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Updated October 2026

Best Cruise Credit Cards
of October 2026

Cruise credit cards unlock onboard credit, cruise-specific rewards, and travel perks. Compare every card by earn rate, onboard value, and real-world annual fee math. Rankings update automatically as offers change.

Updated: 10/7/2026, 4:35:51 AM
Best travel cards →
Onboard credit range
$150–$300
From co-branded welcome offers
Co-branded fee
$0
All 5 lines have no-fee cards
Best earn rate
3×
Norwegian on NCL purchases
Independent. Compensation never changes rankings. No sponsored rankings. Scores calculated by algorithm from verified earn rates. How we score →
Co-branded cruise cards

Earn points redeemable for onboard credit with a specific cruise line — typically 2×–3× on cruise bookings. Best if you sail one line consistently and want loyalty perks like priority boarding and statement credits on fares.

All 5 co-branded cruise cards here carry no annual fee.

General travel cards

Earn flexible points (Amex MR, Chase UR) on cruise bookings and everything else. Better if you sail multiple lines or want rewards that stretch to flights, hotels, and dining — often higher earn rates than co-branded cards.

Compare all travel cards
What to look for
  • Onboard credit — $150–$300 from welcome offers can offset excursions or drinks packages
  • Earn rate — 2×+ on cruise bookings; general travel cards often earn 3× on all travel
  • No foreign txn fee — essential; cruise purchases often process internationally
  • Trip cancellation — large upfront cruise deposits make this coverage especially valuable

How we score cruise cards →

Live Cruise Card Rankings

Cruise credit cards scored by earn rate, welcome offer value, onboard perks, and annual fee math. Rankings are independent — compensation never changes the order.

Search Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, or $0 annual fee. Use the cruise line chips above to filter instantly.
Loaded 6 cards
American Express Green Card®

American Express Green Card®

American ExpressAmerican Express
Score58
Annual fee$150
  • 3X points on travel, including airfare, hotels, tours, campgrounds, car rentals, cruises, vacation rentals, and more
  • 3X points on transit including trains, buses, ferries, subways, and more
  • 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US
  • 1X points on other purchases
Royal ONE Plus™ Visa Signature® Credit Card

Royal ONE Plus™ Visa Signature® Credit Card

Bank of AmericaVisa
Score56
Annual fee$99
  • 4 points per dollar spent on eligible Royal Caribbean®, Celebrity Cruises® and Silversea® purchases
  • 2 points per dollar spent on eligible airline, hotel, dining, grocery, gas and EV charging station purchases
  • 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Royal ONE™ Visa Signature® Credit Card

Royal ONE™ Visa Signature® Credit Card

Bank of AmericaVisa
Score53
Annual fee$0
  • 3 points per dollar spent on eligible Royal Caribbean®, Celebrity Cruises® and Silversea® purchases
  • 2 points per dollar spent on eligible grocery, gas and EV charging station purchases
  • 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Princess® Rewards Visa® Card

Princess® Rewards Visa® Card

BarclaysVisa
Score45
Annual fee$0
  • 2X points on Princess purchases including onboard purchases
  • 1X all other
Norwegian Cruise Line® World Mastercard®

Norwegian Cruise Line® World Mastercard®

Bank of AmericaMastercard
Score45
Annual fee$0
  • 3 WorldPoints® points for every $1 spent on Norwegian purchases
  • 2 WorldPoints® points per $1 spent on eligible air and hotel purchases
  • 1 WorldPoints® point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Carnival® World Mastercard®

Carnival® World Mastercard®

BarclaysMastercard
Score45
Annual fee$0
  • 2X FunPoints on Carnival purchases
  • 1X all other
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Co-Branded Cruise Cards Compared

Every major cruise line has a co-branded card. Earn rates and welcome offers are pulled from our live database — updated as offers change.

Co-branded cruise credit cards compared by issuer, welcome offer, and annual fee — October 2026
Card Welcome Offer Rewards Annual Fee
Norwegian Cruise Line® World Mastercard®
Bank of America		Get 20,000 bonus points after you make $1,000 or more in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening – which can be redeemed for a $200 off your next Norwegian cruise.3 WorldPoints® points for every $1 spent on Norwegian purchases; 2 WorldPoints® points per $1 spent on eligible air and hotel purchases; 1 WorldPoints® point per $1 spent on all other purchases.$0
Carnival® World Mastercard®
Barclays		Earn 20,000 FunPoints® after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days.2X FunPoints on Carnival purchases; 1X all other$0
All co-branded cruise cards use points only redeemable with that cruise line — typically for onboard credit or fare discounts. Norwegian’s 3× earn rate is highest, but the $200 offer requires $1,000 spend vs. Princess’s $500 threshold.

General Travel Cards Worth Considering

These cards don’t tie rewards to one cruise line — points transfer to airlines and hotels or redeem for travel statement credits. Pulled live from our database.

Best flexible cruise card
American Express Green Card®
$150/year
  • 3X points on travel, including airfare, hotels, tours, campgrounds, car rentals, cruises, vacation rentals, and more
  • 3X points on transit including trains, buses, ferries, subways, and more
  • 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US
  • 1X points on other purchases
  • $219 CLEAR® Plus Credit

Welcome offer: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases on your American Express Green Card® within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Apply at issuer →

Best premium cruise card
Royal ONE Plus™ Visa Signature® Credit Card
$99/year
  • 4 points per dollar spent on eligible Royal Caribbean®, Celebrity Cruises® and Silversea® purchases
  • 2 points per dollar spent on eligible airline, hotel, dining, grocery, gas and EV charging station purchases
  • 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
  • $200 cruise discount aſter spending $20,000 on purchases every year priority suite boarding and luggage, plus up to $120 Global Entry/TSA Precheck in statement credits every 4 years

Welcome offer: Limited-time online offer: 60,000 bonus points, redeemable for $600 in onboard credit or cruise discounts, after spending $2.500 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening
Apply at issuer →

Cruise Credit Card FAQ

Co-branded or general travel card — which is better for cruises?

It depends on how you cruise. If you’re loyal to one line and sail at least once a year, a co-branded card makes sense — $150–$300 in onboard credit from the welcome offer easily justifies the $0 annual fee. If you mix lines or want rewards usable beyond cruising, a general travel card with transferable points usually wins on total value.

Is onboard credit worth the annual fee?

For co-branded cruise cards — yes, easily. Every card here has a $0 annual fee, so any onboard credit is pure upside. Welcome offers alone range from $150–$300 in onboard value after a modest spend requirement. Onboard credit typically expires at end of each sailing.

Do cruise cards have foreign transaction fees?

This is critical to check. Many cruise purchases process internationally even when booked through a US website. The general travel cards (Amex Green, Chase Reserve) have no foreign transaction fee. Verify before using co-branded cards onboard — some charge 3% on non-US transactions.

Do cruise credit cards include trip cancellation insurance?

The premium general travel cards (Chase Sapphire Reserve) include trip cancellation and interruption insurance when you pay with the card. Co-branded cruise cards typically do not include robust travel insurance. For cruises — where you’re paying large deposits months in advance — this coverage matters significantly.

Which cards include lounge access for cruise travelers?

Premium travel cards in the $450–$795/year range include Priority Pass or airline lounge access — useful for pre/post-cruise travel days. The Chase Sapphire Reserve provides Priority Pass with 1,300+ lounges worldwide. Co-branded cruise cards do not include lounge access.

Can I carry both a cruise card and a general travel card?

Yes, and it often makes sense. Use a co-branded cruise card for actual cruise bookings and onboard spend to earn line-specific perks. Use a general travel card for flights, hotels, dining, and everything else. Since all co-branded cruise cards here have no annual fee, stacking them costs nothing extra.

Couples Rewards Strategy — maximize household points with two players → Best Travel Credit Cards — flexible points for flights and hotels → Best Airline Credit Cards — miles that transfer to cruise partners → Best Hotel Credit Cards — Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton compared → Rewards Calculator — model your cruise travel spending → Destination Guides — best cards for specific trips → Destination Award Guides — best cruise port redemptions →