MIAMI, Nov. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Cruise Lines' popular gift card program – a prepaid card that can be used as payment toward a "Fun Ship" vacation or a variety of shipboard purchases – is now available in more than 9,000 retail outlets throughout the U.S. This marks the first time that a cruise line-specific gift card has been made available at retail establishments ashore.
Partnering with Blackhawk Network, a leading prepaid and payments network, Carnival will offer its gift cards at such locations as Giant Eagle, Kroger and Safeway beginning later this month.
"We're excited to partner with Blackhawk Network, as their distribution expertise allows us to expand our popular gift card program to a wide range of retail outlets ashore," said Gus Antorcha, senior vice president of guest commerce for Carnival Cruise Lines. "Based on feedback from consumers and our travel agent partners, we're very pleased to enhance the availability of our gift card program and provide consumers with even greater convenience and flexibility."
Also available online at www.carnivalgiftcards.com or sold on board Carnival's ships, the gift cards are ideal for any occasion – from weddings and graduations to birthdays and anniversaries – and offer consumers flexibility and convenience in their vacation purchases. The cards can be pre-loaded with funds ranging from a minimum of $25 to a maximum of $1,000.
The Carnival Gift Card is simple to use – it may be applied online via the dedicated web site using the 16-digit card number, redeemed by calling 1-800-CARNIVAL or used like cash on board as payment toward guests' "Sail & Sign" shipboard account.
For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.
Carnival can also be found on:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/carnivalcruise
Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/carnival
YouTube: www.youtube.com/carnival
Journalists also can visit Carnival's media site, www.carnival-news.com or follow the line's PR department on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CarnivalPR.
About Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is "The World's Most Popular Cruise Line®" with 24 ships operating three- to 23-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Tahiti. The company's 25th ship, the 135,000-ton Carnival Vista, is scheduled to enter service in 2016.
About Blackhawk Network
Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAWK and HAWKB) is a leading prepaid and payments network, which supports the program management and distribution of gift cards, prepaid telecom products and prepaid financial service products across a global network. Blackhawk's digital platform supports prepaid products across a network of digital distribution partners including retailers, financial service providers, and mobile wallets. For more information please visit www.blackhawknetwork.com.
SOURCE Carnival Cruise Lines