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There are a lot of credit cards out there that are geared strictly toward your favorite airline or hotel brand, but what if your preferred method of travel is cruising? Luckily, there are several credit cards that are suitable for your cruising needs, and that can best help you get more for your spending. Here are a few of the best credit cards for cruises to consider.

The Best Credit Cards for Cruises

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

1. Disney Premier Visa Card

For Disney-loving families, the Disney® Premier Visa® Card is a must-have in your wallet. Not only does this card help if you’re planning a future Disney cruise, but it also is a good pick if you frequent the theme parks or just the Disney Store at your local mall on a regular basis. You can redeem your Rewards Dollars for a statement credit toward airline travel.

The Disney® Premier Visa® Card comes with these Disney perks:

  • 10% off select merchandise purchases at select locations and 10% off at select dining locations most days at the Disneyland® and Walt Disney World® Resorts.
  • Save 10% on select purchases at shopDisney.com

New Disney® Premier Visa® Card cardholders can earn a $300 Statement Credit after they spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Additionally, cardholders can earn 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases made directly at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or ESPNPlus.com. They can also earn 2% in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, and most Disney U.S. locations. They’ll earn 1% on all other card purchases. There are no limits to the number of Rewards Dollars you can earn.

This card has a $49 annual fee.

2. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

If you don’t really have a preferred cruise line and like to shop around for the best cruising deals, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could be a good pick.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits include travel and purchase protection as well as the ability to transfer points to one of Chase’s Ultimate Rewards transfer partners. This is one of the reasons that the Chase Sapphire Preferred is often listed as one of the best travel credit cards.

Plus, when you go to spend your points on a cruise, you can make your points go 25 percent further by booking your cruise through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel booking portal.

3. Norwegian Cruise Lines World Mastercard

The information for the Norwegian Cruise Line® World Mastercard® has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If Norwegian is your cruise line of choice, don’t think twice about adding this credit card to your wallet. The perks of the Norwegian Cruise Line® World Mastercard® include a 10,000-point welcome bonus after you make just one qualifying purchase in the first 90 days of account opening. This is enough for $100 off your next cruise.

Additionally, there is no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, helping to secure this card as one of the best credit cards for cruises. Check out our other favorite best no annual fee travel credit cards if you are looking for a card with more flexibility.

You earn at a rate of 3x points on Norwegian purchases and 1x point on everything else. Therefore, this card isn’t going to be as great for your non-Norwegian-related purchases.

However, you can redeem your points on Norwegian cruises. Use them for things like upgrades, discounts, onboard activities and more. Cardholders also receive access to special deals.

4. Carnival World Mastercard

The information for the Carnival® World Mastercard® has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

You might think that since you don’t often cruise on Carnival, you should pass up the Carnival® World Mastercard®, but there you’d be wrong. The Carnival World Mastercard actually applies to a huge range of cruise lines that are owned by the Carnival name. This includes Costa, Holland America, Cunard, Princess Cruises and Seabourn.

As such, you’ll earn two points for every $1 spent with the above cruise lines and one point on everything else.

There’s a 20,000-point welcome offer after your first purchase. That’s enough to redeem for a $200 statement credit towards your next cruise. There is no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and 10 percent offshore excursions.

5. Princess Cruises Rewards Visa Card

The information for the Princess Cruises Rewards Visa® Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If you really only ever cruise on Princess, maybe the Princess Cruises Rewards Visa® Card is your best bet.

The card also comes with a 10,000 bonus point welcome offer after your first purchase. This also means you can take up to $100 off your next cruise. There are no annual fees and no foreign transaction fees, which can make it great for travel abroad.

Protip: If you do a lot of cruises that travel internationally, consider investing in one of the best credit cards for international travel to use when you are exploring the land.

Cardholders receive 2x points on Princess purchases and 1x points on everything else.

6. Holland America Line Rewards Visa Card

The information for the Holland America Line Rewards Visa® Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Similarly, the Holland America Line Rewards Visa® Card is dedicated just to that cruise line. This is instead of offering earning and spending opportunities for all of Carnival’s brands.

The perks and earning rates are the same. Cardholders receive two points for every $1 spent on Holland America purchases. They earn one point for every $1 spent elsewhere.

Additionally, points can be redeemed toward Holland America cruises. The 5,000-point welcome offer comes after your first purchase, with no spending requirements for that first purchase. This offer is enough to redeem for a $50 onboard credit.

7. Celebrity Cruises Visa Signature Card

The information for the Celebrity Cruises® Visa Signature® Credit Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Celebrity Cruises® Visa Signature® Credit Card comes with its own perks.

You receive 10,000 points after making a transaction within the first 90 days of account opening. Similarly to the other best credit cards for cruises, this is enough for a $100 onboard credit.

Earn MyCruise points at a rate of 2x points per $1 spent on qualifying purchases with Celebrity Cruises and sister brands, Royal Caribbean and Azamara Club Cruises. Cardholders earn 1x points on everything else.

8. The Platinum Card from American Express

Of course, it’s always nice to have a premium travel credit card at your fingertips that can do more for you than just help fund your next cruise. That card should be The Platinum Card® from American Express. In addition to all the great general travel perks, it also gives you cruising benefits through the Amex Travel Cruise Privileges Program.

Plus, the Amex Offers portal frequently publishes deals on select cruises. There is also a number of benefits of the Platinum card from American Express. Again, this card is great for premium travel flexibility. There is a $695 annual fee though (See Rates & Fees).

Summary

Most of the best credit cards for cruises come with benefits specific to that cruise line and sometimes their sister brands. Many of them include credits and discounts for purchases. Choose the card that best works with how you spend or plan to spend on a cruise.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

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