Cruises are a great way to kick back and relax and enjoy several destinations over the course of a few days. One of the biggest perks for travelers is that cruises tend to be very affordable. Did you know that you if you use a travel rewards credit card you can save on some of your cruise fares, or possibly even cruise for free? Here are some of the best travel rewards credit cards for cruises.
First let’s discuss credit cards offered by the cruise lines. For the most part you would have to be an avid cruiser in order to really benefit from the points you will get from these credit cards.
Norwegian Cruise Line Mastercard
10,000 points sign up bonus | No Annual fee | 3 points for every dollar spent on NCL, 1 point of dollar on all other purchases
Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Card
10,000 points sign up bonus | No Annual fee | Works with Celebrity & Azamara Cruises | 2 points for every dollar spent on cruises, 1 point on all other purchases
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Celebrity Cruises Visa Signature Card
$69 annual fee | if you spend $5,000 in 1st 90 days you receive 10,000 points sign up bonus | You receive $300 off most cabin categories and discounts on the beverage package | 2 points for every dollar spent on cruises, 1 point on all other purchases
Princess Cruises Rewards Visa Card
10,000 points sign up bonus | No Annual fee | 2 points for every dollar spent on cruises, 1 point on all other purchases
Holland America Line Cruises Rewards Visa Card
5,000 points sign up bonus | No Annual fee | 2 points for every dollar spent on cruises, 1 point on all other purchases
Carnival World Mastercard
10,000 points sign up bonus | No Annual fee | 2 points for every dollar spent on cruises, 1 point on all other purchases |
Here are some other credit card options that can be used for cruises & other travel.
Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard
This card is designed for people that like to travel. Cardholders can earn a certain amount of points for every dollar they spend. Each point is worth one cent and if they pay for a cruise by using this credit card, they can use their points to lessen their bill. They do often have promotions as well to make it a little easier to earn points. New cardholders can earn 60,000 points if they make $5,000 worth of purchases within 90 days of opening their account. Cardholders will have to pay an $89 annual fee, but it is waived for the first year.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
This is one of the most popular cards to use for travel. New cardholders can earn 50,000 just by making $4,000 worth of purchase during the 90 days of account opening. They can earn 2 points for travel and dining purchases and 1 point for everything else. You can book a cruise directly by calling Chase Ultimate Rewards. The annual fee for this card is $95 and is waived for the first year as well.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
This card is pretty similar to the Barclaycard. New cardholders can earn 50,000 points by spending $3,000 in the 90 first days of opening their account. There is also a $95 annual fee that is waived for the first year. This card does have a few perks that the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Card doesn’t; a $100 credit that travelers can use for TSA Precheck or Global Entry.
Citi ThankYou Premier
New cardholders can enjoy 60,000 points after spending $4,000 during the first 90 days of their account being opened. The will earn 3 points for travel purchases and gas, 2 points for eating out and entertainment and 1 point for everything else. Travelers can also use their point to purchase Royal Caribbean gift cards. A $100 gift card would use 10,000 points. The annual fee for this card is $95, but is waived the first year.
Discover if Miles
You can earn 1.5 miles for every dollar spent and the card charges no annual fee. Discover will also match all the miles you earn the first year, and you receive free monthly credit reports.
When deciding on a card, remember to not only focus on the travel rewards, but also the annual interest rate. Some cars like Capital One start around 13.74% where others start as high as 17.99% and go up to 24.99% depending on your credit history.
The Platinum Card from American Express
The membership fee is high at $550 per year, but you receive that back with all of the value the card comes with. You receive 60,000 points sign up bonus, $200 in airline fees and $200 in Uber credits. You also get credits back for Globus TSA and access to some of the best airport lounges around the world.
