A pre-paid gift card is a popular and easy gift choice for birthdays, weddings, graduations, and more. Fast and convenient, gift cards let you enjoy a guilt-free spending spree at your favorite retailer or restaurant. But what if you’ve received a card to the world’s most popular cruise line?
Carnival Cruise gift cards can also be useful and flexible gifts for holidays, special occasions, thanks, or recognition – but how can those cards be put to the best use?
Unless someone has generously given you a gift card to cover the cost of an entire cruise (I’ve never been that lucky!), you will need to know how to redeem Carnival Cruise Line gift cards to make use of the gift the next time you set sail on any of the Fun Ships.
No matter where in the world you wish to sail or which incredible ports you visit—Alaska, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Europe, Canada, New England, Hawaii, even the Mexican Riviera or the Panama Canal—Carnival gift cards can be useful (with one exception we’ll discuss later!).
In This Article:
Where to Buy Carnival Cruise Line Gift Cards
Gift cards of all types are widely available at major retailers. Carnival Cruise Line cards can be found at more than 9,000 retail locations, including both regional and nationwide chains. Lowes, Office Max, Publix, Meijer, Target, Walmart, Kroger, Winn Dixie, and Safeway are just a few popular places to buy these popular gift cards.
Cards and ecards are also available through retailers like newegg as well as AARP and other organizations. Rewards programs from Allstate and other services also have member-only discount or occasional exclusive offers on gift cards for qualified cruisers.
Travelers interested in buying Carnival gift cards should note that there is no phone number to purchase the cards (not even 1-800-CARNIVAL, the general customer service and booking line).
These cards are only available online, through various retailers, or onboard Carnival Cruise Line’s ships in the Cherry on Top gift shop. Cards are also sold online at through authorized retailers or via Carnival’s website with the proper download link.
Who Can Buy Carnival Gift Cards?
Any family members or friends who know your passion for cruising could purchase a gift card – you can even buy one (or two, or three, or four) for yourself as a way to save up for your next cruise.
Gift cards can include a customizable name (though not printed directly on the card) or personal message and physical cards can be mailed with a gift tin for an extra special touch. Cards are mailed with free shipping via regular US mail, or shipping may be expedited for an additional fee.
Cruise line gift cards are also often given away as promotional items or prizes by car dealerships, home builders, real estate agents, raffles, or radio stations. Some travel agencies will also offer the cards to help their clients have the best vacation experience possible to the world’s most desirable destinations, or to add an extra bonus to bookings.
Whether you are given the card as a gift or promotion, or if you win one through a raffle or other event, it can be a great way to pay for extra fun on your Fun Ship cruise. Some cruise fans even add these cards to a gift registry for a wedding or honeymoon voyage.
Worth Reading: Carnival Onboard Credit – Ways to Use It
Travelers should note that gift cards purchased through resale or other third-party sites are not necessarily guaranteed by Carnival Cruise Line. These gift cards should be treated with caution to ensure their authenticity and full value, as the purchaser or e-card recipient will bear all risk of loss in case the card is fraudulent.
About Carnival Gift Cards
Carnival Cruise Line first began issuing gift cards on December 5, 2012, replacing earlier gift certificate programs, including the Fun Ship Dollars and Scrip Dollars. While those programs are no longer in service, any remaining balances are honored.
Carnival Cruise gift cards have proven popular and are frequently used by first-time cruisers as well as loyal members of Carnival’s VIFP program. The cards are available with values from $100 to $1,000 (e-card value is the same). Furthermore, there are no dormancy charges or service fees if the card is not used within a specific time frame.
It is important to note, however, that promotional cards – those given as prizes or offered as incentives by other companies – may have expiration dates. These would typically be printed on the front of the card. Cards purchased by the public do not usually expire, but terms and conditions are subject to change.
Like most gift cards from major retailers, the cards are not redeemable for cash and are not refundable or replaceable if they are lost, stolen, or damaged. CCL Gifts or any affiliated LLC, subsidiary, or other retailer is not obligated to replace or refund any cards for any reason. Guard them carefully, folks!
How to Use Your Gift Card on a Carnival Cruise
With no shortage of fun things to do onboard every Carnival cruise ship, there are several ways you can use a gift card on your oceangoing vacation.
Before purchasing either a physical or a digital gift card, however, prospective travelers should be familiar with the redemption instructions. Purchasing the card represents acceptance of these terms and conditions and refunds are not possible.
Buying a Cruise
Obviously, the easiest way to use gift cards is to buy the cruise itself. Carnival gift cards can be applied to the fare price for the purchase of a Carnival cruise, but cannot be used to pay port fees or taxes on the fare.
If you have already booked your cruise but haven’t yet paid the fare in full, you can still apply cards to the remaining balance. Up to 9 gift cards can be applied to your cruise in a single transaction session; if you have more than 9 cards to redeem, you will need to do so in multiple transactions to use them all. Multiple cards cannot be consolidated into a single replacement card, but can be used for a single cruise.
Pre-Cruise Purchases
If you have already fully paid for your next Carnival cruise, it isn’t too late to use gift cards. If you opt to make online pre-purchases of shore excursions or spa experiences, gift cards can be applied to those costs, either in full or for partial payments.
If your cards don’t have enough value for the full payment, you will have to use another method of payment to complete the purchase and secure your reservation.
A Carnival cruise e-gift card or physical gift cards can also be used for pre-cruise purchases of bottled water, specialty dining, and other expenses.
Onboard activities with an extra charge, such as cupcake decorating classes and other fun ideas, can also be paid for with gift cards, or you can buy fun shop gifts as souvenirs or mementos. Again, full payment will be required to complete each purchase if your gift card can’t cover it.
Onboard Accounts
You can also use a gift card to set up your onboard spending account to cover purchases you make during your sailing – photos, additional souvenirs, arcade games, or incidental expenses. This can only be done once you are on board your ship.
Simply visit the Guest Services desk with your gift cards in hand to make the arrangements, or use one of the convenient onboard kiosks to add your gift cards to your Sail and Sign account.
The gift cards will help cover any charges you add up during your cruise vacation, from buying drinks and pictures to a huge variety of shore excursions, gift shop items, jewelry, t-shirts, or even gratuities.
Where You Can’t Use These Gift Cards
Carnival Cruise Line gift cards are valid only on Carnival cruises, not on other lines owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. This means that Carnival gift cards are not usable for Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises, or any other line, even if it is a unit of Carnival Corporation.
Needless to say, other cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean International or Norwegian Cruise Line, will not honor Carnival gift cards.
It must be noted that Carnival Cruise Line gift cards are not valid on sailings that use non-United States currency (USD) onboard. Cruises departing from Australia or New Zealand for regional sailings to the Pacific Islands, then, cannot use gift cards. If you aren’t sure about the currency used on your cruise, you can contact your travel agent or Carnival Cruise Line to ask.
What If You Don’t Use Up a Gift Card?
After your cruise, if you have extra funds available from the gift card or cards you applied to your onboard account, you will be mailed a new gift card with the remaining balance.
No cash or check refund will be sent, but the new card can be redeemed on a future cruise. You cannot reload or recharge gift cards, but it is always possible to buy new ones.
Read Also: Are Carnival Cruises All Inclusive?
If you aren’t sure how much is remaining on different cards, you can check the balance on Carnival.com or call the cruise line for details.
Carnival Cruise Line gift cards can let you enjoy the little extras of your vacation without feeling guilty about any extra charges. Before you use them, be sure to check with the cruise line as the complete terms and conditions of the cards are subject to change, but then, bon voyage!
