Applying gift cards to cruise cost - 2 answers - Am I screwed?

[scottee]

When we decided to book a quick 3 day cruise for this June, we cashed our credit card points for $400 in gift cards, but it takes 1-2 weeks for them to arrive.

 

So I called Carnival and asked if we could make partial payment, even though it was less than 60 days from the cruise, and then make the rest of the payment later when the gift cards arrived. If not, I will wait until the gift cards arrive to book the cruise to apply payment. The rep on the phone said no, full payment had to be made now, but call us back and we'll apply the gift cards and refund the rest to your credit card. So I said ok, booked, and paid in full with credit card.

 

Gift cards arrived two days ago. I call to have them apply them to the cruise and refund the rest to my credit card, like the booking person said. They said they can't do that, and the only thing I can do is apply it to the Sign and Sail account. The problem with that is that any unused balance (we won't use all $400) is refunded in gift cards, if I understand correct.

 

The only reason we booked this is because the gift cards from our credit card rewards would pay for most of it. Did we just get screwed? Or are there other options? (like calling back for a different rep)

[Quilcruisers]

It is my understanding that once you apply the gift cards to sign and sail account that you can take it in cash either at the casino or end of the cruise if you don't spend all 400.

[nol4am]

yep just go get what ya want back through casino by using your card in the machine and then cashing acct out at the cashier

Edited May 17, 2015 by nol4am

[scottee]

Can anyone else confirm? Online, I've read that it's refunded in the form that the payment was originally made. So if S&S is funded by gift card, they give you a gift card at the end.

 

Though I do remember the Poker Pro tables withdrawing directly from Sign and Sail. I don't remember if you can cash out the poker account at the cage. (Poker is separate from a regular casino account.)

[scottee]

Good, thanks, I'll go through the casino. Just annoyed they lied to me over the phone.

[The Phoenixx]

Good, thanks, I'll go through the casino. Just annoyed they lied to me over the phone.

 

It annoys me too. I call back and ask for my call to be pulled. So they can be accountable for what they promised me to make the sale. Of course I have not done this with Carnival, but T-Mobile, oooohhhh weeeee.

[N7786W Flyer]

I know the verbiage from Carnival Customer Service says you have to take any excess from the gift cards as an other gift card, but this doesn't appear to be what actually happens once you're on the ship.

 

As other have indicated, you have an option through the casino. Also, on my January 2015 sailing on the Miracle, I was offered cash by not one, but two of the young ladies managing the Guest Service desk (2 separate trips to the desk, 2 different offers). While my 'refund' was only about $180, it was nice to be able to take that $ instead of waiting for another gift card to arrive in the mail.

 

Garnett

[bafinegan]

We had applied over $500 in gift cards to our Sunshine cruise this past Feb. The last night of the cruise, I just went to guest services and they gave me the excess back in cash. On our April Fascination cruise, they mailed us back a check for excess on our sail and sign account. Got it a week after we got back. So it seems it is different among the ships, but no problem getting refunds.

[NCTribeFan]

Based on what has been stated here before in older threads, and as I was told on the ship at the service desk, any unused portion would go back on the gift card.

 

NOT what happened.

 

If you use a gift card to pay for the cruise and don't use the full balance, sure, the rest stays on the card.

 

If you apply a gift card on board and don't use it all, you receive a refund check.

 

Not a big deal. I got the refund in about a week and deposited it. It's not like I don't have other bills to pay, right?

 

I would prefer to NOT cash it out at the casino as I don't want to travel home with a wad of cash on me, thanks. That's one of the reasons I've used the gift cards - to reduce the amount of cash I need to carry while traveling.

[sjcruiser]

Great answers, on most of our cruises using gift cards or where we have refundable and non-refundable OBC, it seems that they use up the nonrefundable first. We also place cc's or cash on the account, and at the end cash out at the casino, or close out the account on the last night, and receive cash back. We keep track of our expenses also, and make sure we use up any obc so we know when were going to use "our" money.