AARP Digital gift card question

[momof4girls]

Can you add a digital / virtual gift card to your account when you are at the port getting checked in? I can always use it to pay down a current cruise I have booked, but I was also hoping to use it as OBC. 

[n6uqqq]

At Long Beach I had to apply it once onboard, which was no big deal. I applied it at the sail and sign kiosk. Guest services can apply gift cards also.

[pcvtmom]

I apply them at Guest services to cover my sail and sign card. I've tried using the kiosk, but sometimes there are glitches, so Guest services is easier.

[cruizinisthebest]

yes you can load digital gift cards in the terminal. I have. 

[momof4girls]

Thank you, everyone! I will hang on to it until I board, then. 

[DGP1111]

On 10/11/2023 at 1:54 PM, momof4girls said:

Can you add a digital / virtual gift card to your account when you are at the port getting checked in? 

 

On 10/11/2023 at 3:21 PM, cruizinisthebest said:

yes you can load digital gift cards in the terminal. I have. 

 

As answered by cruizinisthebest, Yes you can . . . and I'd done it several times as well right there at the embarkation terminal . . . but would no longer recommend doing that.

It was certainly an anomaly, but a big big big one.  The agent goofed up the input, and when I was asked to sign the small receipt, I looked at it closely and started, "That's not me". It was a completely different name, and the agent and supervisor explained that a message would be sent to the ship, and it would be taken care of. "Don't worry". I advised that I was worried, but they were kind with the situation and the promise. 

The other passenger spent the (my) onboard credit very soon after boarding. Guest Services said they'd research, but eventually said it would have to be addressed with corporate after the cruise, since the error occurred shoreside. 

Had I done it all once onboard, the ship would have had total control for finding a solution.  At the Diamond invite event, the Guest Services manager was quite apologetic, but said nothing more could be done, and added, "Good luck with getting that done once home".

End result:  Multiple post-cruise communications fell on deaf ears, and I was out the entire amount of intended onboard credit.  Live and learn. 😟 😟

 

.

 

 

[n6uqqq]

1 hour ago, DGP1111 said:

 

 

As answered by cruizinisthebest, Yes you can . . . and I'd done it several times as well right there at the embarkation terminal . . . but would no longer recommend doing that.

It was certainly an anomaly, but a big big big one.  The agent goofed up the input, and when I was asked to sign the small receipt, I looked at it closely and started, "That's not me". It was a completely different name, and the agent and supervisor explained that a message would be sent to the ship, and it would be taken care of. "Don't worry". I advised that I was worried, but they were kind with the situation and the promise. 

The other passenger spent the (my) onboard credit very soon after boarding. Guest Services said they'd research, but eventually said it would have to be addressed with corporate after the cruise, since the error occurred shoreside. 

Had I done it all once onboard, the ship would have had total control for finding a solution.  At the Diamond invite event, the Guest Services manager was quite apologetic, but said nothing more could be done, and added, "Good luck with getting that done once home".

End result:  Multiple post-cruise communications fell on deaf ears, and I was out the entire amount of intended onboard credit.  Live and learn. 😟 😟

 

.

 

 

After reading your tale of woe I am glad the agent at the Long Beach terminal declined to apply gift cards for me. I don't know if that is Long Beach policy or the agent was being lazy but it worked out okay. I have had good luck at the sail and sign kiosks the last few trips. They used to not work for me most of the time in the past. I always have the kiosk spit out a printed receipt of the transaction just in case. 

Edited October 16, 2023 by n6uqqq

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

9 hours ago, DGP1111 said:

 

 

As answered by cruizinisthebest, Yes you can . . . and I'd done it several times as well right there at the embarkation terminal . . . but would no longer recommend doing that.

It was certainly an anomaly, but a big big big one.  The agent goofed up the input, and when I was asked to sign the small receipt, I looked at it closely and started, "That's not me". It was a completely different name, and the agent and supervisor explained that a message would be sent to the ship, and it would be taken care of. "Don't worry". I advised that I was worried, but they were kind with the situation and the promise. 

The other passenger spent the (my) onboard credit very soon after boarding. Guest Services said they'd research, but eventually said it would have to be addressed with corporate after the cruise, since the error occurred shoreside. 

Had I done it all once onboard, the ship would have had total control for finding a solution.  At the Diamond invite event, the Guest Services manager was quite apologetic, but said nothing more could be done, and added, "Good luck with getting that done once home".

End result:  Multiple post-cruise communications fell on deaf ears, and I was out the entire amount of intended onboard credit.  Live and learn. 😟 😟

 

.

 

 

 

WOWZA !!

[cruizinisthebest]

14 hours ago, DGP1111 said:

 

 

As answered by cruizinisthebest, Yes you can . . . and I'd done it several times as well right there at the embarkation terminal . . . but would no longer recommend doing that.

It was certainly an anomaly, but a big big big one.  The agent goofed up the input, and when I was asked to sign the small receipt, I looked at it closely and started, "That's not me". It was a completely different name, and the agent and supervisor explained that a message would be sent to the ship, and it would be taken care of. "Don't worry". I advised that I was worried, but they were kind with the situation and the promise. 

The other passenger spent the (my) onboard credit very soon after boarding. Guest Services said they'd research, but eventually said it would have to be addressed with corporate after the cruise, since the error occurred shoreside. 

Had I done it all once onboard, the ship would have had total control for finding a solution.  At the Diamond invite event, the Guest Services manager was quite apologetic, but said nothing more could be done, and added, "Good luck with getting that done once home".

End result:  Multiple post-cruise communications fell on deaf ears, and I was out the entire amount of intended onboard credit.  Live and learn. 😟 😟

 

.

 

 

that's pretty terrible. I cannot believe they didn't give you a refund for their mistake! 

 

Thank you. Most of the time I use my gift cards and buy cruise cash. I will continue to do that or just wait till I get onboard. Last time I remember I had a crap load of onboard credit and the workers made us go to the counter in the terminal anyway even though I kept telling them I had a cash account. That was in Port Canaveral and very annoying. 

Edited October 16, 2023 by cruizinisthebest

[Top_of_the_Cube]

Just one of many options:

 

Prior to your cruise, use gift cards to purchase just enough Cruise Cash (general) to fund your on-board account.  Then once you have boarded, at your leisure, you can apply gift cards to your account as needed.  On more recent cruises, I have found the kiosk works well.  Previously, I never could get them to accept my gift cards. 

 

For the few who may not fully spend the initial amount that was funded with Cruise Cash, this may not be a good idea as you will not get a refund of the unspent amount.  But, you do have a great career ahead of you as a financial advisor.