AARP Raises Limit on Gift Card Purchases

[runner2013]

If we were to purchase GC's and our TA is able to have it applied as OBC before our cruise, would we then be able to use that (in addition to the OBC we already have from the CL &TA) to pay for any excursions we book ahead of time through Princess? 

Also, what happens if we don't use all the OBC by end of cruise. Is it 'lost' or refunded? 

Thanks 

Edited March 5, 2023 by runner2013
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[Jadn13]

15 minutes ago, runner2013 said:

If we were to purchase  GC's  and our TA is able to have it applied as OBC before our cruise, what happens if we don't use all of it by the end of the cruise? We already have some OBC we received from the CL and our TA when booking as well. 

Does it go back onto a credit card or would it be given back as cash?

Thanks 

Don’t add it prior, add it as you go so you don’t overpay.

You can also take the excess out at the casino 

[ww88]

Would anyone be able to check AARP site if they currently have Carnival eGift cards?  Want to confirm before signing up for membership.  

[Ken the cruiser]

21 minutes ago, ww88 said:

Would anyone be able to check AARP site if they currently have Carnival eGift cards?  Want to confirm before signing up for membership.  

Here’s the link that lists the various cruise Gift Cards if this helps.

 

https://www.aarp.org/rewards/redeem/?intcmp=OC-COMM-RWDS-RED-cruisegiftcards322#sort-by=default

 

[justafem]

Thanks to everyone!

 

I just bought my first discounted princess GC from AARP.  I would have never known about the discount and would have paid full price.  

 

Thanks again!

[caribill]

On 3/5/2023 at 6:14 AM, runner2013 said:

If we were to purchase GC's and our TA is able to have it applied as OBC before our cruise, would we then be able to use that (in addition to the OBC we already have from the CL &TA) to pay for any excursions we book ahead of time through Princess? 

 

If the gift card is added for OBC pre-cruise, the oBC can be used to book shore excursions.

 

On 3/5/2023 at 6:14 AM, runner2013 said:

Also, what happens if we don't use all the OBC by end of cruise. Is it 'lost' or refunded? 

Thanks 

 

Gift card $$$ applied as OBC are refundable $$$ if not used during the cruise. It will be refunded by check in the weeks after the cruise.

[Ken the cruiser]

8 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Here’s the link that lists the various cruise Gift Cards if this helps.

 

https://www.aarp.org/rewards/redeem/?intcmp=OC-COMM-RWDS-RED-cruisegiftcards322#sort-by=default

 

@ww88I just noticed you have to be at least logged into AARP Rewards for this link to show the various cruise line Gift Card options that are available. Just so you know, registering with AARP Rewards is free.

[GoDucksNation]

Make sure to check the terms and conditions. I noticed the RCCL gift cards cannot be used for onboard credit.

[JimmyVWine]

9 hours ago, caribill said:

Gift card $$$ applied as OBC are refundable $$$ if not used during the cruise. It will be refunded by check in the weeks after the cruise.

Not that anyone should doubt @caribill, but I can confirm that this is the case.  I had some leftover from my October cruise and I went to the passenger service desk to ask if it could be rolled over and applied to my May cruise and they said no problem.  Clicked a few buttons on the old computer and said that I was all set.  Arrived home and four days later a check arrived in the amount of my leftover AARP Gift Card OBC.  Nothing shows up on my May cruise account.   

[ww88]

13 hours ago, ww88 said:

Would anyone be able to check AARP site if they currently have Carnival eGift cards?  Want to confirm before signing up for membership.  

Update. Thanks everyone for the replies.  I signed up and was able to purchase the Carnival Gift Cards and received and eGfitCard redepmtion link within 5 min and have applied to my balance and saved 10%.

[Thrak]

Just bought my 5 for this month. This is the third month in a row and I will be buying my limit of 5 every month.

[bjkTX]

Love it!  I am glad this is getting more attention - although it's one of those things you probably should keep quiet before it gets so popular they do away with it 🙂

[Rick&Jeannie]

As the OP for this thread I am extremely surprised at how it has taken off!  While the original statement was based on an incorrect premise, it has morphed into a call to educate everyone about how you can save 10% very easily...at least with Princess.  I'm glad that it has taken off and "spread the word" about the gift cards. I personally have paid off 2 cruises and am working on the third now. You just can't argue with a 10% savings!

[ColoradoMom!!]

 

This is awesome!  Probably an obvious question, but I will ask anyway.  

 

We cruise this month, so everything is already paid.  However, we do not have any package, and will be paying for our gratuities and wi-fi on board.  If I bring the gift cards (like maybe 2 cards @ $100 each) and present them to Guest Services early - will they then apply to my balance at the end of the cruise which would include covering part of my charges for grats and wi-fi??

[Thrak]

Getting annoyed with AARP. My wife has tried several times now to purchase Princess gift cards and every time it says there is a problem with the purchase. I've purchased them 3 times (groups of 5 each time) using the same computer.

 

I called AARP and they said to be sure all Ad Blockers were disabled. (I don't have to do that when I buy gift cards.) They also said it the purchase has to be done on a credit card in her name and not one in my name. Been there, done that. (The first time I use a card with my name on it but when it bombed out I tried one with her name.) I've disabled both ad blockers, cleared her cart, cleared cookies for the site and it still gives the same error. (The lady on the phone said clearing things didn't matter but the ad blockers definitely did matter. I just cleared the cookies to be safe.)

 

I'm not sure what else to try. Perhaps I'll clear everything again and wait until Monday and then try again. We really would like to get more than 5 per month as we have enough cruises booked to use quite a few cards and when the amount owed gets that large getting a 10% discount is significant.

[oregonian123]

34 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Getting annoyed with AARP. My wife has tried several times now to purchase Princess gift cards and every time it says there is a problem with the purchase. I've purchased them 3 times (groups of 5 each time) using the same computer.

 

I called AARP and they said to be sure all Ad Blockers were disabled. (I don't have to do that when I buy gift cards.) They also said it the purchase has to be done on a credit card in her name and not one in my name. Been there, done that. (The first time I use a card with my name on it but when it bombed out I tried one with her name.) I've disabled both ad blockers, cleared her cart, cleared cookies for the site and it still gives the same error. (The lady on the phone said clearing things didn't matter but the ad blockers definitely did matter. I just cleared the cookies to be safe.)

 

I'm not sure what else to try. Perhaps I'll clear everything again and wait until Monday and then try again. We really would like to get more than 5 per month as we have enough cruises booked to use quite a few cards and when the amount owed gets that large getting a 10% discount is significant.

Are you using different browsers? Sometimes sites will have preferred browsers and the others don't work well. 

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

Getting annoyed with AARP. My wife has tried several times now to purchase Princess gift cards and every time it says there is a problem with the purchase. I've purchased them 3 times (groups of 5 each time) using the same computer.

 

I called AARP and they said to be sure all Ad Blockers were disabled. (I don't have to do that when I buy gift cards.) They also said it the purchase has to be done on a credit card in her name and not one in my name. Been there, done that. (The first time I use a card with my name on it but when it bombed out I tried one with her name.) I've disabled both ad blockers, cleared her cart, cleared cookies for the site and it still gives the same error. (The lady on the phone said clearing things didn't matter but the ad blockers definitely did matter. I just cleared the cookies to be safe.)

 

I'm not sure what else to try. Perhaps I'll clear everything again and wait until Monday and then try again. We really would like to get more than 5 per month as we have enough cruises booked to use quite a few cards and when the amount owed gets that large getting a 10% discount is significant.

For us my DW has the full AARP account while I just sign in using a free AARP Rewards account. We also use separate CCs, one with just her name and then a different one with my name. We use the same computer, but of course login to one account when buying the first 5 gift cards each. Then logoff and then login back in with the other account to buy the second set of 5 gift cards. So far we’ve done it for Feb and March and haven’t run into any issues.

[julie3fan]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

Getting annoyed with AARP.

 

Me too, but for a slightly different reason.  I was signed in on my account, then fully signed off and closed my browser completely.  Reopened the browser and I tried signing in on DH's account, and it showed the proper credentials, but when the page loaded it was signed into my account.  I'm leaving it for a few days......

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, oregonian123 said:

Are you using different browsers? Sometimes sites will have preferred browsers and the others don't work well. 

 

Same browser, same laptop. I'm actually doing the work and just logging in with her credentials.

[symui]

When things go south with AARP or Princess I usually clear cookies etc as you have done.   If that fails I usually try using a different browser on the same device.   If that fails I use a different device.   

 

Sometimes one of those techniques navigates one through the minefield of bugs at AARP or Princess, other times - not. 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2023 by symui
typo

[Jadn13]

10 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Same browser, same laptop. I'm actually doing the work and just logging in with her credentials.

Have you tried ordering from your phone? I ordered 5 Thursday from my phone and it was an easy process. 

[buckeye7]

On 3/9/2023 at 3:50 AM, justafem said:

I just bought my first discounted princess GC from AARP.  I would have never known about the discount and would have paid full price.  

Same! We saved quite a bit. I so appreciate all that I learn on these boards!

[Familycruzer11]

13 hours ago, ColoradoMom!! said:

 

This is awesome!  Probably an obvious question, but I will ask anyway.  

 

We cruise this month, so everything is already paid.  However, we do not have any package, and will be paying for our gratuities and wi-fi on board.  If I bring the gift cards (like maybe 2 cards @ $100 each) and present them to Guest Services early - will they then apply to my balance at the end of the cruise which would include covering part of my charges for grats and wi-fi??

My Princess Cruise Planner was able to apply my gift cards as OBC (I know some here has problems with that, but mine was

easily able to do it and I received a travel summary with it applied). She told me you could not use them on board since Princess is cashless. Kind of didn’t make sense to me. I am also curious if anyone has done this, especially after 2/20

when some things have changed 

 

and yes, I learned about them and the 10% savings from this post. Game changer. Thanks Op!

Edited March 11, 2023 by Familycruzer11

[Jadn13]

12 minutes ago, Familycruzer11 said:

My Princess Cruise Planner was able to apply my gift cards as OBC (I know some here has problems with that, but mine was

easily able to do it and I received a travel summary with it applied). She told me you could not use them on board since Princess is cashless. Kind of didn’t make sense to me. I am also curious if anyone has done this, especially after 2/20

when some things have changed 

 

and yes, I learned about them and the 10% savings from this post. Game changer. Thanks Op!

You can apply  them once on board to your account at guest services

Edited March 11, 2023 by Jadn13

[Ken the cruiser]

Has anyone had any success using the gift card to pay for your cruise fare AND for any eZAir reservation costs included in your booking? From what we read in the T&C, you can't use them to pay for eZAir charges which kind of makes sense.

 

Q: Are there any restrictions in using the Princess Cruises Gift Card towards the payment of products and services offered by Princess Cruises?
A: The Princess Cruises Gift Card can be used for most Princess products and services, with the exception of payment towards Land Excursions and eZAir. 

 

Cruise Gift Cards – Princess Cruises - Princess Cruises