Gift card denied - anyone ever have this issue?

[cruisindreamer]

I was on a cruise two weeks ago.  I had purchased a gift card and used it to order a internet package and make steakhouse reservations and, on another date, to prepay gratuities.  Once on board, I went to guest services to have the remaining $244 added to my sign and sail account and was told the gift card was invalid because it had been partially used and I needed to call carnival to get a new gift card issued with the remaining balance on it.  I have never heard of this with any gift card with any company.  This seems ridiculous to me.  I asked multiple times if there was any way I could get this added and was told no.  This was going to be our spending money onboard so we were then basically out that $244.  (Yes, I know we can use it later, but it was specially purchased for this trip.)  I have emailed guest services and haven’t heard back and it’s been two weeks. Not sure how long it usually takes them to respond.  I was just wondering if anyone else has had this happen with the gift card because it makes no sense to me, especially since I did use the gift card on two different dates online and could not find anything on their site that states this is how a gift card works.  This is only our second cruise and this has definitely soured us on Carnival.  

Edited May 11, 2022 by cruisindreamer
*Spelling mistake

[Elaine5715]

Where did you purchase the card from?  Physical card or e-card?

[cruisindreamer]

I purchased through Allstate, physical gift card. 

[TomCruise48]

I was able to apply the $117 balance from a $500 gift card on Mardi Gras using a kiosk a few weeks ago.  Sounds like Guest Services gave you incorrect information.

[Bostwick girl]

I recently had an issue with a carnival gift card I got as a Christmas present. I checked the balance precruise just to make sure it was still good. I went to guest services to have it applied to my S&S account. They entered the info and it kept saying it wasn’t valid! I explained I had checked it before I left and it was good. They ended up emailing the info to someone and the next day got answer when it was applied to my account.

 

[cruisindreamer]

2 minutes ago, MalteseFred said:

Just when you thought Carnival cannot screw things up more royally then they are currently doing, both onboard and shore-side, then here comes the OP (who I totally believe) with another Carnival screw-up.

The explanation OP has been given is just plain insane! OP, did you escalate this issue while you were

onboard, and I do not mean talking to a useless csr behind the guest service counter but talking to the

customer relations manager they have onboard. The explanation you were given surely just cannot be right.

 

Thanks,

Fred

Unfortunately, I did not.  I asked her several times if there was anything that could be done, she stated no, I would need to contact carnival once I got home.  I told her that I was basically now out this money that I planned to use for this cruise and she again stated there was nothing that could be done onboard.  Being only my second cruise, I wasn’t really even aware there was a customer relations manager.  Lesson learned I guess.  

[cruisindreamer]

6 minutes ago, MalteseFred said:

Just when you thought Carnival cannot screw things up more royally then they are currently doing, both onboard and shore-side, then here comes the OP (who I totally believe) with another Carnival screw-up.

The explanation OP has been given is just plain insane! OP, did you escalate this issue while you were onboard, and I do not mean talking to a useless csr behind the guest service counter but talking to the customer relations manager they have onboard. The explanation you were given surely just cannot be right.

 

Thanks,

Fred.

 

PS: I have edited to include: I wonder if those self-service kiosks they have would have been another option for the OP to have tried to add her gift card to her onboard account? Can anyone chime in about this? I do not have any first hand knowledge about this option although I have used those kiosks numerous times but my account is always backed by my credit card.

We tried the kiosk first.  When it didn’t work, we went to the guess services desk. 

[Clarasgrandma]

We’ve used partial gift cards several times at guest services without issues. 
 

At home, when trying to enter in a gift card number, I’ve had issues before. For whatever reason a space would be added prior To the number that would cause me to get an invalid response. Took me awhile to figure that out.

 

 

[IslandHppy]

I used to get $200 gift cards as awards at work.  The key was to never charge the full amount so try to apply $194 against your balance.  And sometimes the travel agent could make them work or the cruise line would have to.  Once in a great while they would work onboard.  They might have a US only lock.  

[tytanbri]

I had a few gift cards with partial balances for my trip in March. I was able to go to the kiosk and apply them to my account. I did not go to guest services so I am not sure if they would have added then or not. 

[cruisindreamer]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.  I had a feeling the woman at guest services on the ship was wrong. I’m going to call Carnival today since the email from two weeks ago hasn’t been answered.  I would like to at LEAST get the rest of my gift card back in case we do cruise with Carnival again.  

[sunshower9]

She was definitely wrong.  I applied a partially used gift card to my sail & sign account just last week.  I used the kiosk rather than guest services, but that doesn't matter.  They absolutely do accept partial balances.  I'm sorry you had to go through this frustration.

[Calnev1]

I have applied partial gift cards to my S&S balance many times without problem.

 

Carnival does have a potential limit on how many gift cards you can apply to your S&S balance on any particular cruise.  This limit has been described on the Allstate thread.   The exact amount of this limit is unclear, but it doesn't sound like the OP was anywhere near this limit on the cruise in question.

[csm5986142]

I recently got a Carnival gift card from my credit card company and within a few weeks took it to guest services to be applied to my account onboard.  Initially I was told it had a zero balance, but when I explained that I'd just received it from the card company and didn't see how that could be possible, he was able to see it had $100 value (he may have scanned/ran it differently, I'm not sure why the value was not there at first).  I'm not doing gift cards anymore, it's not worth the hassle to me.

[Saint Greg]

No never. I loaded a partial on glory in March.

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by Saint Greg

[jerseygirlinAZ]

We had a problem with our Carnival gift cards precovid on the Legend or Paradise, can't remember.  We never used them for anything and went to Guest Services to apply them to sign and sail.  Were told there was no balance. After a while of going back and forth, the cards were charged for a bit under their full balance and we received a credit from Carnival later.  

 

I just got a $300 gift card for Carnival for Mother's Day.  Reading your post and remembering our problem from almost eight years ago is giving me anxiety, lol.  Guess we'll see what happens.  

[back-at-it]

14 hours ago, TomCruise48 said:

I was able to apply the $117 balance from a $500 gift card on Mardi Gras using a kiosk a few weeks ago.  Sounds like Guest Services gave you incorrect information.

So if I have a e-card I can go to a Kiosk to add it to my sail card?  I do not have to wait in line at Customer Service?

[Knights on the Beach]

So can you use gift cards to buy cruise cash prior to a cruise? If so, wouldn't that eliminate the need to deal with it once on board and are there any drawbacks to doing it that way? We've never used gift cards on Carnival so I have no idea.

[Schoifmom]

1 hour ago, cruisemom2 said:

So can you use gift cards to buy cruise cash prior to a cruise? If so, wouldn't that eliminate the need to deal with it once on board and are there any drawbacks to doing it that way? We've never used gift cards on Carnival so I have no idea.

 

Yes, you can.  Just remember that cruise cash is use it or lose it.

[Schoifmom]

1 hour ago, back-at-it said:

So if I have a e-card I can go to a Kiosk to add it to my sail card?  I do not have to wait in line at Customer Service?

 

That is true, as long as you can get it to work.

[pcvtmom]

I, too, have applied partial gift cards to my account through Guest Services.  Someone didn't know what they were talking about.

[Joe817]

31 minutes ago, pcvtmom said:

I, too, have applied partial gift cards to my account through Guest Services.  Someone didn't know what they were talking about.

I quite agree. I've done it many times as well. 

[TomCruise48]

1 hour ago, MalteseFred said:

https://carnival.ourgiftcards.com/checkbalance

 

It is Carnival's official site for checking gift card balances.

 

Thanks,

Fred.

Since Carnival gives you free access to their website while onboard, you can check your gift card balance on your smart phone while onboard and prove the balance to Guest Services should that be necessary.

[Bgcruising]

You got the rare agent that didnt know how to apply the card. When applied at the port, or at guest services onboard, the agent can enter any amount for a gift card, crediting the account for whatever amount they enter. agents should do a check balance and apply the shown amount. Yours probably wasn't comfortable or had previously made a mistake they did not want to make again.

[jpennin217]

That stinks. Never had this issue, but we just use the kiosk. Never have had to go to guest services.