Shared Services Gift Certificates

[BillsMafiaBabe]

Hello all - has anyone had any experience with shared services gift certificates?

 

My husband gets them through a program at work and we have been redeeming them for our next cruise...We paid the deposit on a cc and the majority of balance has been paid by the certificates....we are down to owing 171.xx on the cruise - which is awesome. Of course, paying the balance myself isn't a issue but he could get another 500 ...

 

I called RCCL about redeeming another 500.00, they couldn't tell me what would happen to the balance - would its be credited to onboard credit or refunded or what. (Not that booking anther cruise for the fall hasn't crossed my mind :D)

Figured someone here may have had experience with these and might know.

 

Thank you for your help.

S

[EmmasNana]

I don't know the answer to your question but it is my understanding that you can not apply these certificates to gratuities or port fees, but I could be totally wrong. Read the fine print.

 

I have used these certificates for my upcoming cruise and still have 3 $100 certificates left. So....

 

I actually have a question for you. Since it sounds like you purchased certificates at various times, do the number that you are supposed to reference when booking the cruise(that is on the cert) have to be the same on each certificate?

 

In other words, when I purchased $1900 worth at one time they all have the same reference number on them. When I looked at purchasing some more, the reference number was different. Because they were different numbers, I did not know if they could be used for the same cruise.

 

So...did you use certificates with different reference numbers on the same booking #?

 

I'm sure that sounds totally confusing.

[BillsMafiaBabe]

I think I know what you're asking... We got 3 certificates, we redeemed the 3 different times with 3 different certificate numbers and 3 different PIN numbers. And had no problem with redeeming any of them -

I emailed the copy of the card with my Res Id and contact info to the shared services email...each certificate took 10 days to post.

Hope that answers your question.

 

The fine print does say that they can't be used four onboard credit, but I just didn't know what they would do with a 330 overage payment. Seems like it would make sense to give me onboard credit but since I couldn't get a definite answer - I don't think I want to take a chance

[EmmasNana]

I wonder if what I have is the same as you. Mine say Please reference Agency ID ****** and there is no pin # that I can see.

 

Each cert have their individual certificate number.

 

It seems to me when I called about having certs applied I was told anything over what was needed would be lost as they are not refundable.

 

I think I would save the one you have left for another cruise.

[Mrclean3]

I use this all the time. 4or 5 times a year. Just for cruise fair

I have used as much as $12,000 at on time. Did not have any problems. Email certificates in 30 days before last payment Is due. Usually get an email from Rccl about 3 weeks later stating credit applied. Then I go online and pay balance. Usual under $100.

[Aboat1]

What are they. Where do you get them? What is the advantage of using them? Want to know more!

[BillsMafiaBabe]

These are e gift certificates that my husband can choose through a reward type program from one of the vendors that he sells product for. He gets points that he can redeem for all sorts of gift cards and merchandise. I actually have a similar program thru my employer as well.

[EmmasNana]

The ones that I purchased I get through aarp.com. For the $100 certificates you pay $90 plus 1,000 points. For the $500 certs you pay $450 plus 5,000 points. You earn points by taking quizzes or other ways. Basically you save 10%. Verizon has the same thing.

 

They are kind of a pain and not sure if you can't just do better with a TA.

[cruisnpat]

The ones that I purchased I get through aarp.com. For the $100 certificates you pay $90 plus 1,000 points. For the $500 certs you pay $450 plus 5,000 points. You earn points by taking quizzes or other ways. Basically you save 10%. Verizon has the same thing.

 

They are kind of a pain and not sure if you can't just do better with a TA.

 

Would those certificates be like the ones you can get from the Discover CC. You can buy the certificates with your cash back but I think you have to book your cruise through a certain TA. Have. never tried it yet. Maybe I should check into it.

[EmmasNana]

I don't know about Discover. I thought I was buying gift cards but turned out to be gift certificates.

 

The fine print on them says to call a certain number. The number you call is Royal. You can't use a TA with them, must go through RC and reference an agency ID that is on the certificate.

 

What I did was while on a cruise, I booked a dummy cruise and only paid the $100 deposit. I took one of the certs with me to show them so the agency ID # could be referenced.

 

When I was ready to have the rest applied I called again and was told who to email to and what they needed. They were applied within 3 weeks.

 

I was still able to get price drops. Sometimes when you call people don't know what I am talking about, so it is kind of a pain.

[cruisnpat]

Is there a limit of how many certificates you can use on one cruise.

[EmmasNana]

No. My cruise cost was around $1800. I paid the $100 deposit on board and then used 16 $100 certificates. You can not use them towards gratuities or port/tax fees...just the cruise fare.

 

Now, what I don't know is if the agency ID has to be the same. I purchased 19 at one time thinking I could use it to pay off a cruise I already had booked through a TA. I was not able to use them for that one. The all have the same agency ID on them.

 

I was going to purchase some more but noticed the agency ID was different so didn't know if I could use them with the 3 that I have left over.

Wish I could find out.

[EmmasNana]

Also, it isn't really aarp. You go through their website and it takes you to Rewards for Good. You can get a variety of discounted gift cards and other stuff. You do not need to be a member either.

[boodi990]

Hii

 

I have question. It is mentioned that in the card I must book through the phone to reedem the cirtifucate by send it to Sharedserviceguftcirtuficate. I booked through Royal Caribian website Can I still use the cirtificate that I have?

 

Thank you

[EmmasNana]

Hii

 

I have question. It is mentioned that in the card I must book through the phone to reedem the cirtifucate by send it to Sharedserviceguftcirtuficate. I booked through Royal Caribian website Can I still use the cirtificate that I have?

 

Thank you

 

I don't know the answer to this. I would call. Please let us know what you find out. Maybe someone else knows.

[reedl]

With my TA that I use, they always give me prepaid gratuities and usually something extra also. That is worth more than 5% off.

 

Also, my time is worth more than the small discount you get from having to do the hoops required to get the certificates.

 

So for me, they would not be something I would use.

[new_cruiser2017]

Does anyone have the email address that the Certificates can be sent to that are purchased from Verizon Smart Rewards? All I have is a mailing address for the accounting department but I am hoping email would be faster.

[juliabug60]

I use this all the time. 4or 5 times a year. Just for cruise fair

I have used as much as $12,000 at on time. Did not have any problems. Email certificates in 30 days before last payment Is due. Usually get an email from Rccl about 3 weeks later stating credit applied. Then I go online and pay balance. Usual under $100.

 

 

 

How did you get anyone to help you that knew anything about these cert? I called the other day and no one knew anything about them or how to redeem. I got $300 from AARP. Back does state can only be used for new booking. I am freaking out because I did not read fine print prior to buying and I am a single mom and need these to purchase things in my cart (Excursions, drink packages).

[EBandBB]

These are e gift certificates that my husband can choose through a reward type program from one of the vendors that he sells product for. He gets points that he can redeem for all sorts of gift cards and merchandise. I actually have a similar program thru my employer as well.

 

What ended up happening with the balance?

 

My cruise balance is due 10/8 and I just emailed the certificates 9/30... less than 10 days... do they usually post right at the 10 day mark, or sooner?

 

Thanks!

[BillsMafiaBabe]

What ended up happening with the balance?

 

My cruise balance is due 10/8 and I just emailed the certificates 9/30... less than 10 days... do they usually post right at the 10 day mark, or sooner?

 

Thanks!

 

We left a small balance that we paid by CC. We never over paid, figuring it was better to not lose out on the money.

 

It normally took about two weeks to get confirmation that the gift certificates posted. With the gift certs my husband got, we emailed them to sharedservices@rccl asking for them to be applied. Mailing wasn’t an option for us.

Unfortunately the program that got him the certificates is over .... can’t complain though, we did 2 cruises for less than $100 out of pocket.

[a.madruga]

On 6/18/2016 at 7:55 PM, Aboat1 said:

What are they. Where do you get them? What is the advantage of using them? Want to know more!

I don't know if you got your answer yet. But AARP rewards for members sells them for most cruise lines in increments of $100 and $500

[Biker19]