msweezie Posted January 14 #1 Share Posted January 14 Hi, I realized I can buy discounted gift cards from AARP, 100$ increments. If I purchase the drink package for my upcoming Carnival cruise, I see I can pay with a gift card in my cart. My question is can I use multiple gift cards? Thanks in advance! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcvtmom Posted January 14 #2 Share Posted January 14 Absolutely! I generally buy the $500 ones, when they're available, and use them to pay for the cruise and all extras, including gratuities. I use multiple cards, for certain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dacsmom Posted January 16 #3 Share Posted January 16 Absolutely. I saved over six hundred dollars paying off my last cruise with gift cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ULCajunCruiser Posted January 16 #4 Share Posted January 16 On 1/14/2024 at 11:33 AM, msweezie said: Hi, I realized I can buy discounted gift cards from AARP, 100$ increments. If I purchase the drink package for my upcoming Carnival cruise, I see I can pay with a gift card in my cart. My question is can I use multiple gift cards? Thanks in advance! Yes you can. Best of all the site tells you how much you have remaining on your card, so you don't have to try and buy cards to fit what you're buying. I like the $500 cards and I usually buy 5 at a time. I pay for my deposit, my cruise fare, shore excursions, wifi, drink package, etc!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msweezie Posted January 16 Author #5 Share Posted January 16 Another thought, I just purchased a different cruise through Crucon, I put a balance down and the remainder is due soon. Do you think I am able to purchase gift cards and pay the balance due with that? The agent I purchased it through is on vacation for 7 more days. Does anyone else have experience with this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrqoisWtrs Posted January 16 #6 Share Posted January 16 5 hours ago, msweezie said: I just purchased a different cruise through Crucon, Do you try making a pretend payment and see what payment options there are? I have used Carnival gift cards before to pay off a cruise thru a travel agent. Even if your particular agent is off, I would think you could just call and ask anyone there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silversneakers Posted January 21 #7 Share Posted January 21 Just remember if you cancel, any refund goes back in the form of a Carnival Credit Card, not to your regular credit card or refunded in cash. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T&Dcruisers Posted January 22 #8 Share Posted January 22 Yes! I pay for the entire cruise, drink package, internet, etc. with the AARP gift cards. I also buy extra before the cruise to add to my onboard account once we're on board. When you use them, they have to be entered in individually. Just keep adding them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mitsugirly Posted January 22 #9 Share Posted January 22 I just purchased some and paid for my entire cruise using them (and earned free gas at the place that I bought them from and got points on my Southwest card to pay for flights...double, triple dipping at its best! 😄 ) I'm going to have to purchase more to pay for the DSC and other things as well. My question is, can you apply the cards when on board to pay for things? Maybe at customer service? What if the full amount isn't used up? What happens if you don't use it all? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F3rpect Posted January 27 #10 Share Posted January 27 On 1/22/2024 at 12:26 PM, mitsugirly said: I just purchased some and paid for my entire cruise using them (and earned free gas at the place that I bought them from and got points on my Southwest card to pay for flights...double, triple dipping at its best! 😄 ) I'm going to have to purchase more to pay for the DSC and other things as well. My question is, can you apply the cards when on board to pay for things? Maybe at customer service? What if the full amount isn't used up? What happens if you don't use it all? You can enter gift cards into your account at the payment kiosks onboard. 24/7. Any remaining balance over $10 gets refunded to you automatically as a gift card after the cruise. Remaining balances under $10 get donated to St. Jude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mitsugirly Posted January 27 #11 Share Posted January 27 8 hours ago, F3rpect said: You can enter gift cards into your account at the payment kiosks onboard. 24/7. Any remaining balance over $10 gets refunded to you automatically as a gift card after the cruise. Remaining balances under $10 get donated to St. Jude. Oh yes! I forgot about Carnival having the kiosks on board. Thanks!! When you say anything over $10 gets refunded as a gift card after the cruise...does that mean they send you a gift card in the mail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyhb12 Posted January 27 #12 Share Posted January 27 Somewhat of an unrelated question. I wanted to get both of my kids gift cards to use in the arcade. Can the gift cards be used without adding them to your sail and sign account and just used to swipe at vendors (arcade in this case)? Also, for sail and sign, is there a limit I can put on my kids? I've searched and have seen that there may be a daily limit, but what about a limit for the entire cruise? I like putting them on a budget so they can try to learn planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare shof515 Posted January 27 #13 Share Posted January 27 onboard the ship, the arcade and everything else only accept your sail n sign/room key. you can not use the gift in the arcade machine Yes you can put a limit on the kids account. Guest services onboard the ship can set this up and they will also add the gift card to your onboard account Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyhb12 Posted January 27 #14 Share Posted January 27 1 minute ago, shof515 said: onboard the ship, the arcade and everything else only accept your sail n sign/room key. you can not use the gift in the arcade machine Yes you can put a limit on the kids account. Guest services onboard the ship can set this up and they will also add the gift card to your onboard account Thank you very much. I was worries about the payment limitation of only accepting S&S, but it sounds like I can do what I am trying to do by setting up limits. thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
living at the beach Posted January 27 #15 Share Posted January 27 I’ve been checking online and can’t find the AARP discounted gift cards - not on the AARP website or Carnivals. Has this been discontinued or am I not doing my search correctly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knights on the Beach Posted January 27 #16 Share Posted January 27 7 minutes ago, living at the beach said: I’ve been checking online and can’t find the AARP discounted gift cards - not on the AARP website or Carnivals. Has this been discontinued or am I not doing my search correctly? When you log into your AARP account, click on Rewards then under Browse Rewards click on Redeem and select Members Only. The Carnival gift cards are the first thing that show up there for me - but that might be because I buy them so frequently. 😂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ineedadisplayname1Vbbjhju Posted January 27 #17 Share Posted January 27 On 1/22/2024 at 11:02 AM, T&Dcruisers said: Yes! I pay for the entire cruise, drink package, internet, etc. with the AARP gift cards. I also buy extra before the cruise to add to my onboard account once we're on board. When you use them, they have to be entered in individually. Just keep adding them. what if you have e-cards the digital ones can you add those as well to your account and is there a limit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
living at the beach Posted January 28 #18 Share Posted January 28 1 hour ago, Knights on the Beach said: When you log into your AARP account, click on Rewards then under Browse Rewards click on Redeem and select Members Only. The Carnival gift cards are the first thing that show up there for me - but that might be because I buy them so frequently. 😂 Thanks so much!Your tip saved me so much and now I am comfortable booking destination y April Carnival Venezia cruise after more than a decade since my last one when my husband still would go with me. I am platinum on Carnival but since having to go solo have favored NCL where I am sapphire. NCLis cutting back on entertainment and I am a bit tired of their offerings, so going back to Carnival is very exciting to me, but more expensive before I found your text and reduced my costs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F3rpect Posted January 28 #19 Share Posted January 28 15 hours ago, mitsugirly said: Oh yes! I forgot about Carnival having the kiosks on board. Thanks!! When you say anything over $10 gets refunded as a gift card after the cruise...does that mean they send you a gift card in the mail? Carnival emails you an eGift card with the balance immediately after the cruise. It's not a physical card, just a long string of numbers and a PIN that you can use online or onboard for your next cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Haljo1935 Posted January 28 #20 Share Posted January 28 15 hours ago, mitsugirly said: Oh yes! I forgot about Carnival having the kiosks on board. Thanks!! When you say anything over $10 gets refunded as a gift card after the cruise...does that mean they send you a gift card in the mail? Yes, but you can go to GS the last night or early morning before you get off and cash out so you walk off with cash instead. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mitsugirly Posted January 28 #21 Share Posted January 28 9 hours ago, F3rpect said: Carnival emails you an eGift card with the balance immediately after the cruise. It's not a physical card, just a long string of numbers and a PIN that you can use online or onboard for your next cruise. Oh ok. Thanks so much! 13 hours ago, Knights on the Beach said: When you log into your AARP account, click on Rewards then under Browse Rewards click on Redeem and select Members Only. The Carnival gift cards are the first thing that show up there for me - but that might be because I buy them so frequently. 😂 I keep getting targeted to sign up for AARP and thinking about doing it. Do you have to have points or something earned in order to take advantage of these gift cards? Or just as long as you are a member you can get them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F3rpect Posted January 28 #22 Share Posted January 28 14 minutes ago, mitsugirly said: I keep getting targeted to sign up for AARP and thinking about doing it. Do you have to have points or something earned in order to take advantage of these gift cards? Or just as long as you are a member you can get them? You don't need points to purchase AARP gift cards, just a membership. The cost of membership pays for itself many times over the first time you buy discounted gift cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knights on the Beach Posted January 28 #23 Share Posted January 28 (edited) 23 minutes ago, mitsugirly said: I keep getting targeted to sign up for AARP and thinking about doing it. Do you have to have points or something earned in order to take advantage of these gift cards? Or just as long as you are a member you can get them? It's so worth paying the annual membership just for the gift card discount alone! I first started buying the Carnival gift cards in 2022 and just looked and I've saved over $1000 in the past 19 months. I don't even want to think about how much I missed out on saving prior to that. You don't have to earn points to buy the cards, just be a member. Edited January 28 by Knights on the Beach 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mitsugirly Posted January 28 #24 Share Posted January 28 1 hour ago, F3rpect said: You don't need points to purchase AARP gift cards, just a membership. The cost of membership pays for itself many times over the first time you buy discounted gift cards. Ok, that's just awesome!! Are they e-gift cards or do they send them to you in the mail? 1 hour ago, Knights on the Beach said: It's so worth paying the annual membership just for the gift card discount alone! I first started buying the Carnival gift cards in 2022 and just looked and I've saved over $1000 in the past 19 months. I don't even want to think about how much I missed out on saving prior to that. You don't have to earn points to buy the cards, just be a member. Yea, it sounds like a chance to save a lot of money buying them. I think I'm going to sign up now! 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mitsugirly Posted January 28 #25 Share Posted January 28 Ok, I signed up. When I went to the rewards section and it said to click and get 1,000 free rewards and another 500 and I submitted it, I got this notice: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now