How to use gift cards?

[Hllb]

20 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I am sorry you had this problem, I would call your credit card company. Do you know if the charge went through your Credit Card company? When my friend had this issue last year they did assist her the same day but it was not resolved till the next day. There was 4 of us all getting the Gift card that day and only one had the issue. I do think it has to do withh certain email addresses not receiving the confirmations.  

My husband is going to try dealing with them - finally did talk to the right group and they will not talk to me because it was ordered under my husband's name. They're super jerky about it too. I will never deal with this organization again. Husband is teaching so I don't know if he'll have much time to call.

 

Barring resolution from them, I likely will get my credit card involved.

[Msrigby]

You can purchase “casino chips” online and pay with gift cards. Upon boarding you will receive a notice of purchase. Bring that to the casino cage and you will receive cash. 

[Hllb]

Finally received the gift card this evening and called to apply to our cruise. I won’t be buying another! But at least this one was usable.

[YourWorldWithBill]

6 hours ago, Msrigby said:

You can purchase “casino chips” online and pay with gift cards. Upon boarding you will receive a notice of purchase. Bring that to the casino cage and you will receive cash. 

Great to know! As I said, I figured there had to be a way. Thanks.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

3 hours ago, Hllb said:

Finally received the gift card this evening and called to apply to our cruise. I won’t be buying another! But at least this one was usable.

Good to hear you got it.

[Haljo1935]

Are these discounted GC only available at certain ti.We on AARP? I am not able to find them on their website or app.

[Hllb]

3 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Are these discounted GC only available at certain ti.We on AARP? I am not able to find them on their website or app.

It’s on their aarp rewards site rather than their regular site

[YourWorldWithBill]

21 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Are these discounted GC only available at certain ti.We on AARP? I am not able to find them on their website or app.

It's not easy to find. I had to call them to find where to go. 

I have this page bookmarked, but when I tried recently I couldn't find the page I found before:

https://www.aarp.org/rewards/redeem/#sort-by=default

This page gives phone numbers to call:

https://help.aarp.org/s/topic/0TO4P000000If6pWAC/aarp-rewards

[shack]

On 3/22/2023 at 6:39 AM, Hllb said:

I'm considering purchasing some gift cards to apply towards our final payment (to get the 10% discount from AARP). Is there anything I need to know about doing this? I have booked through a TA. Can I apply the gift cards on my online account, or do I have to go through the TA? If I pay down the balance due with gift cards on my account, will the TA then only charge the remaining balance at final payment (which is in a few days)? Is there a limit to the number I can use?

 

I'm a long-time AARP member and I think it's great they offer the gift cards, but it's not a core business line for them so you get a lack of knowledge, priorities, and the Customer Service shrug.

 

We scored the military OBC of $100 to pair with our TA OBC of $150 to combine to take care of grats in a Vista "Suite" for week-long BOS-Montreal.

 

I'd be willing to bet you could do better telling your TA you'll pay them $50 cash for every $100 in OBC they get for you up to the limit you might need.  TAs get buckets of OBCs, many of which are 'use it or lose it' non-refundable/non-transferable to carry forward to future bookings.  Cash is King...

 

Just a thought...

[pellanor]

If I buy e-gift cards online from AARP to be redeemed onboard, do I need to print out the gift cards for guest services to redeem? Or would emails on my phone suffice? 

Edited March 27, 2023 by pellanor

[Hllb]

9 minutes ago, pellanor said:

If I buy e-gift cards online from AARP to be redeemed onboard, do I need to print out the gift cards for guest services to redeem? Or would emails on my phone suffice? 

You just need the card number and the pin, so you could just screen shot them on your phone (so you don't have issues with cell service).

[pghflyer]

These are a great deal and thinking of buying some for my next HAL cruise (TBD) but sort of dreading having to read off or email like 4-8 or so individual gift cards and PINs to a rando TA.

[iluvthe-c]

I have travel insurance through my credit card.  I should probably call Chase bank and ask them if buying gift cards with my credit card will cancel travel insurance coverage.  Does anyone have experience with this?

[alwaysfrantic]

1 hour ago, iluvthe-c said:

I have travel insurance through my credit card.  I should probably call Chase bank and ask them if buying gift cards with my credit card will cancel travel insurance coverage.  Does anyone have experience with this?

Which Chase card are you depending on?  If it’s the Sapphire Reserve the costs are all insured if a portion is on that card.  But. I have had terrible success in filing claims with Chase.  They repeatedly ask for the same information then deny claims if someone continues plating their game and resubmitting documents repeatedly.  If you really need to protect yourself, you might want an outside policy. 

[iluvthe-c]

On 3/27/2023 at 4:46 PM, shack said:

I'd be willing to bet you could do better telling your TA you'll pay them $50 cash for every $100 in OBC they get for you up to the limit you might need.  TAs get buckets of OBCs, many of which are 'use it or lose it' non-refundable/non-transferable to carry forward to future bookings.  Cash is King...

I've not heard this before.  Am I asking my TA to "cheat" or do anything "under the table" if I mention it?

[ArizonatoFlorida]

Does anyone know what happens if you use gift cards for final payment and then have to cancel the cruise?  Thanks!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

4 hours ago, ArizonatoFlorida said:

Does anyone know what happens if you use gift cards for final payment and then have to cancel the cruise?  Thanks!

The credit goes back to the gift card, so it is very wise to hang on to the information of these gift cards. The only way to not have it go back is if you cancel prior to final and book a different voyage, before you cancel you need to ask HAL or your TA to have HAL tranfer the funds on the cruise to the new reservation. This can be done by the agent, although some of the new agents now may not know how or understand. Then in which case you need to have your TA and or HAL Rep call HAL Accounting to have the funds transferred to a new reservation. 

[YourWorldWithBill]

10 hours ago, iluvthe-c said:

I have travel insurance through my credit card.  I should probably call Chase bank and ask them if buying gift cards with my credit card will cancel travel insurance coverage.  Does anyone have experience with this?

I tried to find out the answer to this from my AmEx card. No one was really sure, or could answer the question satisfactorily, so I'm not taking any chances. By the way, although as I found out thanks to msrigby that I could use the gift cards for casino chips purchased before the cruise, I tried to do the same thing with gratuities, and could not. Another strange rule from HAL. But if I wait until onboard, then I can use the cards for credit=gratuities. 

[MONYMONY68]

Can someone post the link to purchase the gift cards on the AARP website?  I couldn’t find it. 

[auntmeg]

8 hours ago, MONYMONY68 said:

Can someone post the link to purchase the gift cards on the AARP website?  I couldn’t find it. 

https://www.aarp.org/rewards/redeem/#sort-by=default

 

 

[Roz]

On 5/3/2023 at 7:08 AM, pghflyer said:

These are a great deal and thinking of buying some for my next HAL cruise (TBD) but sort of dreading having to read off or email like 4-8 or so individual gift cards and PINs to a rando TA.

 

I email my TA the card numbers and PINs.

[pghflyer]

FWIW I had a great experience filing my claim with Chase SR, got my payment in 6 weeks.  Definitely a good reminder though to put some of the balance on your card and could be questionable if they insure the cost or the amount on your card.

[Native Floridian 26]

1 hour ago, pghflyer said:

FWIW I had a great experience filing my claim with Chase SR, got my payment in 6 weeks.  Definitely a good reminder though to put some of the balance on your card and could be questionable if they insure the cost or the amount on your card.

I thought you could only claim up to the amount you put on that card.  Can you clarify?

[Mary229]

For people who can’t find the email you can go to the AARP website and sign in using your email.  There in your account you can see your purchases which link to the gift card directly.  It will be available there for at least a month.  
 

I use the Chase credit card for insurance and don’t mix.  I strictly use the gift card for gratuities (purchase onboard credit), shore ex.  and all other ship board expenses 

[Roz]

On 5/3/2023 at 7:08 AM, pghflyer said:

These are a great deal and thinking of buying some for my next HAL cruise (TBD) but sort of dreading having to read off or email like 4-8 or so individual gift cards and PINs to a rando TA.

Just copy and paste from the email AARP sends you.