Exactly how do I pay for a cruise with my AARP Gift Cards?

[AmberTeka]

First Time. I have the cards. What do I do now? Thanks. 

Edited May 10, 2019 by AmberTeka

[teknoge3k]

Login to your cruise manager and select gift card as the method of payment, to make payments on your cruise. The same way as you would a regular credit card. Type in the card number & PIN.

 

Once you've paid the cruise off and are on the ship, you can either pre-load them at the terminal or at guest services or the kiosk on the ship to add funds to your account. Alternatively you can do what I do and just rack up a bill. Then at the end of the voyage you can go to guest services and pay your balance off with the gift cards. 

[Valor2005]

I've paid online and through my PVP.  When paying online, you simply  enter the card number and PIN that's on the back of the card in the correct box on the payment page.  If paying through your PVP, just tell them the numbers.  Very easy.

[AmberTeka]

Both of You are an angel.  Thanks. 

[BBigfoot613]

10 minutes ago, teknoge3k said:

Once you've paid the cruise off and are on the ship, you can either pre-load them at the terminal or at guest services or the kiosk on the ship to add funds to your account. Alternatively you can do what I do and just rack up a bill. Then at the end of the voyage you can go to guest services and pay your balance off with the gift cards. 

 

I'm guessing you put a credit card on file at beginning of the cruise?

 

To the Amber...I used mine online to purchase cruise cash. I did just $100 and then when checking in online I selected cash. Once onboard I'll watch and add as needed. This will eliminate any holds on a credit card or debit card.

[teknoge3k]

16 minutes ago, BBigfoot613 said:

 

I'm guessing you put a credit card on file at beginning of the cruise?

 

Yes, I do. That way I don't have to worry about anything. We always have a lot of gift cards with us so we never have to worry about them charging us anything. I'm also not worried about any holds they put on the card because it eventually comes off. 

[Organized Chaos]

You also don't have to use the entire amount on a single gift card. For example, let's say you have a $500 card, but only want to pay $200 on the cruise and use the rest for something else. Just enter the amount you want to pay in the "Other Amount" box. Once you pay off the entire balance, any remaining funds on that gift card stays on the card until you use it. If you add funds to your S&S account using gift cards, any remaining balance (over $10) will be refunded in the form of another gift card, unless you cash out in the casino. If you choose to get another gift card, you can do it at Guest Services or they'll mail it to you. Anything under $10 left in your S&S account is automatically donated to St. Jude's Children's hospital.

[Straitlover]

Be sure to keep the actual cards until after the cruise just in case there's a problem w/ the funds!

[joepeka]

8 hours ago, Valor2005 said:

I've paid online and through my PVP.  When paying online, you simply  enter the card number and PIN that's on the back of the card in the correct box on the payment page.  If paying through your PVP, just tell them the numbers.  Very easy.

This is also true if the OP booked through a TA - that TA can simply pass along your GC numbers and PIN's to their Carnival rep to make payment on the reservation.

Additionally, you can also pay directly via the Carnival web site if you booked through a PVP, you don't have to call the PVP to apply the GC's to your balance if you don't want to.

[coevan]

1 hour ago, Straitlover said:

Be sure to keep the actual cards until after the cruise just in case there's a problem w/ the funds!

 

 

not really, you will know for sure the funds are in your account

[bearguitar]

We just did this for our upcoming cruise at the end of May.  In fact, we booked about 3 weeks ago and paid in full with a credit card at the time of booking.  I had the gift cards ordered, but they weren't here yet.  I asked our PVP if we could call back and replace the credit card payment with the gift cards and he said yes.  We booked the cruise, paid in full with the credit card and when the gift cards came the next week we called back and paid for the cruise with the gift cards and had the credit card charge refunded.  Worked out great.