AARP Carnival Gift Cards

[crucero]

I was telling my friend about the Allstate rewards points but she sails RC. The RC cards can only be used to book a new cruise and not for onboard expenses or paying off existing reservations. That stinks!

[Shamrock73]

51 minutes ago, crucero said:

I was telling my friend about the Allstate rewards points but she sails RC. The RC cards can only be used to book a new cruise and not for onboard expenses or paying off existing reservations. That stinks!

 

 

Just another reason to cruise Carnival

[CABO BOB]

Depends, If you like to cruise with different lines RC to my knowledge is the only other cruise line to offer gift cards that are 10% off. You'll need to plan ahead to pay the whole cruise with cards (biggest expense) and figure out what shore excursions are important to you. Also look for shore excursion sales.

Carnival just had 10% off shore excursions and paying with the cards gave me & the misses 20% off. We ended up booking an extra shore excursion. RC offers sales also albeit they are not quite as good as carnival using the cards. After checking out RC they don't seem to have as many ala carte items as it looks as if there are more items that are included in your original purchase price.

But to each his own but a pencil and paper to write down the difference may be helpful.

Remember:   Confucius say, Short Pencil better than long memory.                  Cabo Bob 

[richbum]

I have started buying these to pay for my cruise...once the cruise is paid off...can I continue to add them to my account...or do I need to wait until I get to the port to add them?

[Saint Greg]

13 minutes ago, richbum said:

I have started buying these to pay for my cruise...once the cruise is paid off...can I continue to add them to my account...or do I need to wait until I get to the port to add them?

 

I use them to buy things like cheers and internet before the cruise. But to just apply them to your account I believe you have to do it on board at a kiosk or guest services. 

[richbum]

3 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I use them to buy things like cheers and internet before the cruise. But to just apply them to your account I believe you have to do it on board at a kiosk or guest services. 

Thank you very much!! 

[CABO BOB]

I would check but I believe whatever you have left in your ship account after the cruise is forfeited. Use your cards at the end of the trip to pay your ship account. That way any balance not used will remain on the card for your next trip.

[sunshower9]

10 minutes ago, CABO BOB said:

I would check but I believe whatever you have left in your ship account after the cruise is forfeited. Use your cards at the end of the trip to pay your ship account. That way any balance not used will remain on the card for your next trip.

I always apply gift cards to my Sail & Sign account for onboard spending.  They always send me my remaining balance in the form of another gift card after the cruise is over.

[Krazyhardrocker]

9 minutes ago, sunshower9 said:

I always apply gift cards to my Sail & Sign account for onboard spending.  They always send me my remaining balance in the form of another gift card after the cruise is over.

If you have a balance over $10, they will send it back to you in the mail on a new gift card.  If your balance is less than $10, it is donated to St Jude's Children's Hospital.

[Krazyhardrocker]

11 minutes ago, sunshower9 said:

I would check but I believe whatever you have left in your ship account after the cruise is forfeited. Use your cards at the end of the trip to pay your ship account. That way any balance not used will remain on the card for your next trip.

On board credit is forfeited, but gift card funds are not unless the balance is under $10.  If the gift card balance at the end of the trip is under $10 then those funds are donated to St Jude's Children's Hospital.

[Yehootu]

Awesome find, but have a question. I ordered a $500 card on the 25th, on the 26th, I had to call to verify. I was told 2 days to ship, then up to 10 Business days to deliver. They use UPS? What type of delivery time have others seen. I sent them to my daughters house in Socal cause they need signature. We sail May11th, sure hope they come in time. Do they ever have Princess cards>

   Mahalo.

[richbum]

19 minutes ago, Yehootu said:

Awesome find, but have a question. I ordered a $500 card on the 25th, on the 26th, I had to call to verify. I was told 2 days to ship, then up to 10 Business days to deliver. They use UPS? What type of delivery time have others seen. I sent them to my daughters house in Socal cause they need signature. We sail May11th, sure hope they come in time. Do they ever have Princess cards>

   Mahalo.

I have only ordered the $100 ones and they ship by usps. I have them in just about a week....Not sure about the higher value ones though

[richbum]

4 hours ago, Krazyhardrocker said:

If you have a balance over $10, they will send it back to you in the mail on a new gift card.  If your balance is less than $10, it is donated to St Jude's Children's Hospital.

Thank you...I guess I'll have to spend it...because who knows when I will be on another cruise!

 

[richbum]

Can you still get $$$ out from the casino? Maybe if I have a bunch leftover on the last night?

 

[Yehootu]

8 minutes ago, richbum said:

I have only ordered the $100 ones and they ship by usps. I have them in just about a week....Not sure about the higher value ones though

Was that a week from order, or week from getting tracking #? Are the $100 ones signature required?

   Mahalo

[richbum]

2 minutes ago, Yehootu said:

Was that a week from order, or week from getting tracking #? Are the $100 ones signature required?

   Mahalo

No signature required. I think I ordered it, then a day or two later shipped, and about 4 days shipping...so all together about a week

[Saint Greg]

11 minutes ago, Yehootu said:

Was that a week from order, or week from getting tracking #? Are the $100 ones signature required?

   Mahalo

 

Only if you buy 5 or more.

[Yehootu]

Thx to both. I ordered 1 $500 and they told me had to sign. I'll just have to wait and hope.

[Saint Greg]

3 minutes ago, Yehootu said:

Thx to both. I ordered 1 $500 and they told me had to sign. I'll just have to wait and hope.

 

It’ll come UPS and you have to sign. I have the UPS app and I redirect it to a UPS store that’s on my way home from work...then I just go there and pick it up. Others use the app to waive the signing requirement.

[Organized Chaos]

1 hour ago, richbum said:

Can you still get $$$ out from the casino? Maybe if I have a bunch leftover on the last night?

 

 

Yep, you can cash out in the casino. Just go to a slot machine and add the funds to your player's bank, play once or twice, then cash out. I've heard that it's a good idea to play once or twice to avoid suspicion, because Carnival is aware of this little "trick." I guess they don't appreciate it being done by people who don't play. You don't want to get thrown overboard. 😉

[Saint Greg]

3 minutes ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

Yep, you can cash out in the casino. Just go to a slot machine and add the funds to your player's bank, play once or twice, then cash out. I've heard that it's a good idea to play once or twice to avoid suspicion, because Carnival is aware of this little "trick." I guess they don't appreciate it being done by people who don't play. You don't want to get thrown overboard. 😉

 

I’m afraid they’ll one day do away with the gift cards due to people using them for a cash profit.

 

Hopefully they’ll just make it where you can’t use them in slot machines.

 

Edited April 30, 2019 by Saint Greg

[Organized Chaos]

9 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

I’m afraid they’ll one day do away with the gift cards due to people using them for a cash profit.

 

Hopefully they’ll just make it where you can’t use them in slot machines.

 

I didn't even know you could use the gift cards directly in the slot machines. I figured they had to be added to the S&S account first.

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

I didn't even know you could use the gift cards directly in the slot machines. I figured they had to be added to the S&S account first.

 

That’s probably how they do it. I don’t play slots. I just know people buy cards at a 10% discount and take a 10% profit in the casino. 

 

I don’t think that’s what they’re intended for so I just hope people who buy them to spend with carnival don’t lose it over that.

 

 

Edited April 30, 2019 by Saint Greg

[richbum]

15 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

That’s probably how they do it. I don’t play slots. I just know people buy cards at a 10% discount and take a 10% profit in the casino. 

 

I don’t think that’s what they’re intended for so I just hope people who buy them to spend with carnival don’t lose it over that.

 

 

That wasn't my intention....I just wanted to know if there was a way to get extra back without it going on a gift card...My last cruise was in 2011...and not cruising until 2021....so don't want money sitting on a gift card that I don't use....I don't even care if I get the extra 10%...

 

Can I use it to apply to another rooms account who is traveling with me if I have extra?

[Saint Greg]

29 minutes ago, richbum said:

That wasn't my intention....I just wanted to know if there was a way to get extra back without it going on a gift card...My last cruise was in 2011...and not cruising until 2021....so don't want money sitting on a gift card that I don't use....I don't even care if I get the extra 10%...

 

Can I use it to apply to another rooms account who is traveling with me if I have extra?

 

And I wasn't necessarily talking about you specifically. There are threads on this board where people suggest doing that for profit. I've read on RCCL you can only use the cards on cruise fare and I'm afraid carnival will go that way if the cards are abused.

 

My suggestion would be to only buy the cards you need. What I do is try to estimate how much I'm going to spend and order the correct number of gift cards. On the ship I don't apply them until the last day or the night before the last day. If you apply more cards than you need to your account, they'll send you a gift card. So if your balance is $503, I wouldn't recommend applying $600. I always have a credit card attached to my account that I would let that $3 go to. 

 

If I do apply too much it isn't a big deal to me because I usually have another cruise I can apply it to. If I didn't I would be careful not to buy too many gift cards.