There’s one widespread query we get from TPG readers who’re cruise lovers: What are the most effective bank cards for reserving cruises?
It may appear logical that one of the simplest ways to earn rewards on cruise bookings is to get a cruise line cobranded bank card. Nevertheless, these playing cards usually don’t supply as robust a worth because the greatest journey bank cards.
For instance, the Royal Caribbean® Visa Signature® Credit score Card could sound interesting if you happen to steadily cruise with that line. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to sometimes get a lot better worth from normal 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 most effective bank cards for reserving cruises and why you all the time need to pay in your trip at sea with a bank card.
One of the best bank cards for reserving cruises
When deciding which bank card to make use of for reserving cruises, you’ll need to take into account the rewards a card earns on cruises and advantages like journey and buying protections. You can even make the most 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 Categorical 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 Categorical Inexperienced
Welcome bonus: Earn 40,000 factors after spending $3,000 in your first six months of card membership, value $800 in line 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 journey purchases, together with cruises. This implies you’ll earn bonus factors on the cruise reserving in addition to any flight or resort purchases you make to get to and out of your cruise. You’ll additionally get journey delay insurance coverage* that covers as much as $300 per journey (most of two claims per 12-month interval) and buy safety** for as much as 90 days after you make a purchase order.
*Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Phrases, circumstances 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 range by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by Amex Assurance Firm.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Amex Inexperienced.
Associated: Who ought to (and shouldn’t) get the Amex Inexperienced card?
American Categorical Platinum
Welcome bonus: New cardmembers can discover out their supply 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 provides range, and also you will not be eligible for a proposal. Based on 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 a substitute, you’ll be able to leverage the Cruise Privileges Program by reserving an eligible crusing of at the least 5 nights together with your card by amextravel.com or by calling the quantity on the again of your card. Once you do that, you could possibly obtain:
- $100 to $300 per cabin onboard credit score
- One distinctive amenity per cabin
Keep in mind, you have to ebook an eligible cruise by American Categorical Journey to obtain these advantages, and never each cruise and cabin will supply 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 be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Amex Platinum.
Apply right here: American Categorical 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 resort and airline purchases. You’ll additionally obtain journey protections, together with journey cancellation/delay/interruption insurance coverage.
And if you happen to’re a Financial institution of America Most well-liked Rewards member, you’ll earn a further 25%-75% rewards bonus on each buy, supplying you with a good better return in your cruise spending.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Financial institution of America Premium Rewards bank card.
Apply right here: Financial institution of America Premium Rewards bank 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. Based on TPG’s January 2026 valuations, this supply 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’ll be able to redeem the rewards you earn for an announcement credit score to cowl journey bills, together with purchases from cruise traces.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Enterprise Rewards.
Study extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score 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 line 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 capacity to make your journey run extra easily with extra perks, akin to complimentary airport lounge entry, which makes the journey to the airport earlier than your cruise a lot better.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Enterprise X.
Study extra: Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score 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 line with TPG’s January 2026 valuations.
Annual price: $95
Why it’s nice for reserving cruises: The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked earns a priceless 2 factors per greenback spent on journey purchases, together with cruise bookings made immediately. In case you ebook by Chase Journey, you may earn 5 factors per greenback spent.
Plus, if you happen to ebook a selected cruise and cabin with Voyages by Chase Journey, you’ll be able to obtain onboard credit, package deal upgrades, personal transfers and extra. Eligible cruise traces embrace AmaWaterways, Celeb, Norwegian, Oceania and extra.
What units this card aside is its strong journey protections. Once you use it to ebook journey, you’ll get safety towards misplaced or delayed baggage, in addition to journey delays and cancellations.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Sapphire Most well-liked.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most well-liked 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 line 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 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 most effective perk on this card, nonetheless, is a $300 annual journey assertion credit score mechanically utilized to journey purchases, that means you’ll be able to rise up to $300 again in your cruise reserving once you use this card to pay.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Sapphire Reserve.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Backside line
Utilizing the precise bank card to ebook your cruise permits you to earn some severe rewards in your reserving and shield your self towards a variety of mishaps.
Whether or not you’re centered on receiving a priceless welcome bonus to assist fund your subsequent journey or incomes bonus factors in your onboard cocktails, you’ll be able to really feel nice realizing your card is working onerous whilst you’re kicking again at sea.
Associated: ebook a cruise utilizing factors 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 will range by product. See the respective Information to Advantages for particulars, as phrases and exclusions apply.
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
