AARP gift cards to pay gratuities

[ezcruzer]

I've read here that you cannot pre-pay gratuities with the gift cards. Once you're onboard, if you apply the cards to your account at guest services, can the credits be used for gratuities? Thanks, I've looked all over a cannot find this answer.

[Roz]

Yes!  I've done it myself. 

[Haljo1935]

Yes, once you've applied gift card to your onboard account, it shows as OBC and is used like any other OBC.

[Overhead Fred]

And you can buy OBC using gift cards online before your cruise if you like.

[scooter6139]

56 minutes ago, Overhead Fred said:

And you can buy OBC using gift cards online before your cruise if you like.

Just did that myself.  Paid for some OBC, a surf package, 2x quench drink packages, and spa treatments.

 

Wife likes to shop onboard.  🤑

[lapol]

If I don't end up using all the onboard credit from the gift cards, is the remaining amount refunded to the gift card or to my credit card on file?

[crystalspin]

48 minutes ago, lapol said:

If I don't end up using all the onboard credit from the gift cards, is the remaining amount refunded to the gift card or to my credit card on file?

Normally to the source it came from, but one of our number had the experience of half going back to cards and half to his credit card! Cliff thought they had cheated him until the credit card statement came in. I would count on to the HAL-specific gift card and attempt to spend it, if it were me.

[dobiemom]

2 hours ago, lapol said:

If I don't end up using all the onboard credit from the gift cards, is the remaining amount refunded to the gift card or to my credit card on file?

You can go to the casino, put in the amount of money left from OBC/gift cards, play a couple of spins, then cash out. You then go to the cashier and ask to close your casino “bank.”  Casino is not open in ports so plan ahead. 

[POA1]

23 hours ago, lapol said:

If I don't end up using all the onboard credit from the gift cards, is the remaining amount refunded to the gift card or to my credit card on file?

Should be back to the gift card. So... Save the card and / or PDF receipt so you have a record of where it went.

[mcrcruiser]

On 2/24/2024 at 6:54 PM, dobiemom said:

You can go to the casino, put in the amount of money left from OBC/gift cards, play a couple of spins, then cash out. You then go to the cashier and ask to close your casino “bank.”  Casino is not open in ports so plan ahead. 

Interesting we always  thought that  the persons money in their casino account went back to the source it came from ;but ,you are saying that a person can actually get cash & close their casino account   .A novel idea

[mcrcruiser]

On 2/24/2024 at 5:37 PM, crystalspin said:

Normally to the source it came from, but one of our number had the experience of half going back to cards and half to his credit card! Cliff thought they had cheated him until the credit card statement came in. I would count on to the HAL-specific gift card and attempt to spend it, if it were me.

Crystal yes it was very confusing for us . I asked & there really was no clear explanation .I just trusted the person I talked with in HAL's accounting department .Mond you it was a lot of money ,  $1600 that showed up on my credit card & not on the Gift Cards as they say it goes back to 

Cliff