Sept 10th--Discounted $500 Carnival Gift Cards on Newegg

[coondog99]

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=carnival

$500 card with promo of $50 off

[sfaaa]

Dang, sold out already.

[lennythenose]

Worked for me just now🤷🏼‍♀️

[dbrown84]

Looks like the discount is only for the $500 GC.  I only need $341.  Anyone know if you can put the extra amount on your account as obc?  I'm trying out carnival for the first time, and I may choose not to sail with them again so I wouldn't want to hold onto the GC for the next trip if there never is a next trip 

[shof515]

when you onboard the ship, use the sail n sign kiosk or go to guest services to add the gift card to your onboard account. your purchases  on the ship will use these funds first

[StacyKMN]

18 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

Looks like the discount is only for the $500 GC.  I only need $341.  Anyone know if you can put the extra amount on your account as obc?  I'm trying out carnival for the first time, and I may choose not to sail with them again so I wouldn't want to hold onto the GC for the next trip if there never is a next trip 

I'm not sure if you can do it in advance, but you can do it onboard

[Fire Chief 2481]

purchased, thanks coondog99

[171510Cook]

Just saved $300, thank you!

[todd-r]

And my husband wonders why I stay up late!

 

Purchased, thanks coondog99

[todd-r]

10 hours ago, StacyKMN said:

I'm not sure if you can do it in advance, but you can do it onboard

Buy $400 and apply that to your cruise. The gift card will then have a remaining balance. When you get on the ship just go to guest services and ask for the balance to be put on your sign and sail account.

[PalmTree601]

On 9/10/2024 at 2:33 PM, dbrown84 said:

Looks like the discount is only for the $500 GC.  I only need $341.  Anyone know if you can put the extra amount on your account as obc?  I'm trying out carnival for the first time, and I may choose not to sail with them again so I wouldn't want to hold onto the GC for the next trip if there never is a next trip 

 

You can use any part of it in advance of cruise. Once onboard, just apply the remaining gift card balance at Guest Services (or a kiosk). This effectively becomes "refundable OBC". They will use this first for any gratuities or purchases (even if you have a credit card on your account), and issue you a new gift card after the cruise for any unused balance >$10 (<$10 balances are donated to charity unless requested otherwise onboard). 

 

[Elaine5715]

57 minutes ago, PalmTree601 said:

 

You can use any part of it in advance of cruise. Once onboard, just apply the remaining gift card balance at Guest Services (or a kiosk). This effectively becomes "refundable OBC". They will use this first for any gratuities or purchases (even if you have a credit card on your account), and issue you a new gift card after the cruise for any unused balance >$10 (<$10 balances are donated to charity unless requested otherwise onboard). 

 

Better to put a card on account and then apply gift cards to charges as needed.  No waiting for a gift card

[PalmTree601]

18 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

Better to put a card on account and then apply gift cards to charges as needed.  No waiting for a gift card

 

Agreed I would always have a credit card on file as well to prevent any charges from being declined early in the cruise. dbrown84 was asking about buying a $500 GC when he only needed $341, I was just trying to explain he could use the remainder for other things onboard (gratuities, excursions, purchases, etc).  I'm not sure what "wait" you are referring to, but in practice I always link a credit card pre-cruise then mid-cruise when the Guest Services line dies down (I've had bad luck with the kiosks) I apply gift cards to cover my anticipated expenses so I only go to the desk once. The advantage of the gift card is the 10% discount when you buy it.  At the end of the cruise, CCL will use any OBC and gift cards before charging the credit card. 

 

Edited September 12 by PalmTree601

[Elaine5715]

10 hours ago, PalmTree601 said:

 

Agreed I would always have a credit card on file as well to prevent any charges from being declined early in the cruise. dbrown84 was asking about buying a $500 GC when he only needed $341, I was just trying to explain he could use the remainder for other things onboard (gratuities, excursions, purchases, etc).  I'm not sure what "wait" you are referring to, but in practice I always link a credit card pre-cruise then mid-cruise when the Guest Services line dies down (I've had bad luck with the kiosks) I apply gift cards to cover my anticipated expenses so I only go to the desk once. The advantage of the gift card is the 10% discount when you buy it.  At the end of the cruise, CCL will use any OBC and gift cards before charging the credit card. 

 

You, yourself, noted that if you put a gift card on your account and there is leftover, you will need to wait for a refund gift card, that takes weeks.  

[PalmTree601]

7 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

You, yourself, noted that if you put a gift card on your account and there is leftover, you will need to wait for a refund gift card, that takes weeks.  

 

They used to ship physical cards Fedex and I got them 2-3 days after the cruise. Lately however, I've received e-giftcards via email and they usually arrive before I even get home from the cruise. But I guess this type of delay wouldn't really bother me anyhow since unfortunately I don't cruise THAT often to need it so soon! Anyhow, to each their own - I was just sharing my approach.

 

[BogeyMike]

Has anyone successfully used a kiosk onboard the ship to load their own gift cards? It has never worked for us.

 

[Elaine5715]

5 hours ago, PalmTree601 said:

 

They used to ship physical cards Fedex and I got them 2-3 days after the cruise. Lately however, I've received e-giftcards via email and they usually arrive before I even get home from the cruise. But I guess this type of delay wouldn't really bother me anyhow since unfortunately I don't cruise THAT often to need it so soon! Anyhow, to each their own - I was just sharing my approach.

 

Your experience of 2-3 days isn't the norm,  Four to six weeks is more typical

[Elaine5715]

59 minutes ago, BogeyMike said:

Has anyone successfully used a kiosk onboard the ship to load their own gift cards? It has never worked for us.

 

I just go to Guest Services.  I detest the 20 questions at the kiosks.  I should be able simply to run my S&S through plus my PIN to access my account.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

1 hour ago, BogeyMike said:

Has anyone successfully used a kiosk onboard the ship to load their own gift cards? It has never worked for us.

 

Yes it worked fine for us. Both new and partially used.  

[dbrown84]

20 hours ago, PalmTree601 said:

 

You can use any part of it in advance of cruise. Once onboard, just apply the remaining gift card balance at Guest Services (or a kiosk). This effectively becomes "refundable OBC". They will use this first for any gratuities or purchases (even if you have a credit card on your account), and issue you a new gift card after the cruise for any unused balance >$10 (<$10 balances are donated to charity unless requested otherwise onboard). 

 

thanks for this.  If they're just gong to give me a GC back, then it defeats the purpose for me.  I rarely have any onboard charges and I already will have $88 OBC to use.  I thought I would just be able to get the cash back on the last night of the cruise.

[weezal]

Just now, dbrown84 said:

thanks for this.  If they're just gong to give me a GC back, then it defeats the purpose for me.  I rarely have any onboard charges and I already will have $88 OBC to use.  I thought I would just be able to get the cash back on the last night of the cruise.

can also pay for gratuities, auto charged to cabin (if you didn't prepay) on final day.
you never get cash at end of the sailing, except when you cash out of the casino balance.

 

[PalmTree601]

1 minute ago, dbrown84 said:

thanks for this.  If they're just gong to give me a GC back, then it defeats the purpose for me.  I rarely have any onboard charges and I already will have $88 OBC to use.  I thought I would just be able to get the cash back on the last night of the cruise.

 

No, they won't cash out a GC. Some people play around with pulling the credit into their casino account and then cashing it out there, but I can't speak to that personally. Have a great cruise! 

[dbrown84]

18 minutes ago, weezal said:

can also pay for gratuities, auto charged to cabin (if you didn't prepay) on final day.
you never get cash at end of the sailing, except when you cash out of the casino balance.

 

thanks.  gratuities are already covered by OBC.  I'm already getting a whole cruise for under $350.  I guess I can stop trying to be greedy 🙂  But it is nice to learn that Carnival doesn't cash out at the end of the cruise.  I guess I just made that assumption because it's what I've been used to on other lines.

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, dbrown84 said:

thanks.  gratuities are already covered by OBC.  I'm already getting a whole cruise for under $350.  I guess I can stop trying to be greedy 🙂  But it is nice to learn that Carnival doesn't cash out at the end of the cruise.  I guess I just made that assumption because it's what I've been used to on other lines.

You can always apply a partial amount of a gift card and keep the remainder for next time.  Gift cards don't expire

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, PalmTree601 said:

 

No, they won't cash out a GC. Some people play around with pulling the credit into their casino account and then cashing it out there, but I can't speak to that personally. Have a great cruise! 

They are cracking down on that and locking accounts.