After slashing the discount on Carnival gift cards twice in just over a month, AARP has now announced that the cruise line has decided to discontinue the offering through them.
AARP, which is a non-profit that caters to and advocates for people over 50 years old, previously offered a 10% discount on Carnival Cruise Line gift cards – which dropped to 8% in November of 2024.
In late December, that discount was again decreased from 8% to 5% off. While cruisers were annoyed by the change, they still saved at least a little bit of money by using the discounted gift cards to pay for their sailing or book onboard experiences and packages.
But as of January 1, 2025, the Carnival gift cards will no longer be available for purchase in any capacity through AARP.
“Carnival Cruise Lines has decided to discontinue offering their gift cards through the AARP Rewards Program. We understand that this may be disappointing news, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We remain committed to providing you with valuable rewards and appreciate your understanding,” reads the AARP website.
Understandably, members of the cruise community were livid at the decision – expressing anger at both Carnival and AARP.
“Hearing from someone on the inside, this was a money grab for the Carnival beards and their decision to end it with AARP. Pure greed as shown by them lately on all fronts,” another person shared.
But while AARP (and many cruisers) have placed the blame on Carnival, it’s unclear how much of a role the Miami-based cruise line actually played in making the decision.
When the discounts first began decreasing, Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald said that AARP functioned independently from Carnival.
“I have received a large amount of bollockings this morning about a change to the percentage of something to do with the gift cards. This has nothing to do with the cruise line, this is all decided as all gift cards are by the people that distribute them,” he wrote on his Facebook page at the time.
We reached out to Carnival for a statement, and only received a brief response: “Effective Jan. 1, Carnival gift cards are no longer available for purchase through AARP.”
They did not provide any additional insight into why the AARP gift cards were discontinued.
How to Get Discounted Carnival Cruises
Unfortunately, it’s the way of the world for discounts to come and go. Although the AARP discount on Carnival gift cards has been around for a while, it was never meant to last forever.
Even while available, AARP clearly displayed the caveat that the gift cards were a “limited time offer, while supplies last.” It’s unknown if the gift cards will ever be brought back in the future.
That said, AARP is continuing to offer discounted gift cards for other cruise lines and discounted cruise packages on Carnival-owned cruise lines, such as Princess Cruises and Holland America Line.
Additionally, that doesn’t mean other discounts aren’t available – with most cruise lines offering promotions for different times of year and the major holidays.
As of the time of writing, for example, Carnival is offering 40% off cruise rates and reduced deposits on select cruises, including sailings bound for Celebration Key – which is the cruise line’s new private island destination in the Bahamas that is expected to open in July 2025.
We are also now at the very beginning of Wave Season – which is essentially an extended Black Friday sale event for cruising.
Peak Wave Season typically takes place in the first quarter of the year (January through March) – during which time the cruise lines offer deals, discounts, and extra perks to reward future guests for booking during what is usually a slower time for new bookings.
Read Also: Carnival Cruise Gift Cards: What You Need to Know
For cruisers who would prefer to stock up on Carnival gift cards, they can still be purchased directly through the Carnival Website (but not at a discounted rate) – and are often found at regional and nationwide chains like Lowes, Office Max, Publix, Target, and Walmart. Other discount websites and cash back websites may also offer better rates.
It might also be worth keeping an eye on Costco and AAA – which have both sold discounts on gift cards for a variety of things in the past (not just for travel) and offer discounted cruise packages through their travel services.
Similarly, reputable travel agents may have access to discounts and deals that the general public wouldn’t be able to use on their own.
