Dear Clever Credit,
I’ve just been on my first cruise and I am HOOKED. I’d like to book more so I’ve started looking into credit cards just for cruises. But are they really worth it? Or would I be better off with a more general travel card?
Signed,
Hooked on the Seven Seas
Dear Seven Seas,
You’re not the only one interested in cruising into the summer! According to Bank of America, 34% of Americans are planning to set sail in the next 12 months. And Gen Z is leading that charge with 57%, followed by 44% of millennials and 25% of Gen Xers.
But are actually worth it? Let’s compare a couple to general travel cards to find out.
| Royal ONE Visa | Royal ONE Plus | |||
| Welcome Bonus | 45,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 90 days | 70,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days | 60,000 online bonus points — a $600 value — after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening | Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. |
| Annual Fee | $0 | $99 | $95 | $95 |
| Rewards Rate |
— Three points per $1 spent on eligible Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea purchases — Two points on eligible grocery, gas and EV charging station purchases — One point on all other purchases |
— Four points per $1 spent on eligible Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea purchases — Two points on eligible airline, hotel, dining, grocery, gas and EV charging station purchases — One point on all other purchases |
— Two points per $1 spent on travel and dining purchases — 1.5 points on all other purchases |
— Five points per $1 spent on travel purchased through Chase Travel? — Three points on dining, select streaming services and online groceries — Two points on all other travel purchases — One point on all other purchases |
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As you can see, the Royal ONE Plus is a good option, but a general travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a higher rewards rate at a similar cost. In addition, if you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, you can actually earn an additional bonus on your purchases, depending on your member tier.
Now these are just a couple of other comparable travel cards based on annual fees. General travel cards come with more travel protections and perks — and the higher the annual fee, the more benefits you have. If that’s something you’re interested in, I suggest the or the . Both offer a plethora of travel perks and benefits you just can’t get with another credit card. Narrow down your preferred cruise lines and research if their co-branded cards offer the rewards and protections you need. You’ll most likely get more value from a general travel card, along with more flexibility in your booking and purchase power. Remember, you want a card that rewards you all the time, not to gather dust in your wallet if you only book a few cruises a year.
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