Dreaming of a cruise but worried about the cost? Here's some great news: you can use your hard-earned points and miles to book amazing cruise vacations. While cruises aren't available as direct award bookings like flights or hotels, there are several smart strategies to turn your rewards into significant savings on your next ocean adventure.

Let's dive into everything you need to know about booking cruises with points and miles, from the best redemption methods to maximizing your value.

Travel Portal Bookings: Your Primary Strategy

The most straightforward way to book cruises with points is through credit card travel portals. These portals function like online travel agencies but allow you to pay with points instead of cash.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Portal

The Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal is one of the best options for cruise bookings. Here's what you need to know:

Point Values:

• Base value: 1.0 cent per point (with Freedom cards)
• Enhanced value: 1.25 cents per point (with Chase Sapphire Preferred)
• Premium value: 1.5 cents per point (with Chase Sapphire Reserve)

Cruise Line Partners:Chase's portal typically includes major cruise lines like:

• Royal Caribbean International
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Celebrity Cruises
• Carnival Cruise Line
• Princess Cruises

For a $2,000 cruise, you'd need:

• Chase Freedom Unlimited: 200,000 points (at 1.0¢ value)
• Chase Sapphire Preferred: 160,000 points (at 1.25¢ value)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: 133,333 points (at 1.5¢ value)

Capital One Travel Portal

Capital One's travel portal offers competitive cruise booking options with consistent 1 cent per mile value across all cards.

Key Benefits:

• Fixed 1.0 cent per mile value
• No annual fee required for portal access
• Wide selection of cruise lines
• Price match guarantees

Best Capital One Cards for Cruises:

• Capital One Venture X: Premium benefits with $300 annual travel credit
• Capital One Venture: 2x miles on all purchases
• Capital One VentureOne: No annual fee option

American Express Travel Portal

Amex offers cruise bookings through their travel portal, though options can be more limited than Chase or Capital One.

Point Values:

• Base value: 0.7 cents per point
• Enhanced value: 1.0 cent per point (with Amex Platinum on flights)
• Variable pricing on cruises

Citi Travel Portal

The Citi travel portal provides decent cruise booking options, particularly for ThankYou point holders.

Point Values:

• Base value: 1.0 cent per point
• Enhanced value: 1.25 cents per point (with Citi Premier or Prestige on travel)

Statement Credits and Travel Credits

Another excellent strategy is using your points for statement credits to offset cruise purchases made with cash.

How It Works

1. Book your cruise directly with the cruise line or your preferred travel agent
2. Use a travel rewards credit card for the purchase
3. Redeem points for statement credits to offset the charge
4. Earn bonus points on the original purchase

Best Cards for Statement Credit Strategy

Chase Cards:

• Use Chase Sapphire Reserve for 3x points on travel purchases
• Redeem Ultimate Rewards at 1.5¢ per point through the portal, or 1¢ per point for statement credits

Capital One Cards:

• Capital One Venture X earns 2x miles on all purchases
• Redeem miles at 1¢ each for travel statement credits

Amex Cards:

• Amex Platinum earns 5x points on flights (if booking cruise+flight packages)
• Various statement credit options available

Transfer Partners for Cruise Lines

While most cruise lines don't partner directly with credit card rewards programs, there are a few exceptions worth noting.

Hotel Chain Collaborations

Some hotel chains partner with cruise lines for combination packages that can be worth exploring if you have hotel points to spare. World of Hyatt occasionally offers cruise packages, and Marriott Bonvoy has partnered with cruise lines for special deals.

Maximizing Value Strategies

Compare Portal Prices vs. Direct Booking

Always compare prices between:

1. Credit card travel portals
2. Direct cruise line booking
3. Traditional travel agents
4. Discount cruise websites

Pro Tip: Sometimes cruise lines offer exclusive perks (onboard credits, drink packages, specialty dining) when booking direct that aren't available through portals.

Timing Your Booking

Best Times to Book:

• Wave Season (January-March): Industry-wide sales period
• Last-minute deals (30-90 days before sailing)
• Repositioning cruises (spring and fall)

Stack Your Rewards

1. Book through a portal using points
2. Use a dining card for onboard purchases (Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 3x on dining)
3. Join the cruise line's loyalty program for future perks
4. Book shore excursions with travel-bonus cards

Consider Cruise Line Credit Cards

While not covered in detail here, several cruise lines offer co-branded credit cards that can provide onboard credits, priority boarding, cabin upgrades, and free specialty dining.

Best Credit Cards for Cruise Bookings

The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers the best portal value at 1.5 cents per point, making it ideal for maximum redemption value. The Capital One Venture X provides excellent value with its $300 travel credit plus solid 2x earning rates. For those avoiding annual fees, the Chase Freedom Unlimited gives access to Ultimate Rewards at 1 cent per point through the portal.

Real-World Examples

Example 1: 7-Day Caribbean Cruise

Scenario: Family of 4, interior cabin, $2,400 total cost

Chase Sapphire Reserve Strategy:

• Points needed: 160,000 Ultimate Rewards (at 1.5¢ each)
• Alternative: Book direct, earn 7,200 points (3x travel), redeem 240,000 points for statement credit

Capital One Venture X Strategy:

• Miles needed: 240,000 miles (at 1.0¢ each)
• Plus: $300 annual travel credit can offset additional cruise expenses

Example 2: 10-Day Mediterranean Cruise

Scenario: Couple, balcony cabin, $4,500 total cost

Best Strategy:

1. Book through Chase Ultimate Rewards portal with Sapphire Reserve (300,000 points at 1.5¢)
2. Use remaining points for shore excursions and onboard expenses

Example 3: Last-Minute Alaska Cruise

Scenario: Solo traveler, $1,800 total cost, 60 days before sailing

Strategy:

• Use Capital One Venture X $300 travel credit
• Pay remaining $1,500 with 150,000 miles through portal
• Earn 3,600 miles on the purchase (2x rate)

Advanced Tips and Tricks

Portal Shopping Comparison

Before booking, always check multiple portals for the same cruise, search flexible dates for better values, and consider cabin category upgrades using points versus cash differences.

Onboard Spending Strategy

Plan your onboard spending card strategy by using cards with restaurant bonuses for dining purchases, high-earning cards for general purchases, and travel-bonus categories for shore excursions.

Future Cruise Credits

If you have future cruise credits from cancelled trips, you can combine them with points to maximize value, use credits for base fare and points for taxes and fees, or book higher categories when using credits.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't Ignore Direct Booking Perks

Cruise lines often offer valuable perks when booking directly, including onboard credits ($50-$200+ per cabin), free specialty dining, beverage packages, and priority boarding. Calculate the value of these perks against your point redemption savings.

Don't Book Too Far in Advance

Unlike flights and hotels, cruise prices often drop as sailing dates approach. Consider flexible cancellation policies when using points, price drop protection offered by some portals, and repositioning cruises for exceptional values.

Don't Forget About Taxes and Fees

Portal bookings may not always include government taxes and fees, mandatory gratuities, or port charges. Budget accordingly and confirm what's included in your points redemption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use airline miles to book cruises?

Most airline loyalty programs don't offer cruise redemptions. Your best bet is using transferable points (Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou points, Amex Membership Rewards) through their respective travel portals.

What's the best value for cruise bookings with points?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve typically offers the best value at 1.5 cents per Ultimate Rewards point through their travel portal. However, always compare this to cash prices and direct booking perks.

Can I earn cruise line loyalty points when booking with credit card points?

This depends on the booking method. Portal bookings may not always earn cruise line loyalty points, while direct bookings typically do. Check the terms before booking.

Are cruise deposits refundable when booked with points?

Refund policies vary by portal and cruise line. Many offer flexible cancellation policies, but always read the terms carefully. Some portals offer better cancellation policies than others.

Can I use multiple types of points for one cruise booking?

Generally no - most travel portals require payment with a single type of currency. However, you could use points for the cruise booking and different points/cash for shore excursions, onboard credits, etc.

What about cruise insurance when booking with points?

Travel insurance is especially important for cruise bookings due to their unique nature. Consider credit card travel insurance coverage, separate travel insurance policies, and cruise line insurance options.

Should I book cruise flights separately or as a package?

This depends on your specific situation. Separate bookings offer more flexibility and often better point values, while packages may offer convenience and protection but usually worse point values. Consider award flights booked separately with transfer partners.

Bottom Line

Booking cruises with points and miles requires a bit more strategy than flights or hotels, but the savings can be substantial. The key is comparing values across different portals, considering direct booking perks, and timing your redemptions for maximum value.

Our top recommendations: The Chase Sapphire Reserve for the highest portal value (1.5¢ per point), the Capital One Venture X for the $300 travel credit plus solid earning rates, and the Chase Freedom Unlimited for no annual fee access to Ultimate Rewards.

Remember, the "best" strategy depends on your specific situation, the cruise you want, and your point balances. Don't be afraid to mix and match strategies – use points for the cruise booking, cash for onboard expenses, or vice versa.

The most important thing? Don't let your points sit idle when they could be funding your next ocean adventure. Start planning that cruise vacation – your rewards are waiting to set sail!

Want to maximize your cruise planning? Check out our guides on understanding miles and points values, Chase Ultimate Rewards redemptions, and Capital One transfer partners for more ways to turn your everyday spending into extraordinary travel experiences.