AARP gift cards only $100pr. ?????

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

AARP gift cards are only $100pr  this month?????

[Hygge!]

I see them for $500 each same as previous months.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

1 minute ago, Hygge! said:

I see them for $500 each same as previous months.

Thanks I will go find the $500 ones 

[Hygge!]

For members only though. 

[Toad]

Is this different than the $200 OBC?

[scooter6139]

2 minutes ago, Toad said:

Is this different than the $200 OBC?

Yes, as these can be used to pay for your cruise itself.  The up to $200 is just for being a member.

 

Someone, please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Hygge!]

2 minutes ago, Toad said:

Is this different than the $200 OBC?

This is a gift card from AARP. Buy a $500 gift card for $450 up to 5/month.  Then can use in OBC thru the front desk or use before in paying for the cruise or excursions. 

[lupaglupa]

I keep hoping they will do the HAL gift cards as one of their daily specials. So far, no luck 🙃

[scooter6139]

I really want to do the gift card thing, but then I would need to buy separate insurance as my current payment card covers all that.  😞

[CNSJ]

53 minutes ago, scooter6139 said:

I really want to do the gift card thing, but then I would need to buy separate insurance as my current payment card covers all that.  😞

Depending on the card, you may only need to pay for "a portion" of the trip.  I have Chase Sapphire Reserve - the fine print says a portion of. Check your fine print.

 

I buy AARP gift cards for the even chunks of $500, then pay the remaining parts with my Chase card to HAL.

 

 

[CNSJ]

1 hour ago, Hygge! said:

For members only though. 

Well worth the small membership fee. 

 

[all2me]

We are AARP members and booked on an Aug Hal cruise. Not aware of what these gift cards are being discussed on this thread? 

[Bill B]

https://community.aarp.org/t5/Redemption/Three-Exciting-New-AARP-Rewards-Cruise-Line-Gift-Cards/m-p/2448318

[Overhead Fred]

They are HAL gift cards being sold at a discount by AARP. $500 value for $450. You can buy 5 cards per month. Go to the AARP Rewards page and drill down to find them. I just used a bunch for final payment on our April cruise.

 

Use the link @Bill B posted 1 minute before me!

Edited January 2 by Overhead Fred

[Bill B]

Buy a bunch, use them to pay for your cruise and save 10%. I'd do it but I'm not eligible due to the residency rules.

Edited January 3 by Bill B

[POA1]

6 hours ago, Toad said:

Is this different than the $200 OBC?

Yes. You buy a gift card.

[sandiego1]

7 hours ago, CNSJ said:

Depending on the card, you may only need to pay for "a portion" of the trip.  I have Chase Sapphire Reserve - the fine print says a portion of. Check your fine print.

 

I buy AARP gift cards for the even chunks of $500, then pay the remaining parts with my Chase card to HAL.

 

 

If you had to cancel the cruise at the last minute (for a covered reason), would Chase reimburse you for the entire cruise? Or just up to the amount you paid on the CSR?

[crystalspin]

31 minutes ago, sandiego1 said:

If you had to cancel the cruise at the last minute (for a covered reason), would Chase reimburse you for the entire cruise? Or just up to the amount you paid on the CSR?

I have it from the mouths of my Chase financial advisor and the branch higher-up most versed in the Sapphire Reserve benefits, that the amount covered is only that paid to the travel provider and not to AARP -- even if you pay for the cards WITH the CSR. 

 

I'd like to see the "fine print" that @CNSJ has found.

 

We stopped buying the cards for that reason, but with two 35-day cruises booked this year (plus a B2B2B totalling 35d), I may take a lesson from @Mary229 and buy a $500 card for each long cruise and some $100 ones for the B2B2B, and put them on our accounts for OBC.

 

Edited January 3 by crystalspin

[sandiego1]

@crystalspin that was my understanding too. I found out about the AARP gift cards and used them for a large portion of our 2023 World Cruise payment. I am now stockpiling them for the 2025 Pole to Pole cruise. For these long cruises, I need to buy trip insurance anyway for medical and evacuation purposes anyway.

[Haljo1935]

11 hours ago, scooter6139 said:

Yes, as these can be used to pay for your cruise itself.  The up to $200 is just for being a member.

 

Someone, please correct me if I'm wrong.

You are correct. The gift certificates are for payments; the up to $200 is OBC.

[alwaysfrantic]

11 hours ago, CNSJ said:

Depending on the card, you may only need to pay for "a portion" of the trip.  I have Chase Sapphire Reserve - the fine print says a portion of. Check your fine print.

 

I buy AARP gift cards for the even chunks of $500, then pay the remaining parts with my Chase card to HAL.

 

 

Same.  CSR will pay an entire trip even if only taxes on an award flight are paid with the card.  
 

that said, Chase’s insurer has been exceedingly difficult to work with and most claims have not been paid at all.  

[alwaysfrantic]

3 hours ago, crystalspin said:

I have it from the mouths of my Chase financial advisor and the branch higher-up most versed in the Sapphire Reserve benefits, that the amount covered is only that paid to the travel provider and not to AARP -- even if you pay for the cards WITH the CSR. 

 

I'd like to see the "fine print" that @CNSJ has found.

 

We stopped buying the cards for that reason, but with two 35-day cruises booked this year (plus a B2B2B totalling 35d), I may take a lesson from @Mary229 and buy a $500 card for each long cruise and some $100 ones for the B2B2B, and put them on our accounts for OBC.

 

it’s in your guide to benefits.  
 

[CNSJ]

I see Always Frantic beat me to the punch with the fine print.  While we have not had the need for the Chase insurance, we do expect claims to be a Pain in the rear should we need to file one.  To be honest, I think all travel insurance claims are probably a pain.

 

We purchased MedJet Assist to back up the Chase coverage.  Transport back to US from a far flung place could be the most expensive part.  AARP has a MedJet discount.

 

 

[AryMay]

16 hours ago, sandiego1 said:

@crystalspin that was my understanding too. I found out about the AARP gift cards and used them for a large portion of our 2023 World Cruise payment. I am now stockpiling them for the 2025 Pole to Pole cruise. For these long cruises, I need to buy trip insurance anyway for medical and evacuation purposes anyway.

But if you needed to cancel for a covered reason would your trip insurance just refund your payments back to the gift cards? I have used the AARP gift cards to make cruise payments in the past, but have quit since I really don’t want to get stuck with them if we had to cancel (especially for huge amounts like a World Cruise.) 

[sandiego1]

24 minutes ago, AryMay said:

But if you needed to cancel for a covered reason would your trip insurance just refund your payments back to the gift cards? I have used the AARP gift cards to make cruise payments in the past, but have quit since I really don’t want to get stuck with them if we had to cancel (especially for huge amounts like a World Cruise.) 

Nope. My insurance will pay me directly.