There’s one frequent query we get from TPG readers who’re cruise fanatics: What are the perfect bank cards for reserving cruises?
It might sound logical that one of the simplest ways to earn rewards on cruise bookings is to get a cruise line cobranded credit card. Nevertheless, these playing cards usually don’t provide as robust a price because the best travel credit cards.
For instance, the Royal Caribbean® Visa Signature® Credit Card might sound interesting in the event you often cruise with that line. Nevertheless, you may usually get a lot better worth from basic journey playing cards.
The knowledge 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 supplied by the cardboard issuer.
If you wish to get essentially the most worth out of your cruise purchases, right here’s our information to the perfect bank cards for reserving cruises and why you at all times need to pay in your trip at sea with a bank card.
The most effective bank cards for reserving cruises
When deciding which bank card to make use of for reserving cruises, you’ll need to think about the rewards a card earns on cruises and advantages like journey and procuring protections. You can too reap the benefits of a card’s extra particular perks, like assertion credit for journey and airport lounge entry to get you to and from the port.
With this in thoughts, we advocate these bank cards for reserving a cruise:
The knowledge for the American Specific Inexperienced Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
American Specific Inexperienced
Welcome bonus: Earn 40,000 factors after spending $3,000 in your first six months of card membership, value $800 in keeping with TPG’s January 2026 valuations.
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Annual price: $150
Why it’s nice for reserving cruises: The Amex Inexperienced earns 3 factors per greenback spent on travel purchases, together with cruises. This implies you’ll earn bonus factors on the cruise reserving in addition to any flight or lodge purchases you make to get to and out of your cruise. You’ll additionally get trip delay insurance* that covers as much as $300 per journey (most of two claims per 12-month interval) and purchase protection** for as much as 90 days after you make a purchase order.
*Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.
**Eligibility and profit ranges differ by card. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by Amex Assurance Firm.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Amex Green.
Associated: Who should (and shouldn’t) get the Amex Green card?
American Specific Platinum
Welcome bonus: New cardmembers can discover out their provide and could also be eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 within the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents differ, and also you will not be eligible for a proposal. In accordance with TPG’s January 2026 valuations, this bonus is value as much as $3,500.
Annual price: $895
Why it’s nice for reserving cruises: Bonus factors aren’t the motivation for reserving cruises on the Amex Platinum. As an alternative, you may leverage the Cruise Privileges Program by reserving an eligible crusing of a minimum of 5 nights along with your card by means of amextravel.com or by calling the quantity on the again of your card. While you do that, you might obtain:
- $100 to $300 per cabin onboard credit score
- One distinctive amenity per cabin
Bear in mind, you could ebook an eligible cruise by means of American Express Travel to obtain these advantages, and never each cruise and cabin will provide the identical advantages.
Additionally, the Amex Platinum would not have a bonus class for cruises, so you’ll earn 1 Membership Rewards level per greenback spent on these purchases.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Amex Platinum.
Apply right here: American Express Platinum Card
Financial institution of America Premium Rewards
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 factors after spending $4,000 within the first 90 days of account opening, value $600.
Annual price: $95
Why it’s nice for reserving cruises: The Financial institution of America Premium Rewards bank card earns 2 factors per greenback spent on all journey purchases, together with cruise line purchases, in addition to lodge and airline purchases. You’ll additionally obtain journey protections, together with journey cancellation/delay/interruption insurance coverage.
And in the event you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, you’ll earn an extra 25%-75% rewards bonus on each buy, supplying you with a good better return in your cruise spending.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card.
Apply right here: Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card
Capital One Enterprise Rewards
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. In accordance with TPG’s January 2026 valuations, this provide is valued at as much as $1,388.
Annual price: $95
Why it’s nice for reserving cruises: The Capital One Enterprise Rewards earns 2 miles per greenback spent on most purchases, together with cruise bookings. You may redeem the rewards you earn for a press release credit score to cowl journey bills, together with purchases from cruise traces.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Venture Rewards.
Study extra: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Enterprise X
Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases within the first six months from account opening, value $1,850 in keeping with TPG’s January 2026 valuations.
Annual price: $395
Why it’s nice for reserving cruises: Just like the Enterprise Rewards, the Enterprise X earns 2 miles per greenback spent on most purchases, together with cruises, and comes with a number of journey protections.
What units Enterprise X aside is its skill to make your journey run extra easily with extra perks, comparable to complimentary airport lounge entry, which makes the journey to the airport earlier than your cruise a lot better.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Venture X.
Study extra: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Most well-liked
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 Chase Final Rewards bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, value $1,538 in keeping with TPG’s January 2026 valuations.
Annual price: $95
Why it’s nice for reserving cruises: The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked earns a precious 2 factors per greenback spent on travel purchases, together with cruise bookings made immediately. Should you ebook by means of Chase Journey, you will earn 5 factors per greenback spent.
Plus, in the event you ebook a selected cruise and cabin with Voyages by Chase Journey, you may obtain onboard credit, package deal upgrades, non-public transfers and extra. Eligible cruise traces embrace AmaWaterways, Movie star, Norwegian, Oceania and extra.
What units this card aside is its strong journey protections. While you use it to ebook journey, you’ll get safety in opposition to misplaced or delayed baggage, in addition to journey delays and cancellations.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Welcome bonus: Earn 125,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, value $2,563 in keeping with TPG’s January 2026 valuations.
Annual price: $795
Why it’s nice for reserving cruises: The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8 factors per greenback spent on all bookings by means of Chase Journey, together with cruises booked within the portal. You’ll additionally get a barely higher suite of journey protections than with the Sapphire Most well-liked, plus airport lounge entry.
The Sapphire Reserve additionally unlocks entry to Voyages by Chase Journey, just like the Sapphire Most well-liked.
Maybe the perfect perk on this card, nevertheless, is a $300 annual travel statement credit robotically utilized to journey purchases, that means you may stand up to $300 again in your cruise reserving if you use this card to pay.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Sapphire Reserve.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Backside line
Utilizing the precise bank card to ebook your cruise means that you can earn some critical rewards in your reserving and shield your self in opposition to a variety of mishaps.
Whether or not you’re centered on receiving a precious welcome bonus to assist fund your subsequent journey or incomes bonus factors in your onboard cocktails, you may really feel nice figuring out your card is working exhausting when you’re kicking again at sea.
Associated: How to book a cruise using points and miles
For Capital One merchandise listed on this web page, a number of the advantages could also be supplied by Visa® or Mastercard® and should differ by product. See the respective Information to Advantages for particulars, as phrases and exclusions apply.
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on here.