Booking a cruise through Costco Travel can unlock strong member value, generous onboard credit and bundled perks that you rarely see when booking direct, but those benefits matter only if you know what happens when plans change. Cruises are booked long before departure, and cancellation rules can shift as the sail date approaches depending on the cruise line, fare type and timing.
Understanding where Costco’s role ends and where the cruise line’s policies take over is essential, and that clarity starts with knowing how Costco Cruises operate in the first place.
How Costco Travel Fits Into Cruise Cancellations
Costco Travel acts as a travel agency rather than as the cruise line itself. That distinction matters, because when you cancel or change a Costco cruise, you are dealing with two layers of rules. The core cancellation penalties, timelines and refund options are set by the cruise line operating your sailing. Costco Travel then applies those rules to your booking, along with a handful of agency-level processes and deadlines.
Costco Travel emphasizes in its terms and conditions that cancellation of your cruise can result in a loss of deposit, full payment and administrative fees, and that you must refer to the specific cruise line’s terms to understand exact penalties. Costco does not typically add an extra agency cancellation fee on top of what the cruise line charges, but you are still subject to whatever schedule the line uses for partial refunds, forfeited deposits or full fare losses if you cancel too close to departure.
Because you booked through Costco, you generally cannot bypass the agency and work directly with the cruise line to cancel or change your reservation. With limited exceptions, cruise lines will refer you back to the original booking channel. That means your timeline for cancellation is tied not only to the cruise line’s cutoff dates but also to how quickly Costco Travel can process your request.
This layered structure is not unique to Costco, but it does mean that understanding your paperwork at the time of booking is crucial. Your Costco Travel invoice, confirmation email and the cruise line’s terms together form the legal framework that decides what happens if your plans change.
Key Deadlines, Penalties and Refund Types
Every cruise line sets its own cancellation schedule, but most follow a similar pattern. In the earliest stage after booking, typically up to around 75 to 120 days before sailing depending on itinerary length and brand, you may be able to cancel with no penalty or with only a modest administrative charge, especially if you have not yet made your final payment. Once the final payment date passes, penalties ramp up quickly, often progressing through a series of thresholds where you forfeit a growing percentage of the cruise fare.
Costco Travel’s general terms make clear that cruise cancellations can lead to a loss of deposit or full payment. In practice, this usually follows the cruise line’s grid: you might lose your deposit if you cancel after a certain date, then 50 percent of the cruise fare at another date, eventually reaching a 100 percent penalty as you approach departure. The exact dates and percentages vary by cruise line, sailing length, cabin category and any promotional fare rules attached to your booking.
When you cancel within penalty, your refund may arrive in several pieces. The refundable portion of your fare, if any, is typically returned to the original form of payment. Nonrefundable segments may be lost entirely or converted into a future cruise credit, depending on the line’s policy or any special programs in place. Costco Travel emphasizes that airfare attached to a cruise booking is usually nonrefundable unless explicitly described otherwise, and that air refunds are governed by the airline’s conditions rather than Costco’s.
It is also important to differentiate between cash refunds and credits. Many cruise lines now use future cruise credits extensively, especially for promotional or nonrefundable deposits. A future cruise credit holds value for a future booking but comes with its own rules on expiration dates, ownership and how it can be applied. Costco Travel can help you apply these credits to new sailings, but it does not control the cruise line’s underlying credit policies.
How to Cancel a Costco Cruise in Practice
Costco Travel has gradually expanded its self-service options for cruise cancellations and changes. If your reservation qualifies, a cancel link may appear in your online Costco Travel account. In that case, you can initiate a cancellation digitally and avoid waiting on the phone. If no link appears, Costco directs members to complete a Cruise Cancellation Request Form or to contact a Costco Travel expert by phone.
Once you submit a cancellation request through the online form, Costco Travel indicates that it can take up to 72 hours to complete the process. The timing here is critical, because penalties are based on the date of cancellation completion, not the moment you submitted your request. If you send a request close to a penalty threshold, there is a risk your booking might tip into the next penalty bracket before the cancellation is finalized. For that reason, travelers who are near a key deadline often prefer to call and remain on the line until they receive verbal confirmation that the cancellation has gone through.
When you cancel, you should expect Costco Travel to review the applicable cruise line penalty schedule with you. The agent will typically confirm what portion of your payments, if any, are refundable to your original payment method, what portion is being held as a future cruise credit, and what amount is fully forfeited. They can also explain what happens to any extras you purchased, such as pre-paid gratuities, shore excursions, drink packages or specialty dining, although those items are often handled directly by the cruise line or excursion provider.
After a cancellation, Costco Travel recommends that you retain the written confirmation you receive by email. It should show the effective cancellation date, the penalties applied, any remaining credits and any residual amounts that will be refunded. Given that refunds may involve both the cruise line and an airline or other suppliers, funds can take several weeks to fully appear back on your card or in your account.
Changing Your Costco Cruise Instead of Canceling
Many cruisers would rather adjust an existing trip than abandon it altogether. Costco Travel encourages members who want to make modifications to use the Cruise Change Request Form for a specific set of changes. Through this form, you can request adjustments such as updates to medical or special occasion notes, past passenger numbers, cabin numbers within the same category, bedding preferences, dining time and table size, or adding and removing certain items like cruise line insurance, ground transfers and gratuities.
Costco Travel notes that change requests can take up to 72 hours to process. As with cancellations, the ultimate approval depends on availability and on the cruise line’s rules. Some changes, particularly after final payment or once penalty periods have begun, may not be possible or may trigger additional costs. Cruise lines also generally prohibit price reductions after your sailing enters penalty or after it is paid in full, and Costco is bound by that restriction.
Larger changes require a more hands-on approach. Adding or removing guests, changing the ship or sail date, shifting cabin categories, applying future cruise credits or changing passenger names are all flagged as changes that must be handled directly by a Costco Travel expert. These kinds of modifications can function like partial cancellations from the cruise line’s perspective, often subject to the same penalty schedule that would apply if you canceled outright.
When you are considering making a change, the safest approach is to review the current cancellation and change policies on your Costco Travel invoice and the cruise line’s website, then contact Costco Travel to walk through your options. Sometimes, canceling and rebooking under a new promotion is advantageous, but only if the associated penalties are modest or nonexistent. In other cases, holding your existing booking may be financially wiser despite an attractive new offer.
Airfare, Insurance and Other Extras
Costco Travel’s cruise bookings often bundle more than just the cabin itself. You may have arranged airfare, hotel nights, ground transfers or travel insurance through Costco at the same time. Each of those elements has its own cancellation rules layered on top of your cruise fare, and not all of them are as flexible as the cruise reservation.
In its published policies, Costco Travel highlights that airfare associated with a cruise is generally nonrefundable unless explicitly sold as refundable. If you cancel the cruise, the airline portion is usually nonrefundable and nontransferable. In some cases, the value of nonrefundable tickets may be converted into usable airline credits subject to change fees, fare differences and expiration dates set by the carrier. Any rebooking of flights, including use of credits, must follow the airline’s policies rather than Costco’s preferences.
Trip protection or travel insurance purchased through Costco is another area where travelers often have questions. Policy premiums are often nonrefundable once purchased, especially after a certain grace period. If you cancel your cruise, your insurance may continue to offer trip interruption or cancellation benefits only if the reason for cancellation qualifies under the policy terms. In a voluntary, penalty-based cancellation where you simply change your mind, the insurance may not reimburse forfeited amounts, although it can vary by plan type and whether you purchased a more flexible option.
Shore excursions, beverage packages, specialty dining and onboard experiences are typically run by the cruise line or a third-party provider. Costco notes that extras like shore excursions booked through its partnered excursion provider are subject to that company’s own cancellation rules. Many excursions remain refundable until a certain number of days before the excursion date, while others become nonrefundable after the cruise departs. Travelers should pay attention not only to the cruise cancellation grid but also to the separate timelines attached to these add-ons.
Future Cruise Credits and Redeployments
Future cruise credits, often abbreviated as FCCs, have become a central part of the cruise cancellation landscape. When you cancel under certain fare types or during special programs, the cruise line might not issue a cash refund at all. Instead, it provides a credit tied to each guest that can be applied to a new sailing, typically by a specified expiration date. Costco Travel assists with applying these credits to eligible new bookings, but the rules governing their use remain controlled by the cruise line.
Costco Travel directs members who want to apply a future cruise credit to work directly with a Costco Travel expert or, in some cases, to use a dedicated online form. Because FCCs are often linked to individual passenger accounts at the cruise line, you will usually need to have or create the line’s loyalty account for each traveler. Credits are almost always nontransferable between people, cannot be redeemed for cash and must be used for new bookings that depart by a certain date.
Redeployments are another scenario that affects your cruise without you choosing to cancel. If a cruise line changes ships, homeports, itineraries or sail dates at a system level, your existing reservation may be altered or moved. In those cases, the cruise line will typically offer a set of options, such as transferring your booking to a new sailing, accepting an altered itinerary, or canceling for a refund or enhanced credit. Costco Travel relays those options and helps process your selection, but the choices originate from the cruise line’s redeployment program.
When you face either a voluntary cancellation or an involuntary change like redeployment, it is essential to read the fine print. Many offers that promote generous credits or flexible rebooking still contain expiration dates, cabin category limitations and blackout periods. Failing to rebook within the allowed time frame can mean losing the value entirely, even though you originally chose a credit instead of a refund.
Strategies to Minimize Financial Loss
Because Costco Travel follows each cruise line’s penalty structure, your best defenses against costly cancellations are timing, documentation and planning. Booking well in advance allows you to monitor price changes, itinerary shifts and life events before final payment. If uncertainty is high, you might opt for sailings or fare types that maintain more flexible cancellation terms for longer, even if they carry a slightly higher upfront cost than strictly nonrefundable promotions.
Marking down your key dates as soon as you book can make a significant difference. Your reservation paperwork will show the final payment deadline and, in most cases, a summary of the cancellation grid. Input those dates into your calendar with reminders well in advance. If a potential conflict arises, you then have time to decide whether to fully cancel, move the sailing or wait and see. Waiting until after final payment to reevaluate your plans almost guarantees higher penalties if you decide to back out.
Travel insurance deserves careful consideration, especially for costly international cruises, bucket-list itineraries or sailings during seasons prone to storms or operational disruptions. Rather than assuming any insurance will solve cancellation worries, read the policy’s specific coverage for cancellation reasons, preexisting conditions and covered events. For travelers who prize flexibility above all, specialized cancel-for-any-reason coverage, while more expensive, can be worth investigating if available in your jurisdiction.
Finally, keep all communication and confirmations from Costco Travel and the cruise line. If your sailing’s itinerary or dates shift, or if the cruise line announces new policies affecting penalties or future cruise credits, you will want to compare those announcements with your original agreement. Having a paper trail can be especially valuable if you need to contest an unexpected penalty or confirm your eligibility for a more favorable option that was announced after you booked.
The Takeaway
Costco Travel’s cruise cancellation and change policies sit at the crossroads of two sets of rules: the agency’s internal processes and each cruise line’s contracts. Costco does not typically add its own cancellation fees on top of what cruise lines charge, but it is bound by the lines’ penalty schedules, refund structures and credit programs. As a traveler, your experience can range from straightforward to complicated depending on when you cancel, what kind of fare you booked and how your airfare, insurance and extras were arranged.
The most important step you can take is to read every page of your Costco Travel confirmation and the cruise line’s terms as soon as you book. Identify your key dates for final payment and escalating penalties, understand how nonrefundable deposits and promotional fares work, and consider whether trip protection fits your risk profile. Use Costco’s online tools when available, but be prepared to pick up the phone for more complex scenarios, especially close to important deadlines.
By approaching your Costco cruise reservation with clarity and realistic expectations, you maintain the advantages of member-only pricing while reducing the chance of unpleasant surprises if your plans change. Whether you ultimately sail as scheduled, rebook to a future date or pivot to an entirely different vacation, a firm grasp of the cancellation and change landscape allows you to make decisions that fit both your travel dreams and your budget.
FAQ
Q1. Does Costco Travel charge its own cancellation fee for cruises?
In general, Costco Travel states that it does not add extra agency cancellation fees on top of what the cruise line charges. You remain fully responsible for any penalties, losses of deposit or full fare amounts imposed by the cruise line, as well as nonrefundable elements such as certain airfares or insurance premiums.
Q2. How do I actually cancel a cruise I booked through Costco Travel?
If your booking qualifies, you may see a cancel option when you log in to your Costco Travel account, which allows you to cancel online. If there is no cancel link, you typically need to complete a Cruise Cancellation Request Form or contact Costco Travel by phone and ask an agent to process the cancellation. In all cases, the cancellation is not effective until Costco completes it in coordination with the cruise line.
Q3. When are cancellation penalties based on: the day I submit my request or the day Costco processes it?
Costco Travel explains that penalties are based on the date when the cancellation is completed, not the date you first submit your request. Because requests can take up to 72 hours to process, it is important to allow enough time before a penalty deadline or call to speak with an agent directly if you are very close to a key date.
Q4. What happens to my airfare if I cancel my Costco cruise?
Airfare associated with a Costco Travel cruise booking is usually nonrefundable unless your documents specifically describe it as refundable. If you cancel, you may forfeit the fare entirely or, in some cases, receive an airline credit that must be used under the carrier’s rules, including any change fees and expiration dates. Costco Travel follows the airline’s policies and cannot override them.
Q5. Can I change my ship or sail date without canceling?
Changing to a different ship or sail date is treated as a significant modification and usually requires working directly with a Costco Travel expert. Depending on how close you are to departure and the cruise line’s rules, such a change may be subject to the same penalties you would face if you canceled and rebooked, especially after final payment or during penalty periods.
Q6. Are deposits on Costco cruises always refundable?
Not all deposits are refundable. Many cruise lines offer both refundable and nonrefundable deposit options, and some promotional fares carry stricter rules. Your Costco Travel invoice and the cruise line’s fare description will specify whether your deposit can be returned, converted into a future cruise credit or fully forfeited if you cancel.
Q7. How do future cruise credits work when I book with Costco Travel?
Future cruise credits are issued and controlled by the cruise line. They are usually tied to individual guests and have a specific expiration date by which you must book and sometimes sail. To use them on a new reservation through Costco, you generally contact a Costco Travel expert or use any dedicated form provided, supplying your credit details so they can be applied to qualifying sailings under the cruise line’s rules.
Q8. Can I get my travel insurance premium back if I cancel my cruise?
Travel insurance premiums are often nonrefundable once purchased, especially after a short review period. If you cancel your cruise for a reason covered under your policy, the insurance may reimburse part or all of your penalties, subject to deductibles and limits. If you cancel for a reason not covered under the policy, the premium itself is usually lost and the policy may not provide additional benefits.
Q9. How far in advance should I decide whether to cancel my Costco cruise?
Ideally, you should review your options well before your final payment date and any significant penalty thresholds shown in your documents. Many travelers set calendar reminders 10 to 14 days before each key date. This gives you time to consult with Costco Travel, understand the financial impact of canceling or changing, and make a decision before penalties become steep.
Q10. Who do I contact if my cruise line changes the itinerary or redeploys my ship?
If the cruise line changes your itinerary, homeport, ship or sail date, it will outline your options, such as accepting the change, moving to another sailing or canceling for a refund or credit. Since your original booking is with Costco Travel, you typically contact Costco to choose and process one of those options, even though the underlying choices and compensation come from the cruise line itself.