Best Credit Cards for Cruises in 2024
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It might seem logical that the best way to earn rewards on cruise bookings is to get a cruise line cobranded credit card. However, these generally don't offer as solid of a value as the best travel credit cards. There are many cruise line-specific credit cards that can be appealing to brand loyalists. Some offer exclusive perks and discounts that you won’t find anywhere else, and most don't charge annual fees.
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Alternatively, you can use miles to “erase” travel-related charges to your credit card. Cardholders can redeem miles in the form of statement credits, which is another incredibly useful perk if you want to temper that extra spending in port. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is a powerhouse among travel rewards credit cards. The innovative Bilt World Elite Mastercard® lets you earn rewards on your monthly rent with no additional fees for the transaction.
Best Credit Cards For Cruise Rewards
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FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Since the Wells Fargo Autograph has no foreign transaction fees, it’s an ideal card to use when exploring foreign ports. Paying for your next cruise with the right credit card can help keep you from breaking the bank. Earn MyCruise points at a rate of 2x points per $1 spent on qualifying purchases with Celebrity Cruises and sister brands, Royal Caribbean and Azamara Club Cruises.
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If you want to save on cruises, a general travel card can earn you higher rewards without having to keep track of varying redemption values. These perks include room and cruise upgrades, free Royal Caribbean merchandise, onboard credit, discounts on cruises, free cruises and companion fares. If you're a frequent flyer, you may have previously heard of companion fares.
The Citi Custom Cash is a great option for people looking to maximize cash back rewards without having to worry about activating or selecting bonus categories. You can also take advantage of complimentary airport lounge access with a one-time enrollment in Priority Pass Select. That could make flying to different cruise port cities more convenient and comfortable. If Costco is your go-to for booking cruises and other vacation packages, look no further than the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card. The Platinum Card® from American Express is a luxury card designed for frequent travelers looking for excellent benefits. Knowing which bank issues the Bilt Card is important to estimating your approval odds and anticipating your customer service options.
How to choose a credit card for cruises
As cruise travel can be costly, qualifying travel purchases are eligible for up to $10,000 per trip and $20,000 per 12-month period in trip cancellation and interruption insurance. In addition to earning points, booking award travel through the Chase travel portal lets you enjoy a 25% redemption bonus. As a result, each point is worth 1.25 cents versus the standard valuation of 1 cent. If you go on cruises often and make a lot of purchases, a card that rewards cruises maybe great for you.
Cruise Branded Credit Cards
However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. So while we generally don’t recommend these cards, we wanted to mention them for those rare times when they may make sense. Let’s take look at all that the Amex Blue Business Plus card has to offer.
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
You get 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase; 3% back at restaurants and on drugstore purchases; and 1.5% cash back on other purchases. Technically, that cash back comes in the form of points, which can also be used toward travel. Even if 100% of your travel budget goes toward cruises, you might be better off charting a different course for a travel rewards credit card. Cardholders also receive special rates at select Visa® Signature Luxury Hotels worldwide, exclusive access to VIP events, Hertz rental car discounts and emergency roadside assistance.
Not only that but the rewards you earn are typically tied to a single cruise line and can be cumbersome to use. Unless you're a diehard loyalist of a specific cruise line and you're looking for a card to complement your primary travel card, you'll find more value with a more general rewards card. Royal Caribbean's sign-up bonus is easier to earn; you get 10,000 points (worth $100) after your first purchase on the card. You can also earn a flight voucher worth $50 after spending $3,500 on the card within your first 90 days of having the card. While you have to spend $4,000 within three months to earn the Sapphire Preferred's sign-up bonus, it's a much more generous 60,000 points (worth $1,200). The Chase Freedom Unlimited® also has no annual fee, but it earns much richer rewards on a much wider variety of spending.
Inversely, if you travel frequently and make a lot of purchases, you’ll be missing out on rewards and deals if you aren’t using a credit card that fits your travel style. The best credit card for a cruise depends on what type of rewards you are looking for. Some cards earn cash-back or cruise points, but we recommend cards that earn travel rewards. The Ink Business Preferred card and Chase Sapphire Reserve card earn 3x points on cruises, so they’re great options for any cruise line.
Choose the card that best works with how you spend or plan to spend on a cruise. The Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits include travel and purchase protection as well as the ability to transfer points to one of Chase’s Ultimate Rewards transfer partners. This is one of the reasons that the Chase Sapphire Preferred is often listed as one of the best travel credit cards. Have you been trying to find out what is the best credit card for travel rewards? With the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Card®, you earn double the points on qualifying Royal Caribbean purchases and one point on everyday purchases, so you continue earning points on day-to-day errands. The more points you accumulate, the more perks come your way, making it the best rewards credit card for travel.
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If you decide to apply for a credit card of any type, review our guide to application rules from each bank. These will help you understand the application process and your chances of approval. NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card.
The Discover it® Miles is a solid rewards credit card for cruises if you don’t want to pay an annual fee. This card gives you 1.5X miles for each dollar you spend, and Discover will match all of the miles you earn during your first year of card membership (after the first year is up). You can redeem your miles in the form of statement credits to cover eligible travel purchases (including cruises) at a rate of 1 cent per mile. Many travel rewards credit cards are lauded for their hotel and airline rewards and perks.
However, if you travel only on certain occasions, then applying for a card that rewards cruises might not be the best idea. For the frequent traveler and big spender, this card provides excellent value. You can use your points to get great deals when booking with Chase or transfer them to the issuer's many partnered airlines and hotels.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers a simple flat rate earning structure, no annual fee and a relatively long 0% introductory period for purchases and balance transfers. Assuming you have the credit line available, making your cruise purchase on this card gives you time to make payments with no interest. The easy-to-earn welcome bonus can help offset your cruise expenses.
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