Price Reduction + refund = gift card confusion

I booked my cruise the other night using ALL gift cards.

Today I noticed that the price had dropped by $100 and called Carnival after someone told me that they have some type of gaurantee for 48 hours.

The nice rep ask me if I wanted that back on my cc. I told her that I had used gift cards to book the cruise and ask if it was just possible to put it as OBC. She double checked and said it would have to be issued back to my gift card. Ok fine.

So, I had 8 gift cards that I had used and she ask which I would like to use. I told her to just pick one and it would be fine. She picked a card and then gave me the last 4 digits of the card number and said it had been refunded to that card and could I please check the balance.

Well, we got to talking, and I was busy asking various questions, and then she ask me to check my online account (which showed the new balance) and I ask her to email me a new statement (and checked and it was there) then we hung up.

I then remembered that I hadn't checked my gift card balance...it was not there. I checked all 8 of them...no luck.

I called back and the rep this time told me that they can not issue a refund to a gift card and they would have to send me a new gift card in the mail in about 10 days.

Anyone have any thoughts? Has this happened to any of you? Is this normally how they issue refunds? Since I have never used gift cards like this before, I have no experience with it. I just found it weird that I was getting 2 different stories from 2 different reps and since the other rep took the time to even give me the actual card number she was issuing the credit to....it's just weird. I really hope 10 days doesn't pass by and no card is received and then of course the price is back up and I can't prove anything. :o

(Of course when I booked my cruise it said with 3 people I could ONLY book a balcony...mysteriously after I booked yesterday, the interior and ocean view rooms opened up for 3 people :rolleyes: and of course she told me that I couldn't downgrade at this point...of course I wasn't interested in that since I already have my hopes and dreams set on a balcony.) :p

I would much rather get a new gift card versus putting it back on an existing one. I toss them as soon as they are empty, as I imagine most people would do.

Also, don't forget they have a CRM. It should show that you called and their system should also show the reduction in price, as well as that a refund was made and where it went. Now, it may mean voiding the other gift card and issuing yet another card if it doesn't arrive.

In situations like this, it does pay to document who you talked to when and when.

I would much rather get a new gift card versus putting it back on an existing one. I toss them as soon as they are empty, as I imagine most people would do.

 

Also, don't forget they have a CRM. It should show that you called and their system should also show the reduction in price, as well as that a refund was made and where it went. Now, it may mean voiding the other gift card and issuing yet another card if it doesn't arrive.

 

In situations like this, it does pay to document who you talked to when and when.

I don't throw away anything like that (they go in my scrapbook :p) so I still had them of course.

I guess I will have to wait for the 10 days to see if it arrived. I do have the name of the first person I spoke with and of course when I called. The second person, I couldn't even understand what her name was when she said it and I didn't think to ask again.

I won't get into how Carnival has royally screwed up my reservation with payments made on a gift card. Just a mess and totally Carnival's fault. lol

That said, I've gotten refunds from payments made using gift cards before and they always send me a new card. Always. Just last week I had a gift card refunded to me. After I added up what was owed from cancelling an excursion, I realized the one gift card they sent was $50 short. Brought it to their attention through my TA and they sent a new one that had to be signed for! Couldn't get them to change that or even deliver to my job or a family member during the day. Wound up having to drive 30 minutes away to the Fedex station to pick up this stupid gift card. But anyway, you should get a new one. Not a refund or credit to one of the existing cards.

As for the triple cabin opening up, it is possible if the prices dropped across the board, that someone moved around thus freeing up the ones previously sold out. Maybe....;)

I don't throw away anything like that (they go in my scrapbook :p) so I still had them of course.

 

I guess I will have to wait for the 10 days to see if it arrived. I do have the name of the first person I spoke with and of course when I called. The second person, I couldn't even understand what her name was when she said it and I didn't think to ask again.

And you might want to bring one of the empty ones with you on the Pride. The safes are the magnetic swipe type, not the pin# type. Those kind of safes can demagnetize your sail & sign card - so not recommended to use them, but rather use an old gift card.

I won't get into how Carnival has royally screwed up my reservation with payments made on a gift card. Just a mess and totally Carnival's fault. lol

 

That said, I've gotten refunds from payments made using gift cards before and they always send me a new card. Always. Just last week I had a gift card refunded to me. After I added up what was owed from cancelling an excursion, I realized the one gift card they sent was $50 short. Brought it to their attention through my TA and they sent a new one that had to be signed for! Couldn't get them to change that or even deliver to my job or a family member during the day. Wound up having to drive 30 minutes away to the Fedex station to pick up this stupid gift card. But anyway, you should get a new one. Not a refund or credit to one of the existing cards.

 

As for the triple cabin opening up, it is possible if the prices dropped across the board, that someone moved around thus freeing up the ones previously sold out. Maybe....;)

Yikes. Sorry to hear about your issues with the cards. That's not reassuring. I wonder why they can't just put it on your account? That's what I had originally ask them to do. To me, it would be the same as using the gift card to put down as OBC. I ask if it could be used to...for instance pay on my gratuities and she said "yes". So why not just apply it to that then? So I guess now I'll be waiting to get it so that I can apply it. :cool:

And you might want to bring one of the empty ones with you on the Pride. The safes are the magnetic swipe type, not the pin# type. Those kind of safes can demagnetize your sail & sign card - so not recommended to use them, but rather use an old gift card.

Wait, what? You have to use a magnetic card to swipe the safe? How can you just use any old card and it work? Isn't there a pin number to put in or anything? That means anyone could swipe it and get in it. I'm not understanding. :p

Call PVP Jenifer Gulick at ext 85300! She is awesome. She comes highly recommended and it may be easier to just have one person to deal with. I have read a lot about people getting different answers from different PVPs.

Wait, what? You have to use a magnetic card to swipe the safe? How can you just use any old card and it work? Isn't there a pin number to put in or anything? That means anyone could swipe it and get in it. I'm not understanding. :p

Every magnetic strip is different. Think credit card. Yours is unique from all other credit cards right? So you use an old gift card that also has a unique magnetic strip to close and open the safe. You must use the same card that you locked it with to open it back up.

Every magnetic strip is different. Think credit card. Yours is unique from all other credit cards right? So you use an old gift card that also has a unique magnetic strip to close and open the safe. You must use the same card that you locked it with to open it back up.

Oh ok gotcha. You had to have that particular card to use it. I'll have to remember that and take one of my gift cards with me then. That's awesome. I have never see or used a safe like that. I know the Dream didn't have one when we were on it. Thanks for the heads up.

I'm happy to report that my gift card came today...man that was quick.

They delivered via FedEx and someone over the age of 18 (proof of ID required) had to be there and sign for it. :) Thank goodness they came early enough that we had not left for work yet. :eek: