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Redeeming for cruise discounts and onboard credit is straightforward with the NCL credit card with rewards valued at 1 cent per point. You can redeem as few as 5,000 WorldPoints for $50 of onboard credit or 10,000 points for $100 off any cruise ($50 per person). Delta Branded American Express – For the majority of cruisers, airfare is big part of their cruise budget. The Delta Gold American Express will give you and everyone on your ticket a free bag to check ($50 savings per person roundtrip). This is the biggest perk of having this card since it’s nearly impossible to pack for a cruise in just a carry-on.
Amex Blue Business Plus Card — Best for No Annual Fee & Cash-Back
You can use many great websites to book your cruise that offer perks and bonuses like onboard credit or free specialty dining. At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products.
Norwegian Cruise Line® Credit Card Reviews
RewardsCircle with letter I in it.Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Don't forget to factor in the double points for purchases with the cruise line. You'll rack up award points more quickly if you're booking two cruises a year with the same line than if you sail every other year or try out different cruise companies. On the other hand, maybe a free or discounted cruise is such a high priority that the value and flexibility tradeoffs are incidental. Your eye is on the prize, and you're going to charge, charge, charge until you get that free cruise (or other cruise-related award). 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.
Additional Personal Credit Cards for Booking Cruises
This is probably not a card to use for everyday spending because it will take a long time to earn a substantial amount of points. Even if you do take to the sea on a regular basis, other travel cards offer more lucrative sign-up bonuses and point-earning programs that are easier to understand and potentially better fits for everyday spending. Research these options to make sure the Princess Cruises Rewards Visa® Card is seaworthy for you. But the Princess Cruises Rewards Visa® Card has a tiered system of varying statement credit redemption values, which can make it tough to know what exactly your points are worth. When you erase a $50 Princess purchase by redeeming points for statement credit, you get a penny a point.
In fact, guests looking for a cruise in North America and elsewhere will find a full roster of ships and itineraries to choose from. This includes options from budget-friendly operators like Carnival and MSC Cruises, as well as luxury or adults-only cruises with companies like Virgin Voyages and Silversea. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that you’re getting credible and dependable information.
The best credit cards for booking cruises
However, the points you earn on the card can only be redeemed toward Carnival cruises. Once you know what you’re after, you can narrow down your options to choose the right credit card for your vacation. Business owners will also love the protections the card provides like excellent cell phone insurance, rental car insurance, purchase protection, and more. 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.
Flexible redemption options
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. Issued by Bank of America, the NCL credit card has no annual fee and typically requires a good credit score of at least 670 for approval.
However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. Credit cards from cruise lines tend to have a flat redemption rate of 1 cent per point. Thus, it will require significant spending on your credit card to earn enough points for a free cruise this way.
Our top picks of timely offers from our partners
There are both personal and business cards that offer 2% cash-back on purchases, so aim for at least that much cash-back on your next cruise purchase. The Ink Business Preferred card is one of the best business credit cards to book a cruise. Each card’s terms can vary, and many state that gift card purchases don’t count toward welcome bonus minimum spending or bonus points. That said, we’ve used this card to purchase gift cards at U.S. supermarkets and still earned points, so your experience may vary.
Opinions expressed here are entirely those of Condé Nast Traveler's editorial team. That’s basically any card that’s offered by a credit card issuer in partnership with a cruise line, such as the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card or Carnival World Mastercard. Considering all of the costs that go into taking a cruise (cruise fare, airfare, hotels and so on), you’re also probably wondering about travel insurance. Many of the best travel cards offer travel insurance — such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage insurance and emergency travel services. Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear).
It’s common for cruises to visit international destinations, even if you’re departing from the U.S. If you plan on exploring a foreign port, it helps to have a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees on hand. It’s common to book flights and hotel stays along with cruises, and having travel insurance could help make sure all your travel plans stay intact.
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. But the best travel rewards cards can also offer a lot of value for cruise enthusiasts.
Carnival Cruise Line Clarifies the Use of Cash Onboard - Cruise Hive
Carnival Cruise Line Clarifies the Use of Cash Onboard.
Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:59:19 GMT [source]
There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a stellar cash-back credit card for those looking to maximize every purchase they make. If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there. Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™. The reality, however, is that most people will be better served by a general travel card.
On the redemption side of the ledger, you can exchange your points for free or discounted cruises, onboard credit, upgrades, onboard amenities and cruise line merchandise. So, for example, a $100 credit toward onboard purchases can be had for 10,000 points. If those points were earned at the rate of one point per dollar in charges (as they will be in the great majority of cases) that $100 credit would amount to getting a 1 percent rebate on $10,000 in charges. Using certain credit card rewards currencies could give you more flexibility with your redemption options, including if you want to redeem points toward cruises, flights, or hotel stays. But if you want to purchase travel insurance, your best bet is to purchase a plan that comes with “cancel for any reason” coverage.
A cruise line's loyalty program issues a separate type of point, based on days or cruises sailed, that leads to status levels that offer increasing cruise perks, discounts and freebies. Thus, having a cruise line's credit card can help you earn a free cruise but won't help you earn status with that cruise line. Bank of America® has one of the broadest definitions of "travel" of any credit card issuer. Use your Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card to pay for the cruise, airfare, parking fees and some ship excursions, and you’ll earn at least 2X rewards on the purchases. Points can be redeemed for a credit on your statement, gift cards, a deposit into a Bank of America® or Merrill account (checking, savings or 529 plan) or travel booked through the Bank of America® Travel Center. The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card makes sense if you want to use one credit card to earn rewards on all your eligible purchases.
Here are NerdWallet's best cards for cruises, why we like them and why many co-branded cruise credit cards may not be your best bet. Capital One also offers the ability to redeem miles in exchange for cruise line gift cards with companies like Carnival or Royal Caribbean. The card has travel accident insurance protections, too, which adds value when using the card to pay for travel. Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives.
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