Best Travel Credit Cards for a Cruise

PHOTO: Get savvy about using rewards cards for a cruise. (photo via Pixabay/TheDigitalWay)

If there’s one thing people can agree on when it comes to cruising, it’s this: Cruises (and luxury cruises, particularly) can be expensive.

Unless you want to take a quick weekend itinerary, it’s going to set you back. And let’s not forget about all the cruising “extras” such as port fees and taxes, along with on-ship booze and all the fun shoreside excursions you’ll want to plan.

Fortunately, some travel credit cards are flexible enough to work rather well for cruises. And if you start planning and earning early enough, you could pay for the bulk of your cruise with reward points. If you’re interested in scoring huge discounts or potentially cruising for free, check out these cards:

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Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard

The Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard is perfect for cruises because it lets you earn flexible points good for any type of travel. Currently, you’ll earn 50,000 points worth $500 in travel with this card after you sign up and spend $3,000 within three months of account opening.

You’ll also earn 2x points for every dollar you spend, with no categories to keep track or and no limits.

Once you build up enough points, you can book any cruise of your choosing and use said points to erase and/or discount your purchase. Since the signup bonus is worth $500 alone, you’ll get at least $500 off any cruise you decide to book. An $89 annual fee does apply, but it’s waived the first year.

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Capital One Venture Rewards

The Capital One Venture Rewards card makes it easy to rack up points for cruises. This card doles out 2x points for each dollar you spend but also offers a 40K signup bonus after you spend $3,000 in 90 days.

Those 40,000 points are worth $400 toward any cruise of your choosing. This card comes with a $59 annual fee that’s waived the first year.

The Platinum Card from American Express

Cards that earn membership rewards are perfect for people who want to cruise. With the Platinum Card from American Express and other MR-earning cards, you can earn points redeemable for cruising through AmexTravel.com.

The public offer on the Platinum Card currently sits at 60,000 points after you spend $5,000 within three months. This card also comes with a $550 annual fee, which is justified with added perks like lounge access, $200 in Uber credits, an annual $200 airline credit and more. Keep in mind, however, that offers for 100,000 Membership Rewards roll around frequently.

READ MORE: Why Letting Kids Cruise for Free is a Great Idea

Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is currently offering 50,000 points after you spend $4,000 within three months of account opening. While you can use these points for travel through the Chase portal or transfer them to airline and hotel partners, you can also redeem them for cruising.

Since each point is worth .01, the signup bonus alone is worth $500 off any cruise of your choosing. This card does come with a $95 annual fee, but it’s waived the first year.

If your goal is saving money on your next cruise, any one of these cards can help. By earning a huge signup bonus, you can save hundreds of dollars off any cruise you book. These rewards may not be enough to make it free, but any amount you can save will help.