AARP E-Gift Cards

[Salem615]

I bought a few AARP Carnival gift cards for our upcoming cruise. I did not realize they are now e-cards. How would you go about applying them? Do I go to the customer service desk once we board or is there a way to apply them to my booking?

[sarmat1]

You can use them on your booking if you still have a balance due.  If you're fully paid, then apply them when onboard.  Technically, this can be done at the kiosk, depending on how fussy that particular kiosk is.  If there are issues, you can just go to guest services.

[Schoifmom]

You can apply them to any balance due for your cruise, including prepaid grats. 

 

You can print them out and take them on board to be applied to your S&S.

 

You can use them to purchase Fun Shops items online (including Cruise Cash) prior to your cruise.

[Salem615]

Thank you!

[ThaNectar]

How do you purchase these?

[wemjam]

1 hour ago, ThaNectar said:

How do you purchase these?

Have to join AARP and they offer them for sale at a discount 10% off.  Limited qtys available.

[Laurie S.]

Just go to the Carnival website, log in, and go to your cruise.  The digital card has the id number and PIN and you enter those.  Very easy, in fact I just did it an hour ago for $1,000.

[BlerkOne]

Just used some Carnival cards. Not all cruise cards are the same. I also bought one for Celebrity and lucky it was only one. The T&C for the Celebrity cards indicate a max of $500 per person or $1000/cabin, new bookings, and I believe they indicated you can't use on the ship against your account. The Carnival cards don't have those restrictions.

[ngrund]

5 hours ago, Salem615 said:

I bought a few AARP Carnival gift cards for our upcoming cruise. I did not realize they are now e-cards. How would you go about applying them? Do I go to the customer service desk once we board or is there a way to apply them to my booking?

After I paid my last cruise in full I had a small amount left on gift card, I just bought "cruise cash" on the website,

 

keep in mind (if I recall correctly) that cruise cash is not refundable

[ultrafighter]

16 hours ago, wemjam said:

Have to join AARP and they offer them for sale at a discount 10% off.  Limited qtys available.

It was, I think, $12 for the year for me to join (or $16?  I don't remember) so it's very easy to get that money back in gc savings.  😁  And I'm only 42 so I can't benefit from certain services, but I can join and get gift cards!!

[Bobbiegentry]

17 hours ago, wemjam said:

Have to join AARP and they offer them for sale at a discount 10% off.  Limited qtys available.

Absolutely incorrect. One must register in the reward section to be able to access the gift cards but NO MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED..

Just yesterday I bought 2 - $500 cards and applied them to an existing booking. I am NOT an AARP member. 

[wemjam]

1 hour ago, Bobbiegentry said:

Absolutely incorrect. One must register in the reward section to be able to access the gift cards but NO MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED..

Just yesterday I bought 2 - $500 cards and applied them to an existing booking. I am NOT an AARP member. 

That is awesome!  Thanks for the correction.  I thought only members could buy them.  Good to know.

[wemjam]

One thing to keep in mind with the gift cards,  (and I personally have used them for years and will continue to do so), IF something happens and you have to cancel stuff, you will be refunded by Carnival in the form you paid with, meaning only in gift card.

 

For those that cruise a lot, or know they will cruise again no matter what, it likely isn't a big deal.   But if you buy and pay for everything in gift cards and a refund comes back from Carnival, you will get gift cards back not $$$ so just weigh that when considering how to pay for things and how much to tie up in gift cards.  

 

A lot of people got stuck with a lot of $$ tied up gift cards when the pandemic hit and over the last 2 years - you just never know what can go wrong 😁 (especially with the way things still are)

 

 

Edited July 14, 2022 by wemjam

[ThaNectar]

is there anyway to use these gift cards to play table games in the casino?

Get cash against your S&S acct and pay the 3%?

 

[wemjam]

2 minutes ago, ThaNectar said:

is there anyway to use these gift cards to play table games in the casino?

Get cash against your S&S acct and pay the 3%?

 

Just use your sail and sign card at the tables to charge your room (I think you can do this?), then you can go to a kiosk or customer service and apply gift cards.  Easy Peasy

 

We play slots all the time this way.

Edited July 14, 2022 by wemjam

[ThaNectar]

1 hour ago, Bobbiegentry said:

Absolutely incorrect. One must register in the reward section to be able to access the gift cards but NO MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED..

Just yesterday I bought 2 - $500 cards and applied them to an existing booking. I am NOT an AARP member. 

I registered.   where are gift cards located?

Thanks

[ultrafighter]

1 hour ago, Bobbiegentry said:

Absolutely incorrect. One must register in the reward section to be able to access the gift cards but NO MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED..

Just yesterday I bought 2 - $500 cards and applied them to an existing booking. I am NOT an AARP member. 

They weren't an option for me to purchase until I became a member.  I could see them, but I couldn't add them to my cart.

[ThaNectar]

4 minutes ago, ultrafighter said:

They weren't an option for me to purchase until I became a member.  I could see them, but I couldn't add them to my cart.

that's what just happened to me.. I clicked on it.. but it said you had to buy a membership to receive the "premium" benefit

[ZoeyVictoria]

There are several credit cards offering $8 statement credits for spending $12 at AARP.  I used Chase Freedom for mine, so a membership for $4.

[wemjam]

21 minutes ago, ThaNectar said:

that's what just happened to me.. I clicked on it.. but it said you had to buy a membership to receive the "premium" benefit

I thought you had to be a member, but was corrected earlier 🤪

[Salem615]

When i bought mine the Carnival gift cards were locked unless you were a member.  It is worth the 12 bucks to join!

[Bobbiegentry]

Membership IS required to buy certain gift cards but Carnival and Princess are not among those requiring membership. 

However, keep in mind that you must register in the “Rewards” program to purchase Carnival and Princess gift cards (and a lot of other cards). I did so and it opened up the option to purchase these gift cards. 

Once registered, you will see that there are cards with a note attached that say “Membership Required”. This statement is NOT included on Carnival and Princess gift cards. 

If you do not register for the Rewards program (NOT AARP membership) their system will not allow you to purchase anything. 

Again, I purchased two $500 cards and I’m NOT a member of AARP and have no intention of ever doing so. I would explain why but I’d get my hand slapped. 

[Bobbiegentry]

2 hours ago, ThaNectar said:

I registered.   where are gift cards located?

Thanks

Very top of the home page, in the red bar. 

NOTE: The Rewards “button” wasn’t available/visible on my phone. I had to go to my MacBook in order to see and click on  the Rewards :”button”.

[ultrafighter]

47 minutes ago, Bobbiegentry said:

Membership IS required to buy certain gift cards but Carnival and Princess are not among those requiring membership. 

However, keep in mind that you must register in the “Rewards” program to purchase Carnival and Princess gift cards (and a lot of other cards). I did so and it opened up the option to purchase these gift cards. 

Once registered, you will see that there are cards with a note attached that say “Membership Required”. This statement is NOT included on Carnival and Princess gift cards. 

If you do not register for the Rewards program (NOT AARP membership) their system will not allow you to purchase anything. 

Again, I purchased two $500 cards and I’m NOT a member of AARP and have no intention of ever doing so. I would explain why but I’d get my hand slapped. 

I'm not saying your experience didn't happen, I promise.  Only sharing my own!  But I was signed up for that rewards program (and built up quite a number of points) and couldn't buy Carnival gift cards until I actually joined with a paid AARP membership.  This was about a month ago.  So I supposed the moral of the story that I would tell others is, try it without paying for a membership but don't be surprised if those cards aren't available.  Because it looks like it could go either way!

 

Inconsistency drives me nuts (them, not you).

[sds]

Just took these today clearly says MUST be a member. Lucky you for not being a member to purchase, but for the 12 dollar buy in its not really a bad deal either way. Enjoy your cruise and your free reduced gift cards.