$50 spa voucher

[vicky3vicky]

I love almost everything about Carnival...except for the spa. I had a bad experience the one time I used the spa [ right after finishing chemotherapy I did not need to hear how terrible I looked and that they had all sorts of [expensive] services and products to help me] 

 

Ussually, we cruise in January around my youngest sons' birthday. The last few cruises he has received a $50 spa voucher from the cruiseline for a birthday gift. I  have looked at them, and they looked like a real thing, but my son never used it.

 

My granddaughter will be turning 18 while we are on a Journey cruise. I imagine she will receive one of these, and I know, if it is a true gift with no strings attached that she will want to use it. Is this an actual gift or are there strings attached?

 

[tytanbri]

This is a gift. I have used the before. Just remember she will need to pay the balance of the service she purchases and the gratuity. I used mine toward a massage and had to pay about $70 in addition to the gift card.

[TNcruising02]

I got one when I cruised right before my birthday.  It is a gift, but it will end up costing more money.  Then they will most likely try to sell things.  I used mine, but decided that I didn't like the hard sell at the end so I won't be using the spa again.

I am sorry about your bad experience.  It seems like a good salesperson would not make a person feel bad about themselves in order to sell products. Personally, I just don't like the hard sell at all.  Some people say to just tell them at the beginning that you will not be making any purchases, but to me that's more aggressive than I care to be.  I also avoid port stores when the salespeople are overly persistent. 

[Djptcp]

My husband received one on our Miracle cruise in April and it was in his name. He used it towards his favorite full body massage and hot stones that was discounted on a port day. He also received one on his birthday on a past cruise. He asked if I could use it and was told no, he had to use it. He used that one towards a mani-pedi. I don't think there is any spa treatment that costs only $50, so you need to go in realizing it's a good start towards something else. After receiving the first one, he now has a spa day on every cruise.

[sunny356]

I just received one on the Sunrise.  My boyfriend and I had booked a couples massage with the 20% off discount before boarding.  We used the $50 gift card to upgrade to a hot stone massage and had to pay the balance as well, without the 20% discount.   A $50 gift card ended up costing us an additional $100.  

[pyropoodle]

I used mine and boy did they try to upsell me.  there is almost nothing in the spa that is less than $50.00.  I ended up buying some karatin shampoo and conditioner and it was $45.00 I believe, so I didn't spend any of my money.  the shampoo was ...ehhhh, but if I get a new voucher, I won't even bother using it.

[obx_fintoo]

I got one in February.  Went up on a port day to see what specials were offered and what I could get with the gift card.  It turned out there were no specials I was interested in.  When I asked about the massage I wanted, she said, "If you don't have a gift card, I can offer you this price."   Which was basically what it would be with the gift card.  I passed.

[lovgod]

knowing they do the hard sell after any service, i don't bother using the card. 

[cruizergal70]

1 hour ago, lovgod said:

knowing they do the hard sell after any service, i don't bother using the card. 

I don't understand.  If the service is done,  smile, say thank you and leave. No need to listen.  If they start, wave them off. Say you're not interested.

[tytanbri]

4 hours ago, cruizergal70 said:

I don't understand.  If the service is done,  smile, say thank you and leave. No need to listen.  If they start, wave them off. Say you're not interested.

I have been fortunate with this. I get a hot stone massage, or 2, on each cruise and I just tell them no thank you at the end. I have never had any of them push any further. 

[GradUT]

The only purpose of the $50 spa card is to get you to spend more money in the spa.  The first time I received one of these cards, I asked if I could use it to purchase a product instead of a service and was assured I could.   All of the services cost more than $50 and I figured that I could get a bottle of lotion or something for less than $50, even considering their highly inflated prices.  Well, not so!  When I asked the spa staff to show me something that cost less than $50, I was told that nothing cost under that amount!

 

So, now when I get those $50 spa gift cards, they go straight into the trash. 

[no1racefan1]

I'd be happy to get one, because DH and I always get massages anyways. It's a true gift towards $50 OFF a purchase in the spa. I don't think it was ever designed to just be $50 free.

[ZoeyVictoria]

I received one earlier this week on the Victory.  I brought it home to throw it away in case the steward would be offended.  I did leave the Platinum gift behind in the cabin; the lanyard is even cheaper than it looks on the photos posted here onCC.

[cruizergal70]

19 hours ago, GradUT said:

The only purpose of the $50 spa card is to get you to spend more money in the spa.  The first time I received one of these cards, I asked if I could use it to purchase a product instead of a service and was assured I could.   All of the services cost more than $50 and I figured that I could get a bottle of lotion or something for less than $50, even considering their highly inflated prices.  Well, not so!  When I asked the spa staff to show me something that cost less than $50, I was told that nothing cost under that amount!

 

So, now when I get those $50 spa gift cards, they go straight into the trash. 

Manicures are like $59. Still a good deal.

[lady_cruiser]

It is a valid gift card. Depending on who you talk to in the Spa depends on what you can you it on. Twice I was able to use in on products. I love their Ginger and Lime Body Scrub.  It costs $75 so with the gift card all I have to pay is $25.00. FYI - the scrub also sells for $75 on Amazon so anytime I can get it so $25 I won't hesitate.  Another two times I was told that I can only use it on their services so since I am not a big fan of facials or massages I usually just bring the gift card home and show it to my non-cruising friends.

 

[Sparky2]

I used mine to get my hair done.  We were on a 7-day and 12-day Journey's cruise B2B.  I received the card on the 2nd week.  A wash & blow dry & curl was $69 + 18% tip.  Minus the $50 GC it came to just under $30.  Surprisingly, she did not try to sell me products.

[cloudninecat]

On 5/9/2019 at 9:33 PM, TNcruising02 said:

 Some people say to just tell them at the beginning that you will not be making any purchases, but to me that's more aggressive than I care to be.

In my experience even that doesn't work either. For that reason I will never ever go to a cruise line spa again even if it were offered free. They are the most aggressive sales people I have ever experienced. It really turned what should have been a relaxing experience into a nightmare. I couldn't wait to get out of there.  

[maryred]

My experience has been the Spa gift cards are given out at random, and as for the certainty receiving them as a birthday gift you might get disappointed. In the past we have received anything from a free photo voucher to a $100 Spa certificate, but most have been a excursion or drink credit ranging from $20-50. Also we have received nothing even though it was a double celebration (25th anniversary and a birthday). Other sailings we had nothing noted in our booking as a special occasion and received what the steward said was a Pay it Funward gift, usually a free 4x6 photo frame or a box of fresh cookies.

All in all most of these certificates are to get you to visit an at fee venue on board and rarely cover the full cost of a service, product, or experience. Be especially aware of the free family photo shoot & $150 off Dream Studio certificate. If you think the spa has a high pressure sales people wait to you meet these specialty photographers and their pitch after your free "personalized" around the ship or in port photo shoot trying to sell you portraits on  glass or metal or cruise albums. (Look at the wedding photo package prices to get an idea.) $150 barely covers half the cost of 1 of the portrait packages they offer.

[airlink diva]

In December I received on mid cruise and had to use it before the last full day on the ship.

Like other stated, if you looking for something close or right at $50 no such luck.  The vast majority are over $100.  They did offer specials but couldn't use towards it.

I did use it for a massage.  It was ok (had a better cheaper one at one of our ports).  She did attempt to let me know that I really need another massage and or lotions and oil.  I decline in a firm manner.

Now when I booked, the young lady at the front gave me the price listing of the services.  However another young lady, refused to show two women who had the $50 just telling them it depends on what they wanted.  I just left instead of booking.

I'm like this, if you were planning to do a spa treatment on a non port day and get one, nice option but unless they offer one of a higher value, won't use

[cruizergal70]

Help me understand the problem.

 

The prices of the spa treatments are listed online for your booking. You can clearly see which ones cost near $50. These are usually the nail services.

 

So, you get your nails done, the bill is like $60, you get $50 off from the gift card, you know there is a small difference, you say thank you and you leave.

 

Right? 

 

Are people so afraid of "confrontation " that they can't say no to a sales pitch? You don't even have to listen to it. 

[Shaded Lady]

49 minutes ago, cruizergal70 said:

Are people so afraid of "confrontation " that they can't say no to a sales pitch? You don't even have to listen to it. 

 

Have you ever been to a timeshare presentation? Ever tried to say no? Double it and add the fact that you're often nearly naked (after a massage) and you have the Spa staff!

[cloudninecat]

4 hours ago, cruizergal70 said:

Are people so afraid of "confrontation " that they can't say no to a sales pitch? You don't even have to listen to it. 

In my case telling her a head of time that I would not be buying anything so don't bother with the sales pitch didn't help. Saying no didn't help. Not only that but she followed me all the way to the front desk continuing her pitch the whole time. I though she was going to follow me out of the spa. Thankfully she stopped at the door. They are relentless. 

[cruizergal70]

8 minutes ago, cloudninecat said:

In my case telling her a head of time that I would not be buying anything so don't bother with the sales pitch didn't help. Saying no didn't help. Not only that but she followed me all the way to the front desk continuing her pitch the whole time. I though she was going to follow me out of the spa. Thankfully she stopped at the door. They are relentless. 

What you may not understand is that they may be REQUIRED to make the pitch. That doesn't mean you are required to listen. The two are mutually exclusive. Ignore them, leave,  etc. Why get mad if they are doing what they are told to do? If anything,  feel sorry for them. It probably sucks having to say all that stuff to each customer. 

[ray98]

We had no problem using it.  Wife found what she wanted, booked it and they took $50 of the total.  I don't know what some on here expect.

[Mediterranean_Honeymooner]

We were on the Carnival Legend week before last.  We received this $50 spa voucher as an anniversary gift.  So we went by the spa and were advised that we could ONLY use it on the premium services.  Those particular services began at $165 for a facial and were about $200 for a 50 minute massage.  There were lots of less expensive services, but the gift card couldn't be used towards those or towards products.  Needless to say, the "gift card" went right in the trash.