{"id":163404,"date":"2024-05-11T15:00:42","date_gmt":"2024-05-11T15:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=163404"},"modified":"2026-01-12T06:40:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T06:40:36","slug":"book-cruise-with-points-miles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"remark\"><em>Eligibility is limited for the Amex Offers discussed in this post. Enrollment is required in the Amex Offers section of your account before redeeming.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>I've written about several <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/hotels\/wyndham-rewards\/cruise-status-match\/\" rel=\"noopener\">opportunities to book casino-comped cruises with a hotel status match<\/a>. However, that isn\u2019t the only way to cruise without breaking the bank.\u00a0 There are, in fact, many ways to use points or miles to book cruises or reduce the cost of a cruise trip.<\/p>\n<p>You may get <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/point-mile-values\" rel=\"noopener\">better point value<\/a> by using your points to book flights or hotel stays, rather than redeeming them to book a cruise. But if your travel goals include reducing the cost of your sailings, here are some ways to use points and miles toward a cruise.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_light_blue no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Page Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Using_Bank_Travel_Portals_To_Book_a_Cruise\">Using Bank Travel Portals To Book a Cruise<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Chase_TravelSM_Portal\">Chase TravelSM Portal<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#American_Express_Travel\">American Express Travel<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Using_Capital_One_Miles_Against_Travel_Spending\">Using Capital One Miles Against Travel Spending<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Using_United_MileagePlus_Miles_To_Book_Cruises\">Using United MileagePlus Miles To Book Cruises<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Use_Marriott_Points\">Use Marriott Points<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#What_About_Co-Branded_Cruise_Line_Credit_Cards\">What About Co-Branded Cruise Line Credit Cards?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Ways_To_Reduce_the_Cost_of_Cruising\">Ways To Reduce the Cost of Cruising<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Credit_card_travel_credits\">Credit card travel credits<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Booking_flights_and_hotels_with_points\">Booking flights and hotels with points<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Check_credit_card_rebate_offers\">Check credit card rebate offers<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2><span id=\"Using_Bank_Travel_Portals_To_Book_a_Cruise\">Using Bank Travel Portals To Book a Cruise<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Most of the banks with transferrable points also have travel portals that allow you to book air travel, hotels, rental cars, and even cruises through them \u2014 including using points as payment. These are some of the options available for booking cruises with flexible points currencies.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Chase_TravelSM_Portal\">Chase Travel<sup>SM<\/sup> Portal<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Booking travel through the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/chase-travel-portal\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Chase Travel Portal<\/a> gives you a set value for your Ultimate Rewards. If you have the <a data-ccid=\"2061159\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/chase-sapphire-preferred\/\">Chase Sapphire Preferred<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card<\/a> or <a data-ccid=\"3006145\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/ink-business-preferred\/\">Ink Business Preferred<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Credit Card<\/a>, your points will be worth up to 1.75 cents in the portal, depending on your specific redemption and Ultimate Rewards card you hold. With the <a data-ccid=\"4048084\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/sapphire-reserve\/\">Chase Sapphire Reserve<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a> or <a data-ccid=\"5048384\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/chase-sapphire-reserve-business\/\">Sapphire Reserve for Business\u2120<\/a>, each point will be worth up to 2 cents per point, again, dependent on the specific redemption booked. All other Freedom-branded and Ink-branded cards with no annual fee let you redeem points for 1 cent apiece in the portal. You can search for your preferred cruise on the portal, but you will only be able to book by calling a travel specialist. \u00a0Chase works with almost every cruise line except, unfortunately, for Disney.  <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_163461\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/626\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-163461 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/VOyages-by-chase-travel.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot from Chase Travel portal showing you Voyages By Chase Travel.\" width=\"750\" height=\"626\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/VOyages-by-chase-travel.png 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/VOyages-by-chase-travel-300x250.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Chase Travel<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>In order to book your cruise:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find the trip you would like on the travel portal, noting the cabin and the dates you want to book.<\/li>\n<li>Call a travel specialist\u00a0at 855-234-2542.<\/li>\n<li>Let them know the number of points you would like to apply to the trip.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"American_Express_Travel\">American Express Travel<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>American Express has a similar portal with a few notable differences. First, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-travel\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Amex Travel Portal<\/a> redemptions tend to net you less than a cent per point in value for anything but flights. AwardWallet members <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/point-mile-values\/Membership+Rewards\" rel=\"noopener\">typically get about 1.99\u00a2<\/a>\u00a0per Amex <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Membership Rewards point<\/a>\u00a0when transferring to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-transfer-partners\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Amex transfer partners<\/a>. Therefore, this isn't a great use of points.<\/p>\n<p>However, Amex does have a very simple search engine and an easy online booking process that allows you to pay in cash, Membership Rewards points, or a combination of both.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_163465\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/214\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-163465 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Amex-Cruise-search.png\" alt=\"Screen shot of the Search feature on Amex Travel Portal\" width=\"750\" height=\"214\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Amex-Cruise-search.png 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Amex-Cruise-search-300x86.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>The Amex Travel Portal allows you to search and book cruises online. Credit: American Express<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Cardholders of the <strong>Centurion<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card from American Express<\/strong>, <a data-ccid=\"4028096\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-business-platinum\/\">The Business Platinum Card<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> from American Express<\/a>, and <a data-ccid=\"4028089\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-platinum\/\">American Express Platinum Card<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a> can also access the Cruise Privileges Program to enjoy additional perks when booking cruises lasting five nights or longer through the travel portal. These include onboard credits and other perks.<\/p>\n<p>To book your cruise with points through the American Express Travel Portal:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Search for your cruise on the portal's user-friendly search engine.<\/li>\n<li>Add passenger information.<\/li>\n<li>On the payment screen, you have the option to use some, all, or none of your Membership Rewards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_163500\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/302\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-163500 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/amex-pay-with-points-option-e1715126402675.png\" alt=\"Screen shot of American Express Travel portal option to pay for a cruise with points\" width=\"750\" height=\"302\" \/><center><em>Credit: American Express<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Numerous cards earn Membership Rewards, including the cards above plus:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Amex EveryDay<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Credit Card<\/li>\n<li><a data-ccid=\"4048174\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-green-card\/\">American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Green Card<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a data-ccid=\"4028085\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-gold-card\/\">American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Gold Card<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a data-ccid=\"4028093\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-business-gold\/\">American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Business Gold Card<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a data-ccid=\"4028098\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/blue-business-plus\/\">The Blue Business<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Plus Credit Card from American Express<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-rewards-cards\/\" rel=\"noopener\">All of the Cards That Earn American Express Membership Rewards Points<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Using_Capital_One_Miles_Against_Travel_Spending\">Using Capital One Miles Against Travel Spending<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Capital One makes using miles for cruises even more simple with the ability to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/redeem-venture-miles-travel-purchases\/\" rel=\"noopener\">redeem miles against recent travel expenses<\/a>. Capital One cards earning miles have the option to use miles as statement credits for purchases coding as travel. Instead of searching for cruises through a bank portal, you can simply book your cruise however it makes the most sense and then use miles to reimburse yourself. Here's how it works:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Make your cruise booking as you normally would and complete the purchase with your Capital One card.<\/li>\n<li>Within 90 days of the purchase, log into your Capital One account and select the option to &#8220;Cover travel purchases.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Click on the travel purchase you want to redeem miles for and then select how many miles you want to redeem. You can use as many or as few miles as you want, and you don't need to have enough miles to cover the entire purchase.\u00a0 If your cruise is $1,000 and you only have 60,000 miles, you can still get a credit for $600 off your purchase price. Capital One miles are worth 1 cent each when used this way.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_132001\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/347\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-132001 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Capital-One-cover-travel-purchases-1024x474.png\" alt=\"Options for redeeming Capital One miles with cover travel purchases selected\" width=\"750\" height=\"347\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Capital-One-cover-travel-purchases-1024x474.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Capital-One-cover-travel-purchases-300x139.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Capital-One-cover-travel-purchases-768x355.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Capital-One-cover-travel-purchases-1536x711.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Capital-One-cover-travel-purchases-2048x948.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Capital One<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>When transferred to travel partners, AwardWallet members typically redeem Capital One miles for 2.04\u00a2 each. Again, this isn't the most valuable use of rewards, but it's a nice option to have.<\/p>\n<p>Cards that earn Capital One miles include those in the Venture family, like <a data-ccid=\"3006151\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/venture-card\/\">Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card<\/a> and <a data-ccid=\"5048345\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/venture-x-business\/\">Capital One Venture X Business<\/a>, plus those in the Spark Miles family, such as <a data-ccid=\"3006149\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/spark-miles\/\">Capital One Spark Miles for Business<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/capital-one-miles-credit-cards\/\" rel=\"noopener\">All of the Cards That Earn Capital One Miles<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Using_United_MileagePlus_Miles_To_Book_Cruises\">Using United MileagePlus Miles To Book Cruises<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you are super-flush with <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">United MileagePlus<\/a> miles and want to use them for a cruise, remember that you aren't going to get a great deal here, value-wise. On average, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/point-mile-values\/United\" rel=\"noopener\">AwardWallet users get 2\u00a2 per mile when redeeming United MileagePlus miles for flights<\/a>.\u00a0 Booking a cruise with United, the value will be closer to 0.7\u00a2 per mile.\u00a0 Here's how to book a cruise with United miles:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Log into your United account and click on the cruise tab to begin your search.<\/li>\n<li>At the top of the cruise search screen, click on &#8220;Book With Miles.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Search for your preferred cruise; pricing options will be displayed in MileagePlus miles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_163590\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/385\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-163590 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/cruise-option-with-United-miles-e1715182674565.png\" alt=\"Booking option for booking a cruise on Celebrity with United MileagePlus miles.\" width=\"750\" height=\"385\" \/><center><em>Credit: United Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h2><span id=\"Use_Marriott_Points\">Use Marriott Points<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You also can redeem <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/hotels\/marriott-bonvoy\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Marriott Bonvoy points<\/a> to book a cruise; there are two options. Option one: You can book through the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cruise-with-points.marriott.com\/promotion\/member-benefits.do\" rel=\"noopener\">Cruise With Points<\/a> site, providing options to book most cruise lines using your Marriott points. When you find the cruise you want, you can book paid cruises online or call the 800 number to book with points.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_163598\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/206\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-163598 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Marriott-cruise-with-points-e1715183647741.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot of Marriott's Book with Points page, showing your options to book with cash or points.\" width=\"750\" height=\"206\" \/><center><em>Credit: Marriott<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Your points will be worth about 0.4 cents when booking a cruise this way.\u00a0 Compare this to the average value of 0.93\u00a2 that AwardWallet users usually get for Marriot points.<\/p>\n<p>Option Two: You can use your Marriott points towards a cruise on the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. You will need to spend a minimum of 180,000 points to unlock $1,000 in savings on the fare. You can further reduce the cost in increments of 180,000 points for $1,000 in additional savings or 90,000 points for $500 more off the cruise fare. In this way, points are worth about 0.5\u00a2 each. This also requires a large stash of Marriott points.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/hotels\/marriott-bonvoy\/how-to-earn-marriott-points\/\" rel=\"noopener\">How To Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points Without Staying at a Hotel<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_163661\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/390\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-163661 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Disney-Cruise-Line.png\" alt=\"Photo of the lido deck of the Disney Wonder cruise ship\" width=\"600\" height=\"390\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Disney-Cruise-Line.png 600w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Disney-Cruise-Line-300x195.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Disney Wonder Credit: Cruise with Points by Marriott<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h2><span id=\"What_About_Co-Branded_Cruise_Line_Credit_Cards\">What About Co-Branded Cruise Line Credit Cards?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Each of the cruise lines offers credit cards that earn rewards you can be apply to voyages. If you are considering getting a cruise line credit card, be aware that the value to be gained from these cards is typically far inferior to other more flexible rewards cards.<\/p>\n<p>These cards tend to offer lesser rewards and a lower rate of return on your spending. They lock you into one type of reward and typically don't have the same travel protections as other travel credit cards. Additionally, they don't help you accrue loyalty with the cruise brand like a hotel card often can.\u00a0 Therefore, even though it may seem counterintuitive, the best cards for travelers wanting to cruise are rarely the cruise lines' co-branded credit cards.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Ways_To_Reduce_the_Cost_of_Cruising\">Ways To Reduce the Cost of Cruising<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Beyond using points to book cruises directly, there are several ways that you can reduce the cost of a cruise trip using points or credit card perks. Some of them include:<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Credit_card_travel_credits\">Credit card travel credits<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Several <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/best-premium-travel-credit-card\/\" rel=\"noopener\">premium credit cards<\/a> give cardholders credits for booking travel with the card:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/sapphire-reserve-travel-credit\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Chase Sapphire Reserve<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> includes a $300 annual travel credit<\/a> that will automatically be applied when you use the card to pay for travel expenses, including cruises.<\/li>\n<li>The <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-prestige-travel-credit\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Citi Prestige<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card offers a $250 annual travel credit<\/a>. This card is no longer open to new applicants, but current cardholders can still take advantage of this benefit to book a cruise.<\/li>\n<li>Those with the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/us-bank-altitude-reserve-card\/\" rel=\"noopener\"> U.S. Bank Altitude\u2122 Reserve Visa Infinite<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card have $325 in annual credits<\/a> that can be applied to travel or dining.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While these cards have steep annual fees, the many benefits they provide members with can make the card worth the hefty price tag.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Booking_flights_and_hotels_with_points\">Booking flights and hotels with points<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As I've mentioned, booking cruises with points can certainly be done but may not be the best in terms of value for your points. In the end, you may decide you'd rather pay cash for your cruise but would still like to mitigate the costs of your trip.\u00a0 In that case, you can save money by using points to book your flights to and from the cruise terminal and your hotel stays before and after the cruise.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/what-flights-can-i-book-with-miles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">What Flights Can I Book With Miles?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Check_credit_card_rebate_offers\">Check credit card rebate offers<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before booking your cruise, check the offers pages for your credit cards.\u00a0 I have frequently seen <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/beginners-guide-to-chase-offers\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Chase Offers<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/beginners-guide-to-amex-offers\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Amex Offers<\/a> for cruise lines.\u00a0 Some, like the one pictured here, give bonus points for using your card.\u00a0 Others will give you a credit, such as &#8220;Spend $500, get $50 back.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_163714\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/101\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-163714 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/amex-offers-cruise.png\" alt=\"A screen shot of an Amex offer for a bonus on a cruise booking.\" width=\"750\" height=\"101\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/amex-offers-cruise.png 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/amex-offers-cruise-300x40.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: American Express<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Note that these offers are targeted, and not everyone will see the same offer. Additionally, you'll need to enroll your card first and then use that same card to complete the payment.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The good news is that you can definitely book a cruise with points and miles, and there are lots of ways to go about it. The bad news is it may not always be a great idea to use your points for cruises.\u00a0 Certainly, I would steer clear of using my airline miles or hotel points for such low-value redemptions; they provide much more value on flights and hotel stays.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, using bank travel portals could be an OK strategy, even if not the most lucrative. You could also use a combination of points, travel credits, and cash \u2014 along with award flights and hotel stays \u2014 to significantly lower the cost of your cruise holiday.\u00a0 If a cruise is your dream vacation, points, miles, and other credit card benefits can help get you there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are many ways to use points or miles to book cruises or reduce the cost of a cruise trip, from travel portals to travel credits and even paying yourself back with points after paying for the cruise. If your travel goals include cruising the seas, here are some ways to use points and miles towards your trip.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":86,"featured_media":101815,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[12067],"tags":[12709,12629],"coauthors":[36466],"class_list":["post-163404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-booking-travel","tag-chase-ultimate-rewards","tag-using-points"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are many ways to use points or miles to book cruises or reduce the cost of a cruise trip. Here are some of the options.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There are many ways to use points or miles to book cruises or reduce the cost of a cruise trip. Here are some of the options.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"AwardWallet Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AwardWallet\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-05-11T15:00:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-12T06:40:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Delta-Cruises-Feature.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"750\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Brie Bash\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@AwardWallet\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@AwardWallet\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Brie Bash\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Brie Bash\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4544b1cd66001ffa94dc0a3387953d51\"},\"headline\":\"How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-11T15:00:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-12T06:40:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/\"},\"wordCount\":1872,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Delta-Cruises-Feature.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Chase Ultimate Rewards\",\"Using Points\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Booking Travel\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/\",\"name\":\"How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Delta-Cruises-Feature.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-11T15:00:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-12T06:40:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"There are many ways to use points or miles to book cruises or reduce the cost of a cruise trip. Here are some of the options.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Delta-Cruises-Feature.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Delta-Cruises-Feature.jpg\",\"width\":750,\"height\":600,\"caption\":\"Credit: Adam Gonzales\/Unsplash\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"AwardWallet\",\"description\":\"Maximize your credit card rewards, airline miles, and hotel points. Choose the best rewards cards, earn more points and miles, get top travel deals!\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"AwardWallet\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/AwardWallet_logo_horizontal.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/AwardWallet_logo_horizontal.png\",\"width\":5000,\"height\":601,\"caption\":\"AwardWallet\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AwardWallet\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/AwardWallet\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4544b1cd66001ffa94dc0a3387953d51\",\"name\":\"Brie Bash\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/59108124ee3749bfb8ed716c24add8d8\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e32c8058b37bc21cbb10019839f28d25998bc2bd81b9347be65288157074fdb?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e32c8058b37bc21cbb10019839f28d25998bc2bd81b9347be65288157074fdb?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Brie Bash\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/brie.bashtravels\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/author\/brie-bash\/\"}]}<\/script>","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles","description":"There are many ways to use points or miles to book cruises or reduce the cost of a cruise trip. Here are some of the options.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles","og_description":"There are many ways to use points or miles to book cruises or reduce the cost of a cruise trip. Here are some of the options.","og_url":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/","og_site_name":"AwardWallet Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AwardWallet\/","article_published_time":"2024-05-11T15:00:42+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-12T06:40:36+00:00","og_image":[{"width":750,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Delta-Cruises-Feature.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Brie Bash","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@AwardWallet","twitter_site":"@AwardWallet","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Brie Bash","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/"},"author":{"name":"Brie Bash","@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4544b1cd66001ffa94dc0a3387953d51"},"headline":"How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles","datePublished":"2024-05-11T15:00:42+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-12T06:40:36+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/"},"wordCount":1872,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Delta-Cruises-Feature.jpg","keywords":["Chase Ultimate Rewards","Using Points"],"articleSection":["Booking Travel"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/","url":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/","name":"How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Delta-Cruises-Feature.jpg","datePublished":"2024-05-11T15:00:42+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-12T06:40:36+00:00","description":"There are many ways to use points or miles to book cruises or reduce the cost of a cruise trip. Here are some of the options.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Delta-Cruises-Feature.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Delta-Cruises-Feature.jpg","width":750,"height":600,"caption":"Credit: Adam Gonzales\/Unsplash"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How To Book a Cruise With Points and Miles"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/","name":"AwardWallet","description":"Maximize your credit card rewards, airline miles, and hotel points. Choose the best rewards cards, earn more points and miles, get top travel deals!","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"AwardWallet","url":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/AwardWallet_logo_horizontal.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/AwardWallet_logo_horizontal.png","width":5000,"height":601,"caption":"AwardWallet"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AwardWallet\/","https:\/\/x.com\/AwardWallet"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4544b1cd66001ffa94dc0a3387953d51","name":"Brie Bash","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/59108124ee3749bfb8ed716c24add8d8","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e32c8058b37bc21cbb10019839f28d25998bc2bd81b9347be65288157074fdb?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e32c8058b37bc21cbb10019839f28d25998bc2bd81b9347be65288157074fdb?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Brie Bash"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/brie.bashtravels"],"url":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/author\/brie-bash\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/86"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=163404"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":243232,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163404\/revisions\/243232"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/101815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=163404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=163404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=163404"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=163404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}