Unable to Use Cruise Gift Certificates....Please help!

[kdnurs]

Hello everyone.... I need some of my experienced cruisers to help me. My family members have purchased 3 certificates for me. One for my birthday, one for Valentines Day and one for Mother's Day. I have been VERY UNSUCCESSFUL in getting them applied to any cruise. I have recently emailed to SharedServicesGiftCertificateRedemption@rcc.com over 5 times with a copy of the certificate and reservation number as requested. This has been going on for months and no responses ever. I even sent an email just asking if I was doing anything wrong and could they please assist me in applying these as directed to my cruise. Still no response to date.

 

     Is there another way to get help. How can I get someone to tell me one way or another how to redeem these. I know my cruise critic family has an answer for me.....TIA 

[orville99]

We always go direct to the RCL Gift Certificate Redemption site:

 

https://royalcaribbeancertificates.com/

[orville99]

37 minutes ago, kdnurs said:

 Is there another way to get help. How can I get someone to tell me one way or another how to redeem these. I know my cruise critic family has an answer for me.....TIA 

 

1 minute ago, orville99 said:

We always go direct to the RCL Gift Certificate Redemption site:

 

https://royalcaribbeancertificates.com/

 

[kdnurs]

Just now, orville99 said:

We always go direct to the RCL Gift Certificate Redemption site:

 

https://royalcaribbeancertificates.com/

 

God Bless you!!! Never knew this existed. I used the address on the certificates. I will try this and thank you for reaching out.

[kdnurs]

That didnt work either.... Keeps asking for a "Gift Certificate Authorization Code." All 3 of my certificates have a code and pin. It isnt accepting my Pin Numbers for none of them. 

[JJK2008]

Have you called????????

[orville99]

20 minutes ago, kdnurs said:

That didnt work either.... Keeps asking for a "Gift Certificate Authorization Code." All 3 of my certificates have a code and pin. It isnt accepting my Pin Numbers for none of them. 

Those sound like gift cards, not gift certificates. Gift cards have different restrictions on how (and where) they can be redeemed.

 

"

2. EGIFT CARDS.

Royal Caribbean International® and Celebrity Cruises® eGift Cards are issued by, and represent an obligation solely of, AEN and are distributed by Cashstar. Subject to the limitations herein, eGift Cards may be redeemed at royalcaribbean.com, celebritycruises.com, or silversea.com to pay for a cruise ticket. eGift Cards may also be used onboard any vessel in the Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises fleets on sailings operating in USD as a functional currency. If your cruise or other type booking originally purchased with an eGift Card is cancelled, or you return merchandise originally purchased with an eGift Card, any refund will be issued in the form of a replacement eGift Card, an account credit with an Affiliate, or a future cruise credit, in AEN's reasonable discretion."

 

Gift Certificates arrive via email, and look like this:

Edited May 20 by orville99

[kdnurs]

17 minutes ago, JJK2008 said:

Have you called????????

Yes, I have called a few times as well...I was told they can't find my email and resubmit...I  resubmitted and still nothing...

 

I called again and this time got the resolution desk. I had to send them my original emails with certificates attached so they can try and see what happened. I have to wait 7 days to hear if they figure out what happened.

 

*I was told they cannot be redeemed online ... 

[smokeybandit]

Are these the new gift cards or the archaic AARP ones?

[kdnurs]

16 minutes ago, orville99 said:

Those sound like gift cards, not gift certificates. Gift cards have different restrictions on how (and where) they can be redeemed.

 

"

2. EGIFT CARDS.

Royal Caribbean International® and Celebrity Cruises® eGift Cards are issued by, and represent an obligation solely of, AEN and are distributed by Cashstar. Subject to the limitations herein, eGift Cards may be redeemed at royalcaribbean.com, celebritycruises.com, or silversea.com to pay for a cruise ticket. eGift Cards may also be used onboard any vessel in the Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises fleets on sailings operating in USD as a functional currency. If your cruise or other type booking originally purchased with an eGift Card is cancelled, or you return merchandise originally purchased with an eGift Card, any refund will be issued in the form of a replacement eGift Card, an account credit with an Affiliate, or a future cruise credit, in AEN's reasonable discretion."

 

Gift Certificates arrive via email, and look like this:

 

Mine came by email and say Royal Caribbean eGift Card. They cannot according to the Royal rep be redeemed online. It must be through email sharedservicesgiftcertificateredemption@rccl.com. I just have not heard from them since my submission in January and several attempts after that...Thanks for your help😊 

[OCSC Mike]

17 minutes ago, orville99 said:

2. EGIFT CARDS.

Royal Caribbean International® and Celebrity Cruises® eGift Cards are issued by, and represent an obligation solely of, AEN and are distributed by Cashstar. Subject to the limitations herein, eGift Cards may be redeemed at royalcaribbean.com, celebritycruises.com, or silversea.com to pay for a cruise ticket. eGift Cards may also be used onboard any vessel in the Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises fleets on sailings operating in USD as a functional currency. If your cruise or other type booking originally purchased with an eGift Card is cancelled, or you return merchandise originally purchased with an eGift Card, any refund will be issued in the form of a replacement eGift Card, an account credit with an Affiliate, or a future cruise credit, in AEN's reasonable discretion."

 

My wife was given one of these... an e-gift card issued by Cashstar. We're just going to take it to Guest Services on our next cruise and use it like OBC.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/how-to-add-a-cruise-gift-card-to-my-onboard-expense-account

 

Q

How can I add a gift card to my onboard expense account?

 

A

On sailings where the onboard currency is USD (most sailings except China), gift cards can be used onboard as payment toward your onboard expense account. 

You must be on the ship to add a gift card as payment toward your onboard expense account. Please visit the Guest Services desk.

[kdnurs]

4 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Are these the new gift cards or the archaic AARP ones?

 

I am not sure. One of them I received at the end of 2023...They were gifts from family members that arrived via email. Its just what I printed out. I saved them for my next cruise.

[orville99]

1 hour ago, kdnurs said:

 

Mine came by email and say Royal Caribbean eGift Card. They cannot according to the Royal rep be redeemed online. It must be through email sharedservicesgiftcertificateredemption@rccl.com. I just have not heard from them since my submission in January and several attempts after that...Thanks for your help😊 

Those e-gift cards can only be redeemed when you first book the cruise to reduce the price of the booking, or once you are on board for onboard credit at Guest Services as OCSC Mike said. 

[ngrund]

These are not RCL issued cards or certificates if you need to email to sharedservices...

 

 

If cruise was not booked direct with RCL, you may be SOL

Edited May 20 by ngrund
Typo

[orville99]

9 minutes ago, ngrund said:

These are not RCL issued cards or certificates if you need to email to sharedservices...

 

 

If cruise was not booked direct with RCL, you may be SOL

They can always be redeemed onboard for OBC.

[ngrund]

3 minutes ago, orville99 said:

They can always be redeemed onboard for OBC.

Have you successfully done this with an AARP (discounted) certifcate-they are different than the ones issued/sold directly through RCL

[kdnurs]

30 minutes ago, ngrund said:

These are not RCL issued cards or certificates if you need to email to sharedservices...

 

 

If cruise was not booked direct with RCL, you may be SOL

My cruise is booked directly with Royal Caribbean...My son bought me the 3 certificates for Valentines Day, my birthday and for Mother' Day to use on a cruise of my choice. All 3 certificates have Royal Caribbean pictures and information on them and a number to call for help. I called and was told to resubmit again and they couldn't be processed online. I tried the website another cruise critic member suggested, and it wouldn't take them...I hope I am not SOL as you put it. I will tell my family no never send me another one😗

[kdnurs]

27 minutes ago, ngrund said:

Have you successfully done this with an AARP (discounted) certifcate-they are different than the ones issued/sold directly through RCL

 

Never heard of this AARP ones...Could you share information? If these are easier to use, maybe I will suggest these in the future. 

[ngrund]

1 minute ago, kdnurs said:

 

Never heard of this AARP ones...Could you share information? If these are easier to use, maybe I will suggest these in the future. 

 

It sounds like these are the AARP certificates which cannot be redeemed on RCL website and have to be e-mailed to SharedServicesGiftCertificateRedemption@rccl.com

 

STEP 2 Redeem Certificate

After making your cruise reservation, email a copy of the Gift Certificate along with your cruise reservation booking number to sharedservicesgiftcertificateredemption@rccl.com. The value of the Gift Certificate will then be applied to your cruise reservation. Please allow up to 10 business days. You will be notified once the certificate has been applied to your reservation.

Please reference Certificate Terms and Conditions here.

Questions? Contact us at email address above

 

I only mentioned the not being booked through RCL direct because another member was trying to have a TA apply theirs.

 

[EllieinNJ]

I have a cruise booked through a travel agent and final payment is due 5/29/24.  My TA was told by RCI that I can use gift cards from AARP for payment but has to be sent in at least two weeks before final payment due with a copy of the gift card.

 

So I purchased just one $500 gift card from AARP and sent it by fax to my TA to see if it actually goes through.  If there is no problem I will purchase more for future cruises I have booked. 

[orville99]

37 minutes ago, ngrund said:

Have you successfully done this with an AARP (discounted) certifcate-they are different than the ones issued/sold directly through RCL

The OP is not talking about an AARP card. The card was clearly identified as an RCL e-gift card. AFAIK, discounted cards from third parties are virtually useless other than when initially booking a cruise.

[orville99]

11 minutes ago, kdnurs said:

 

Never heard of this AARP ones...Could you share information? If these are easier to use, maybe I will suggest these in the future. 

Avoid them like a bad rash. 

[ngrund]

16 minutes ago, kdnurs said:

My cruise is booked directly with Royal Caribbean...My son bought me the 3 certificates for Valentines Day, my birthday and for Mother' Day to use on a cruise of my choice. All 3 certificates have Royal Caribbean pictures and information on them and a number to call for help. I called and was told to resubmit again and they couldn't be processed online. I tried the website another cruise critic member suggested, and it wouldn't take them...I hope I am not SOL as you put it. I will tell my family no never send me another one😗

 

Yes, just ask for $$

[ngrund]

1 minute ago, orville99 said:

The OP is not talking about an AARP card. The card was clearly identified as an RCL e-gift card. AFAIK, discounted cards from third parties are virtually useless other than when initially booking a cruise.

but because of the sharedservices...email address they sound like the AARP certificates, which also have the RCL markings all over them
 

[OCSC Mike]

10 minutes ago, ngrund said:

because of the sharedservices...email address they sound like the AARP certificates

 

I know virtually nothing about AARP gc's but I have a feeling you may be right b/c I don't see that e-mail listed anywhere or having anything to do with the cashstar e-gift card I have,