Using Visa gift card for onboard account

[redsox1584]

Hi all,

 

I have a cruise on Freedom this Friday. I have a $70 Visa card that I received as a rebate.

 

Can I go to guest services and have them apply this to my onboard account?  
 

 

[smokeybandit]

I doubt it. You're better off buying yourself an Amazon gift card with it if you don't have a better way to use it

[Intent2smile]

We always run our visa gift cards either running it through Square to my bank account (there will be like a 3% service charge) 

[Merion_Mom]

5 hours ago, redsox1584 said:

Hi all,

 

I have a cruise on Freedom this Friday. I have a $70 Visa card that I received as a rebate.

 

Can I go to guest services and have them apply this to my onboard account?  
 

 

 

In the past, the answer was "no".  

[Coralc]

As I recall reading on here, you can't use Visa Gift Cards to set up your onboard account, but you can use them to pay off the balance from either a cash or other credit card account. People have mentioned doing it that way, but don't quote me. I would hate to have you count on that, and then not be able to do it. Please let us know if it works. Those rebate Visa cards are kind of a nuisance. 

[MarlboroBell]

There's a wrinkle though, or at least there was when we did this. (Granted, this particular time it was on Carnival rather than RCCL, but be aware)

 

We once got rewards from our bank in the form of seven $100 Visa gift cards. We tried to apply them to our onboard accounts. They were declined. Eventually we figured out that we could apply $80-$85 of each card, but not the whole thing. (And we had seven itty-bitty gift cards left, that got credited to Amazon or Starbucks or wherever.)

 

Then I realized -- when they authorize your gift card, they may authorize it for some amount (18% I think) more than the amount you're asking to pay, in order to leave room for a tip. That means that if you're paying the full balance of the card, it could be declined. 

 

So... if the card is declined, try again for 80% of the balance. Then put the rest into your spending account of choice (Amazon are usually the easiest...)

[Another_Critic]

19 hours ago, redsox1584 said:

Hi all,

 

I have a cruise on Freedom this Friday. I have a $70 Visa card that I received as a rebate.

 

Can I go to guest services and have them apply this to my onboard account?  

Call the Royal Gifts line at (800) 722-5443 and order $70 in OBC.