Booking your next sea expedition starts with choosing suitable cruise.
The next step is choosing how to pay. And for most people credit cards seem to be the most viable payment option for booking.
That’s why in this guide we look at some of the best credit cards for cruises that you can start using right now.
Sure, there are cruise line-specific credit cards that you can use to book your next sea excursion.
But they aren’t as flexible, which means they don’t have sufficient redemption options, points across different categories, and bonuses.
Flexible credit cards, on the other hand, are the real deal for cruises.
That’s because they offer rewards for usage, which means you can even save on your cruise on the high seas.
With these cards, cruising won’t empty your wallet and you can have your best moment without spending a fortune.
With that said, here are the best credit cards for cruises that you should consider.
4 Best Cruise Credit Cards Reviewed
1. Capital One Venture Cruise Credit Card
With Capital One Venture cruise credit card, you get a one-time 60,000 bonus if you spend $3,000 on travel purchases within three months of opening the account.
You also earn two miles for every dollar you spend. Miles earned don’t have expiry dates, and Capital One Venture doesn’t impose restrictions on how many you can earn.
Capital One Venture Review
Capital One Venture Credit Card has a huge consumer base because it offers rewards on every purchase made,
not to mention you can use it to pay for your travel expenses without any form of restriction.
Spend $3,000 on anything within the first three months of opening the account and earn a bonus of 60,000 miles, which is an equivalent of $600 in travel.
You also earn 2 miles for every dollar you spend on travel purchases and 5 miles for every dollar spent on car and hotel rentals, provided it’s through Capital One Travel.
The Capital One Venture credit card gives you a number of options to redeem your miles. You can:
- Convert miles into gift cards, with the redemption value falling between 1 and 1.25 miles for every cent.
- Book your travel through the Capital One Travel at a cent per mile
- Transfer the miles to airline and hotel programs that accept Capital One Venture
Other benefit of the Capital One Venture cruise credit card include rental car coverage, travel accidental insurance, and extended protection on the eligible items.
You will love Capital One’s reward program because it gives you a number of options to use the miles that you earn. You can:
- Transfer the miles to Capital One airlines and hotel partners
- Use the Capital One Purchase Eraser to book travels in whichever way you want, and then you can redeem the miles for statement credit for partial or full cost.
- Book travel through an issuer’s center and pay with your miles at a flexible rate of a cent per mile
Read: How to be safe on a cruise ship
Pros
- Capital One Venture has a high reward rate
- You get flexible mile redemption options
Cons
- The annual fee might be too high for some people
2. Bank of America Premium Rewards
With Bank of America Premium Rewards, you earn 2 points for every dollar you spend on dining and travel and 1.5 for a dollar spent on everything else.
Spend $3,000 in the first 90 day of opening your CC account and earn 50,000 bonus points, which is an equivalent of $500.
Not only is there no limit to the number of pints you can earn, there’s also no expiry date for your points.
Bank of America Premium Rewards Review
The Bank of America seems to have an extraordinarily broader definition of travel.
Rarely do you get a credit card option that includes additional attractions such as amusement park, carnivals, museums, tolls and bridge fees, taxis, and passenger trains.
With such a vast array of opportunities, you can earn 2X points for every dollar spent on travel.
Although the $95 annual fee can cause a cringe every once in a while, the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card may be an ideal option if you want to save money on a cruise.
After, the annual fee charged is on the lower ends if compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which attracts $550 in annual fee every year.
With additional benefits such as trip delay reimbursement, transport and emergency evacuation coverage, and trip cancellation insurance,
this service clearly gives you more than many of its competitors do.
Additional perquisites for cardholders include access to Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and room upgrade such as Wifi, $25 credit on foods and beverages, and late checkouts.
Because every point you earn is equal to a cent, you can use this credit card either as a travel card or cash back card without worrying about losing value.
Read Also: All-inclusive cruise packages for 2
Pros
- The Bank of America Premium Rewards includes new cardholder offers, which boost the points you can earn and redeem.
- It includes luxury benefits such as access to wife, late checkouts, and access to Wifi
- The guarantee for premium travel protection makes this one of the best credit card offers yet
- You earn unlimited 2X points on travel and dining and unlimited 1.5X for every dollar spent on anything else
Cons
- You can’t transfer points
- You must have excellent credit score to use this CC
3. U.S Bank Altitude Connect
The U.S Bank Altitude Connect is one of the best cruise credit card,
one that earns you 2 points for every dollar you spend on dining and streaming services on a cruise line.
Earn four points for spending at gas stations and on travel and 2 points for purchases made at grocery stores.
You’re eligible for 50,000 bonus points once you spend $3,000 on travel, provided it’s within 4 months of opening the account.
U.S Bank Altitude Connect Review
The 50,000 bonus points offered by the U.S Bank Altitude Connect credit card are an equivalent of $500,
which you can redeem towards cruise travel, cashback, gift cards, or merchandize of your choice.
Unlike other credit cards on this list, the U.S Bank Altitude Connect doesn’t charge an annual transaction fee.
However, it doesn’t give you the option to transfer your point, so it’s impossible to maximize value.
You’re eligible for a $30 annual credit for streaming services such as Spotify, Hulu, and Netflix.
Not to mention you earn $100 in statement credit after every four years as a payment or your TSA pre-check or Global Entry fee.
Read: Can you bring food on a cruise?
Pros
- U.S Bank Altitude Connect cruise credit card has high rewards rate and a number of bonus categories
- There are no foreign transaction fees
- Great new cardholder bonus offers
Cons
- The card has an annual fee of $400, which is quite high compared to the other options on this list
4. Chase Sapphire Preferred
With Chase Sapphire Preferred, you get 60,000 bonus points, provided you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening your account.
Valued at $750 dollars, these points are redeemable via the Chase Ultimate Reward for cruises, airfare, car rentals, and hotels.
Also, you earn bonus points for every dollar you spend on dining, travel, and everyday purchases.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Review
Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best cruise credit cards with an annual fee as low as $95.
In addition to redeeming the points you earn for cruise and air travel, you can also transfer them to loyalty programs such as Hyatt and United Airlines.
The recurring rewards that you earn with this credit card are as follows:
- 5 points for every dollar you spend on travel purchases provided it’s via the Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 2 points per dollar spent on travel but not through the Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3 points for every dollar you spend on dining, 3 points on streaming services, and 3 points on online grocery purchases
- A point for a dollar spent on any other purchase
This credit card also rewards you bonus point for every dollar spent on parking garage fees, charges from rideshare companies such as Lyft, and bus fares.
One of the best things about the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card offers is that they are available for any cardholder regardless of their demography.
What’s more, you earn 10% of the total purchases made in the last 12 months and the card doesn’t incur foreign transaction fees.
Additional benefits of Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card is you get unlimited DoorDash deliveries at $0 fees
for orders above $12 for a period of 12 months provided you have an active Dash Pass or DoorDash subscription.
Pros
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card offers handsome new cardholder bonuses
- Has a number of transfer partners
- The card offers a number of bonus categories
- Includes a primary rental car coverage
Cons
- Some people might find it to be somewhat complicated
- You have to pay an annual fee to use it
- You must have excellent credit score to benefit from the card
There are many credit card options on the market right now, and finding the best one for cruising can be quite challenging.
But hopefully this guide makes it easy for you to find the credit card that you can use.
