Editor's note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
There is one common question we get from TPG readers who are cruise enthusiasts: What are the best credit cards for booking cruises?
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.
For example, the Royal Caribbean® Visa Signature® Card currently offers a sign-up bonus of 25,000 bonus points (worth $250 in onboard credit) after you spend $1,000 within 90 days of account opening and an ongoing rate of 2 points per dollar on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises purchases. This might seem like a good bonus, but you can actually get a much better value from the welcome bonus on most general travel credit cards.
The information for the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you want to get the most value from your vacation purchases, here we explore the best credit cards for booking cruises and why you always want to pay for your vacation at sea with a credit card.
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Why use a credit card to book your cruise?
At TPG, we recommend using a credit card whenever and wherever possible so you always earn rewards on your purchases. When it comes to cruises, you'll get some serious benefits by booking with a credit card.
Earn points and miles
A cruise is a significant expense, which means it's an opportunity to earn significant rewards. You can use a cruise booking to help you hit a spending requirement and earn a valuable welcome bonus on a new card or earn rewards to put toward future travel by using a card that earns bonus points on travel purchases.
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Protect from billing mistakes
We've all experienced billing mistakes and the headaches that come with them. If you use cash or a debit card for your cruise, a billing mistake can mean money is already gone from your account before you realize there's an issue. By using a credit card, your money is safe while you work to get the issue resolved.
Protect your spending
Many travel rewards cards come with trip delay and cancellation insurance, so you'll be protected if your travel plans go awry. If you plan on doing significant shopping while on your ship, you can use a card with purchase protection to ensure your item arrives safely home.
Related: Everything you need to know about cruise insurance
The best credit cards for booking cruises
When deciding which credit card to use for booking cruises, you'll want to consider the rewards a card earns on cruises and benefits like travel and shopping protections. You can also benefit from a card's more specific perks, like statement credits for travel and airport lounge access.
With this in mind, we recommend these credit cards for booking a cruise:
| Card | Annual fee | Earning rate on cruises | What the points are worth (based on TPG's valuations) | Rewards return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Express® Green Card | $150 (see rates and fees) | 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar | 2 cents per point | 6% |
| Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card | $95 | 2 points per dollar (up to 3.5 points per dollar with Bank of America's Preferred Rewards®) | 1 cent per point | 2%-3.5% |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | $95 (see rates and fees) | 2 Capital One miles per dollar | 1.85 cents per point | 3.7% |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | $395 (see rates and fees) | 2 Capital One miles per dollar | 1.85 cents per point | 3.7% |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | $95 | 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar | 2.05 cents per point | 4.1% |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $550 | 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar (after using your $300 annual travel credit) | 2.05 cents per point | 6.2% |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | $695 (see rates and fees) | 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar | 2 cents per point | 2% |
| U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card | $400 | 3 points per dollar | 1.5 cents per point | 4.5% |
The information for the American Express Green Card and U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
American Express Green Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in your first six months of card membership, worth $800 according to TPG valuations.
Annual fee: $150
Why it's great for booking cruises: The Amex Green earns 3 points per dollar on travel purchases, including cruises. This means you'll earn bonus points on the cruise booking as well as any airfare or hotel purchases you make to get to and from your cruise. You'll also get trip delay insurance* that covers you up to $300 per trip (maximum of two claims per 12-month period) and purchase protection† for up to 90 days after you make a purchase.
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
†Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
For more details, please see our full review of the Amex Green.
Related: Who should (and shouldn't) get the Amex Green?
Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 90 days of account opening, worth $600.
Annual fee: $95
Why it's great for booking cruises: The Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card earns 2 points per dollar on all travel purchases, including cruise line purchases as well as hotel and airline purchases. You'll also get travel protections such as trip delay/cancellation/interruption insurance and purchase protection for up to 90 days after your date of purchase.
And if you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you'll earn an additional 25%-75% rewards bonus on every purchase — giving you an even greater return on your cruise spending.
For more details, please see our full review of the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card.
Apply here: Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card
Related: Everything you should know about Bank of America's Preferred Rewards program
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 Capital One miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening, worth $1,388 according to TPG valuations.
Annual fee: $95 (see rates and fees)
Why it's great for booking cruises: The Capital One Venture Rewards earns 2 miles per dollar on all purchases, including cruise bookings. You can redeem the rewards you earn for a statement credit to cover travel expenses, including cruise line purchases. You'll also get travel and emergency assistance services.
For more details, please see our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards.
Apply here: Capital One Venture Rewards
Related: 7 reasons to get the Capital One Venture Rewards card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 Capital One miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening, worth $1,388 according to TPG valuations.
Annual fee: $395 (see rates and fees)
Why it's great for booking cruises: Like the Venture Rewards, the Venture X earns 2 miles per dollar on all purchases, including cruises, and comes with several travel protections. What makes the Venture X stand out is that it can make your trip run more smoothly with additional perks like complimentary airport lounge access, a statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and a $300 annual credit for travel booked through Capital One Travel.
For more details, please see our full review of the Capital One Venture X.
Apply here: Capital One Venture X
Related: Is the Venture X worth the annual fee?
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, worth $1,230 according to TPG valuations.
Annual fee: $95
Why it's great for booking cruises: The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns a valuable 2 points per dollar on travel purchases, including cruise bookings. What makes this card stand out is its impressive travel protections. When you use it to book travel, you'll get protection against lost or delayed baggage, as well as trip delays, accidents and cancellations.
For more details, please see our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Related: Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is perfect for the average traveler
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, worth $1,230 according to TPG valuations.
Annual fee: $550
Why it's great for booking cruises: The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 3 points per dollar on travel purchases, including cruise bookings. You'll also get a slightly better suite of travel protections than with the Sapphire Preferred, plus airport lounge access and a credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Perhaps the best perk on this card, however, is a $300 annual travel statement credit automatically applied to travel purchases, meaning you can get $300 back on your cruise booking when you use this card to pay.
For more details, please see our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve
The Platinum Card from American Express
Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 in the first six months of card membership, worth $1,600 according to TPG valuations.
Annual fee: $695
Why it's great for booking cruises: You won't earn bonus points on cruise bookings with this card, but you'll get access to the Amex Cruise Privileges Program, where you'll receive onboard credit and an extra onboard amenity for each cruise booking. Plus, the Amex Platinum earns 5 points per dollar on flights (when booking with the airline or through Amex Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and comes with comprehensive airport lounge access, so it's also great for booking travel to and from your cruise departure port.
For more details, please see our full review of the Amex Platinum.
Apply here: Amex Platinum
Related: How to maximize benefits with the Amex Platinum
U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days of account opening, worth $750.
Annual fee: $400.
Why it's great for booking cruises: The Altitude Reserve earns 3 points per dollar on travel purchases and comes with up to $325 in annual credits for travel purchases. This means you can get $325 back on your cruise booking when you use this card.
For more details, please see our full review of the Altitude Reserve.
Related: Best credit cards with annual travel statement credits
Bottom line
Using the right credit card to book your cruise allows you to rack up some serious rewards on your booking and protect yourself against a wide range of mishaps. Whether you're focused on hitting a valuable sign-up bonus to help fund your next trip or earning bonus points on your onboard co*cktails, you can feel great knowing your card is working hard while you're kicking back at sea.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin
For rates and fees of the American Express Green Card please click here.
For rates and fees of the Platinum Card from American Express please click here.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
