It's funny how I recall the first time that I actually considered traveling through Costco Travel. I'm sure like most of you, I have always thought of Costco as a place where you go to buy bulk foods, delicious rotisserie chicken, and surprisingly decent hot dogs at the food court. Travel? Come on! That just seemed a little crazy for a while there. However, once I began hearing all of the buzz about the services provided by Costco Travel, I did my own research.
What Exactly Is Costco Travel?
Well, what is Costco Travel, exactly? Essentially, it is an exclusive travel agency that requires you to be a Costco member. This means being a Gold Star, a Business, or an Executive member. Think of this as yet another perk that you receive in exchange for your annual membership payment. This agency works with top-rated airlines, cruises, hotels, and car rental services and provides vacation packages, cruises, rental vehicles, and accommodation in hotels. It is definitely not some kind of a hobby – it is a serious business, which has been active for quite a long time.
When I first heard about it, I had my doubts and asked myself, "Do they resell some other packages?" Of course, they cooperate with travel agencies and provide their services, but they combine these services in a unique way, offering some additional advantages which make their vacation packages extremely attractive.
How It Works: The Behind-the-Curtains Look
Booking through Costco Travel isn't that much different from booking through any other online travel company; there are just a couple of key differences. Log onto their website, enter your membership ID number, and search. It's an easy process to navigate, where you can search by destination, type of travel (vacation package, cruise, etc.), date, and many more options. The thing that really sets it apart for me is the selection.
-
Fewer Options, but Better Quality: In many cases, Costco Travel only offers several hotels per city. This is actually good because it means that they usually have already chosen some trusted brands and high quality resorts. I appreciate the ability to choose from a smaller number of options – it makes it much easier to make decisions.
-
Vacation Packages are the Way to Go: Costco Travel offers vacation packages where everything is usually included: flights, accommodation, and maybe even car rental and other perks such as resort credit or tours.
-
Many Cruises Available: If you love taking cruises, you are going to love this website. They offer sailings on all major cruise lines: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess and many others. And the best part about cruise packages is that they usually come with a Costco Shop Card, which is practically the same as getting extra cash for buying stuff at Costco.
Once you choose an option that interests you, you will be able to look through all details, read reviews, and even change some of the parameters of your travel such as flight times and hotel rooms. Now, let’s talk about the customer service.
The Value Proposition: What Makes Them Different From The Rest
This is what sets Costco Travel apart from its competitors. While they don't always offer you the lowest prices, but sometimes they do, the real point of them is that they offer great value. These are the features that caught my attention the most:
1. The Costco Shop Card
The magnificent Costco Shop Card! There are numerous vacation packages and cruises offered by them, which include the famous Costco Shop Card. The value of this card will be between $50 and several hundred dollars, depending on the cost of your vacation. It is an extra rebate you will receive after your vacation. You can use this card at any Costco store or gas station.
2. Inclusions and Amenities Provided
This point cannot be underestimated since, in most cases, Costco Travel secures special inclusions for its customers which could not be obtained from a direct booking or any other travel agency. Those benefits may be:
- Resort credits (towards spa services, meals or activities)
- Upgraded rooms for free
- Special trips or excursions
- Breakfast included (where it's usually not included)
- Exclusive transfers
- Additional onboard credit for cruise
All those small things make the difference and give an added value to your vacation without any extra costs.
3. Outstanding Customer Service
Frankly speaking, this one really needs to be mentioned. I have had to contact Costco Travel’s customer service a few times, and all my experiences have been excellent. They are helpful, patient, and really want to do everything they can for you. In the era of the endless phone menus and annoying chatbots, to talk to a live person who can solve your problem is just amazing. They will act as your advocate if anything goes wrong with the supplier, which is really reassuring when making an important trip.
4. Curated Quality and Reliability
As I already said, their inventory is rather curated. That means that you will be dealing with better quality accommodation and reliable partners. I like the fact that they did some work for me, allowing me to choose better hotels and car rentals instead of the doubtful ones.
Always the Cheapest Option? My Honest Opinion
Now I have to be honest with you: it's not always the cheapest choice that you will be able to find in terms of the services offered by Costco Travel. Of course, there may be cases where you spend hours looking through all the discounts on different websites and using a number of special offers, but in some way, taking into account the benefits, perks, and quality of the customer service of Costco Travel, you will probably get an offer with more value than a cheaper one.
For instance, you may find a cruise $50 cheaper, but if Costco Travel is offering a $100 Shop Card and $50 onboard credit, the offer will definitely be worth it. It is very important to compare apples with apples and not take only the price but consider the whole bundle while researching.
Tips for Making the Most of Your Costco Travel Experience
If you're considering making use of the Costco Travel experience for your upcoming travels, then here are some tips which might prove useful for you:
-
Get an Executive Membership: If you're an active Costco customer and plan on booking big trips, the Executive membership will cost you $120 per year as opposed to Gold Star ($60). That will give you another 2% back on all of your eligible purchases, including some travel related ones.
-
Book Early: As with any other type of travel arrangements, booking early guaranties you lower prices and more availability.
-
And watch out for their specials: Costco Travel also often has special limited-time offers on their website. It can be worth keeping an eye on these as they offer good deals to particular destinations.
-
Know What You Get: Read all the details carefully, know what the deal includes and what it doesn’t include, learn about the cancelation policy and any additional charges.
-
Don’t forget the Shop Card value: When determining the total price, the value of the Shop Card you’ll be receiving will be your additional discount after the trip.
When Costco Travel May Not Be Right for You
While I am a huge fan of this service, I also know that there will be cases where it may not be ideal for every person or situation. For example:
- Last Minute Spur-of-the-Moment Trips: Their specialty is offering great packages, not necessarily bargain basement last minute deals. In this case, you may get a better deal using other websites.
- Complex and Unconventional Travels: For those who are looking for something like an extensive European backpacking trip with boutique hotels, the flexibility may not be there. Costco Travel specializes in standard vacation packages.
- Not a Costco Member: It goes without saying that one who is not a Costco member cannot utilize this service. However, the cost of membership is definitely worth it when used just once for travel purposes.
My Last Thoughts on Costco Travel
As far as I'm concerned, Costco Travel is a very useful service for any traveler searching for vacation packages, cruises, car rentals, and more. There are a lot of great things about this service, including good prices, perks, and amazing customer service. Moreover, as a Costco card member, you will also get access to all member advantages, including your Shop Card. Overall, this is not just a travel booking website but something more than that because it is the part of the whole Costco experience. In case you are thinking about organizing some travel, then I would definitely recommend trying out this service because there are a lot of surprises awaiting you there.