Princess Gift Cards, $500 will get you $550 total

[CruiseVA]

Time again for the Princess Girt Card 'sale' - if you buy a $500 card you'll get another $50 card for 'free' . While it indicates that there is a limit of one, I purchased 5x$500 cards and got 5x$50 extra gift cards. https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-gifts-celebrations/overview/gift-cards/

 

[Tak8]

My first cruise I paid for with all gifts cards was my cancelled Phase 1 March '20 cruise.  Until I actually sail using that credit, I'm a little gun shy to buy more.

[ilovebananas]

51 minutes ago, CruiseVA said:

Time again for the Princess Girt Card 'sale' - if you buy a $500 card you'll get another $50 card for 'free' . While it indicates that there is a limit of one, I purchased 5x$500 cards and got 5x$50 extra gift cards. https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-gifts-celebrations/overview/gift-cards/

 

How soon do you receive the digital gift cards? I am wondering if I purchase them today if I can use them to pay the rest of my balance for an upcoming cruise but that payment is due next week.

 

[Astro Flyer]

With a final payment due soon might consider this offer.

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-gifts-celebrations/overview/gift-cards/?cid=dm_email_promo_internal_giftcard_otherpromotional_rf1md028_210702_giftcard&eccn=VSST2IVP4CXAREZI2AEQHCEFSA&rrid=175884308A&mi_u=175884308A&custId=VSST2IVP4CXAREZI2AEQHCEFSA&mi_ecmp=RF1MD028

 

FAQs: 

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-gifts-celebrations/overview/gift-cards/faqs/

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Astro Flyer

[Astro Flyer]

42 minutes ago, ilovebananas said:

How soon do you receive the digital gift cards? I am wondering if I purchase them today if I can use them to pay the rest of my balance for an upcoming cruise but that payment is due next week.

 

Good question & can receive it by email so hopefully it’s immediately issued.

 

[Ombud]

45 minutes ago, ilovebananas said:

How soon do you receive the digital gift cards? I am wondering if I purchase them today if I can use them to pay the rest of my balance for an upcoming cruise but that payment is due next week.

 

They come via email once the charge is processed. I bought 3 yesterday and had them within an hour (my bank held it up momentarily)

 

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Ombud

[Astro Flyer]

6 minutes ago, Ombud said:

They come via email once the charge is processed. I bought 3 yesterday and had them within an hour (my bank held it up momentarily)

 

 

Thanks…Did you make 3 separate purchases online? 

[CruiseVA]

I made one purchase of 5x$500, got a notice from Credit card immediately asking if it was me (Chase),  said yes, the charge went thru & I got the email a few hours later with the links to the online cards. All 5x$500 & the 5x$50 ones too.

Funny thing (well, not so funny) - the last Time I bought 3 of these I applied them to a cruise that got cancelled last year, luckily I kept the cards (I got physical plastic cards that time).  So, hold onto the Card info after you apply them in case you or they cancel the cruise.

[CruiseVA]

1 hour ago, CarelessAndConfused said:

Thanks for the heads up.  This might have mattered to me before the pandemic but I have definitely lost any sense of loyalty to Princess....

 

Thanks for sharing. 😆😆

[Astro Flyer]

8 minutes ago, CruiseVA said:

I made one purchase of 5x$500, got a notice from Credit card immediately asking if it was me (Chase),  said yes, the charge went thru & I got the email a few hours later with the links to the online cards. All 5x$500 & the 5x$50 ones too.

Funny thing (well, not so funny) - the last Time I bought 3 of these I applied them to a cruise that got cancelled last year, luckily I kept the cards (I got physical plastic cards that time).  So, hold onto the Card info after you apply them in case you or they cancel the cruise.

Thanks…an FAQ question explains cancelations:

 

Q:  If I have used my Princess Cruises Gift Card to pay for my cruise and I cancel my cruise and am entitled to a refund, how can I receive my refund?
A:  If you have your original Princess Cruises Gift Card, a credit will be added back to your original card so please keep your card even after you use the entire value of the card.  If you do not have the original card, contact Princess Cruises Gift Card Customer service at 1-833-907-3079 and a new Princess Cruises Gift Card will be sent to you.

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Astro Flyer

[Ombud]

37 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

Thanks…Did you make 3 separate purchases online? 

I made 1 purchase of three $500 cards. 

 

 

19 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

 If I have used my Princess Cruises Gift Card to pay for my cruise and I cancel my cruise and am entitled to a refund, how can I receive my refund?
A:  If you have your original Princess Cruises Gift Card, a credit will be added back to your original card so please keep your card even after you use the entire value of the card.  If you do not have the original card, contact Princess Cruises Gift Card Customer service at 1-833-907-3079 and a new Princess Cruises Gift Card will be sent to you.

I had to have my bonus cards re-issued last fall as they had expired. I now keep a screenshot of everyone even though they didn't have a problem pulling the original ones up

[Ombud]

2 hours ago, CarelessAndConfused said:

none with Princess (even though I have well over a $1K FCC with them

Why don't you just get the FCC refunded then you can use those $$s on another line?

[Jadn13]

I just used my cards and bonus to pay for excursions  for a TA cruise and British Isles.  Easy  money if you have upcoming excursions to pay for and you’ll get 10% back if you are elite. 
lots of savings$$$ 💰💰

[Astro Flyer]

2 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I made 1 purchase of three $500 cards. 

 

 

I had to have my bonus cards re-issued last fall as they had expired. I now keep a screenshot of everyone even though they didn't have a problem pulling the original ones up

Thanks…in the email I received yesterday it has a 5/1/22 expiration date for the bonus card. We have 2 cruises booked before that date so might get three $500 cards for each of us.

 

Thanks to this thread started by CruiseVA I looked at that email again to discover it might be a worthwhile option for us. 👍

[Ombud]

I appreciate bonus card expiration dates being more than 90 days out. I was concerned about that 

[Ombud]

 

Delete

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by Ombud

[Astro Flyer]

If anyone purchases cards on the weekend there is a delay.

 

Q: I placed my Princess Cruises Gift Card order on a weekend.  When will it be processed?
A: All Gift Card orders placed over the weekend will be processed the following business day.  Please allow 5-7 business days to receive the Gift Card using standard shipping.

[Therese S.]

Is it just the free $50 card that expires in May 2022 or both the $500 and the $50 card?

[cr8tiv1]

How do you use the bonus $50 card?  On board?  Apply it to a cruise to pay down the fare?  Add it to your folio when you get onboard?  I'm confused (not unusual).

 

Can I pay down my cruise myself (by calling 800-Princess if I am using a TA?

 

I've used gift cards (non princess before).  Just gave my TA the information.

 

Thinking of starting small with one short cruise.

 

[Astro Flyer]

20 minutes ago, Therese S. said:

Is it just the free $50 card that expires in May 2022 or both the $500 and the $50 card?

From the FAQs:

 

EXPIRATION POLICY
Q: Does my Princess Cruises Gift Card expire?
A: Standard Princess Cruises Gift Cards have no expiration date.  Princess Cruise Lines, Ltd. may occasionally offer Promotional Gift Cards, which may carry an expiration date which will be printed on the Gift Card.

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-gifts-celebrations/overview/gift-cards/faqs/

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by Astro Flyer

[rebeltech8]

The only thing that worries me about these cards is if something occurs, my money is tied up much longer than if I had not used them. 
 

So, follow me and tell me what I am missing … last year our April Hawaii cruise was canceled. It took it took several months to get several thousand dollars refunded, but eventually we got it all back plus future cruise credits.  
 

if I had bought gift cards to pay for the trip, I still would have the cruise credits, but my cash would be tied up in gift cards for about 18 months (we rescheduled the Hawaii cruise for late next year). 
 

I get that there is a 10% bonus there, but for me, I would rather keep options open when thousands of dollars is in the balance.

 

I am not trolling here, but instead truly interested in what others think in instances like this.

 

what are your thoughts?

[Astro Flyer]

13 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

How do you use the bonus $50 card?  On board?  Apply it to a cruise to pay down the fare?  Add it to your folio when you get onboard?  I'm confused (not unusual).

 

Can I pay down my cruise myself (by calling 800-Princess if I am using a TA?

 

I've used gift cards (non princess before).  Just gave my TA the information.

 

Thinking of starting small with one short cruise.

 

Based on their FAQs you can use gift cards & bonus gift cards to pay for your cruise or use onboard by going to the PSD to have an amount added to your onboard folio. The way I read it you’ll need to call your TA to make a payment.

 

Q: Can I redeem a Princess Cruises Gift Card as payment toward an existing booking or for onboard products and services?
A: Yes, the Princess Cruises Gift Card is flexible to use.  Gift Cards may be redeemed via Cruise Personalizer for cruise bookings that were made by calling 1-800-PRINCESS or directly on Princess.com, or through your travel consultant for bookings made by your travel consultant.  

https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-gifts-celebrations/overview/gift-cards/faqs/

 

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by Astro Flyer

[cr8tiv1]

1 minute ago, rebeltech8 said:

The only thing that worries me about these cards is if something occurs, my money is tied up much longer than if I had not used them. 
 

So, follow me and tell me what I am missing … last year our April Hawaii cruise was canceled. It took it took several months to get several thousand dollars refunded, but eventually we got it all back plus future cruise credits.  
 

if I had bought gift cards to pay for the trip, I still would have the cruise credits, but my cash would be tied up in gift cards for about 18 months (we rescheduled the Hawaii cruise for late next year). 
 

I get that there is a 10% bonus there, but for me, I would rather keep options open when thousands of dollars is in the balance.

 

I am not trolling here, but instead truly interested in what others think in instances like this.

 

what are your thoughts?

 

I understand your dilemma.  The way I am justifying this is I pay them now or pay them later. Looking at getting $500 for a final payment that is coming up in a month.  

 

Or like a FCD on a ship that doesn't sail until June 2023.  They get my money one way or another. 

 

I've had FCC $$$$$$  tied up since March 2019.  Better interest than a saving account with 150% FCC.

[cr8tiv1]

Edit:  March 2020 cruise was cancelled after final payment for a May 2020 cruise.

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by cr8tiv1

[AZjohn]

We purchased $10k last time they went on sail. Yes, cruises these were used for were cancelled and we just had them transferred to different cruises in 2023.

it’s a good way to save 10% if you are able to tie up you your funds. 
 

I like what was shared about making copies of your gift cards and the passwords. I did have to give that all to our TA for her to do all the moving from one cruise to another.