casino with gift cards?

[Bingobaby0]

I saw on John Heald's page, someone mentioned that the buy gift cards and use in the casino.  Can that be done?  If so can someone enlighten me?  I would love to buy discounted gift cards to use in the casino if you really can.

 

[Elaine5715]

6 minutes ago, Bingobaby0 said:

I saw on John Heald's page, someone mentioned that the buy gift cards and use in the casino.  Can that be done?  If so can someone enlighten me?  I would love to buy discounted gift cards to use in the casino if you really can.

 

You can't use them directly in the casino.  You charge your sail and sign and pay off the balance with gift cards.  

[Schoifmom]

To use gift cards in the casino you will need to apply them to your S&S account.  You then fund your Player's Bank from the S&S account.

[Bingobaby0]

can i apply the gift cards to my account prior to sailing?  Or do i have to do it once on board?  And then if I fund my Players Bank from my S&S account will increase the hold on my credit card?

[Schoifmom]

22 minutes ago, Bingobaby0 said:

can i apply the gift cards to my account prior to sailing?  Or do i have to do it once on board?  And then if I fund my Players Bank from my S&S account will increase the hold on my credit card?

 

No, you cannot apply gift cards to you account prior to sailing unless you use them to purchase Cruise Cash.  Just present them at check-in at the port, go to GS, or use the kiosk on board to apply them.

 

Carnival will use up your funds in the following order:  Non-refundable OBC, refundable OBC, gift cards, cash, then credit/debit card.  Short answer is that, no, it will not increase your hold unless you have used more in OBC, gift cards, and cash than you have applied.

[Bingobaby0]

Thank you all for the information.   I usually bring cash for gambling, but i think buying the gift cards is now the way to go, since I get a discount on the gift cards.   I appreciate the responses!

[Organized Chaos]

3 hours ago, Bingobaby0 said:

can i apply the gift cards to my account prior to sailing?  Or do i have to do it once on board?  And then if I fund my Players Bank from my S&S account will increase the hold on my credit card?

 

For 2-6 day cruises, Carnival places a $100 hold on your credit card. For 7-day and over, it's a $200 hold. They'll only increase the hold when that limit is reached. Then it repeats.

 

Typically, any remaining amount left in your S&S account that was originally deposited with gift cards will be returned as a new gift card (either go to Guest Services or they'll mail it to you). But since you'll be playing in the casino anyway, you can simply cash out at the end of the cruise to avoid having it put back on a gift card.

[emm126]

I had trouble last year trying to use visa gift cards onboard. You shouldn't have any trouble using a carnival gift card. So for my other cruise last year, I bought cruise cash with the visa cards I had and had no problem. 

[PalmTree601]

23 hours ago, emm126 said:

I had trouble last year trying to use visa gift cards onboard. You shouldn't have any trouble using a carnival gift card. So for my other cruise last year, I bought cruise cash with the visa cards I had and had no problem. 

 

The only thing to be aware of with this strategy is that I believe cruise cash is non-refundable.  So you'd want to be sure you'd use it all. 

[gojags00]

I was on the Carnival Paradise out of Tampa earlier this year, and I applied my gift cards to my account at guest services a few days into the cruise.  I had no problem.