If you love cruising, you may be surprised to learn that there are a number of ways to save on your travel adventures. Cruise ship rewards programs within cruise lines are one option, and are ideal if you typically use the same cruise line all the time. There are also cruise line oriented rewards credit cards available from a number of issuers. Just like a card that rewards you with airline miles, these cards provide you with credit that can be used toward cruises. Some are specific to a certain company, so you should keep this in mind.
Two loyalty programs currently being offered to help entice customers are the Cruises Inc. Rewards Program and the Cruises One Reward Program. Each of these offers rewards points to customers, but neither requires a credit card. Points are rewarded based on each dollar spent on cruising or merchandise bought while cruising.
If you love cruises, you may find a cruise themed points based rewards credit card a better choice. These cards work like any other point incentive credit card, and you should carefully read the terms of the card before applying. Interest rates on credit cards with rewards points in place are often somewhat higher, so are best used if you will be paying your balance in full monthly.
One of the most versatile options is the SeaMiles card. This Visa card allows you to earn cruise miles that can be applied to a wide variety of cruise lines. If you do not have a preferred line, this might be a good choice for you. SeaMiles also offers a Carnival Cruise specific card. Incentives include bonus SeaMiles and double or even triple SeaMiles for certain cruise related purchases. More information on both these options may be found at seamiles.com.
Other cruise companies also offer affiliated rewards credit card programs. Bank of America has a number of cruise line specific cards, including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Lines. The rewards may allow you to upgrade your stateroom, get on-board credits and more. Applications are available at bankofamerica.com. The Chase-administered Disney Rewards card offers benefits that can be used on Disney cruises. If you favor Princess Cruises, Barclay offers a card available at princessvisa.com.
While the cruise affiliated rewards credit cards all offer excellent cruise benefits, on-line customer support and bill paying and theft protection, you should keep a few critical points in mind. If you carry a credit balance, a higher interest incentive based credit card is often a poor choice for your overall financial well being. If you will not be regularly using your card and paying it off, annual fees and other costs may quickly outweigh the benefits of these credit card offerings.
