I think I may have screwed up. Advice?

[canwegonow]

We're cruising on the Venezia on the October 25 sailing. A couple of months ago I bought a number of discounted gift cards from AARP and used them to pay for the cruise and also things like wifi and soda cards. I also used one to make a reservation for the two of us at Il Viaggio. We have since changed our minds and would like to cancel the Il Viaggio reservation. So--

 

1. If I cancel it by phone today, will they issue a gift card since that's how I paid for it in the first place? (I suspect this one's a yes.)

2. If they issue a gift card, will it be issued by mail or digitally? Am I likely to get it before we sail? (Afraid this is a no.)

3. If #2 is a no, and we cancel once onboard--will they issue a gift card from Miami by mail that's delivered after the cruise? Or will we get OBC that we can use on the same sailing?

 

I'm trying to figure out how not to be left with $84 on a Carnival gift card that we won't have a chance to use. We don't have plans for another Carnival cruise in the next couple of years.

 

Help.

[fozzy]

If this helps, I used a digital gift card for an excursion. Just canceled the excursion last week. Had an emailed digital gift card from Carnival within 12 hours after canceling. If they have your email they should send you an email with the refund.

[staceyglow]

Are you sure you don't want to go to Il Viaggio at all during your cruise?  We loved it!  We consider it one of the best meals we have ever had on Carnival.

 

If the night of your current reservation doesn't work, you can always just switch it.

[Journey11]

1 hour ago, fozzy said:

If this helps, I used a digital gift card for an excursion. Just canceled the excursion last week. Had an emailed digital gift card from Carnival within 12 hours after canceling. If they have your email they should send you an email with the refund.

I had a similar experience with a replacement gift card in less than 24 hours.

[Elaine5715]

Gift cards never expire

[DeniseTr]

Can you buy the gift card but not redeem it until end of cruise when you see what your charges are?

[TomCruise48]

On 9/21/2024 at 9:44 AM, DeniseTr said:

Can you buy the gift card but not redeem it until end of cruise when you see what your charges are?

Have done this many times.  Go to kiosk on day before you disembark and apply to your onboard charges.  You can also apply at Guest Services, but I have never had an issue using the kiosk.

[cruisingguy007]

1. If I cancel it by phone today, will they issue a gift card since that's how I paid for it in the first place? (I suspect this one's a yes.)

 

Yes, and it can happen pretty fast once cancellation is initiated. They are no longer doing the fed-ex hard card deliveries, it's digital now, it will arrive via email. 

[mfs2k]

On 9/21/2024 at 9:44 AM, DeniseTr said:

Can you buy the gift card but not redeem it until end of cruise when you see what your charges are?

I applied a gift card to my account at guest services when my cruise started and began with a credit balance. I quickly spent/lost it in the casino. 

[sparks1093]

If you cancel onboard wouldn't it be credited to your account as an OBC? That's typically how cancellations are done (as I recall).

[canwegonow]

OP here. Thanks for your replies, everyone. I thought I should report back.

 

I canceled the reservation myself on the Carnival website on Sunday morning. A digital gift card was in my email box this morning (Tuesday) at 1:15 AM.

 

Couldn't have been easier.

[mz-s]

Why is Carnival seemingly the only company in the world that is unable to add money to a gift card, except when it is first activated? It makes no sense to me why they have to create new gift cards when they could just put the money back on the old one.

[carohs]

Yes but if you've lost the first gift card or used multiple and didn't track which one paid for what when....the benefits of issuing a new one for credits back make the most sense. Although this is only in the digital era. Back with snail mailing physical cards, the delay would have offset the benefits for me.