{"id":163404,"date":"2026-07-26T15:07:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T15:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=163404"},"modified":"2026-07-27T11:45:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T11:45:41","slug":"book-cruise-with-points-miles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/cruises\/book-cruise-with-points-miles\/","title":{"rendered":"All the Ways 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\u2019ve written before about snagging <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/hotels\/wyndham-rewards\/cruise-status-match\/\" rel=\"noopener\">casino-comped cruises with hotel status matches<\/a>, but that\u2019s hardly the only way to cruise for less. If a cruise is on your wish list, points and miles can absolutely help cut costs.<\/p>\n<p>Now, to be clear, redeeming points directly for a cruise usually doesn't net the best <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/point-mile-values\" rel=\"noopener\">point value<\/a>. You\u2019ll almost always come out ahead using those same points for flights or hotel stays. But if saving on your cruise vacation is the goal, there are still several smart ways to use rewards to get there.<\/p>\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 banks with <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/types-of-rewards-points\/\" rel=\"noopener\">transferable points<\/a> also have travel portals that allow you to book flights, 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 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Ultimate Rewards<\/a>. Right now, that value is just 1\u00a2 per point \u2014 unless you opened your card before June 23, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>You can search for your preferred cruise through the portal, but you'll only be able to book by calling a travel specialist. Chase 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=\"Chase Travel portal page highlighting Voyages by Chase Travel, plus an image of a woman overlooking a body of water.\" 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.\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_266755\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/486\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-266755 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cruise-itinerary-chase-travel.png\" alt=\"A cruise itinerary from Chase Travel\" width=\"750\" height=\"486\" \/><center><em>A cruise bookable through Chase Travel by Brie Bash\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Remember that when transferred to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/chase-transfer-partners\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Chase transfer partners<\/a>, AwardWallet values Chase Ultimate Rewards at 2.04\u00a2, so keep in mind that you are sacrificing some value to book a cruise with your points.<\/p>\n<p>Because you can also redeem Ultimate Rewards points for cash back at 1 cent each, it could make sense to book your cruise through the Chase Travel portal using your card. This would let you earn bonus points on the purchase. Then you can redeem as many points as you want to help offset the purchase.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"American_Express_Travel\">American Express Travel<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Like Chase, American Express allows you to book cruises through its travel portal, though there are a few notable differences. First, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-travel\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Amex Travel<\/a> redemptions tend to net you less than a cent per point in value for anything but flights. For cruises, this is around 0.7\u00a2 per point. AwardWallet members <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/point-mile-values\/Membership+Rewards\" rel=\"noopener\">typically get about 2.02\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\u2019t a great use of points if you\u2019re aiming for strong value from your rewards.<\/p>\n<p>However, Amex does have a very simple search engine and an easy online booking process that allows you to pay by card, Membership Rewards points, or a combination of both.<\/p>\n<p>Cardholders of the <strong>Centurion<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card from American Express<\/strong>, <a data-ccid=\"4028096\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/TheBusinessPlatinumCardfromAmericanExpressOPEN\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">The Business Platinum Card<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> from American Express<\/a>, and the <a data-ccid=\"4028089\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-ThePlatinumCardfromAmericanExpress\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">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 your 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=\"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 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-rewards-cards\/\" rel=\"noopener\">cards earn Membership Rewards<\/a>, 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=\"\/blog\/link\/AmericanExpressGreenCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Green Card<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a data-ccid=\"4028085\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-AmericanExpressGoldCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Gold Card<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a data-ccid=\"4028093\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/TheBusinessGoldRewardsCardfromAmericanExpressOPEN\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Business Gold Card<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a data-ccid=\"4028098\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/TheBlueBusinessPlusCreditCardfromAmericanExpress\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">The Blue Business<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Plus Credit Card from American Express<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\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 it easy to use miles toward cruises by letting you <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/redeem-venture-miles-travel-purchases\/\" rel=\"noopener\">redeem them against recent travel expenses.<\/a> With eligible Capital One miles-earning cards, you can use miles as statement credits for travel purchases, allowing you to book your cruise however it makes the most sense and then cover the cost with miles. Here\u2019s 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 in to your Capital One account and select &#8220;Cover travel purchases.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Click the travel purchase you want to redeem miles for, then select how many miles you want to apply. You can redeem as many or as few miles as you want, even if you don't have enough to cover the full purchase. For example, 60,000 miles can offset $600 of a $1,000 cruise. Capital One miles are worth 1\u00a2 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 2.07\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:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a data-ccid=\"3006151\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-COV\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a data-ccid=\"3006149\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CapitalOneVentureBusinessCreditCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Capital One Venture Business<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a data-ccid=\"5048345\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CapitalOneVentureXRewardsBusiness\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Capital One Venture X Business<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\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<div class=\"compare-cards-wrap compare-count-cards-3 compare-p-capital-one\"><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/dfed8cb4-d376-4c8b-aed4-1997afa3d66a.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card\" class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. <\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a data-ccid=\"3006151\" data-exit=\"ccw\" class=\"btn-use qs-how-apply\" title='Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card' href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-COV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$95<\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--5\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Excellent, Good<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment <\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per dollar on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img data-aspectratio=\"150\/95\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/CardArt-CapitalOneVentureBusiness.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Capital One Venture Business\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">Capital One Venture Business<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\">Earn 100,000 Miles once you spend $10,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a data-ccid=\"3006149\" data-exit=\"ccw\" class=\"btn-use qs-how-apply\" title='Capital One Venture Business' href=\"\/blog\/link\/CapitalOneVentureBusinessCreditCard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$95<\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--6\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Excellent<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>5X miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked via Capital One Business Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per $1 on other eligible purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img data-aspectratio=\"150\/95\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/CardArt-CapitalOneVentureXRewardsBusiness.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Capital One Venture X Business\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">Capital One Venture X Business<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong> Earn 150,000 Miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a data-ccid=\"5048345\" data-exit=\"ccw\" class=\"btn-use qs-how-apply\" title='Capital One Venture X Business' href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CapitalOneVentureXRewardsBusiness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$395<\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--6\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Excellent<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Business Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment<\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per $1 on flights booked via Capital One Business Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Business Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per $1 on other eligible purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\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 flush with <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">United MileagePlus<\/a> miles, you can use them for a cruise \u2014 just know this isn\u2019t a high-value redemption. On average, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/point-mile-values\/United\" rel=\"noopener\">AwardWallet users get 2.04\u00a2 per mile when redeeming United MileagePlus miles for flights<\/a>. Booking a cruise with United, the value will be closer to 0.7\u00a2 per mile.<\/p>\n<p>Here's how to book a cruise with United miles:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Log in to your United account, click on the booking, and then 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_266941\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/363\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-266941 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/United-Cruise-book-with-miles.png\" alt=\"A five-night cruise with Royal Caribbean bookable with United Miles\" width=\"750\" height=\"363\" \/><center><em>Credit: Brie Bash\/AwardWallet<\/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.<\/p>\n<p>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=\"Marriott's Book with Points page, showing your options to booka cruise 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\u00a2 when booking a cruise this way. Compare this to the average value of 0.93\u00a2 that AwardWallet users usually get for Marriott 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 for $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 major cruise line offers a credit card that earns rewards you can use toward cruises. But if you're considering one like the <a data-ccid=\"261\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/carnival-world-mastercard\/\">Carnival<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> World Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a>, keep in mind these cards typically provide far less value than flexible rewards cards.<\/p>\n<p>These cards tend to offer lower rewards and a lower return on your spending. They also lock you into one rewards program and typically don't have the same travel protections as other travel credit cards. Additionally, they don't help you build loyalty with the cruise brand like a hotel card often can. 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=\"Other_Ways_To_Reduce_the_Cost_of_Cruising\">Other 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 booked through the US Bank Travel Center.<\/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. 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. 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. Some, like the one pictured here, give bonus points for using your card. Others will give you a credit, such as &#8220;Spend $500, get $50 back.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_266947\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/138\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-266947 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/amex-offers-cruise.png\" alt=\"Amex Offer to earn bonus Membership Rewards points for a cruise\" width=\"750\" height=\"138\" \/><center><em>This Amex offer gives you extra points earned per dollar on your booking, while others may provide a rebate on eligible spend. Credit: Brie Bash\/AwardWallet<\/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<p><strong>Related: <\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/cruises\/carnival-fun-match-free-cruise\/\" rel=\"noopener\">How To Use Carnival Fun Match to Score a (Nearly) Free Cruise<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The good news is that you absolutely can book a cruise with points and miles, and there are plenty of ways to do it. The bad news? It\u2019s not always a great use of your rewards. Personally, I\u2019d steer clear of using airline miles or hotel points for these low-value redemptions, since they can usually deliver far more value on flights and hotel stays.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, booking through a bank travel portal can be a reasonable strategy, even if it isn't the most valuable way to redeem your points. You could also combine points, travel credits, and cash \u2014 along with award flights and hotel stays \u2014 to meaningfully reduce the overall cost of your cruise vacation. If a cruise is your dream trip, points, miles, and other credit card perks can absolutely help get you there.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ftoc\"><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=\"#Other_Ways_To_Reduce_the_Cost_of_Cruising\">Other 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<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Booking a cruise with points and miles usually isn&#8217;t the best way to maximize the value of your rewards, but it can significantly reduce your out-of-pocket costs. From bank travel portals and statement credits to airline miles, hotel points, and valuable credit card perks, there are several smart ways to make your next cruise vacation more affordable.<\/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":"default","_google_business_share_type":"default","_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":[],"_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":27,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":271630,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163404\/revisions\/271630"}],"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}]}}