Disney Gift Card

[JoJothemonkeygirl]

Please explain to this newbie the process of using gift cards to pay for pre-paid gratuities, excursions etc... Thanks!

 

[Dug720]

You call DCL and use the gift card (hopefully combined into as few as possible - there can be up to $1000 on each card) to purchase onboard credit for the amount you wish.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We've always gone to Guest Service on the ship once the lines have calmed down a bit at the start of the cruise.
We do like Dug720 mentioned and combine our cards onto one as we purchase them. Keep your gift card(s) until you're certain the complete amount on the card(s) have been used up; because if there is any remaining money after the cruise it can be returned onto the card.
Something we have never had to worry about!

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Minor nit: Onboard credit will cover excursions and onboard purchases. Tips are a different pot of money (pardon the pun) and are applied separately. You can have one GC worth $1000 and have the CM on the phone apply part to tips (prepaid) and the balance to OBC. We do this all the time

 

[JoJothemonkeygirl]

Thanks for the tips. Exactly, how do you combine cards?

 

[Dug720]

Thanks for the tips. Exactly, how do you combine cards?

www.disneygiftcard.com

 

[JoJothemonkeygirl]

Thanks Dug720!

 

[lanejudy]

Minor nit: Onboard credit will cover excursions and onboard purchases. Tips are a different pot of money (pardon the pun) and are applied separately.

Our onboard credit has covered anything/everything charged to the onboard account, including tips. No differentiation. Has something changed? Last I knew, they didn’t specify $X for tips and $Y for spa and $Z for drinks, etc.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Our onboard credit has covered anything/everything charged to the onboard account, including tips. No differentiation. Has something changed? Last I knew, they didn’t specify $X for tips and $Y for spa and $Z for drinks, etc.

Referring to the prepaying of the two buckets

 

[lanejudy]

Referring to the prepaying of the two buckets

That's what I'm asking as neither the charges nor the prepaid amounts has ever been considered as separate "buckets" for me. I prepay gratuities and it's simply an amount of funds credited to my onboard account. It's equal to the amount of standard gratuities that gets auto-charged, but it's never specifically ear-marked for that. In fact, if I have high excursion expenses early in the cruise, the onboard credit is essentially used up before all the gratuities are charged. And if I prepay a larger amount of onboard credit intended to cover excursions or other onboard expenses plus the gratuities, it's never been handled as separate amounts. Just one lump amount of credit.

Is there a specific way to do this to have separate amounts earmarked for separate types of charges?

 

[Dug720]

That's what I'm asking as neither the charges nor the prepaid amounts has ever been considered as separate "buckets" for me. I prepay gratuities and it's simply an amount of funds credited to my onboard account. It's equal to the amount of standard gratuities that gets auto-charged, but it's never specifically ear-marked for that. In fact, if I have high excursion expenses early in the cruise, the onboard credit is essentially used up before all the gratuities are charged. And if I prepay a larger amount of onboard credit intended to cover excursions or other onboard expenses plus the gratuities, it's never been handled as separate amounts. Just one lump amount of credit.

Is there a specific way to do this to have separate amounts earmarked for separate types of charges?

Your description is exactly how I have always experienced it. Even when I “prepay gratuities” that shows up as a credit on my room account. The one difference - and I guess where people get the “buckets” idea - is that when I have “prepaid gratuities” bought OBC in advance I get a card in my cabin displaying the amount of OBC I bought, but no such card for the “prepaid gratuities” even though that amount would show as a credit in my onboard account.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

That's what I'm asking as neither the charges nor the prepaid amounts has ever been considered as separate "buckets" for me. I prepay gratuities and it's simply an amount of funds credited to my onboard account. It's equal to the amount of standard gratuities that gets auto-charged, but it's never specifically ear-marked for that. In fact, if I have high excursion expenses early in the cruise, the onboard credit is essentially used up before all the gratuities are charged. And if I prepay a larger amount of onboard credit intended to cover excursions or other onboard expenses plus the gratuities, it's never been handled as separate amounts. Just one lump amount of credit.

Is there a specific way to do this to have separate amounts earmarked for separate types of charges?

When I call I specifically tell the CM that I want to prepay the tips, then charge the card. That is the first charge; then I put however much I want as OBC via one or more GCs. The CMs have different screens and it's treated as a separate account before boarding. Come to think of it, when I get the itemized onboard purchase receipt at the end of the cruise, tips are not on that list. Excursions, drinks etc... are there, but not tips. The little green slips and the summary sheet are the receipt (I guess).

 

[MomOTwins]

When I call I specifically tell the CM that I want to prepay the tips, then charge the card. That is the first charge; then I put however much I want as OBC via one or more GCs. The CMs have different screens and it's treated as a separate account before boarding. Come to think of it, when I get the itemized onboard purchase receipt at the end of the cruise, tips are not on that list. Excursions, drinks etc... are there, but not tips. The little green slips and the summary sheet are the receipt (I guess).

I have always seen the daily tips included on my itemized receipt that is printed at the end of the cruise, but both of our prior cruises were in the past year, so maybe that is a recent thing.

 

[Pooh93]

Can you purchase Disney Gift Cards at Target and use the www.disneygiftcard.com to combine or do they need to be purchased through the Disney Website?

Thanks.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Can you purchase Disney Gift Cards at Target and use the www.disneygiftcard.com to combine or do they need to be purchased through the Disney Website? Thanks.

Yes, you can.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Can you purchase Disney Gift Cards at Target and use the www.disneygiftcard.com to combine or do they need to be purchased through the Disney Website?

Thanks.

I do it every week

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Of note, I get the egift cards on Target's website (and get the 5% discount from the Red card). I copy the 16 digit numbers into my spreadsheet for records and post from there (either to pay down the bill, or consolidate). That way I avoid the huge pile-of-cards

 

[Poohbug]

Can this be done for the final payment on a cruise also?

 

[lklgoodman]

Can this be done for the final payment on a cruise also?

Yes, just did it last week.

 

[Dug720]

Can this be done for the final payment on a cruise also?

Just make it easier on yourself and the poor agent on the phone and combine them into as few cards as possible.