AARP Raises Limit on Gift Card Purchases

[julie3fan]

1 hour ago, cavecreekguy said:

Limit of 5 GCs per month. If I buy 5 GCs today, can I buy 5 more March 1? Or do I have to wait 30-ish days?

 

Thanks!

 

March 1st.

[Rick&Jeannie]

4 hours ago, cavecreekguy said:

Limit of 5 GCs per month. If I buy 5 GCs today, can I buy 5 more March 1? Or do I have to wait 30-ish days?

 

Thanks!

As best I can tell you should be able to do what you said. I have never had to wait 30 days between purchases.

[PacnGoNow]

6 hours ago, cavecreekguy said:

Limit of 5 GCs per month. If I buy 5 GCs today, can I buy 5 more March 1? Or do I have to wait 30-ish days?

 

Thanks!

Yes, March 1st is fine.  Goes by the month, not days.

[Yehootu]

2 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Yes, March 1st is fine.  Goes by the month, not days.

You can also register more than one email address.

[Ken the cruiser]

Just got back from a B3B cruise that included a visit to Disney World and sent our first Princess $500 gift card to our TA as a test to see if she knew how to post them. Success!! So, we just sent her 9 more to cover our February allotment of 5 each per email address. This is such an awesome deal! Thanks again @Rick&Jeanniefor bringing this to our attention. 😊

[pompeii]

Does anyone know if these can be used onboard to purchase future cruise deposits?

[JimmyVWine]

On 2/6/2023 at 11:52 AM, cruisers0708 said:

Do you suppose you could purchase OBC (cruise line website) using a GC prior to cruise?  This would eliminate having to bring printed copy to guest services.

Just got off the phone with a Princess Rep and this was a "no go".  I had done this a number of times in the past by calling, since the website only allows payment by credit card or PayPal.  In the past, the customer service rep has been able to process my cards over the phone with no problem.  But today, he said that when he tries to make payment, he gets the same screen that you see on the website with the only two options being credit card and PayPal and no space to input a GC number and PIN.  He confirmed that I could apply the amount to my onboard account once on the ship by bringing a printout of the e-card.  If anyone has been able to complete this transaction on the phone, let us know.  However, it is probably faster to walk up to the Guest Services Desk than it is to wait on hold for 30 minutes only to find out that they can't accomplish what you are trying to achieve.  

Edited February 21, 2023 by JimmyVWine

[brisalta]

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

Just got off the phone with a Princess Rep and this was a "no go".  I had done this a number of times in the past by calling, since the website only allows payment by credit card or PayPal.  In the past, the customer service rep has been able to process my cards over the phone with no problem.  But today, he said that when he tries to make payment, he gets the same screen that you see on the website with the only two options being credit card and PayPal and no space to input a GC number and PIN.  He confirmed that I could apply the amount to my onboard account once on the ship by bringing a printout of the e-card.  If anyone has been able to complete this transaction on the phone, let us know.  However, it is probably faster to walk up to the Guest Services Desk than it is to wait on hold for 30 minutes only to find out that they can't accomplish what you are trying to achieve.  

 

I wonder if this is a deliberate change or a bug that was introduced into the website by IT?

[brisalta]

On 2/20/2023 at 1:58 PM, pompeii said:

Does anyone know if these can be used onboard to purchase future cruise deposits?

 

The FCD is tied to your credit card so it can be refunded if you do not use the FCD before it expires.

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

Just got off the phone with a Princess Rep and this was a "no go".  I had done this a number of times in the past by calling, since the website only allows payment by credit card or PayPal.  In the past, the customer service rep has been able to process my cards over the phone with no problem.  But today, he said that when he tries to make payment, he gets the same screen that you see on the website with the only two options being credit card and PayPal and no space to input a GC number and PIN.  He confirmed that I could apply the amount to my onboard account once on the ship by bringing a printout of the e-card.  If anyone has been able to complete this transaction on the phone, let us know.  However, it is probably faster to walk up to the Guest Services Desk than it is to wait on hold for 30 minutes only to find out that they can't accomplish what you are trying to achieve.  

It can be done, IF the PCL rep is trained!

I had such a hard time trying to do if for my last cruise. 3 agents, all tried, the last one did it, but had to first correct the mess of the 2nd agent, who doubled the GC and then it all disappeared completely and this agent had to find it and reenter it.  What a mess, but, finally it was in.

 

They have to do it in another screen and they have to know the code and all the entries.  It is not an easy transaction for them.  Some refuse to even try.  So, if you want to do it pre cruise, I’d suggest contacting your TA/CVP to do it for you.

 

Make sure you check your travel summary and see it! Print it out!  Hold onto the GC info until your cruise is complete.

 

If not, just take a printed copy of the certificate to GS.  It took them about 5 mins tops!  Never again will I waste my time pre cruise. Lesson learned.

[JimmyVWine]

4 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Never again will I waste my time pre cruise. Lesson learned.

Thanks for the info. Though I am where you are now. “Honey. Can you order me a double espresso at the International Cafe? I’m going over to Guest Services right next door and will be back in 5 minutes.”

[neverbeenhere]

I suggest you keep a record of which cards you used. Not that it happens everyday, but when Panny the Demic hit, my thousands of dollars of gift card payments were returned to the various cards. 2023, we are finally getting around to using them on Princess. (We had a billion in RCL to use too) 

[Buckeye10640]

On 2/20/2023 at 4:58 PM, pompeii said:

Does anyone know if these can be used onboard to purchase future cruise deposits?

I believe FCD must be charged directly to a credit card. 

[beg3yrs]

18 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Just got off the phone with a Princess Rep and this was a "no go".  I had done this a number of times in the past by calling, since the website only allows payment by credit card or PayPal.  In the past, the customer service rep has been able to process my cards over the phone with no problem.  But today, he said that when he tries to make payment, he gets the same screen that you see on the website with the only two options being credit card and PayPal and no space to input a GC number and PIN.  He confirmed that I could apply the amount to my onboard account once on the ship by bringing a printout of the e-card.  If anyone has been able to complete this transaction on the phone, let us know.  However, it is probably faster to walk up to the Guest Services Desk than it is to wait on hold for 30 minutes only to find out that they can't accomplish what you are trying to achieve.  

As PacnGoNow said, you have to find the right agent, a unicorn, who knows how to do it.

 

We recently found a unicorn who placed gift cards on our account as OBC. He also found out that there's a $1500 limit of OBC that can be place ahead of time!

[JimmyVWine]

28 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

As PacnGoNow said, you have to find the right agent, a unicorn, who knows how to do it.

Thanks.  But until hold times decrease (if ever), going unicorn hunting seems like a losing proposition.  It is very odd.  For my prior cruise in October, I made two calls to have two GCs used as OBC and I was two for two in success.  Maybe I just got really, really lucky, because it seems that the reps who can do this are few and far between.  

[Pluto_fan]

Thank you all for the helpful information!  Final payment for our first Princess cruise is next month, so I'll be buying gift cards through AARP today and March 1!

 

Also wanted to share my gift card tip...we shop at Kroger and they frequently offer 4 times fuel points for gift card purchases.  I bought a $500 Princess gift card to apply to our cruise, which earned 2000 fuel points.  1000 fuel points gets you $1.00 off per gallon of gas, up to 35 gallons, so we will save $70 on gas with two fill ups.  To purchase the gift card I used a credit card that, this quarter, is offering 5% back on grocery store purchases, so that will be another $25 off.  Net cost of the $500 gift card is $405.  😀

[TenneSea]

On 2/3/2023 at 11:11 PM, rnff2 said:

Do you know for certain that these giftcards can be used to pay for the cruise itself?  I plan to check with my TA prior to purchasing but wondering if you have experience using these.  

They can be used to pay for the cruise, however, if you cancel (within the cancel -full refund period), you would not get cash back, only refunded in  gift card funds.

[TenneSea]

On 2/4/2023 at 2:58 PM, Ken the cruiser said:

 

We’re reading the below link now and there are definitely prerequisites for booking with Royal Caribbean, specifically the GCs are only applicable to new bookings AND you have to book directly with RCCL. Is this true with regards to Princess bookings too or can your cruise be booked through a TA and can the gift cards be applied after booking the cruise at any time prior to final payment?

 
 

https://community.aarp.org/t5/Redemption/Three-Exciting-New-AARP-Rewards-Cruise-Line-Gift-Cards/m-p/2448318#M4871

Our travel agent processed the GC to pay for our cruise.  Not our 1st cruise with Princess.

[Ken the cruiser]

37 minutes ago, TenneSea said:

Our travel agent processed the GC to pay for our cruise.  Not our 1st cruise with Princess.

Thanks! Since I originally posted that, we have been able to place 10 GCs (in February) on one of our bookings and we will each continue to buy 5 GCs every month to post to the various Princess cruises we have booked. This is such a great deal! 😃

 

Edited February 27, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Tedferg]

On 2/7/2023 at 7:58 AM, Rick&Jeannie said:

Just FYI...None of the cards I have been buying over the past couple of months have a PDF file with the email.  There is a link in the email which takes you to an internet site where you can then print the "card".  Of course, you could always "print" the card to a PDF file if you have that capability.

Also, with Windows Print there is an option to choose which printer, that option also includes 'Save as PDF'

[Amtrack Springfield]

I talked to our TA and she can apply the GC to our balance due.

[beg3yrs]

9 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Thanks! Since I originally posted that, we have been able to place 10 GCs (in February) on one of our bookings and we will each continue to buy 5 GCs every month to post to the various Princess cruises we have booked. This is such a great deal! 😃

 

If there are two of you and you each have your own email address, you can purchase 10 GCs every month.

[Ken the cruiser]

3 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

If there are two of you and you each have your own email address, you can purchase 10 GCs every month.

Yes, my understanding is we can each purchase 5 GCs a month using our individual email addresses tied to our separate AARP Rewards accounts.

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Yes, my understanding is we can each purchase 5 GCs a month using our individual email addresses tied to our separate AARP Rewards accounts.

Yep.

[JimmyVWine]

I had some rewards points on one of my credit cards and one of the reward options is the purchase of various gift cards. I searched and indeed one of the choices was Princess. I only had enough points for a $25 card but I went ahead and got one to use as OBC. I opted for an e-card. When it arrived by e-mail and I printed it out I noticed that right on the page you print it says that the card can be used on board only and must be redeemed at the passenger services desk. Since my cruise is already fully paid I didn’t check to see if this could have been used to pay down the cruise fare itself. I suspect that it could. But as far as using it to buy OBC, the card itself suggests that phoning to do so would be futile.