RevRhino

I got our $1000 carnival gift card today. Can't wait to book our family cruise.

Thanks for those who celebrate with us! I noticed as others posted they had won, it was nice to have some sort of awareness that there were CC community members who were winners of this contest. Therefore, I posted our news.

Lyndamr, I can appreciate your point that Carnival gives away money that can be used within their business to generate more income from those who receive the gift card. I did not win a $1000 check. I won $1000 to spend within their company. I am no idiot. I have a Masters Degree, and am a member of Mensa. I understand how marketing works. I am also aware enough to know how scams work.

I do feel confident that I will receive my prize. I don't consider Carnival to be a scamming company, and that they will deliver what they have promised. I read the Rules of the Sweepstakes prior to ever entering, and feel confident that they will deliver as promised. I do not believe I have been scammed by another party. First, if this is a scam, they went to a lot of effort to make it look legit, which is not impossible I'll admit. But secondly, and most importantly, why would they scam me? They have gained nothing if this is a third-party scam. I have not sent in any "processing fees" or given them my checking account information as is common in scams. I have education and experience in the Information Technology field, and am often called upon to consult on issues that are technology-related, including safe uses of the internet, and scams to avoid. While I won't say that I am immune from such an attack, this had none of the obvious characteristics of such a scam.

When I receive my prize, I will make a point to post here that it has been received. Should it come with any previously-unknown strings attached, I will gladly admit that, and post that here as well. From your postings here, you strike me as a glass-half-empty person, where I'm seeing it as $1000 full.

For those who celebrate with us, please know this is looking for more than just a vacation. Our youngest child, recently turned 2 years old, was born with significant birth defects and given less than a 20% chance of survival. During his hospitalization, our family had to make sacrifices. These sacrifices meant spending a lot less time with our other children, missing their events, and foregoing planned times together such as some summer vacation times and Spring Break. It also meant that, once home, we couldn't easily travel with our youngest having the medical conditions that he had.

As time has gone on, his health is improving, and we are now to a point that we feel comfortable traveling with him. To be able to take ALL of our children on a cruise will be an answered prayer, and something we shall celebrate as more than just a simple vacation. We do not make tons of money, and we will likely only be able to afford to do this once during their childhoods. Winning this sweepstakes really sealed the deal that we can scrape together the rest of the money so that we can make this happen.

I look forward to posting a report one day of our vacation, and how much of a joy it was to spend all that time together.

Entered the week-long Awesome-cation sweepstakes every day. On our way home from church today, I got the email notifying me that I had won.

Wife and I are cruising in Nov for our 2nd cruise. Kids have been begging for a cruise, but we saw no way we could afford to take us, and our 5 kids. With a $1000 gift card, I think we can make it happen sometime in the next couple years.

We're very excited.:D