Applying Carnival Gift Cards?

[April-in-NC]

It has been several years since I've sailed Carnival and I just bought my Dad a gift card for his birthday to use on our family cruise in February. I bought it in a retail store and there weren't instructions on how to redeem.

 

I've seen mixed information about having to wait and apply it when you check in but some are reporting you can apply it online to your account before you sail.

 

Can anyone help me out? These are Carnival branded gift cards...

 

Thanks!

April

[kelkel2]

If there's a way to apply on your account before you leave I am not aware. The best way I know how is to use the customer service desk or the self service kiosks once on the ship to apply the cards.

I would suggest you keep the cards until the cruise is over as some people have reported issues with them being applied correctly. Although it is rare, it helps to have the card with the number on it!

[April-in-NC]

Thank you!

[TrqoisWtrs]

If you are using it towards a cruise payment, or shore excursion, you can use them at checkout in place of a credit card on Carnival's website. If you want to use it for an onboard credit, that is when you need to take it to the customer service desk onboard to have it applied. :)

[SIENA6334]

We used our last year - simply waited a day - then went to Guest Services - they applied them for us - do keep the card and I believe they hand you a receipt - just keep an eye on your account for them to post. I'm old school so I don't trust the KIOSK for these.

[ImaginationCruiseBride]

I just asked our PVP this question because we had $7 left over on a gift card after paying off our cruise, and unfortunately we have to wait until we are onboard to use it....there is no way I'd keep up with a gift card for $7, so we just went ahead and applied the $7 to our other booked cruise...anyway....what I'm trying to say, is our PVP told us that no, you can't apply it to your S&S account before boarding.

[fam2cruise]

If I got one of these cards as a gift, can I have it applied to my SS card only even if I'm on an account with others? Like my husband and kids are sailing all in one cabin and have set up our spending account online already, but can I put my gift card balance just to my SS account only?

[Miller_KC]

If you are all on one account the Gift Card will be applied against the total balance of the account even if the charges came from the other Sail and Sign cards.

 

You can change your account from the group account to just yours and fund it with the gift card like cash. I wouldn't think it to be worth the effort.

Edited December 17, 2015 by Miller_KC

[richfret]

I purchased my cruise while on a cruise but added a TA upon my return. When final payment was due, I sent her an E-mail with the gift card numbers listed along with the scratch off codes. They were quickly accepted and payment appears on my cruise documents. I still have the actual gift cards in my possession. I have additional gift cards and I plan to apply them as down payment on my next cruise.