Best Credit Cards for Cruises 2024 : All Aboard for Rewards
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Travel purchases, including cruises, made through Chase Ultimate Rewards earn 5 points per $1 (excluding the first $50 in hotel statement credits per year). All remaining travel purchases net 2 points per $1 when booked directly through the carrier or another third-party booking site. Among the cruise credit cards available today, the most rewarding one is The Platinum Card® from American Express®. Not only can users earn high rewards rates on travel, the card also boasts top-of-the-line security, perks for members such as airport lounge access, and a great welcome bonus. The only reliable way to avoid these fees on in-port purchases is to use a card with no foreign transaction fees.
Best Credit Card for Cruises Rewards
The cruise itself is the main point of going on a cruise, but you still might have to consider how you’re getting to different cruise ports. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® makes sense if you want premium travel benefits, such as airport lounge access, that you can use on your way to cruise destinations. You may also be able to save on cruises by taking advantage of Amex Offers — targeted promotions at participating merchants. In the past, we've seen offers to save hundreds of dollars with various cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises. For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
Cruise line credit cards
Similar to the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program, Cruise Privileges provides additional perks such as onboard ship credit. By holding an Amex card, you’ll get access to the Amex Offers program which regularly features discounts or extra points for various cruise lines. The card earns 5 points per dollar on airfare and hotels booked through American Express travel. Though the card comes with a hefty annual fee, its list of benefits is extensive and if you use enough of them, the card might be worth the high-tide price tag.
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
Plus, you can earn 2 points per dollar on all travel spending (not just one cruise line) and 5 points per dollar if you purchase travel through Chase's portal. Plus, you'll earn bonus points on additional spending categories, including dining, streaming services and online grocery purchases. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a superior option for a flat-rate rewards credit card which can help you earn more overall than a tiered rewards program. If you’re consistently seeking one of the highest rewards rates on any type of travel purchase, this is probably your best option, although the extra features cater towards air travel as opposed to cruises.
But the best travel rewards cards can also offer a lot of value for cruise enthusiasts. Many of our favorite travel cards offer the same great rewards rates on cruise purchases as they do on other types of travel expenses. This makes picking the best credit cards for cruises easier and, thanks to so many choices, much harder.
Comparing cruise credit cards to general travel credit cards
Best Time To Book A Cruise In 2024 - Forbes
Best Time To Book A Cruise In 2024.
Posted: Tue, 02 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The information for the Holland America Visa card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The information for the Celebrity Cruises Visa card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The information for the Carnival card has been collected independently by The Points Guy.
Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. 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.
5 Things to Know About the Norwegian World Mastercard - NerdWallet
5 Things to Know About the Norwegian World Mastercard.
Posted: Wed, 02 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
On top of that, you can redeem your points for hotels, flights and even cruises. It’s easy to collect points quickly since you’ll earn at least two points on all eligible purchases. If you book travel through the Capital One Travel portal, you can earn five points per dollar on your flight purchases to get you to your departure port.
Before you apply for a cruise line's credit card, consider which benefits and perks it offers. Then, compare those to TPG's list of the best travel credit cards. It's likely that those cards — though they don't say "cruise" in the name of the card — will actually serve you better. This card’s straightforward rewards program lets you earn 2 Capital One Miles per $1 spent on all purchases, including cruises. Additionally, car rentals and hotels booked through Capital One Travel earn 5x miles per $1 spent. You’ll also be getting one of the better travel rewards cards on the market, which includes airport lounge access, annual travel credits and more.
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card is our overall choice for cruise credit cards because it has a simple rewards rate, a $0 annual fee, and you can redeem your rewards toward cruise trips. Note that certain cash back credit cards could also make sense for cruises. You can typically receive statement credits or deposits into bank accounts with cash back cards, making it easy to use cash back toward travel. Additionally, the Sapphire Preferred has far more perks built into what it offers card members than Royal Caribbean's minimal Visa Signature benefits. If you paid for at least part of the trip with your Sapphire Preferred, this could come in handy during travel disruptions.
Active cruisers in particular will enjoy the ship, which offers water sport equipment and electronic bikes to use in port. Try this out on… Celebrity Beyond, the newest ship from the Readers' Choice Award-winning cruise line, which is sailing around the Mediterranean this summer. It features the cruise line’s first Daniel Boulud restaurant at sea, where you can take advantage of your onboard credit. All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors.
General travel credit cards offer bonuses that are worth much more than this — sometimes providing more than $1,000 in value. Additionally, cruise credit cards usually don't offer travel protections for any problems you encounter during your trip. Smart travelers are learning that by using the right credit card, they can earn free travel including airfare and cruises. With banks offering huge sign up bonuses and some credit cards up to 2% back on all purchases, here are the best credit cards to earn rewards for your cruises.
Another benefit is that you’re not locked into a specific rewards currency. For example, the best redemptions on the Carnival World Mastercard are for Carnival cruises and related purchases. That’s not particularly helpful if you want to use points toward airfare or a hotel stay. The Citi Premier Card makes sense if you want to earn travel rewards (that can be redeemed for cruises) on your travel and everyday purchases. Let’s explore the best cruise credit cards to see which one makes the most sense for you.
Cardholders can also gain peace of mind with up to $2,000 per person in trip cancellation and interruption coverage and up to $500 in trip delay benefits. This card is great for those who want to earn cash-back with U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit, and U.S. gas stations. This card can provide a great way to accumulate Membership Rewards points on eligible travel, transit, and at restaurants. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate.
The card’s flexible Ultimate Rewards points transfer to a bevy of air and hotel loyalty programs, which could be helpful in getting you to your cruise’s point of embarkation. Note that your credit score is often just one of multiple factors that card issuers consider to determine your eligibility. For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here. For the top cruise cards on this list, expect to need a good or excellent credit score (scores of 670 and above) to qualify. On top of that, other factors are taken into consideration, such as income and whether you've recently applied for any other cards.
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