Carnival gift cards beware

[chrislo]

I used gift cards on my last 2 cruises (Liberty and Valor) and had no trouble applying them. On the Liberty I applied them at guest services and on the Valor I used the kiosk. Both times I had less then $100 left and received a check in the mail. I plan to use them again this trip.

[RaiderFaninNM]

Twice now I've found the cards at 10% off available online and twice I've passed on them. Maybe your experience is one reason I'm not ready to give them a try.

 

Not willing to save 10% because they did not know how they are used or to use them, for shame.............

 

There are so many threads explaining them and the use as well as cashing out, and the cards are NOT new.......;)

[volmoma]

Not willing to save 10% because they did not know how they are used or to use them, for shame.............

 

There are so many threads explaining them and the use as well as cashing out, and the cards are NOT new.......;)

 

 

We haven't been on a cruise in years without using GC's. Feels really good when we add up the $$$ we've saved. Why anyone wouldn't want to save $$$ is beyond me, it's like buying a car $5000 less than sticker and the buyer refuses to pay the lesser price. [emoji41] Happy cruising!!!

[TrqoisWtrs]

Q: Can I receive a refund on any unused portion of the Carnival Gift Card amount that was applied towards my Sail and Sign account while onboard?

A: Any unused portion or overage of the Gift Card that was applied toward your Sail and Sign account will be issued in the form of another Carnival Gift Card.

 

Yep, when I got off the Freedom last month, had money left from gift cards. Received a check in the mail. Yet another area where Carnival is hit or miss on what they say vs. what actually happens.

[RaiderFaninNM]

Here's the other thing I'm thinking about...

 

I paid off about $10k in cruises. The 10% savings is $1k, right? Instead of these gift cards, I use a mileage points credit card to purchase my cruises.

 

We're all different. Ain't it grand?

 

Then why not use said CC to buy those gift cards AND STILL GET THE POINTS, this is what I do, double the bang......;)

 

Different is not always good, especially when saving 10%.....

 

We haven't been on a cruise in years without using GC's. Feels really good when we add up the $$$ we've saved. Why anyone wouldn't want to save $$$ is beyond me, it's like buying a car $5000 less than sticker and the buyer refuses to pay the lesser price. [emoji41] Happy cruising!!!

 

Shocking isnt it, I always wondered who paid sticker price....:confused:

[Rod in Az]

Here's the other thing I'm thinking about...

 

I use a mileage points credit card to purchase my cruises. With the mileage points I'll earn on the $10k worth of cruises I'll get 2 round-trip flights for two people anywhere the airline flies.

 

We're all different. Ain't it grand?

 

Can I ask what Mileage Point card you use? I'm currently researching credit card benefits considering a change from the card I use now.

 

Thanks

[volmoma]

Here's the other thing I'm thinking about...

 

I paid off about $10k in cruises. The 10% savings is $1k, right? Instead of these gift cards, I use a mileage points credit card to purchase my cruises. With the mileage points I'll earn on the $10k worth of cruises I'll get 2 round-trip flights for two people anywhere the airline flies. Considering we use these flights to go to Florida from California, that's a savings of about $2k, which is better than the $1k the gift cards would give me. Add to that the free luggage and priority boarding I get with the airline, and it's more beneficial to stick with paying for the cruises with my credit card than with gift cards.

 

So, you can see why I'm continuing to hesitate.

 

And if you say I can use the cards for excursions or OBC, well, we rarely do excursions (we will for Hawaii) and don't drink much. We're cheap dates when it comes to spending outside the initial cost of the cruise. We already get OBC because of the stock I own, and it more than covers what we usually spend on board. In fact, we're typically wandering around on the last sea day trying to find some way to spend that last $20.

 

We're all different. Ain't it grand?

 

 

Point taken, but we also use our Barclay card to purchase the Carnival gift cards and get rewards on our Barclay also. So we're double dipping in the way of % off the gift card and rewards for using our card. And did I mention we get 10% rewards credited back to our Barclay when we use points for travel? It's all in what the individual feels good/safe in doing. It all works out in the end. Here's to saving anyway you can...[emoji483]

[pmoniz]

I also go to Carnival's website to check that the cards do indeed have the cash credited to them.

 

Can you tell me where I find that on the Carnival site?? I've searched but can't seem to find it!

[cruizinisthebest]

HATE "saving 10%".............:rolleyes:

 

 

 

5mins, WOW THAT IS FOREVER!!!! :eek:

And as I always say, it's perfectly fine with me as a person who buys these cards for people to choose not to buy them as it makes it one less person on the hunt. Good! Keep NOT buying them.

 

All I know is I appreciate whoever it was last year that was nice enough to share this find on Verizon. And appreciative again to whoever first put it out there about AARP. I was behind the curve with Verizon since I didn't even use them for wireless service at the time, but I jumped right on it with AARP. We joined, both not close to retiring or close to 55 btw, and was able to start getting cards within a week. AARP's site is actually quite informative. I love taking the quizzes. Lol.

 

We're now Verizon customers, and I have used the points to save on a variety of things on both sites. If you need convincing to save money then maybe you got it like that. Good for you.

 

Every card in America has rewards. Hell even my credit union debit card has rewards. I work every reward system to the nth degree. Buy the cards, double bang as you said. But whatever. All I know is if you can sift through the nonsense on this board, you'll find plenty of useful information. This is useful! These cards are the best thing going for Carnival cruise spending until someone offers 20% or more in savings! Until then, I'm gonna keep buying them. And I'm fine with a hiccup so long as it can be resolved without ruining my vacation.

 

With that said, they are stillll available on both sites. Both denominations!

 

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

[volmoma]

Can you tell me where I find that on the Carnival site?? I've searched but can't seem to find it!

 

 

The web site to check card balances can be found on the back of the card itself. On the home page it will have an area to click on to check card. You will have to put in card number and the PIN number. The PIN number can be found on the back of the card in the top right corner. You will have to peel the sticker off to see the pin, but it will stick right back on the card or just remove it all together. The PIN number will be a 4 digit number.

Edited November 11, 2015 by volmoma

[RaiderFaninNM]

And as I always say, it's perfectly fine with me as a person who buys these cards for people to choose not to buy them as it makes it one less person on the hunt. Good! Keep NOT buying them.

 

All I know is I appreciate whoever it was last year that was nice enough to share this find on Verizon. And appreciative again to whoever first put it out there about AARP. I was behind the curve with Verizon since I didn't even use them for wireless service at the time, but I jumped right on it with AARP. We joined, both not close to retiring or close to 55 btw, and was able to start getting cards within a week. AARP's site is actually quite informative. I love taking the quizzes. Lol.

 

We're now Verizon customers, and I have used the points to save on a variety of things on both sites. If you need convincing to save money then maybe you got it like that. Good for you.

 

Every card in America has rewards. Hell even my credit union debit card has rewards. I work every reward system to the nth degree. Buy the cards, double bang as you said. But whatever. All I know is if you can sift through the nonsense on this board, you'll find plenty of useful information. This is useful! These cards are the best thing going for Carnival cruise spending until someone offers 20% or more in savings! Until then, I'm gonna keep buying them. And I'm fine with a hiccup so long as it can be resolved without ruining my vacation.

 

With that said, they are stillll available on both sites. Both denominations!

 

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

 

Very true, use them to ones advantage, and yet some just will not even look at them no matter what the savings is, more power to them as they have 10% more to spend......:rolleyes:

 

With what I have saved in our upcoming cruise in Jan it was enough for our airline tickets AND we have all onboard purchases already paid for and we got CC points to boot!

 

You are right the AARP site does save and one does not have to be 55 to join, more savings there, so I agree DO NOT BUY FROM THEM and save 10% as it gives the rest of us who do not care about 10% savings and toss it out the window......;)

[firemanbobswife]

Can I ask what Mileage Point card you use? I'm currently researching credit card benefits considering a change from the card I use now.

 

Thanks

 

Capital One Venture Rewards.

[firemanbobswife]

Here's the other thing I'm thinking about...

 

I paid off about $10k in cruises. The 10% savings is $1k, right? Instead of these gift cards, I use a mileage points credit card to purchase my cruises. With the mileage points I'll earn on the $10k worth of cruises I'll get 2 round-trip flights for two people anywhere the airline flies. Considering we use these flights to go to Florida from California, that's a savings of about $2k, which is better than the $1k the gift cards would give me. Add to that the free luggage and priority boarding I get with the airline, and it's more beneficial to stick with paying for the cruises with my credit card than with gift cards.

 

So, you can see why I'm continuing to hesitate.

 

And if you say I can use the cards for excursions or OBC, well, we rarely do excursions (we will for Hawaii) and don't drink much. We're cheap dates when it comes to spending outside the initial cost of the cruise. We already get OBC because of the stock I own, and it more than covers what we usually spend on board. In fact, we're typically wandering around on the last sea day trying to find some way to spend that last $20.

 

We're all different. Ain't it grand?

 

I think the main differences between your situation and mine (and maybe others) is that I come nowhere close to spending $10,000 on cruises anymore. Now that the kids don't come with, and I either travel by myself or maybe with my mom, we go for the cheap rooms. I don't do ship excursions, but do like to spend some in the casino. That I can't book online with a TA so need cash. We do like to go to places like Mr Sanchos when in Cozumel, Maho beach in St Maarten, or do a little shopping in the ports. That all cannot be booked online. I need cash. Bottomless Bubbles package - not booked through the TA so need cash.

 

So I could either book my average $400 room via my Cap One card and get double points (800) or even through one of the other card's TAs (I have a dislike for TAs after some bad experiences) and pay the $25 extra fee or whatever and get some bonus Skymiles or Aadvantage miles or what have you. Or I can pay for that room with gift cards that I save 10% on, budget my spending money accordingly, and save 10% on the whole shebang.

 

It would take me probably 10 years to accrue $10,000 worth of cruises so that's not a good deal for me. I already get a free companion pass with my Platinum Delta Skymiles card every year, and with all my other FF programs, I rarely pay for flights unless I find a great deal - in May my RT to MIA was a whopping $192. Pointless to waste miles on that. I am not loyal to one airline, either. Many times you can find better deals by "mixing and matching" - taking one carrier there, and another back.

 

Everyone's situation is different. I need cash when I go so gift cards make sense. It seems you spend more on your rooms, and airfare is much higher, so you do what you need to do and you feel that you get a better return by doing it that way. What I don't spend, I get back in cash and can then do what I want with.

[firemanbobswife]

I used to have that card. They once had a cruise TA you could use that would multiply the points earned quite a bit. Then they did away with it. I dumped that card soon after and went with United as it allowed me to earn points a heck of a lot faster for cruising/flights/hotels/etc.

 

I really like it. And I like the fact that I can use it on any type of travel, I don't have to go through a TA or be stuck with one airline. Plus double miles all the time.

 

I will probably never have to pay for a hotel pre/post cruise again in my life with the loyalty cards I have as well.

 

It pays to know how to work the system ;)

[Laurie S.]

On our repositioning cruise last year, I had $2,500 in gift cards for OBC. The day before disembarking, I went to Guest Services and took the remaining OBC in cash, more than $1,000. It was no problem at all.

[RaiderFaninNM]

On our repositioning cruise last year, I had $2,500 in gift cards for OBC. The day before disembarking, I went to Guest Services and took the remaining OBC in cash, more than $1,000. It was no problem at all.

 

WOW, good to know, THANKS!