When you book a cruise it’s not easy to know when you save money because cruise lines don’t have set prices.
A cruise line can tell you it’s offering 10%, 20% or 50% off, but that means nothing when list prices for cruises aren’t set.
Generally, cruise lines want passengers to feel as if they’re getting a deal. They do that by using promotions like “Kids sail free,” which perhaps creates a feeling of big savings. But the amount actually saved with such offerings is an open question.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line shares ban that surprised parents
Travel agents, of course, can sometimes get better deals than widely advertised prices by booking blocks of rooms. But that aside, in most cases it’s hard to know when you’re actually getting a deal when you book a cruise.
For years, however, AARP offered a way to truly save on cruise bookings. The organization sold Carnival Cruise Line gift cards at a 10% discount. People could buy as many gift cards as they wanted and apply them to their cruise fares.
That true discount recently was cut and has now been dropped.
AARP sells a variety of gift cards but no longer sells them for Carnival cruises,
Image source: Shutterstock
AARP no longer has Carnival gift cards
In recent months AARP cut the discount on its Carnival gift cards to 8% from 10%, and then to 5%. Cruisers were angry about the smaller discounts and blamed them on the cruise line. And now AARP has fully ended the discount price on Carnival gift cards.
“Carnival Cruise Lines has decided to discontinue offering their gift cards through the AARP Rewards Program,” the organization’s website says. “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.”.
Passengers posted angry responses to the end of the program on Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald’s Facebook page.
“The company is disrespecting its customers with some of their recent decisions and lack of communication about them,” wrote Joel Shanker. “Raising internet and Cheers pricing without warning, cutting loyalty benefits and rumor is the company is making it harder to get to Platinum. No more AARP discounts at all. It just ended yesterday, I guess, again, all these changes without any warning. That’s not showing any appreciation or even respect for your loyal customers.”
Heald offered a response to those comments.
“Thank you. Please don’t listen to rumors. We certainly have not made any announcement yet about the new loyalty program. Thank you, I can confirm that we are, as of January 1, not offering an AARP discount card. I can also confirm that we remain the most affordable cruise line with the most fun and that’s why I hope you’ve reached the level with us that you have,” he wrote.
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Heald also said that he could not provide information other than that the cards had been discontinued.
“All I can do is confirm is that Effective Jan. 1, Carnival gift cards are no longer available for purchase through AARP,” he wrote.
He did say he would “see if they are prepared to let me know any further information, but at this time, there is none for me to share,” Heald added.
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