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CardCurator — Rewards Intelligence
Cruises

Best Credit Card for Cruises

Compare the top credit cards for cruise lines and cruise bookings and find which one earns the most rewards.

Cruise bookings typically code as travel, earning 2–5x on travel cards. Some cards also offer onboard credits or travel insurance that covers trip cancellation for cruise bookings.

Top Pick

Best Pick
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card art
Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant

21x
points per dollar
18.9%
effective return
$650/yr
annual fee

21x on hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy

Before you click out

  • This is the best fit only if you actually spend heavily on cruises.
  • Make sure the $650 annual fee still makes sense for your total spend.
  • If this is your pick, apply now and keep this page open in another tab for reference.
Apply Now Check out this card

More Good Options

  • Capital One Venture X Rewards card art
    Capital One
    Capital One Venture X Rewards
    10x
    pts/dollar
    18.5%
    return

    10x on Hotels (Capital One Travel) (travel portal only)

    Apply Now
  • Citi Strata Elite card art
    Citi ThankYou Points
    Citi Strata Elite
    12x
    pts/dollar
    18.0%
    return

    12x on Hotels (Citi Travel) (travel portal only)

    Apply Now
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve card art
    Chase Ultimate Rewards
    Chase Sapphire Reserve
    8x
    pts/dollar
    16.0%
    return

    8x on Chase Travel (travel portal only)

    Apply Now
  • World Of Hyatt Credit Card card art
    World of Hyatt
    World Of Hyatt Credit Card
    9x
    pts/dollar
    15.3%
    return

    9x on Hyatt hotels and resorts

    Apply Now
Best next move
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant
Best for cruises spending if you want the strongest return without reopening the research loop.
Apply Now Check out this card
Compare these 3 cards side by side

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Quick summary

A short version of the recommendation with the main numbers and fallback option.

For cruise lines and cruise bookings, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is currently our top overall pick at 21x, which works out to about 18.9% back using CardCurator's current point valuations. 21x on hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. At $500/month of spend, the top card is worth about $1134/year before signup bonuses or statement credits. Updated June 13, 2026. Source: https://cardcurator.ai/best-credit-card-for/cruises

View source data
Top card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant
21x · 18.9%
  • Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant: 21x and 18.9% effective return.
  • At $500/month, that's about $1134/year in rewards value before bonuses.
  • No separate no-fee fallback currently ranks near the top.
  • Methodology uses live earn rates, annual fees, and current point valuations.
Methodology Sources

Common Questions

What is the best credit card for Cruises?

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is currently the top pick for cruise lines and cruise bookings, earning 21x points per dollar — an effective 18.9% return.

How many points do you earn on Cruises purchases?

The top-rated card for cruise lines and cruise bookings, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, earns 21x per dollar — an effective return of 18.9%.

Is there a no-annual-fee card that earns rewards on Cruises?

Most high-earn-rate cards for Cruises carry an annual fee. The options above show which fee is worth it at different spending levels.

Is a premium card worth the annual fee for Cruises spending?

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ($650/yr) earns 21x on cruise lines and cruise bookings. If you spend $287/month or more on cruises, the rewards offset the annual fee — before counting travel credits and other perks.

Which card earns the most if I spend $500 per month on Cruises?

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant: $1134/yr, Capital One Venture X Rewards: $1110/yr, Citi Strata Elite: $1080/yr. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant earns the most at $500/month.

Do rotating category cards earn on Cruises?

Some cards — like Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it — occasionally feature cruises as a 5% bonus category for one quarter per year. Year-round, a dedicated cruises card typically outperforms rotating category cards since you can't always count on the bonus.

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