Should we transfer DCL booking to Costco or other agent? - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Should we transfer DCL booking to Costco or other agent?
Hi all:
We have always booked our WDW and DCL vacations directly through Disney. We are DVC members and AP holders. I like having direct control of all vacation details!
So we just put down the deposit on a January 2018 Disney cruise on the Fantasy (whoo hoo!! ). Because we haven't cruised in a few years, this is not a reservation that was made on board and currently there were no offers available through Disney for onboard credits or any other incentive (though onboard credits and reduced deposit are the only incentives I think they offer anyway when you book onboard).
Costco has a deal for a Costco giftcard if you book through them or transfer the reservation to them. The amount is significant and we would get two: 1 for each reservation (we will have connecting staterooms). If we do this, will my ability to have control over all the details of the cruise be limited? I know if I were to cancel, etc. I would need to do that through Costco, but in terms of dining times, adding celebrations, linking my mother's reservation so we can dine together, early access to Palo etc. due to Castaway status would I still be able to do all of that myself through Disney?
Also, the Costco gift cards would not be available until 2-3 weeks after the Cruise. Does anyone have experience with this offer from Costco? Did you receive the giftcards as promised with no issues?
Is there any reason to consider transferring the reservation to any other agent? My mother booked through smallworld vacations based on info from Mousesavers.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated as a I am very nervous about transferring the reservation but feel for the amount we are spending, we would love a gift card, stateroom credit, etc.
Hey! I leave on 11/19 for my trip on the Fantasy. We booked through Costco as well. Here's what I found:
1) I was able to transfer my reservation to the DCL site very easily with the reservation number and then did all my planning through the usual site. I did online check-in, made reservations for excursions and Palo, etc. I don't have 2 rooms to connect, but you do it the same way as everyone else on the DCL site. Super easy.
2) The payment also appears on your credit card as a Disney purchase. I have a Disney Visa so this was important to me to get points. Thought it was worth noting.
3) The only thing that wasn't through Disney (for me) was the bus transfers from WDW to the boat and then back to the airport. I called DCL and they told me that because I purchased through Costco I had to call them to arrange those. When I called Costco they called Disney and got it arranged (lol). Everything else I was able to book directly with Disney.
4) One warning I guess - when our PIF date came Costco just withdrew the money automatically a few days before (we booked pretty close to that date). I would just verify that before you go.
5) I haven't had experience yet with the Costco card after the cruise myself, but I read many reviews online of people who did and never saw any issue. I have traveled with them for other things (they have great packages for DL, FYI) and never had an issue.
Hope that helps!! Let me know if you had more questions!
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Should we transfer DCL booking to Costco or other agent?
). Because we haven't cruised in a few years, this is not a reservation that was made on board and currently there were no offers available through Disney for onboard credits or any other incentive (though onboard credits and reduced deposit are the only incentives I think they offer anyway when you book onboard).
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