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Whether you're planning your 20th cruise or your first voyage, having a good travel rewards credit card can help you save money on your trip and even elevate your vacation experience.
While many of the top cruise lines have their own credit cards, they come with a lot of limitations. Our picks for the top credit cards for cruises offer flexibility and often even more rewards when you book a trip with your favorite cruise line.
5 Partner Offers
| Our Picks for the Best Credit Cards for Cruises | |
|---|---|
 Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening 5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards; NULL points per dollar on dining; 2 points per dollar on other travel purchases; and 1 point per dollar on everything else Up to $50 in annual statement credits toward hotel stays booked through Chase |
 Chase Sapphire Reserve® | 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening 5 total points per dollar on flights and 10 points per dollar on hotels and rentals when you purchase travel throug Chase Ultimate Rewards (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually); 3 points per dollar on all other travel; 3 points per dollar on dining; and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases Up to $300 in annual travel credits Complimentary airport lounge access with Priority Pass Select Global Entry or TSA Precheck or NEXUS application fee credit every four years |
 Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee credit |
 Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 5 points per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel; and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases Up to $300 in annual credits toward Capital One Travel bookings 10,000-mile anniversary bonus Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee credit |
 The Platinum Card® from American Express | 80,000 points when you spend $8,000 in the first 6 months from account opening 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 in purchases each calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel; and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases Up to $200 in annual airline incidental fee credits on the qualifying airline of your choice Up to $200 in annual statement credits on prepaid qualifying hotels booked through Amex Travel (minimum two-night stay) Up to $200 in Uber Cash credits $189 annual statement credit toward a CLEAR membership Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee credit; terms apply |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a travel rewards powerhouse in spite of its modest $-annualfee annual fee. The card offers an impressive 60,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening—that's worth $750 in travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, which includes cruises.
And since it's recommended to fly in the day before your departure to avoid delays that could cause you to miss the boarding window, you may want to book a hotel the night before at your destination. For this, the card offers up to $50 in annual credits toward hotels booked through the Ultimate Rewards platform. You'll also earn bonus rewards on those purchases.
If you want to book your travel outside of the Chase travel portal, you can transfer your rewards to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs, giving you a lot more flexibility.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
APR
21.49% - 28.49% Variable
Intro APR
Rewards
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®; 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
3x Points on dining, select streaming services and online groceries
2x Points on Other Travel
1x Points on All Other Purchases
Intro Bonus
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Annual Fee
$95
Card Details
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®; 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
If you can stomach a steeper annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® does everything the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can do and more. For example, the card also offers 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening, but those points are worth an impressive $900 on travel booked through Chase, including cruises.
The card also offers $300 in annual statement credits toward travel purchases, which can include purchases related to your cruise vacation.
If you need to fly to get to your departure port, the card can elevate your airport experience with complimentary access to more than 1,300 airport lounges in the Priority Pass Select network after an easy, one-time enrollment. You'll also get an application fee credit toward TSA Precheck, Global Entry or NEXUS every four years, which can speed up the airport security screening and U.S. customs screening processes, respectively.
The card's annual fee is $550, but it also offers a suite of insurance protections, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, emergency evacuation and transportation coverage.
Read full reviewChase Sapphire Reserve®
APR
22.49% - 29.49% Variable
Intro APR
Rewards
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
5x Points on Flights Purchased Through Chase
3x Points on Dining
3x Points on Other Travel
1x Points on All Other Purchases
Intro Bonus
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Annual Fee
$550
Card Details
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
- Member FDIC
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
If you prefer a simpler approach to rewards, consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. This card offers a flat unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, or 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One.
The card also offers 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, which is worth $750 in travel. You can redeem your rewards by using them to book travel, including cruises, through Capital One, or by using your card to book directly with travel providers and requesting a statement credit. You can also transfer them to several airline and hotel loyalty programs if you want more options.
Another perk that can help you save money and improve your trip experience is a Global Entry or TSA Precheck application credit. For all of this, the card's annual fee is a modest $95. See rates and fees.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the souped-up version of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. The card offers the same welcome bonus, but also an outstanding 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through the portal and 2 miles per dollar on everything else. You also get all the same versatile redemption options.
What sets the card apart is its perks. For starters, you'll get up to $300 in annual credits toward reservations booked through Capital One Travel—including cruises—and 10,000 bonus miles every year when you renew your card, which are worth $100. You'll also get an application fee credit toward Global Entry or TSA Precheck, making the airport experience even better.
The card's annual fee is $395, but that's easily covered by the annual travel credit and miles bonus alone. See rates and fees.
Read full review
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Considered the king of premium travel credit cards, The Platinum Card® from American Express is for cruisers who prefer luxury perks over rewards—though its welcome bonus and rewards on flight and hotel reservations are still solid.
At $695, its annual fee is steep. But its impressive array of benefits can more than make up for it. Here are just a few highlights (terms apply):
- Up to $200 in annual airline incidental fee credits on the qualifying airline of your choice
- Up to $200 in annual statement credits on prepaid qualifying hotels booked through Amex Travel (minimum two-night stay)
- Up to $200 in Uber Cash credits (terms apply)
- $189 annual statement credit toward a CLEAR membership
- Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee credit
- Up to $240 in annual credits ($20 per month) toward eligible digital entertainment purchases
- Monthly credit toward a Walmart+ membership
- Up to $300 in annual statement credits at Equinox
- Up to $100 annually in statement credits on Saks Fifth Avenue purchases (up to $50 semi-annually)
You'll also get elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, as well as Avis, Hertz and National Car Rental.
Frequently Asked Questions
Travel statement credits can help you save money on certain travel-related expenses, but the way they work can vary by card. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, for instance, the $300 credit is good for a wide range of travel costs. However, The Platinum Card® from American Express has a $200 annual credit that works only with incidental airline fees (not including the airfare) on qualifying airlines.
Because travel statement credit rules aren't cut and dried, it's important to review the fine print before you apply for a credit card, so you don't end up with a benefit that's less flexible than you anticipated.
It can be worth it to get a credit card with a high annual fee, but only if you travel often enough to take full advantage of the card's benefits.
One way to determine if a premium travel credit card is worth it is to compare the value of the card's benefits—excluding rewards—to the yearly cost of keeping the card. If you're confident that you can get enough value from the perks alone to outpace the cost of the fee, the card can be worth your while.
Many cruise lines offer their own credit cards, which come with benefits like discounts on excursions. However, there are a few reasons why they may not be a great fit for most people, including frequent cruisers:
- Low rewards value: These cards typically offer smaller welcome bonuses, and bonus rewards are often reserved for purchases made with the cruise line. In other words, it'll take much longer to rack up a lot of points with these cards compared to our top choices.
- Inflexible redemption: Some co-branded cruise credit cards only allow you to redeem your rewards for cruise fares, onboard credits and stateroom upgrades. In contrast, the general travel cards we recommend offer a much wider selection of redemption options, allowing you to redeem your points and miles for every aspect of your vacation, even when you're not cruising.
That said, it's important to remember that the right credit card for you depends on your preferences, so take your time to compare a variety of cards to determine the best fit for you.
The Bottom Line
Whether you're cruising or taking another kind of vacation, it's good to have a solid travel rewards credit card in your wallet. If you're having a hard time knowing which card to apply for, consider using Experian CreditMatch™ to get matched with credit card offers based on your credit profile.