Carnival Gift Card question....

[jen2010ss]

First let me say if this has already been asked I'm sorry for asking again, I did a search and couldn't find what I was looking for. I have sailed a few times with carnival and always used my credit card for my sail and sign account. My question is if I purchase gift cards and use them towards my sail and sign account if I don't use all the funds do they refund it back in cash or the form of a gift card? Or can I do the same as some people have mentioned with cruise cash and withdraw the funds at the casino? 

[Saint Greg]

They send you a new card. If I get off the ship on Sunday, I usually have the card in the mail on Monday or Tuesday.

 

[bury me at sea]

If you apply gift cards to your account and overpay by more than ten dollars, Carnival will mail you a new gift card in the amount you overpaid.  Or you can cash out at the casino on the last night.

[Lottacruises]

They use the cash applied first, then the gift card, then the credit card. 

 

If you don't feel like you're going to use the whole balance on the card you can always just leave the credit card on file, don't put the gift card on file, and then before the cruise ends pay whatever balance you've accumulated using your gift card. 

 

There's not really a wrong way to do it though, whatever works best for you.

[BrezQ]

we put 2 ($100) on our account on day 1, then will add another if we need too. We usually carry a couple extra, in case we spend more.  Whatever we have left, we apply toward our next cruise! You don't have to put the whole amount on the S&S card, so you don;t have to worry about a refund, FYI

 

Have a blast!!

[jen2010ss]

Thanks for the replies! I have a couple of gift cards that I got at a discounted price and wanted to use them but if I don't use the money up I didn't want it refunded by gift card because we don't sail that often. 

[Schoifmom]

29 minutes ago, jen2010ss said:

Thanks for the replies! I have a couple of gift cards that I got at a discounted price and wanted to use them but if I don't use the money up I didn't want it refunded by gift card because we don't sail that often. 

 

You can then use the casino trick to cash out near the end of the cruise.

[teknoge3k]

Alternatively, you don't even need to load them all onto your account or worry about it in the beginning. Just wait until the end of your voyage, go to guest services and pay your balance with the gift cards. 

[Warm Breezes]

On our cruise last month I loaded a $500 card on my account midway through the cruise at quest services.  On the last sea night I just checked my credit balance, downloaded it into my players bank at a slot machine and then cashed it out.  Very simple.  This worked great for my kids too.  I gave each them Carnival Gift Cards, purchased at a discount, for their birthdays (DS turned 25 while on the cruise).  They just put the cards on their accounts at the same time I did at guest services and cashed out what they didn't use at the same time I did at the casino.

[RhinoMomIL]

Not to change lanes but how do you get the Carnival gift cards at a discount? I want to plan ahead. TIA!

[2wheelin]

6 minutes ago, RhinoMomIL said:

Not to change lanes but how do you get the Carnival gift cards at a discount? I want to plan ahead. TIA!

Search AARP Rewards for good. You sign up, accumulate points, purchase cards at 10% discount.

[Schoifmom]

1 hour ago, Warm Breezes said:

On our cruise last month I loaded a $500 card on my account midway through the cruise at quest services.  On the last sea night I just checked my credit balance, downloaded it into my players bank at a slot machine and then cashed it out.  Very simple.  This worked great for my kids too.  I gave each them Carnival Gift Cards, purchased at a discount, for their birthdays (DS turned 25 while on the cruise).  They just put the cards on their accounts at the same time I did at guest services and cashed out what they didn't use at the same time I did at the casino.

 

AKA the casino trick 🙂 

[jen2010ss]

53 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

Search AARP Rewards for good. You sign up, accumulate points, purchase cards at 10% discount.

Yep this is how I purchased them. 

[maryred]

8 hours ago, jen2010ss said:

Thanks for the replies! I have a couple of gift cards that I got at a discounted price and wanted to use them but if I don't use the money up I didn't want it refunded by gift card because we don't sail that often. 

Carnival GCs can also be used pre-cruise. They are good to pay off or be a deposit for any booking, used for purchases from the online FunShops (including internet and beverage packages) or excursions or spa treatment appointments your Manage my Booking. You can also use them to prepay the daily auto-gratuities. If the GC is a greater amount than the pre-cruise purchase the remaining balance stays on the card for future transactions including use as a funding source for your S&S account.

[jen2010ss]

Thanks, cruise is paid in full already but I am using the gift cards for drink package and other item. Will still have a balance left and most likely won’t buy anything on board. I guess I will use the casino trick.

[Warm Breezes]

6 hours ago, RhinoMomIL said:

Not to change lanes but how do you get the Carnival gift cards at a discount? I want to plan ahead. TIA!

I have gotten ours through AARP and our local Meijer stores usually run a sale about once every 30-45 days where you can get $5 off your next visit for every $50 in gift cards you purchase up to $500 in gift cards.  So I get $500 in gift cards and $50 off my next shopping trip.

[Elaine5715]

Gift cards don't expire so if you don't use them on one cruise, hold them for the next.

[Sparky2]

We have the discounted cards through AARP Rewards or Allstate Rewards.  I've paid for my last 4 or 5 cruises with the discounted GCs so all of those cruises were at 10% off.  Great deal.  I just ordered 4 more $500 cards for $902.56.  The $2.56 was UPS shipping charge.

[StolidCruiser]

1 hour ago, Sparky2 said:

We have the discounted cards through AARP Rewards or Allstate Rewards.  I've paid for my last 4 or 5 cruises with the discounted GCs so all of those cruises were at 10% off.  Great deal.  I just ordered 4 more $500 cards for $902.56.  The $2.56 was UPS shipping charge.

 

You were able to get $2,000 worth of gift cards for $900 (excluding the shipping cost)? 

[Sparky2]

2 hours ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

You were able to get $2,000 worth of gift cards for $900 (excluding the shipping cost)? 

 

Oops!  Should be $1802.56.  I am paying the  credit card from 2 different checking accounts & screwed up.  lol

 

Edited June 21, 2019 by Sparky2