Limit to the number of Princess gift cards that can be applied to a booking?

[KKB]

We have a TA & UK cruise next year, 28 days total.

So needless to say, sizable final payments.

Bought my 5 allowed (for the month) gift cards today on AARP.

Plan on doing that the next few months heading into final payments.

Is there any limit to how many we can apply to any booking?

[Torfamm]

There is no limit on how many gift cards can be used. You can just apply them to your booking online 

[PacnGoNow]

47 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

There is no limit on how many gift cards can be used. You can just apply them to your booking online 

I could not apply them online, because I booked through a TA.  
My TA could apply them towards the payment.  Or, just use them for FP.

 

Maybe if you booked directly with Princess online, you can add them yourself.

 

 

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, KKB said:

We have a TA & UK cruise next year, 28 days total.

So needless to say, sizable final payments.

Bought my 5 allowed (for the month) gift cards today on AARP.

Plan on doing that the next few months heading into final payments.

Is there any limit to how many we can apply to any booking?

As others have said, no limit.

 

However please search some of the threads about GCs and trip insurance. TL/DR, if you have to cancel your trip insurance may not reimburse you for the amount paid with gift cards.

Edited October 9, 2023 by alyssamma
Changed Google to search...I mean CC threads

[that]

2 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

As others have said, no limit.

 

However please Google some of the threads about GCs and trip insurance. TL/DR, if you have to cancel your trip insurance may not reimburse you for the amount paid with gift cards.

May I ask

What trip insurance?

[alyssamma]

1 minute ago, that said:

May I ask

What trip insurance?

Any trip insurance.

[beg3yrs]

4 hours ago, KKB said:

...

Bought my 5 allowed (for the month) gift cards today on AARP.

Plan on doing that the next few months heading into final payments.

...

Your partner can also purchase 5 every month. That helps when you have a big cruise and the corresponding big final payment.

[avonlady6390]

If I were to buy that many gift certificates I would wait until final payment to apply just in case you cancel or switch to another cruise.

[Torfamm]

15 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

I could not apply them online, because I booked through a TA.  
My TA could apply them towards the payment.  Or, just use them for FP.

 

Maybe if you booked directly with Princess online, you can add them yourself.

 

 

Yes, whoever is handling the booking would have to apply them. Check with them on whether they want a list of the cards and PIN numbers or the downloaded cards. They can also tell you if they’d rather you send a lot at once or receive them as you buy them each month. Be sure to keep a record of the numbers and pins in case you end up getting money refunded to them in the case of a cancellation or other changes.

[no1racefan1]

Other people have reported having issues (or their TA having issues) applying a large number of GCs all at once. So make sure to have your TA apply a handful at a time, then maybe wait an hour or so before applying more.

 

I haven't ever applied more than 1-2 GCs at a time so I haven't had this experience, but have read it several times on the boards.

[PacnGoNow]

35 minutes ago, no1racefan1 said:

Other people have reported having issues (or their TA having issues) applying a large number of GCs all at once. So make sure to have your TA apply a handful at a time, then maybe wait an hour or so before applying more.

 

I haven't ever applied more than 1-2 GCs at a time so I haven't had this experience, but have read it several times on the boards.

Correct.  It has happened to me and others, as well.

 

There seems to some type

of security in place with multiple GC’s, when adding them.  I would suggest using about 8 at a time.  Maybe wait 15 mins and then add more.  TA’s can do that for you.  
 

It rejects the 10th or 11th one and then you have to get that GC reinstated by AARP via their contact at PCL.  A pain, so I would even just have my TA add some to my record a week or two before FP.  Then, maybe the last 8 GC’s at FP.  Just a workaround, for ease of using them.

 

 

[PMGS247]

Out of curiosity what's the AARP discount on GC's?

 

I've considered doing this with just cards bought from Target with the 5% discount.  Not life changing money but 5% isn't nothing on a full cruise fare.

[that]

8%  for Princess Cruises Gift card

[alyssamma]

33 minutes ago, PMGS247 said:

Out of curiosity what's the AARP discount on GC's?

 

I've considered doing this with just cards bought from Target with the 5% discount.  Not life changing money but 5% isn't nothing on a full cruise fare.

 

8 minutes ago, that said:

8%  for Princess Cruises Gift card

It was 10 at one point and may go back to there. It's nice, esp if you couple with a CC that gives cash back.

[KKB]

On 10/9/2023 at 5:21 PM, alyssamma said:

As others have said, no limit.

 

However please search some of the threads about GCs and trip insurance. TL/DR, if you have to cancel your trip insurance may not reimburse you for the amount paid with gift cards.

This is a good point. 

I've been told that when I put at least the down payment on my Chase Reserve that the travel insurance kicks in for the whole amount...

I do have an elderly father, so insurance is important.

Hmmmm....perhaps I should get a rider policy for theses cruises (28 days total) since the gift cards would save me about $800. I'll price it out...

[milolii]

On 10/9/2023 at 3:21 PM, alyssamma said:

As others have said, no limit.

 

However please search some of the threads about GCs and trip insurance. TL/DR, if you have to cancel your trip insurance may not reimburse you for the amount paid with gift cards.

I asked my agent about this last year. I stated if I had to cancel for a covered reason, I didn’t want gift cards as a form of payment. She replied that isn’t a problem, but I can’t remember how she put it.   She did say any reimbursement amount would be for what you paid for the cards, and therefore you can only insure that amount.  I imagine a CFAR policy would/could be different.  
 

I will email her again as I am getting ready to purchase cards next month.  Will report back.  It is certainly worth communicating with your agent, before purchasing.  This is tripinsurancestore.com.  

[cruzsnooze]

I also  buy gift cards on AARP. Keep in mind that if you cancel or get a price reduction the credit goes onto the gift card so you need to keep all of them. 

[alyssamma]

3 hours ago, milolii said:

I asked my agent about this last year. I stated if I had to cancel for a covered reason, I didn’t want gift cards as a form of payment. She replied that isn’t a problem, but I can’t remember how she put it.   She did say any reimbursement amount would be for what you paid for the cards, and therefore you can only insure that amount.  I imagine a CFAR policy would/could be different.  
 

I will email her again as I am getting ready to purchase cards next month.  Will report back.  It is certainly worth communicating with your agent, before purchasing.  This is tripinsurancestore.com.  

Yeah, I usually use Nationwide and we called them, they did a bunch of research and talked to numerous supervisors in multiple departments and ended up saying we *should* be covered, lol.

 

I don't have many big ticket cruises coming up, so will probably not buy in the near future. But if a $10K or so cruise comes up, hard to turn down $1K in savings 🙂

 

[milolii]

My insurance agent confirmed that “You will be able to get the money you paid for the cards back”.  
 

tripinsurancestore.com.  This applies to a claim for a covered reason, not CFAR.  
 

Again, I check with my insurance before buying the cards.

 

@cruzsnoozestates if you cancel or have a price reduction, refunds go back to the card.  Also if you buy a shore excursion and the port is canceled, refunds are credited to your OB account,  This happened to us as well, but we used those funds. So it’s a big of a calculation. 

[alyssamma]

2 hours ago, milolii said:

My insurance agent confirmed that “You will be able to get the money you paid for the cards back”.  
 

tripinsurancestore.com.  This applies to a claim for a covered reason, not CFAR.

My fear, and it may not be that way for your insurance, is that the policy detail doesn't specifically cover this. And therefore, it is up to the whims of underwriters (and not a rep on the phone)...and we all know they just LOVE to pay out.

 

Again, not saying your insurance does this...just a PSA for people to be aware As with all things, YMMV.