Best Credit Cards For Cruises In 2026

The best credit cards for booking, paying for, and earning rewards on your next cruise

How it works

  1. I include a range of travel & rewards cards on this page that I find useful in a specific category, but don’t intend to list every potential credit card out there
  2. Compare cards using the filter to find the right benefit or feature for your household spending
  3. Find my category specific recommendations under the filter options on each category page

Ben Schlappig | Last Updated: July 14, 2026

Premium Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Earn 100,000 bonus points
Premium Card
  • 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct
  • 3x points on Dining
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit
Learn More
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the most popular premium travel cards on the market, offering a strong rewards structure with 8x points on Chase Travel℠ bookings, 4x points on direct flight and hotel purchases, and 3x points on dining. The lounge access perks are a standout, with a Priority Pass Select membership, access to Chase Sapphire Lounges, and access to select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges. While the annual fee is steep, the annual travel credit is easy to use and helps justify the cost, and there are hundreds more in additional credits for dining, entertainment, DoorDash, and more. It's best for frequent travelers who value lounge access, can maximize the various credits, and want a strong earning card for travel and dining spending. Chase Sapphire Reserve Review →

Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases

Foreign Transaction Fee: $0
Annual Fee: $795
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Intro Balance Transfer APR: N/A
  • Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Get $3,000 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
  • Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
  • $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
  • Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
  • Get complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV and Apple Music for a minimum of one year when activated by June 22, 2027, a value of $288 annually.
  • Member FDIC
Earn 100000 Chase Ultimate Rewards

Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Flexible Points
Citi Strata Premier Card

Citi Strata Premier® Card

Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after qualifying purchases
Flexible Points
  • Earn 3x Points on Airfare
  • Earn 3x Points on Hotels
  • Earn 3x Points at Restaurants
Apply Now Securely with Citi | Terms Apply.
In my opinion, the Citi Strata Premier® Card offers the most rewarding bonus categories of any mid-range credit card, as the card offers 3x points in multiple categories. I also love Citi ThankYou points, and get huge value by transferring them to airline partners, especially in conjunction with a transfer bonus.

Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.

Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.

Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Foreign Transaction Fee: 0%
Annual Fee: $95
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Intro Balance Transfer APR: N/A
  • Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
  • Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
  • Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
  • Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
  • No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Earn 60,000 ThankYou Points

Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.

Airline

Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card

Limited-time online offer – 80,000 bonus points
Airline
  • 3 points per dollar spent on eligible Alaska Airlines & Hawaiian Airlines purchases
  • Earn a Companion Award
  • Free Checked Bag Benefit
Apply Now Securely with Bank of America | Terms Apply.

The Atmos Summit Card is largely a no-brainer for anyone who flies Alaska or Hawaiian with any frequency, values elite status, or redeems Atmos Rewards points regularly. It offers the strongest rewards structure of any card in the lineup, with 3x points on foreign purchases, dining, and Alaska/Hawaiian purchases, plus the fastest card-based path to elite status. The annual 25,000-point Global Companion Award, issued every year just for holding the card, can nearly justify the annual fee on its own.

It's best for points maximizers and Alaska loyalists who want upgrade priority, lounge access, and the tools to earn and redeem at the highest level.

Atmos Summit Card Review →

Earn unlimited 3 points for every $1 spent on eligible dining, foreign transaction, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases and unlimited 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. Plus, earn a 10% rewards bonus on all points earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.

Foreign Transaction Fee: N/A
Annual Fee: $395
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Intro Balance Transfer APR: N/A
  • Limited-time online offer – 80,000 bonus points.
  • Get 80,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award with this offer. To qualify, spend $4,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
  • Each account anniversary, get a 25,000-point Global Companion Award for a travel companion on the same itinerary, when booking travel using your Atmos™ Rewards points.
  • Additionally, receive a 100,000-point Global Companion Award annually after spending $60,000 or more on purchases each anniversary year.
  • Receive 8 Alaska Lounge passes and 8 Wi-Fi passes every year (2 of each per calendar quarter).
  • Earn unlimited 3 points for every $1 spent on eligible dining, foreign transaction, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases and unlimited 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases. Plus, earn a 10% rewards bonus on all points earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.
  • Get 10,000 status points every year on your account anniversary and earn 1 status point for every $2 spent on purchases.
  • Get a free checked bag and preferred boarding for you and up to 6 guests traveling on the same reservation when you purchase Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines airfare with your card.
  • Receive an airport security statement credit up to $120 every four years in connection with the TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry trusted traveler programs.
  • Receive a $50 voucher for Alaska Airlines flight cancellations or departure delays of 2 hours+.
  • Plus, no foreign transaction fees and a competitive $395 annual fee.
  • This offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Limited-time online offer – 80,000 bonus points.

Get 80,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award with this offer. To qualify, spend $4,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

Cash Back
Citi Double Cash

Citi Double Cash® Card

Earn $200 after qualifying purchases
Cash Back
  • Earn 1% cash back when you make a purchase, earn 1% cash back when you pay for that purchase
Apply Now Securely with Citi | Terms Apply.
The Citi Double Cash has been my go-to card for everyday spending for a while, and I love it. I use the card to earn ThankYou points. The flexibility this card offers in this environment is unrivaled. The no-annual fee card can earn you the equivalent of two cents or two transferrable points for every dollar you spend (after paying the bill). Earning either cash back or travel rewards efficiently is the kind of flexibility consumers should be looking for nowadays, and there’s no other card as well-rounded as this. Furthermore, when you combine the Citi Double Cash with the Citi Strata Premier Card, you’re looking at one of the best card combos with one low annual fee.

1% cash back when you make a purchase

1% cash back when you pay for that purchase

Foreign Transaction Fee: 3%
Annual Fee: $0
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Intro Balance Transfer APR: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
  • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
  • Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
  • If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
  • There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Earn $200 Cash Back

Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

Royal ONE Plus™ Visa Signature® credit card

60,000 bonus points online offer
  • Earn 4x points on eligible Royal Caribbean®, Celebrity Cruises® and Silversea® purchases
  • Earn 2x points on eligible airline, hotel, dining, grocery, gas and EV charging station purchases
  • Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Apply Now Securely with Bank of America | Terms Apply.
For frequent cruisers loyal to the Royal Caribbean family of brands, the Royal ONE Plus™ Visa Signature® offers solid value that easily justifies its $99 annual fee. Between the 4x earning on eligible cruise purchases, 2x on everyday categories like dining and groceries, the annual spending bonus, and perks like priority boarding and a Global Entry credit, the card can easily make sense for Royal Caribbean loyalists. Just remember that points are redeemable toward Royal Caribbean brands, so this card makes the most sense if you're already committed to the cruise line. Others should consider a more flexible rewards card.

Earn 4x points on eligible Royal Caribbean®, Celebrity Cruises® and Silversea® purchases.

Earn 2x points on eligible airline, hotel, dining, grocery, gas and EV charging station purchases.

Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Foreign Transaction Fee: N/A
Annual Fee: $99
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Intro Balance Transfer APR: N/A
  • 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,500 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening, redeemable for $600 in onboard credit or cruise discounts.
  • Earn 4x points on eligible Royal Caribbean®, Celebrity Cruises® and Silversea® purchases.
  • Earn 2x points on eligible airline, hotel, dining, grocery, gas and EV charging station purchases.
  • Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
  • Receive a $200 cruise discount after spending $20,000 on purchases within the prior anniversary year.
  • Embark with priority suite boarding and priority luggage.
  • Redeem your points for cruise discounts or onboard credit to use toward cruise favorites like specialty dining, beverage packages, Wi-Fi, shore excursions and more on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea.
  • Get up to $120 in Global Entry/TSA Precheck® statement credits every 4 years.
  • Enjoy benefits like Visa Signature® Concierge, emergency cash worldwide, common carrier travel accident insurance and more with the Visa Signature card.
  • Low annual fee of $99 and no foreign transaction fees.
  • This offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Earn 60,000 points

60,000 bonus points after spending $2,500 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening, redeemable for $600 in onboard credit or cruise discounts.