JoseyP

36 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Yes!  Print out that card and pin number.  I also screenshot them.

Will do.

42 minutes ago, MacMadame said:

Have you tried using "incognito" mode on your browser or using another browser you've never used before on the AARP site? If the problem is cached data like cookies, these tricks will get around that.

 

If that doesn't work, the problem is 99.9% on the backend and only they can fix it. Unless you just make a new account, of course.

 

You have SOLVED my problem!!  thank you!  went incognito and just ordered a 100 princess card. (tried a food gift card first)  It said confirmation for both.  Thanks.  you are SO smart. I'll still talk to some tech person at aarp. if and when they email me. Bless you for your kind help. They are already showing up in my email as purchased. I'll do this every time.

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

Since I don't know what error is triggering your problem, I can't answer.  But in my circumstance, it didn't matter what computer I used, how many times I cleared my cache, or if I went in through the dark web.  I was able to log in to my account and everything looked normal.  I could search for and find Princess Gift Cards and could see the price.  But as soon as I tried to put one in my cart, I got an error message that said that the problem was on their end and to try back later.  So the credit card I intended to use was irrelevant. I kept trying "later" but after a month of being stubborn, I finally concluded that the error was fatal and wasn't going to fix itself, especially since so many people here were able to buy cards in the time interval when I could not.  

Mines a bit different. I can put anything in the cart, put in the credit card #, but as soon as the processing starts it says there is an error, and to call.  Glad you finally got yours figured out! I will one day too. I am in the same boat (pardon the pun) that you were in.

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

Usually, if it’s the CC, you’ll get a CC error.  Or, use another payment.

Sounds like you may have a corrupt rewards account number with AARP.  Or, email address has been compromised.

 

Hope they figure it out.  

Did you try to change your password for your AARP account? If you can’t, something is wrong with your account for sure.

Was able to change password. But today I didnt have the 3 letters to type in at first! That is what prompted my call to them. It's been "we'll put in a ticket for you for a higher dept" for about 2 weeks now. Not credit card.  Tried using another. My cc is fine.

After I called I re entered everything, and finally got the 3 letters to type in. That was weird. Never happened before. And, today I rejoined, just to see if I could buy a card!

23 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

I'm sure that this won't make you feel any better, but I had an issue with my account  and it took several months and several long calls to get to the bottom of it.  Fortunately my wife has a "Rewards" account and I was able to buy all the GCs I needed that way, but that might not help under the current "Members Only" scenario.  Turns out that someone tried to sign up for a new Rewards account using the same User Name as mine and the system detected that as fraud and locked my account out from buying Princess GCs since that was the vast majority of my past purchases.  I guess the few one-off Honey Baked Ham GCs didn't bother them.  😁  At least, this is the story that they told me.      

Question:  If I go on another persons computer, or use a friends aarp membership, if i try to buy gift cards, will it stop me because i use MY credit card? Or the other person wd have to buy them, and I pay him/her back?

9 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

I'm sure that this won't make you feel any better, but I had an issue with my account  and it took several months and several long calls to get to the bottom of it.  Fortunately my wife has a "Rewards" account and I was able to buy all the GCs I needed that way, but that might not help under the current "Members Only" scenario.  Turns out that someone tried to sign up for a new Rewards account using the same User Name as mine and the system detected that as fraud and locked my account out from buying Princess GCs since that was the vast majority of my past purchases.  I guess the few one-off Honey Baked Ham GCs didn't bother them.  😁  At least, this is the story that they told me.  So they had to set up a convenient time for a call with me to talk to a high-level tech guy who was in touch with their fraud dep.t    

Oh gosh, Jimmy. wow. Maybe something like that happened to me. Maybe. I don't have another email address to use. Well, I don't want to start using another one.  Glad you finally got it straightened out. One day i'll know!  thanks for the reply.

36 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Thanks for updating us.

This is baffling.  Has to be on your end, if others are not having any problems.  
Do you have a family member or friend that could try it?  You just pay them back.  What a PiTA.

Hope you get them soon.

Thanks.  It's totally infuriating to me. I never experienced anything like this before. Right now i have no other computer to check on. I can't spend all day on this. But i don't have any problem buying things on other websites. One day I'll know why !! 

No, I have no family that could try, and it would be too much of a hassle with my friends right now.  It is just weird to know that others can buy these cards at a discount, but i can't - and haven't been able to since i tried in late July.

8 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

Yep.  Just checked and it does say that.  But do we know if that means "Rewards Members" or "Full-Fledged Members"?  (I am both, so I can't stress-test the system as I get through the filter and can purchase no matter what.)

Everyone who is there is a Rewards member.  It means AARP members. That is what is implied. You have to be an aarp member to reap most rewards, and most  gift cards.

Hi, whoever is reading about my continuing saga with aarp:

Well, I rejoined, cleared the cache,did what ever they wanted with the ad blockers, called up twice,and yet again today,  and STILL can't buy any Princess gift cards!!

I have never experienced such a hard and crazy thing. Nothing is wrong with my card, and I tried a few cards.  Again, they say they are "escalating" my case, and I have heard by email, but nothing else yet. 

It is really infuriating. Right now i have no other computer or device to try on. I hate that i'll lose $ in the future if this keeps being the case! Maybe I can try at the library.

And in posts 283 and 284 it was in question again, whether you had to be a member or not, so i kept trying. Yes, Milolii, what you said could be the case; updating the system.

Anyway, I'll probably rejoin and attempt to buy what i want soon. My Princess cruise is in November, another transatlantic.

DeeJay is correct.  You have been confused Rick and Jeannie with the cards, and the membership requirements. In May I bought princess cards w/o being a member of aarp. and a few years ago I bought Carnival cards without being a member of aarp. You could always do aarp Rewards for free, but now there is not really anything good there, to me.

Unfortunately, in the past 2 weeks they have changed the Princess cards to Members Only.  I will have to rejoin AARP.  And now, most every card is members only.

So, when i rejoin I hope i can buy some cards! The cruise is now paid for; lost a little money because i couldnt buy more cards on my computer, but if i rejoin and try that will be proof that they have fixed my computer problem.

Hi, it's me again,

Well, they have been in touch with me, and told me i'd have to be on the computer with them (aarp). but I tried putting food gift cards in my cart and buying them, and amazingly enough, it all went thru! My eyes widened when i saw that happen.

It looks like they made the Princess cards members only, so I guess i'll have to rejoin if I want those cards, and others.  I'll be joining soon and trying to get a few cards!          Thanks for all the thoughtful comments.

Hey, I just logged in under a friends name and email.  Princess is coming up as members only no matter what i do, so maybe they are changing it to that. Then i'll have to join.

25 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

IT staff that can't make the cut at AARP get hired at Princess.

That is funny, but I really think AARP is worse.

29 minutes ago, JoseyP said:

Tried this. got the Princess cards to come up, but can't even get them into a cart. No red button appears, where it did last night. So it's even worse. Thanks for your thoughts.

Now it is saying members only.  Well!  I give up for now. Gotta do other things. Thanks everyone for your thoughts. If they solve it, i'll tell you!  But the problem seems to have gotten worse today!   Even tried a chat but she was no help at all.

6 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I am a member and was able to buy five gift cards without issue on Sunday.

It is an IT issue.  Not if i am a member or not.  I called twice about this, and nobody said it was a membership problem. Like i said, I bought them in May.

9 minutes ago, wallyj said:

Try and see if you can bring up the Princess gift cards by typing Princess in the search bar. When I did this, the 2 Princess gift cards show WITHOUT the members only banner, see if you can then put them in your cart. Look when you scroll down to see ALL REWARDS, there should be a filter button and next to it a search bar where you can type Princess. 

Tried this. got the Princess cards to come up, but can't even get them into a cart. No red button appears, where it did last night. So it's even worse. Thanks for your thoughts.

6 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

Seems like this could all be solved by just joining AARP? Not sure why you wouldn't. It's incredibly cheap and has a lot of benefits (these giftcards being an excellent example). You even get OBC for being an AARP member on HAL.

 

It's not a matter of that. I dislike their politics. But i would rejoin in the future. I have been a member before. I should be able to buy these cards without being a member. Rejoining will not solve the problem.

5 hours ago, Mjkny said:

Just purchased 5 of them no issues $500 each.

$2500. worth saved $200.

Lucky you!! I was able to in May, but not now. Bought 3.

Oh gosh, it's real crazy.  I see where now the Princess cards are members only, but they are NOT members only as you say.  and now I can't even get one into my cart......I give up for now. If i could get one into the cart, I can try to buy it.

Good thing i have a credit card where i can get low dollar amt ones for free with points.

14 minutes ago, wallyj said:

So if you do a search at the redeem page, the Princess gift cards will show WITHOUT a members only banner, but if you just scroll down when ALL the gift cards display and get to Princess, the members only banner will show.

 

Call into AARP and agent verified this ‘error’ but they did confirm, Princess gift cards are NOT members only.

wow, it's crazy.  They wrote me back but no real answer yet.    I am a very low tech person, and do not have or do anything on a smart phone. Did shut down over night and will try now.

STILL can't buy anything after calling again. This lady said to wait an hour after taking out the ad blocker.  Waited an hour and a half. No luck. Tried just buying another food gift card. I can't.  I am blocked and don't know why. Good thing i had no trouble in May and was able to save some money on my cruise. Final payment was today.     

AARP is supposed to contact me soon. What a pain. Paid a bit more for my cruise  on my final payment because of this problem.

13 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I think @wallyj was really asking "What is the error message?" Not did you get one. We can't really help much without more info. 

The message is "there was an error" or something like that, and "please call if you keep getting it". so i called them. So far, no answer.

12 hours ago, wallyj said:

I purchased a $500 card on July 31. I just went to AARP and could put a $500 card into my cart and go to final step to pay, I did not go further.

 

Are you getting an error after you enter credit card info to pay?

Yes, I get the error message. That is why I called, I guess on Thursday.  It is strange that i can't buy them. I'll lose about 64$ by not getting more of them. Why is it so difficult? When i bt. some in May I was fine.

Can't buy Princess gift cards no matter what.  Called them, and the lady tried to help to no avail. Said she was sending the matter somewhere else, I guess to another team.

I did everything right, and bought some in May. could not in early August.  I am not a member right now, but that doesnt matter for the Princess cards. I hope to hear from them soon!  very frustrating.