"London","dropDownDisplayValue":"London"},"BCN":{"region":"Spain","city":"Barcelona","dropDownDisplayValue":"Barcelona"},"FLR":{"region":"Italy","city":"Florence","dropDownDisplayValue":"Florence"},"RRO":{"region":"Italy","city":"Sorrento","dropDownDisplayValue":"Sorrento"}}}},"defaultChecked":true,"multiIsland":false,"multiCity":true}}

• Vacation Packages  
• Hotel + Flight  
• Hotel + Flight + Car  
• Hotel + Car  
• Hotel Only  

Alaska Cruise Tours:

A cruise tour is a voyage and land tour combination, with the land tour occurring before or after the voyage. Unless otherwise noted, optional services such as airfare, airport transfers, shore excursions, land tour excursions, etc. are not included and are available for an additional cost.

Member Value

Royal caribbean®, kirkland signature and buyer's choice.

• Exclusive Savings
• Digital Costco Shop Card

Princess Cruises

Caribbean islander cruise.

• 14-Night Enchanted Princess Cruise
• Fort Lauderdale to New York City

Holland America Line

Turkey & greek isles cruise.

• 14-Night Nieuw Statendam Cruise
• Round-Trip Athens

Disney Cruise Line

Alaskan cruise.

• 7-Night Disney Wonder Cruise
• Stikine Strait, Skagway and More

Mexican Riviera Cruise

• 7-Night Discovery Princess Cruise
• Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta

The Philippines, Taiwan & Japan Cruise

• 14-Night Noordam Cruise
• Hong Kong to Tokyo

On a cruise, there’s adventure around every corner and a new city to explore in every port. Book your cruise with Costco Travel.

We’re proud to offer our members a Digital Costco Shop Card with every sailing. Plus, look for Kirkland Signature™ and Buyer's Choice sailings for exclusive events and amenities. Whether you are looking to island hop through the Caribbean, marvel at nature’s beauty in Alaska, or experience a culture-enriching tour of Europe, a cruise vacation has you covered!

Browse by Cruise Destination

Explore by Category

Getaway cruises.

Cruises of 5 Nights or Less Short Cruises with Big Getaways

Kirkland Signature Vacations

Member Value with Every Cruise

Exotic Voyages

Why Just Dream It? Cruise It! Set Sail to Exciting Destinations

Luxurious Voyages

Elegant Experiences. Exceptional Value.

Explore Alaska

Choose the Way You Get to Know Alaska

Buyer's Choice

Vacations with Extra Travel Value Vacation Packages and Cruises

Explore by Departure Port

Cruises from fort lauderdale.

Sail to the Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexico and More

Cruises from Seattle

Cruise Out of the Emerald City

Cruises from Miami

Cruise to the Caribbean Sea and Beyond

Cruises from Vancouver

One of the Pacific Northwest’s Most Alluring Ports

Cruises from New York

Atlantic Ocean and Transatlantic Cruises

Cruises by Port

Sail from a Port Near You

Explore by Cruise Line

The costco traveler blog, exciting theme park experiences in 2024, unwind and have fun on the sea, wildlife in costa rica, explore more travel, rental cars.

Compare Up to Four Brands

Shop all Coupons and Discounts

No Cancellation Fees

There's Still Time To Book Summer Travel

Included Extra or Digital Costco Shop Card

Choose from Popular Destinations

Limited-Time Deals

Book Before They're Gone

These Deals Won't Last!

We are processing your payment.

Do not refresh your browser or exit this page.

Never Overlook These Essential Tips for a Budget-Friendly Cruise

I f you're looking for a way to explore different destinations without having to unpack multiple times, a cruise could be a good bet. The nice thing about a cruise is that the price you pay is generally inclusive of meals and many on-board activities. So rather than having to worry about how much food will cost on your travels, with a cruise, your meals are included in your room rate.

That said, cruising can be an expensive endeavor. The average total cost of a seven-night Caribbean cruise per person ranges between $1,500 and $2,000, according to Cruisewatch. And that's just one example. For other destinations, you may pay even more.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR for 15 months. Learn more here.

The good news, though, is that with the right approach, you can pull off a cruise on a budget. Here are some financial tips to incorporate into your cruise planning.

1. Book ahead of time

Cruise itineraries can go on sale a good two years ahead of their respective sailing dates. Booking early could be a source of savings , because that way, you get your choice of room. You might also get a discount by booking in advance.

More : Our picks for the best credit cards

2. Use a travel agent

You don't have to use a travel agent to book a cruise. But often, travel agents can secure special pricing for their clients. Plus, travel agents usually don't charge a fee. So there's really no harm in seeing what cruise deals a travel agent can snag for you.

3. Book through Costco

Costco Travel offers different cruise packages at competitive prices. Plus, the beauty of booking a vacation through Costco is that you get the help of a travel specialist who can help you work through your options and handle any hiccups that might arise. Also, Costco cruise deals sometimes offer the benefit of a Costco Shop Card (the store's version of a gift card) that you can use after your trip.

4. Find a cruise you don't have to travel to

If you live in New York and want to take a cruise out of Miami, you're going to need to spend money to get down there. On the other hand, if you find a cruise that leaves locally, you won't have to shell out money for a flight. Also, flying out to a cruise on your exact departure date can be risky due to the potential for flight delays -- so you may need to arrive early and stay elsewhere overnight. If you cruise locally, you won't have to pay for an extra night of lodging. 

5. Seek out kid-friendly deals

Some cruise lines offer promotions during the year where kids sail free. It pays to shop around for deals like these to lower your costs. Just read the fine print, because those deals might only apply to certain cabin classes or kids of certain ages.

6. Purchase your upgrades before you sail

Food and certain drinks are generally included in your cruise price. So are things like entertainment and onboard activities. But there are extras you may want to buy for your cruise, like internet service or shore excursions. It's generally best to purchase these before you set sail, as you can often get a better price ahead of your trip.

Taking a cruise doesn't have to break the bank. Use these tips to pull off a budget-friendly getaway.

Where to invest $1,000 right now

When o ur analyst team  has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor , has nearly tripled the market.* 

They just revealed what they believe are the  10 best stocks  for investors to buy right now…

See the 10 stocks

*Stock Advisor returns as of February 5, 2024

We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team. Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

• Search forums
• Disney Cruise Line
• Disney Cruise Line Forum

Booking cruise through Disney or Costco?

• Thread starter BCV2003
• Start date May 22, 2012

DIS Veteran

• May 22, 2012

I am planning my first cruise and am debating on who to book through my cruise through. If I book directly with Disney I will get a $25 onboard credit. If I book through Costco I get a $190 Costco Cash card. Is there any benefit to me booking through Disney vs Costco?  

Mouseketeer

Only benefit of booking through Disney is that you have total control of the reservation, i.e. you can call in to Disney, and make changes through DCL website. You still will be able to book excursions, palo, spa, etc yourself when paid in full and at the check in period. I would book through Costco for the 190 gift card.  

Love my Disney vacations!

I booked through Costco and have had no problems.  

Thanks for the input. I hadn't been able to find any downside of booking through Costco but since its my first cruise I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I don't think I'll have the need to make any changes in the next month before it is paid off.  

janatmovies

We booked our first cruise through Costco they work directly with Disney to make the reservation. The cash card is a great bonus and pretty much the only terms of booking it with them, as cancellation or changing of dates will only be penalized by Disney's policies and not their own. And you can still book your excursions and nursery time and everything like that through the Disney website. I even called Disney directly with my questions and concerns and they never referred me back to Costco.  

let's all sing like the birdies sing

<font color=blue>Collects Disney men!<br><font col

Here's a link to a very recent thread with the same questions/concerns: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2927487  

Feel the magic

BCV2003 said: I am planning my first cruise and am debating on who to book through my cruise through. If I book directly with Disney I will get a $25 onboard credit. If I book through Costco I get a $190 Costco Cash card. Is there any benefit to me booking through Disney vs Costco? Click to expand...

Pretty much book with who will give you the most obc/ best deal. Be it DCL , Costco or Dreams Unlimited , etc.  

Buzz & Woody

Keurigirl said: CHeck with other travel agents too, lots of them are able to offer big onboard credit rewards, and many of them do other awesome things like leave treats/surprises etc in your stateroom when you arrive. Click to expand...

swalesfamily

MillauFr said: Yes but do any of them offer a bigger OBC than Costco? Click to expand...

• May 23, 2012

We booked through Costco. For a 5 night on the Dream, we're getting a $400 GC.  

Gr00vyChc said: We booked through Costco. For a 5 night on the Dream, we're getting a $400 GC. Click to expand...

Princess Sleepy

KsSteve said: Costco gives you a gift card after you take the cruise, not an OBC. Click to expand...

GBBTomorrow

We used Costco several years ago, and it was a great deal financially. We got new tires on our van and a whole lot of other stuff with our gift card when we got home. The main thing is that if you use Costco, you have to do all your own research. They don't know ANYTHING about DCL . For example, when I made the reservation, the person told me (and it sounded like she was reading from a script) that soft drinks are not included in the price of the cruise. I told her about the drink stations on deck, and she told me that I was wrong. Also, Costco could not tell me which staterooms had the pull-down bunk (on the Magic) and we were assigned to a room that did not have it. (We had two rooms and would have had to divide our group in a way we hadn't planned if I hadn't researched this on my own.) So if you don't need any hand-holding, save the money and use Costco. Just know going in that you know more than they do! Since you're on the DIS, you'll probably be just fine.  

Princess Sleepy said: Wait, so you don't get to use the money for your vacation? Is the money only god at Costco, or can you use it to pay off your credit card that you used on vacation? Click to expand...

Thank you everyone for your responses! I did end up booking yesterday with Costco to get the $190 gift card after the cruise. My research showed Disney giving us $25 OBC for booking with them. I also contact Dreams and they were offerring a $100 OBC. I contacted another cruise travel agent and they offer nothing additional. We booked a Concierge Verandah Room 12522. When I talked to Costco I did have one question and while he admitted that he had never been on a Disney Cruise he put me on hold and called Disney to ask my question. At the time of booking, the exact room that I wanted wasn't showing up but it was a few minutes before I booked so I was able to call back about an hour later when the room showed back up in inventory and they gladly changed the room for me and sent me the new confirmation. Hopefully this will be our first of many cruises!  

Does anyone know if you book on board, can you transfer the res to Costco afterwards and keep the Disney OBC and still get the Costco reward? If so, how do you do it?  

mdinowitz said: Does anyone know if you book on board, can you transfer the res to Costco afterwards and keep the Disney OBC and still get the Costco reward? If so, how do you do it? Click to expand...

Share this page

Dis news & updates.

• Let's Make Disney Cruise Line's Palo Chocolate Souffle
• Calling All Disney Pros: Test Your Disney Dog Knowledge Now!
• Let's Learn to Draw Sorcerer Mickey From 'Fantasia'
• New Treats at Vivoli il Gelato in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World
• Nothing is Amore About Mama Melrose's New Menu at Disney's Hollywood Studios

New DISboards Threads

• 5 minutes ago

• disneychrista
• 45 minutes ago
• Disneyland (California)

• DLandgirlie
• 55 minutes ago

• Today at 10:15 PM
• Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies

• drenalin'junkie
• Today at 9:32 PM
• Sea World / Discovery Cove

• Today at 9:09 PM
• Disney Resorts

• Walt Disney World News
• Walt Disney World Articles
• Disney Cruise Line News
• Disneyland News
• General Disney News

GET UP TO A $1000 SHIPBOARD CREDIT AND AN EXCLUSIVE GIFT!

Latest posts

• Latest: starlite_
• 3 minutes ago
• Latest: lindzb22

• Latest: irlandaise
• 6 minutes ago

• Latest: ericstac
• 8 minutes ago

• Latest: Gary Stocker
• 9 minutes ago

• Help Center
• 1-866-921-7925

Start Searching

• Packages  
• Hotels  
• Cruises  
• Rental Cars  

* Indicates required fields

Rental Period:

pickUpDate - dropOffDate

Pick-Up: pickUpTime - Drop-Off: dropOffTime

Pick-Up Location:

pickUpAddress

pickUpAgencyName

pickUpAgencyAddress

Drop-Off Location:

Same as Pick-Up Location

dropOffAddress

dropOffAgencyName

dropOffAgencyAddress

Coupon Override

Please call.

For drivers under the age of 25, additional fees and/or restrictions may apply.

For information and assistance in completing your reservation, please call:

We're unable to find your location.

Alaska Cruise Tours:

A cruise tour is a voyage and land tour combination, with the land tour occurring before or after the voyage. Unless otherwise noted, optional services such as airfare, airport transfers, shore excursions, land tour excursions, etc. are not included and are available for an additional cost.

Rental Car Value

Low price finder™, save on your next rental car.

• One Additional Driver Fee Waived
• Executive Members Earn an Annual 2% Reward

Sandy Beaches or New Cities

There's still time to book summer travel.

• Mexico, Europe, the Caribbean and More
• Included Extras or Digital Costco Shop Card

Experience Wine Country

Fall crush in napa valley and sonoma, family-friendly, all-inclusive resort, moon palace package.

• Unlimited Meals, Wine and Spirits
• $350 Resort Credit
• Digital Costco Shop Card

The Gathering Place

Spring into aloha.

• Special Packages with Added Value
• Vacation Packages to Oahu

Popular Destinations

Royal caribbean®, kirkland signature and buyer's choice.

• Exclusive Savings and Amenities
• Digital Costco Shop Card with Every Sailing

Limited-Time Deals

Book Before They’re Gone These Deals Won't Last

Oahu: The Kahala Hotel & Resort Package

$260 Resort Credit Digital Costco Shop Card No Daily Resort Fee

Rome, Italy

The Eternal City Daily Breakfast with Every Package

Dominican Republic: Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort, Spa & Casino Package

New to Costco Travel Beachfront, All-Inclusive Resort Family-Friendly, Digital Costco Shop Card

Orlando, Florida

Legendary Theme Parks Included Extras with Every Package

Tahiti: InterContinental Bora Bora & Thalasso Spa Package

Daily Buffet Breakfast and Nightly Dinner Executive Member Benefit

5 Nights with Airfare from $5,079 Per Person*

Featured Travel

Puerto vallarta: hilton vallarta riviera package.

All-Inclusive Resort Digital Costco Shop Card

Family-Friendly Fun

Vacations for All Ages Value, Quality and Features with Families in Mind

New York City: Lotte New York Palace Package

Costco Member Savings Complimentary Room Upgrade Private Round-Trip Transfers

Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and Central Crete: Your Way

Daily Breakfast

Vacations of a Lifetime

For an Experience as Unique as You Are Exclusively for Costco Members

Austin: Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa Package

Costco Member Savings Family-Friendly Pools New to Costco Travel

Featured Destinations

Boston, massachusetts.

Rich History and Culture

Yosemite National Park Area

Create Your Next Adventure

Chicago, Illinois

Award-Winning Culinary Scene

Featured Cruises

Aruba, bonaire and curacao cruise.

Celebrity Cruises | Celebrity Reflection® Digital Costco Shop Card, Round-Trip Fort Lauderdale

8 Nights from $867*

Alaskan Explorer Cruise

Holland America Line | Eurodam® Digital Costco Shop Card, Round-Trip Seattle

7 Nights from $399*

Mediterranean with Greek Isles and Turkey Cruise

Princess Cruises | Sun Princess® New Ship, Digital Costco Shop Card Rome to Athens

7 Nights from $1,018*

Baja Cruise

Carnival Cruise Line | Carnival Firenze™ Digital Costco Shop Card, Round-Trip Los Angeles

4 Nights from $384*

Greenland & Canada Cruise

Princess Cruises | Island Princess® Digital Costco Shop Card, Round-Trip New York

18 Nights from $1,529*

South Pacific Crossing Cruise

Holland America Line | Noordam® Digital Costco Shop Card, Seattle to Sydney Cruise

27 Nights from $2,879*

Hidden Gems

Trending now, think costco travel first.

• Exclusively for Costco members
• We are Costco and we know travel
• The value you want with the quality you expect
• No surprises when you're ready to pay
• Additional advantages of membership

Learn more about the Costco Travel difference.

• Executive Members earn an annual 2% reward
• 3% cash back rewards on Costco Travel with the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

Click here to maximize your rewards.

Explore More Travel

Kenya luxury safaris.

Discover Magnificent Wildlife in Breathtaking Kenya on a Small Group Safari

Discover Maui and Hawaii Island

Family-Friendly Condominiums

Digital Costco Shop Card with Every Package

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

Use Your Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi to Earn 3% Cash Back on Eligible Travel Purchases

Travel Items on Costco.com

Shop featured deals, ipad & tablets.

We are processing your payment.

Do not refresh your browser or exit this page.

Help Center

Current product hierarchy

What are the benefits of booking a future cruise on board my current sailing?

• Reduced deposits
• Additional discounts
• Shipboard credits for your current or next cruise

Please note, if you have purchased an onboard offer and want Costco Travel to be your travel agent, view  Agency of Record request or call 1-866-921-7925 . 

Is this answer helpful?

Related Answers

• I booked a future cruise through the cruise line while on board. My reservation is not in my Costco Travel account. Why?
• I've heard you can purchase your next cruise while on board. What are the different types of future cruise reservations?
• Future Cruise Credit FAQs