AARP Carnival Gift Cards

[Calnev1]

6 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

On the Miracle now and can finally say I was able to load e gift cards at the kiosk for the first time ever.

THis is fantastic news.  I have four cruises on the Miracle booked in 2022!

[tw67]

7 hours ago, Calnev1 said:

If you buy cruise cash with a Carnival gift card that you purchased at a discount . . .  aren't  you buying the cruise cash at a discount?   I think that was the idea behind what tw67 was doing.   He/she wanted something in his account before he boarded the ship, but you can't put gift cards in your account before you board the ship.

Correct, that is what I am doing (she!).  This way we just don't have to go stand in line.  At one time I had problems with a gift card, and I really don't want to go through that again.  Just easier to buy some cruise cash, but then I also keep my credit card on the account.  We always use up the cruise cash, and yes, then I did buy it for 10% off.  

[babygrljaz]

On 11/21/2021 at 9:03 AM, Organized Chaos said:

 

It's pretty hit or miss when it comes to loading them from the kiosk. Given all the comments over the years, it seems like a majority of ships won't work. We were on Horizon last year and they wouldn't load using the kiosk. Or maybe some of them have been updated to work. That'd be nice.

pre covid i was able to add them at the kiosk as well.  card is much easier, just swipe and that's it.  ecard though has to be entered manually.  before covid it was on the breeze, post covid it was on vista & dream.  I've never had a problem.  3 different ships & i've done it many times during each trip.  the last one (dream) i only had 1 $500 ecard, but on the other ships is was multiple $100 ecards that i added throughout the cruise.  so with me it hasn't been hit or miss, always worked.  I gave examples of my experience not what i've been told, heard or read.

[SNJCruisers]

13 hours ago, Calnev1 said:

If you buy cruise cash with a Carnival gift card that you purchased at a discount . . .  aren't  you buying the cruise cash at a discount?   I think that was the idea behind what tw67 was doing.   He/she wanted something in his account before he boarded the ship, but you can't put gift cards in your account before you board the ship.

But cruise cash without a discount is stupid.  I can see maybe if someone wishes to gift it to someone going on a cruise, but there is zero benefit to buying it for yourself.  If you don't use it all, you lose it and there is no benefit to buying it.  Using a credit card or cash is better.

And anybody can get a credit card.  And if someone is worried that they will carry a balance, then all they need to do is pay it off with cash before they disembark.

[tw67]

11 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

But cruise cash without a discount is stupid.  I can see maybe if someone wishes to gift it to someone going on a cruise, but there is zero benefit to buying it for yourself.  If you don't use it all, you lose it and there is no benefit to buying it.  Using a credit card or cash is better.

And anybody can get a credit card.  And if someone is worried that they will carry a balance, then all they need to do is pay it off with cash before they disembark.

I see saving my time as a benefit.   I never buy more than I will spend.  I get the gift cards for 10% off, so I have bought it with a discount.   I have never left money behind.   I just think that it is better use of my time. 

[SNJCruisers]

6 hours ago, tw67 said:

I see saving my time as a benefit.   I never buy more than I will spend.  I get the gift cards for 10% off, so I have bought it with a discount.   I have never left money behind.   I just think that it is better use of my time. 

Where are you saving time? I understand using the gift cards to save 10%.  Have used them for all Carnival expenses for years. I prepay everything with the gift cards, and put a few hundred on my account for peripheral purchases and gratuities.

Just can't grasp any positives about cruise cash since there are none in my opinion.  Just use a credit card.

[tw67]

13 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Where are you saving time? I understand using the gift cards to save 10%.  Have used them for all Carnival expenses for years. I prepay everything with the gift cards, and put a few hundred on my account for peripheral purchases and gratuities.

Just can't grasp any positives about cruise cash since there are none in my opinion.  Just use a credit card.

I save time by not standing in line at Guest Services.   I also put down a credit card.   I buy the cruise cash before we cruise.   It is instead of gong to guest services with my gift cards.  

 

By any chance does SNJ stand for Southern New Jersey?

[gjm726]

Hey all, first time poster and cruiser. Looking for the best discounts for my Carnival cruise in April!! Has anyone ever signed up for Allstate rewards and had difficulty logging in?? I can log in on the app and have Drivewise tracking me, but when I try to log into rewards / desktop it says no account associated with this email! I've messaged their IT department with no support ... anyone else run into this issue?

[Calnev1]

30 minutes ago, gjm726 said:

Hey all, first time poster and cruiser. Looking for the best discounts for my Carnival cruise in April!! Has anyone ever signed up for Allstate rewards and had difficulty logging in?? I can log in on the app and have Drivewise tracking me, but when I try to log into rewards / desktop it says no account associated with this email! I've messaged their IT department with no support ... anyone else run into this issue?

How did you do your signup?  Did you create your account online, and then download the app?  Or did you download the app, and then create  your account using the app?   If you created your account online, you are going to have big trouble and will likely have to delete your account and recreate it using the app.   See posts 4026 and 4127 for first hand experiences with this problem.

[gjm726]

3 minutes ago, Calnev1 said:

How did you do your signup?  Did you create your account online, and then download the app?  Or did you download the app, and then create  your account using the app?   If you created your account online, you are going to have big trouble and will likely have to delete your account and recreate it using the app.   See posts 4026 and 4127 for first hand experiences with this problem.

Thank you! I did create the account on the app. But now it won't let me access awards for some reason...  

[thewynn]

22 minutes ago, Calnev1 said:

How did you do your signup?  Did you create your account online, and then download the app?  Or did you download the app, and then create  your account using the app?   If you created your account online, you are going to have big trouble and will likely have to delete your account and recreate it using the app.   See posts 4026 and 4127 for first hand experiences with this problem.

This is exactly what happened to me, I created my account on my computer. I ended up having to call their support and they deleted my account and I was able to create it in the app and then all worked fine.

[Calnev1]

49 minutes ago, gjm726 said:

Thank you! I did create the account on the app. But now it won't let me access awards for some reason...  

Some Allstate problems can also be remedied by closing your Allstate page, clearing all you cookies, and then trying to login to Allstate again.  The best login link appears to be this one:  

 https://myaccountrwd.allstate.com/anon/account/login?campaign=145

 

If none of this works, you have exhausted my limited knowledge!

[gjm726]

https://allstaterewards.com/errorPage 

 

This is what I get no matter what I try. Thanks for trying! 

[ULCajunCruiser]

For those looking for the hard gift cards, they are available in $100, $500 & $1000 right now

[SNJCruisers]

On 11/22/2021 at 10:46 PM, tw67 said:

I save time by not standing in line at Guest Services.   I also put down a credit card.   I buy the cruise cash before we cruise.   It is instead of gong to guest services with my gift cards.  

 

By any chance does SNJ stand for Southern New Jersey?

Yes, it does stand for that.   I have no problem at guest services redeeming my gift cards since I am Platinum.

[tw67]

2 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Yes, it does stand for that.   I have no problem at guest services redeeming my gift cards since I am Platinum.

I am not platinum yet.  Even after the two 8 days I have planned in 2022 I will be about 7 days away.  

 

I am also from South Jersey.  Raised right outside of Philly.  

[Calnev1]

8 hours ago, tw67 said:

I am not platinum yet.  Even after the two 8 days I have planned in 2022 I will be about 7 days away.  

 

Sometimes even Platinum cruisers have to wait in a line at guest services.   And I know that from personal experience.  And even if there is no line in front of you if you have a lot of gift cards to redeem you can create one behind  you.  Been there done that too.  🙂

[M4Travels]

ALLSTATEFRIDAY21

 

1000 pts

[thewynn]

For those who have been doing this awhile. I joined about 2 weeks ago and currently have about 51,000 points but most of those have been by going through this post history and finding old codes that still worked. I figure I'm going to need another 30,000-50,000 points over the next year to cover a couple cruises. How likely is it that I will get enough points? 

I'm trying to determine if I will get enough points through Allstate or if I should join AARP to augment my points?

 

Thanks

Edited November 24, 2021 by thewynn

[tm_aw_love]

13 minutes ago, thewynn said:

For those who have been doing this awhile. I joined about 2 weeks ago and currently have about 51,000 points but most of those have been by going through this post history and finding old codes that still worked. I figure I'm going to need another 30,000-50,000 points over the next year to cover a couple cruises. How likely is it that I will get enough points? 

I'm trying to determine if I will get enough points through Allstate or if I should join AARP to augment my points?

 

Thanks

Based on my last year or so, it seems like there is normally a 1k and 2k multiple times a month and sometimes an extra around any holidays.. you should be able to reach 50k easily in a year.

[tw67]

24 minutes ago, thewynn said:

For those who have been doing this awhile. I joined about 2 weeks ago and currently have about 51,000 points but most of those have been by going through this post history and finding old codes that still worked. I figure I'm going to need another 30,000-50,000 points over the next year to cover a couple cruises. How likely is it that I will get enough points? 

I'm trying to determine if I will get enough points through Allstate or if I should join AARP to augment my points?

 

Thanks

If every day you went and opened up the web page, you would earn 18,250 points (50 X 365).  Add those to the codes, and I think you are absolutely fine.  

[SNJCruisers]

11 hours ago, tw67 said:

I am not platinum yet.  Even after the two 8 days I have planned in 2022 I will be about 7 days away.  

 

I am also from South Jersey.  Raised right outside of Philly.  

Platinum is not that big of a deal.  Have been there for over 10 years.  The roped off line at guest services and priority embarkation are the only perks I care about.  The laundry is done in hot water, so it's a waste as far as I'm concerned.  Also got very upset when Carnival sold some of the perks I earned when FTTF started up years ago.

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, Calnev1 said:

Sometimes even Platinum cruisers have to wait in a line at guest services.   And I know that from personal experience.  And even if there is no line in front of you if you have a lot of gift cards to redeem you can create one behind  you.  Been there done that too.  🙂

Because the FTTF people bought the opportunity to stand in the roped off line that we earned through our loyalty. 👿

[SNJCruisers]

45 minutes ago, thewynn said:

For those who have been doing this awhile. I joined about 2 weeks ago and currently have about 51,000 points but most of those have been by going through this post history and finding old codes that still worked. I figure I'm going to need another 30,000-50,000 points over the next year to cover a couple cruises. How likely is it that I will get enough points? 

I'm trying to determine if I will get enough points through Allstate or if I should join AARP to augment my points?

 

Thanks

You get a free 50 by going on the website each day, which I don't need to do since even after buying over 10,000 in cards, I'm still sitting on over 650,000 points.

[Calnev1]

58 minutes ago, thewynn said:

For those who have been doing this awhile. I joined about 2 weeks ago and currently have about 51,000 points but most of those have been by going through this post history and finding old codes that still worked. I figure I'm going to need another 30,000-50,000 points over the next year to cover a couple cruises. How likely is it that I will get enough points? 

I'm trying to determine if I will get enough points through Allstate or if I should join AARP to augment my points?

 

Thanks

If you have a spouse, open a separate Allstate Rewards account for them.  Then you can use every code twice . . . and build your points twice as fast.  My wife and I have separate Allstate and AARP Rewards accounts.  And my wife's sister lets me use her AARP account(s) too.  Lots of ways to get those discounted gift cards.