You could have a bank card affiliated along with your favourite airline, and it offers you free checked baggage and additional miles to redeem towards free journey. You could have a card related along with your favourite resort loyalty program, and also you earn free nights and elite night time credit. If you happen to’re additionally an avid cruiser, does it make sense to get the bank card linked to your favourite cruise line within the hope of incomes free cruises and making your far more rapidly by the loyalty program tiers?
We’ll discover the advantages of making use of for a card along with your favourite cruise line and evaluate that to utilizing a extra common journey rewards card. You could be stunned at which kind of card really will get you free cruises extra rapidly.
Associated: A newbie’s information to selecting a cruise line
Do you have to get a cruise line bank card?
Maybe surprisingly, the greatest bank cards for reserving cruises are often not cobranded playing cards.
Earlier than you apply for a cruise line’s bank card, think about which advantages and perks it gives. Then, evaluate these to TPG’s checklist of the greatest journey bank cards. It is probably that these playing cards — although they do not say “cruise” within the identify of the cardboard — will really serve you higher.
Why? As a result of they earn extra helpful rewards, typically at larger charges, which you’ll be able to nonetheless use to pay on your future cruises. Plus, journey bank cards have a tendency to supply protections cruise line bank cards do not, resembling masking the prices related to canceled journeys or flight delays that would trigger you to overlook your cruise.
If you happen to’re chasing high-level elite standing in a cruise line’s loyalty program, know that proudly owning and spending with a cruise bank card is not going to get you to sure tiers extra rapidly. In reality, the 2 points-earning applications are completely separate.
A cruise bank card earns factors based mostly on {dollars} spent that may be redeemed as credit to cowl card purchases. A cruise line’s loyalty program points a separate sort of level, based mostly on days or cruises sailed, that results in standing ranges that provide rising cruise perks, reductions and freebies. Thus, having a cruise line’s bank card may help you earn a free cruise however will not assist you to earn standing with that cruise line.
Associated: A newbie’s information to cruise line loyalty applications
Every day Publication
Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day publication
Be part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists
Particulars on cruise line bank cards
Carnival World Mastercard
Welcome bonus: Earn 30,000 factors after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days, redeemable for $300 onboard credit score.
Annual price: $0
Why we prefer it: The Carnival® World Mastercard® earns FunPoints, which could be redeemed at 1 cent apiece in worth towards Carnival bookings and onboard purchases. The minimal redemption is 5,000 factors, and redemptions can solely be made for purchases made throughout the previous 180 days.
You will earn 2 FunPoints per greenback spent on Carnival and 1 FunPoint per greenback on all different purchases.
For extra particulars, take a look at our full evaluate of the Carnival World Mastercard.
The data for the Carnival World Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Celeb Cruises Visa Signature Credit score Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 30,000 factors after spending a minimum of $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of card membership, redeemable for $300 onboard credit score.
Annual price: $0
Why we prefer it: You will earn MyCruise factors with the Celeb Cruises Visa Signature® Credit score Card, which could be redeemed for onboard credit score, cabin upgrades and cruise bookings on Celeb Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Silversea.
The Celeb Cruises Visa Signature earns 2 factors per greenback on purchases with Celeb Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Silversea and 1 level on all different purchases. Plus, you will not pay international transaction charges on the cardboard when touring overseas.
The data for the Celeb Cruises Visa Signature Credit score Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Disney Premier Visa Card
Welcome bonus: Earn a $300 assertion credit score after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual price: $49 (there may be additionally a no-fee model, beneath a barely totally different identify, with fewer perks and a smaller welcome bonus)
Why we prefer it: Earn Disney Rewards {Dollars} with the Disney® Premier Visa® Card, which can be utilized on Disney Cruise Line towards cruise packages, onboard actions and souvenirs. You may also save on choose Disney island vacation spot packages and experiences throughout your cruise.
You will obtain 5% again as Disney Rewards {Dollars} on purchases made straight at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com; 2% again at gasoline stations, grocery shops, eating places and most U.S. Disney places; and 1% again on all different purchases.
For extra data, take a look at our full evaluate of the Disney Premier Visa.
Apply right here: Disney Premier Visa
Holland America Line Rewards Visa Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 20,000 factors after spending $500 within the first 90 days of card membership, redeemable for $200 onboard credit score.
Annual price: $0
Why we prefer it: The Holland America Line Rewards Visa® Card earns 2 factors per greenback spent with Holland America and 1 level per greenback on all different purchases. You possibly can redeem factors at 1 cent apiece towards onboard credit score, cruises, present playing cards or merchandise from Holland America.
With the Holland America Line Rewards Visa, you may additionally obtain Visa Signature advantages, together with the Visa Signature Concierge service. The cardboard doesn’t cost international transaction charges and gives a set of journey protections, together with journey accident insurance coverage, journey cancellation and interruption protection, baggage delay insurance coverage and an auto rental collision harm waiver.
The data for the Holland America Line Rewards Visa Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Norwegian Cruise Line World Mastercard
Welcome bonus: Earn 20,000 factors after making a minimum of $1,000 in purchases on the cardboard throughout the first 90 days of account opening, redeemable for $200 off a Norwegian cruise or $200 in onboard credit score.
Annual price: $0
Why we prefer it: The Norwegian Cruise Line® World Mastercard® earns WorldPoints that may be redeemed on purchases with the cruise line. You need to use WorldPoints towards cabin upgrades, reductions, unique last-minute bookings, onboard credit, automotive leases, resort stays, money and present playing cards. Redemptions begin at 2,500 WorldPoints.
You will earn 3 factors for each greenback spent on Norwegian Cruise Line purchases, 2 factors per greenback on eligible airline and resort purchases and 1 level per greenback on all different purchases.
The data for the Norwegian Cruise Line World Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Princess Rewards Visa Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 20,000 factors after making $500 in qualifying purchases with the cardboard within the first 90 days of account opening, redeemable for $200 in onboard credit score.
Annual price: $0
Why we prefer it: The Princess® Rewards Visa® Card earns factors that may be redeemed for onboard credit score and facilities, present playing cards, assertion credit towards Princess purchases and eligible airfare purchases, making it a extra versatile card than many different choices on this checklist.
You will earn 2 factors per greenback in your purchases with Princess, together with all onboard purchases, and 1 level per greenback on every thing else.
The Princess Rewards Visa comes with Visa Signature perks, together with Visa Signature Concierge. Journey coverages additionally include the cardboard. These embrace journey accident insurance coverage, journey cancellation and journey interruption protection, baggage delay reimbursement, journey emergency providers and an auto rental collision harm waiver.
You will get free entry to your FICO rating and $0 fraud legal responsibility safety, that means you will not be chargeable for unauthorized prices. You additionally will not be charged international transaction charges.
The data for the Princess Rewards Visa Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit score Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 30,000 factors after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days, redeemable for $300 onboard credit score.
Annual price: $0
Why we prefer it: The Royal Caribbean® Visa Signature® Credit score Card earns MyCruise factors, like the cardboard for its sister model Celeb Cruises. You possibly can redeem MyCruise factors for upgrades, reductions and versatile onboard credit you should utilize in varied methods, resembling eating at specialty eating places, shore excursions, in retailers or on the spa.
You will earn 2 factors per greenback on qualifying purchases with Royal Caribbean, Celeb Cruises and Silversea, and 1 level per greenback on different purchases. The cardboard would not cost international transaction charges and comes with quite a few reductions, gives, journey perks and occasion entry with Visa Signature perks.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit score Card.
The data for the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit score Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Evaluating cruise bank cards to common journey bank cards
Now that you have seen the welcome bonuses, incomes charges, redemption choices and additional perks for the cruise line playing cards, let’s check out how they stack up in opposition to common journey rewards playing cards.
Bank cards from cruise strains are inclined to have a flat redemption fee of 1 cent per level. Thus, it is going to require vital spending in your bank card to earn sufficient factors for a free cruise this manner.
Alternatively, rewards that you may earn from different journey bank cards have larger values, in accordance with our month-to-month level valuations. Paying on your cruise with a common journey bank card might earn extra factors in the long term, together with providing factors which are extra helpful and permit extra choices in the way you redeem your factors. Sure, you should utilize these factors to pay for cruises, however you possibly can additionally redeem them for different components of your upcoming trip.
Furthermore, the welcome bonuses from cruise bank cards aren’t robust. Normal journey bank cards provide bonuses which are price rather more than this — generally offering greater than $1,000 in worth. Moreover, cruise bank cards often do not provide journey protections for any issues you encounter throughout your journey.
Associated: Learn how to decide the precise journey bank card for you
Evaluating a standard journey rewards card to a cruise line bank card
Evaluate the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card to the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit score Card.
Whereas the Royal Caribbean card has no annual price, it earns 2 factors per greenback solely on Royal Caribbean, Celeb Cruises and Silversea spending and 1 level per greenback on every thing else. These factors can solely be used with Royal Caribbean and are price simply 1 cent apiece.
On the flip facet, the Sapphire Most popular has an annual price of $95. The factors it earns, nevertheless, are price 2.05 cents apiece, in accordance with TPG’s December 2024 valuations. Plus, you’ll be able to earn 2 factors per greenback on all journey spending (not only one cruise line) and 5 factors per greenback if you buy journey by the Chase Journey℠ portal. You will additionally earn bonus factors on further spending classes, together with eating (together with eligible takeout and supply providers), streaming providers and on-line grocery purchases.
Royal Caribbean’s welcome bonus is simpler to earn; you get 30,000 factors (price $300) after spending $1,000 in 90 days.
Whereas you must spend $4,000 inside three months to earn the Sapphire Most popular’s welcome bonus, it is a way more beneficiant 60,000 factors (price $1,230, per TPG’s December 2024 valuations).
The Sapphire Most popular can also be the extra versatile card as a result of its factors could be redeemed in quite a lot of methods. Similar to with the Royal Caribbean card, you possibly can use the factors out of your Sapphire Most popular to guide a cruise within the Chase Journey portal, paying along with your factors as in the event that they have been money.
Moreover, you possibly can additionally use your Chase factors to guide resorts or rental vehicles, guide actions from tour operators accessible on the positioning or switch your factors to Chase’s airline and resort companions to guide flights and resort nights.
Whereas the Disney Premier Visa and a few cruise bank cards do help you redeem factors for flights, the spending required to earn sufficient factors for these redemptions will probably be vital since factors are price simply 1 cent every.
Given the weaker welcome bonuses, lack of journey protections and vital spending required to earn a free cruise, cruise line bank cards pale compared to journey rewards bank cards. If you happen to resolve to use for a bank card of any sort, evaluate our information to utility guidelines from every financial institution. These will assist you to perceive the appliance course of and your probabilities of approval.
Associated: Learn how to guide a cruise utilizing factors and miles
Backside line
A cruise bank card is not going to earn you particular standing along with your cruise line, provide you with a ton of journey perks or get you free cruises rapidly. You will probably get extra bang on your buck with a extra common journey card.
In case you are loyal to a specific cruise line and really feel its bank card may add worth because of reductions on shore excursions or different onboard advantages, combining this with one in all our greatest journey bank cards could also be your preferrred answer. Spend simply sufficient on the cruise card to entry the preliminary bonuses after which solely use it to pay for cruise-specific purchases. Use your common journey card for every thing else.
The fact, nevertheless, is that most individuals will probably be higher served by a common journey card. If you happen to ask us in case you ought to get a cruise line bank card, the reply generally will probably be “no.”
Associated: 15 ways in which cruising newbies waste cash on their first cruise
