AARP Online Community and Discussion Forums - Re: Carnival gift cards - Page 6

juditha99205 · ‎09-25-2019

It looks to me like the Carnival gift cards are gone!

Am I looking in the wrong spot?

AARPTeri · ‎11-08-2019

We know many of you are anxiously awaiting the return of Carnival gift cards, and we will update AARP Rewards participants when these cards return.

There are other great ways to use your points in AARP Rewards, such as: experiences, gift cards to a large array of services and of course our sweepstakes and instant wins!

AARPTeri

DeborahD330665 · ‎11-22-2019

Hi AARPTeri...

I noticed the Carnival E gift Cards have returned. AARP website says the discount will apply at checkout on the gift card vendor site. When I go to checkout it is asking me to create a login. I try and create a login and I receive an error. Are we not getting a discount on egift cards? Why should I have to create an account when my AARP account should link me, so I can get the discount.

Please advise. The other program was much better and less of a headache.

j552968g · ‎11-22-2019

Where did you see the link? I don't believe the cards have returned.

a460667k · ‎11-23-2019

I don't see them either.

Every time I go on this site I just get so disappointed. It is SO inferior to Rewards for Good. I wish AARP would just listen to everyone's complaints and bring it back!

I don't even bother visiting this site anymore.

KandyP234702 · ‎11-23-2019

I found them on there. They are the e-certificates. But, they are not discounted, they are full price. No different than getting them from Carnival directly. So, what is the benefit as an AARP member?

a460667k · ‎11-08-2019

Dear AARPteri:

Not interested in most sweepstakes and instant wins. And the card rewards are completely lame. Definitely inferior to R4G. "Large array of services"? Like what? Many of the gift card providers are not in my area. The only one that may interest me is a Cracker Barrel one. (And Cracker Barrel is not in my area either, but i love it!)

But I guess being employed by aarp, you can't admit how inferior the new program is. Two, and three dollars off cards is insulting and not worth the effort. Some are not even 10% off.

JohnK969065 · ‎11-08-2019

I cannot believe an organization as large as AARP cannot get their act together regarding these cards. But it doesn't even matter to me any longer. My membership is up next summer and I won't be renewing. The Carnival cards are the only reason I kept my membership. For those wondering about Allstate's program: 1) It's free. 2) Even though it's their Drivewise program, you don't need to drive to collect points, just sign up through your computer, and accept getting emails from them. 3) Read their emails (they come about weekly) - every email at the bottom has a code that you enter in their awards page and you receive anywhere between 1,000 - 2,000 points every time. I collected 15,000 points in no time just by reading their emails. 4) Points exchange is the same as Carnival was, 5,000 = $500 Carnival card.

PaulP539039 · ‎11-08-2019

I read this post by AARPTerri a couple of times. And it seems that our questions about when the Carnival gift cards will return and what form of discount (if any) we can expect are just not going to be answered. Too bad for us, too bad for AARP.

df27853182 · ‎10-24-2019

@AARPTeri for the past few months it has been posted that the Carnival cards are coming back and you will let us know when or will keep us posted. I am so disappointed because it's always the same answer.

Can you not give a time line? This new AARP Rewards is just not working and I believe you all are seeing that. I'm ready to throw in the towel but had just renewed for 3 years in June.

It's disappointing for all that use the Carnival cards and I paid for AARP for the disounts that are supposedly provided. There are no discounts on your new vendor's e-card gift cards. I can go on the Carnival website and purchase them for the same price.

Please just an update on about when or what the hold up is in acquiring the cards?

Donna Frizzell

KandyP234702 · ‎11-06-2019

@AARPTeri Can anyone at AARP answer the question about when the Discounted Carnival Cruise gift cards will return? It seems that there are a LOT of disappointed members due to this change. Honestly, this new rewards program is sad. Getting $2 off a food gift card is almost an insult to folks. I just joined AARP this year and was very happy with the previous Rewards for Good program. Now there does not seem to be any incentive to be a member. If nothing changes soon, this will likely be my one and only year of membership.

PaulP539039 · ‎11-03-2019

Let me add my voice of concern. The discounted Carnival gift cards are the primary reason I am an AARP member. The lack of such gift cards on the new AARP Rewards program is a huge downer. I would like to see an update: are these cards coming back? If so, when?

KandyP234702 · ‎11-05-2019

@PaulP539039 I would like an update also. The Carnival cards is the main reason that I joined. When calling AARP, all they say is that the Carnival cards will be returning. Not only would I like to know when that might be, but if these will be the same discounted cards that we were able to purchase before?

OrganizedChaos75 · ‎11-06-2019

@PaulP539039I would like an update also. The Carnival cards is the main reason that I joined. When calling AARP, all they say is that the Carnival cards will be returning. Not only would I like to know when that might be, but if these will be the same discounted cards that we were able to purchase before?

On day 1 of the new AARP Rewards, the Carnival gift cards were the E-gift cards sent by email. That's why they were pulled from the website, because people were getting them without PIN numbers. The biggest difference is that people now have to be AARP members to buy them, but they don't require points (or they didn't before they were removed). Also, either AARP or this new company, HelloWorld (who now runs AARP Rewards), is limiting the Carnvial gift cards to one per month, or up to 3 per month if they come from different retailers. I still don't really know what that means. This limit severely hinders how most people buy Carnival gift cards and it's absolutely ridiculous. They can keep promising that they'll return soon all they want, but as long as this new system is worse than the old one, it doesn't matter.

a460667k · ‎11-07-2019

@OrganizedChaos75 You say now you have to be a member to buy a Carn. gift card, but I don't see any listed for "members only" . None at all.

The "rewards" are abysmal, even for members, and I don't frequent this site anymore. AARP gave us a drastic downgrade, and they should be ashamed, after all the hype for this new site.

Nothing has changed in over a month. Horrible and unacceptable, and really disappointing.

OrganizedChaos75 · ‎11-07-2019

@a460667k wrote:
@OrganizedChaos75 You say now you have to be a member to buy a Carn. gift card, but I don't see any listed for "members only" . None at all.
The "rewards" are abysmal, even for members, and I don't frequent this site anymore. AARP gave us a drastic downgrade, and they should be ashamed, after all the hype for this new site.
Nothing has changed in over a month. Horrible and unacceptable, and really disappointing.

The Carnival gift cards were available on the first day that the new AARP Rewards launched. They were members only that day and I'm assuming they'll continue to be. I suspect that was a strategic move on the part of AARP. I'm sure their data showed just how popular and how in-demand the Carnival gift cards have been over the years. Making them members only stands to gain AARP a lot of new members/revenue. Well, it did until everyone realized how bad the new program actually is. Now only time will tell.

I agree with everything you said. AARP Rewards is a major downgrade. Members-only gift cards, a terrible website that's annoying to navigate, no search feature for gift cards, LOW monthly limits on gift cards, gift cards that aren't worth purchasing. I mean, $1, $2, $4 off of their face value. Give us a break! The list of bad things goes on & on. All thanks to the fact that AARP switched to this HelloWorld company to run the new program when the old one was working just fine.

They "fixed" the E-gift card PIN issue by sending out physical gift cards to the ones who bought them on launch day. I don't know why it's taking so long to return them to stock. I've been doing these rewards programs for a few years. The company that ran Rewards For Good, Deluxe Rewards, Ltd., ran that and Allstate Rewards (they still run that one). They used to sell E-gift cards all the time and never had a problem with selling them without PIN numbers. I've also bought E-gift cards from other sources at times and never had that problem. AARP made a big mistake switching to HelloWorld, but I guess now they have to live with it. All at our expense.

AARPConnieB · ‎11-07-2019

Hi Pat, we are still working on getting the Carnival gift cards back. Thank you for your patience!

KandyP234702 · ‎11-07-2019

@AARPConnieB What does that mean? "Working on getting the gift cards back?" We have been told these will return, but will these really? Or is "working on it" simply an answer to placate everyone?

It has been long enought to have some idea. Will these be the discounted cards that we were able to purchase before?

I have never seen such poor response from anyone dealing with customers. There has to be someone in the chain that has some answers?

df27853182 · ‎11-07-2019

Our patience is running thin! This is to the point of denial on the part of AARP! Just like all the articles AARP posts about how to avoid a scam, who knew that AARP would pull the same stunt?! So very disappointed! Will not ever recommend this program again!

Donna Frizzell

gs9897 · ‎11-07-2019

Wow...that's the best ya got after 6-7 weeks of waiting? You didn't even attempt to address the numerous questions already asked relative to:

1) How Long before the cards return?

2) Will they be the same Carnival gift cards (same increments, same 10% discount)?

3) Will they be E-Cards or physical cards....or both?

4) Will there be controls exerted as to how many cards you can buy each month?

AARP is deliberately ignoring the people on this forum. Why not be transparent and just tell your CUSTOMERS what's going on? I don't understand the why the deception or deflection is necessary.

Surely, someone within the AARP organization can give some DEFINITIVE answers here.

jc50748700 · ‎10-19-2019

AARPConnie, I know you are at your wits end about all the problems AARP is having with their new fulfillment company for Carnival Gift Cards. Can you explain why the lack of progress is keeping everyone in limbo? And are Carnival gift cards going to be introduced again, that are very similar if not exact, to the gift cards competently handled by your previous gift card fullfillment company?

AARP the World awaits your reply!

OrganizedChaos75 · ‎10-22-2019

@jc50748700 wrote:
AARPConnie, I know you are at your wits end about all the problems AARP is having with their new fulfillment company for Carnival Gift Cards. Can you explain why the lack of progress is keeping everyone in limbo? And are Carnival gift cards going to be introduced again, that are very similar if not exact, to the gift cards competently handled by your previous gift card fullfillment company?

AARP the World awaits your reply!

Even when the Carnival gift cards return, if the first day of AARP Rewards was any indication, the gift cards will now be limited to 1 card per month or up to 3 cards per month if bought from different retailers (whatever that means). I don't know if this new limit is being imposed by AARP or by the new rewards company, HelloWorld Inc. Their former fulfillment company, Deluxe Rewards, didn't impose such drastic limits on Carnival gift cards. I suspect it comes from the new fulfillment company.

AARP, you're now forcing people to become members to buy Carnival gift cards, a stratetic move that I suspect is based on the fact that those gift cards are in high demand, so stop punishing your members even further by imposing this monthly limit. If it's not AARP, then go with a fulfillment company that can handle the demand, like Deluxe Rewards could.

AARPTeri · ‎10-21-2019

@jc50748700 When posting it is always helpful to use the @ symbol so the person is notified.

Yes, we will be returning the e-gift cards to the site but do not have a firm date to provide yet. We are insuring they will work properly.

AARPTeri

nwbw10 · ‎10-22-2019

@AARPTerrican I just ask...why not return to simply mailing the plastic gift cards?

You do understand that people PAY for the AARP subscriptions? The ONLY reason we pay for it is to get the gift cards. The new rewards program is an epic fail in every sense. The videos still fail to award points ( at least several of them have been completed by me numerous times with no points). The selection of redeemable items is a complete joke!!!! There really is no benefit at all to this program. I have completeley given up and gone to the "other" rewards program and it has been smooth sailing. I am only saddened that we had just renewed our AARP membership for 3 years 😞

What happened to AARP? Did someone take over who simply has no idea what they are doing? Or, is this a typical "cut costs and screw the customer" move?

jc50748700 · ‎10-22-2019

@AARPTeri Thank you!

RussellP197074 · ‎10-08-2019

The good news is you can join Drivewise and keep getting points here at the same time. Eventually you will be able to get Carnival Gift Cards from both.

MirandaV803876 · ‎10-08-2019

The only reason I purchased a membership (at 26 years old, mind you) was to be able to continue to purchase Carnival and Royal Carribean gift cards at 10% after they phased out the Rewards for Good program. Now, I cant even earn points because every time i complete a quiz or watch a video I dont receive points and the gift cards arent even showing with no ETA on when they will be available. Not only that, now I'm hearing they will start limiting how many you can buy each month. Had they been upfront about all this from the begining i would have never purchased a memebership. The headache is not worth $16 a year. I will be calling customer service to see if I can cancel and still get my money back as its been less than a week. If anyone else also feels scammed, look into the Allstate rewards program. You dont have to have your insurance through them to take advantage of their rewards, and they are MUCH better than what AARP is offering.

JohnK969065 · ‎10-08-2019

Thank you MirandaV! I just signed up for Drivewise, now I'll be able to pay off my upcoming cruise with discounted gift cards. Hopefully AARP brings them back - the only reason I kept my membership and will be canceling it if they don't come back.

a460667k · ‎10-08-2019

I heard about the Allstate site thru another thread right here......and i checked it out. I am not a driver, nor do i have a fancy phone. Can i still join the Allstate rewards? I checked out the stie and didnt see how i could.

Anyone know?

It's pathetic that we here on aarp are resorting to this! Just recently we had a pretty good rewards program ourselves, but now look at what they foisted on us! Really LOW of them, after all the hype.

OrganizedChaos75 · ‎10-09-2019

@a460667k wrote:
I heard about the Allstate site thru another thread right here......and i checked it out. I am not a driver, nor do i have a fancy phone. Can i still join the Allstate rewards? I checked out the stie and didnt see how i could.
Anyone know?
It's pathetic that we here on aarp are resorting to this! Just recently we had a pretty good rewards program ourselves, but now look at what they foisted on us! Really LOW of them, after all the hype.

If you're not an Allstate customer, the only way you can sign up for their rewards program is by using the Allstate smartphone app. Then you earn points by letting the app track your driving, because it's a "safe driving" service, and through promotional codes that come by email.

The Allstate Rewards website is exactly like the old Rewards For Good site because it's the same company that ran RFG.

a460667k · ‎10-09-2019

Thanks Tab215. It looks like I can't be an Allstate rewards person. No smartphone, and no car, not a driver.
They had to go and change Rewards for Good! ugh. But---there IS hope that the ship gift cards (at 10% off) will come back. Maybe.
Sad to know there is another program, but I can't join! Thanks again for your reply.