Cruising is experiencing a massive post-pandemic renaissance. With new mega-ships launching every month, itineraries expanding to remote corners of the globe, and onboard experiences rivaling luxury resorts, it’s no wonder that more travelers than ever are looking to book a voyage. But let’s be honest: cruises can be expensive. A seven-night balcony cabin on a premium line like Celebrity or Holland America can easily run $3,000 to $6,000 for two people, and that’s before you factor in flights, hotels, excursions, and gratuities.
Enter the world of travel points and miles. If you’ve been hoarding credit card rewards, airline miles, or hotel points, you might be sitting on a goldmine that can dramatically reduce—or even eliminate—the cost of your next cruise. But here’s the catch: using points for cruises isn’t as straightforward as booking a hotel room or an economy flight. The strategies are different, the value varies wildly, and knowing where to transfer your points can mean the difference between a free cruise and a disappointing redemption.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the best ways to use travel points and miles for cruise discounts in 2025, covering everything from airline mile transfers to hotel point conversions, credit card travel portals, and even some lesser-known tricks that frequent cruisers swear by.
Before diving into the nitty-gritty, it’s important to understand why cruises present a unique challenge in the points and miles world.
Most loyalty programs are designed for straightforward redemptions: you book a flight, you book a hotel, you get a car rental. Cruises, however, are complex products. They include accommodation, meals, entertainment, transportation, and sometimes even drinks and excursions. That complexity means that very few loyalty programs offer direct cruise bookings at a fixed point value. Instead, you’ll often need to get creative.
The three main ways to use points for cruises are:
Let’s explore each of these in detail.
The single biggest expense for many cruisers, especially those who don’t live near a major cruise port, is the flight to the embarkation city. A round-trip flight from the Midwest to Miami or Fort Lauderdale can easily cost $400 to $800 per person during peak season. If you’re flying internationally to catch a Mediterranean or Alaskan cruise, that number can skyrocket to $1,500 or more.
This is where airline miles shine. By transferring credit card points (like Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, or Capital One Miles) to airline partners, you can book award flights that cost you only the taxes and fees. For example, a nonstop flight from New York to Barcelona might cost 35,000 American Express points transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, plus about $80 in taxes. The cash price for that same flight could be $900. That’s a value of over 2 cents per point, which is excellent.
Not all airline programs are created equal when it comes to cruising. Here are a few that stand out in 2025:
Delta SkyMiles: Delta has a huge presence in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Seattle—three of the busiest cruise ports in the United States. However, Delta miles are notoriously difficult to use at high value because the airline uses dynamic pricing. You might find a decent deal to the Caribbean, but don’t expect the same value you’d get from a transfer partner like Virgin Atlantic or Air Canada Aeroplan.
American Airlines AAdvantage: American is strong in Miami, Los Angeles, and New York (JFK). Their award chart is still somewhat predictable for off-peak dates, and they have great partner availability on British Airways and Iberia for transatlantic cruises. A one-way award from New York to London can cost as little as 25,000 miles off-peak.
United Airlines MileagePlus: United is your best bet for cruises departing from the West Coast, especially Seattle, Vancouver, and San Francisco. They also have excellent partner coverage on ANA and Lufthansa for European and Asian itineraries. United’s “Excursionist Perk” allows you to add a free one-way flight within a region when booking a round-trip award, which can be a game-changer for multi-port cruises.
Air France/KLM Flying Blue: This program is a favorite among savvy travelers because of its predictable Promo Rewards. Every month, Flying Blue offers discounted award flights on select routes. For example, you can often book a flight from the U.S. East Coast to Paris or Amsterdam for just 15,000 to 20,000 points one-way. That’s incredible value for a transatlantic flight.
Cruise itineraries often don’t start and end in the same city. For example, you might fly into Rome for a Mediterranean cruise that ends in Barcelona. In that case, booking two one-way award flights is usually better than a round-trip. Most airline programs allow one-way awards at half the round-trip cost, so you can mix and match partners. Use Air France miles for the outbound and United miles for the return, for example.
While you can’t directly book a cruise with hotel points (with a few exceptions), hotel points are incredibly valuable for covering pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel stays. Most cruisers spend at least one night in the embarkation city before boarding, and often another night after disembarking. Those hotel nights can add up quickly, especially in expensive cities like Miami, Vancouver, or Singapore.
World of Hyatt: Hyatt is the gold standard for value in the hotel points world. A Category 1 Hyatt property might cost just 3,500 points per night, while a Category 4 like the Hyatt Centric in Miami Beach goes for 12,000 to 15,000 points. Considering that cash rates in Miami during cruise season can exceed $400 per night, that’s a redemption value of over 3 cents per point. Hyatt also has excellent properties near cruise ports in Fort Lauderdale, Seattle, and Vancouver.
Marriott Bonvoy: Marriott has the largest footprint near cruise ports, with properties ranging from budget-friendly Fairfield Inns to luxury Ritz-Carltons. The challenge is that Marriott’s dynamic pricing means award rates fluctuate wildly. A Courtyard in Port Canaveral might cost 25,000 points one night and 40,000 the next. That said, Marriott often runs promotions like “5th Night Free” on award stays, which can stretch your points further.
Hilton Honors: Hilton is another solid option, especially for cruises in Europe or Asia. Their points are generally worth less (about 0.5 cents each), but they have a huge portfolio. The Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu is a popular choice for cruisers departing from Oahu. Hilton also offers a “Points + Cash” option that can be useful if you’re short on points.
A lesser-known strategy is using hotel points to book “Cruise and Stay” packages. Some hotel programs partner with cruise lines to offer bundled deals. For example, Marriott Bonvoy occasionally offers packages that include a hotel stay plus a cruise booking, often at a discounted point rate. These deals are rare and usually require a significant number of points, but they can be worth investigating if you have a large stash.
If you don’t want to mess with transfer partners or award availability, the simplest way to use points for a cruise is through your credit card’s travel portal. Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Travel, Capital One Travel, and Citi ThankYou all allow you to book cruises directly using points at a fixed value.
You log into the portal, search for cruises just like you would on Expedia or CruiseDirect, and pay with points instead of cash. The value per point varies by card:
So if you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve and want to book a $3,000 cruise, you’d need 200,000 points (since 200,000 x 1.5 cents = $3,000). That’s a lot of points, but it’s straightforward and you can book any cruise available in the portal.
The biggest advantage of the portal is simplicity. You don’t need to worry about award availability, blackout dates, or transfer ratios. You also earn points on the booking itself (usually 5x or 10x depending on your card). The downside is that the value per point is often lower than what you could get by transferring to airline or hotel partners. For example, those 200,000 points could potentially get you $4,000 or more in value if used for first-class flights or luxury hotels.
Another downside is that portal pricing isn’t always the best. You might find the same cruise cheaper on a third-party site or directly through the cruise line. Some credit card portals also have limited inventory, especially for smaller cruise lines or last-minute bookings.
One of the most interesting developments in the points and miles world is the ability to transfer points directly to cruise line loyalty programs. This is still a niche strategy, but it’s growing in popularity.
Royal Caribbean: Royal Caribbean has a partnership with Marriott Bonvoy. You can transfer Marriott points to Royal Caribbean at a rate of 1:1, but the value is questionable. For example, 50,000 Marriott points might get you a $250 onboard credit, which is a terrible value (0.5 cents per point). You’re almost always better off using those Marriott points for a hotel stay.
Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian partners with several hotel programs, including IHG One Rewards and Wyndham Rewards. Again, the conversion rates are poor. 10,000 IHG points might get you $50 in onboard credit, while those same points could get you a free hotel night worth $150 or more.
Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival has a partnership with the Carnival World Mastercard, but there’s no major transfer partner from general travel rewards programs. You’d need to earn Carnival points directly through their co-branded card.
Disney Cruise Line: Disney is notoriously stingy with points. You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards to Disney at a 1:1 ratio, but Disney points are worth about 0.7 cents each when used for cruises. A 7-night Disney cruise might cost 300,000 to 500,000 points, which is a terrible value compared to using those points for flights and hotels separately.
In almost every case, transferring general travel points to a cruise line loyalty program is a bad idea. The conversion rates are poor, and you lose the flexibility that makes points valuable. Stick to using points for flights and hotels, and pay for the cruise itself with cash or a travel portal booking.
The most successful cruise hackers don’t rely on a single method. Instead, they combine multiple strategies to cover every aspect of their trip. Here’s a hypothetical example of how you might use 300,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points for a 7-night Mediterranean cruise:
Step 1: Book the Flight (100,000 points) Transfer 50,000 points to Air France Flying Blue for a one-way flight from New York to Rome (off-peak, using Promo Rewards). Transfer another 50,000 points to United for a one-way flight from Barcelona back to New York. Total cost in points: 100,000. Cash value: approximately $1,200.
Step 2: Book the Pre-Cruise Hotel (30,000 points) Transfer 30,000 points to World of Hyatt for a two-night stay at the Hyatt Centric Rome. Cash value: approximately $600.
Step 3: Book the Post-Cruise Hotel (25,000 points) Transfer 25,000 points to World of Hyatt for a one-night stay at the Hyatt Regency Barcelona. Cash value: approximately $400.
Step 4: Book the Cruise (145,000 points) Use the remaining 145,000 points through the Chase Travel Portal at 1.5 cents each to book the cruise itself. That gives you $2,175 toward the cruise fare. If the cruise costs $3,000, you’ll only need to pay $825 out of pocket.
Total Out-of-Pocket Cost: $825 for a trip that would have cost over $5,000 in cash. That’s a savings of more than 80%.
One area that’s gaining traction in 2025 is using points to book shore excursions and onboard experiences. Several credit card programs now offer “experiences” that can be applied to cruise travel.
American Express Platinum Concierge: Amex Platinum cardholders can use their Membership Rewards points to book private shore excursions through the Amex Travel platform. These are often premium experiences like private cooking classes in Tuscany or helicopter tours in Alaska. The value is usually around 1 cent per point, which isn’t amazing, but the experiences themselves are often exclusive and hard to book otherwise.
Chase Ultimate Rewards Experiences: Chase occasionally offers special events and experiences that can be booked with points. While not specifically cruise-related, you might find pre-cruise dinner reservations or post-cruise spa packages that enhance your trip.
Capital One Premier Collection: Capital One’s premium travel portal includes access to curated experiences at cruise ports. You can book these with miles at a fixed rate, and they often include perks like free cancellation and priority booking.
Using points for cruises isn’t without its risks. Here are some common mistakes to watch out for:
1. Booking Through the Portal Without Comparing Prices Always check the cruise line’s direct website and a third-party aggregator like CruiseDirect before booking through a credit card portal. The portal might have a higher base price, negating the value of your points.
2. Ignoring Taxes and Fees When booking award flights, remember that you’ll still need to pay taxes and fees. These can be substantial, especially for international flights. For example, a British Airways award from the U.S. to London might have $400 in taxes. Factor that into your value calculation.
3. Transferring Points to a Cruise Line As mentioned earlier, this is almost always a bad deal. The only exception might be if you have a small number of points that would otherwise expire, and you want to top off a cruise line account for a small discount. Even then, proceed with caution.
4. Forgetting About Travel Insurance Cruise travel insurance is important, especially if you’re using points for flights and hotels. If your cruise is canceled or delayed, you could lose your points if you don’t have proper coverage. Some credit cards offer trip cancellation insurance when you book with points, but the terms vary. Always read the fine print.
5. Overvaluing Points It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of “free” travel, but remember that points have real value. If you’re getting less than 1.5 cents per point, you’re probably better off saving them for a higher-value redemption later.
As we move further into 2025, the landscape of travel points and cruises is evolving. Several trends are worth watching:
Dynamic Pricing on Award Flights: More airlines are moving away from fixed award charts and toward dynamic pricing. This means that award availability for cruise port cities might become less predictable. The best strategy is to book as far in advance as possible, especially for peak summer and holiday sailings.
Increased Cruise Line Partnerships: We’re seeing more cruise lines partner with hotel and credit card programs. For example, MSC Cruises recently announced a partnership with a major European bank to allow points transfers. These partnerships are still in their infancy, but they could improve over time.
The Rise of “Cruise Points” from Co-Branded Cards: Several cruise lines now offer their own credit cards with sign-up bonuses and earning rates. While these cards are generally not as valuable as general travel cards, they can be useful for frequent cruisers who want to earn points specifically for onboard spending.
Sustainability and Points: Some travel programs are beginning to offer “green” redemption options, such as carbon offset credits or sustainable shore excursions. This is a niche trend, but it aligns with the growing demand for eco-friendly cruising.
Using travel points and miles for cruise discounts requires a bit of planning and flexibility, but the rewards can be substantial. The key is to think holistically about your trip. Don’t just focus on the cruise fare itself—consider the flights, hotels, excursions, and onboard expenses as well. By strategically using different point types for different parts of your journey, you can maximize your savings and enjoy a premium experience for a fraction of the cost.
Start by taking an inventory of your current points and miles across all your accounts. Then, identify your target cruise and work backward. What are the best flights to the embarkation port? Which hotels near the port offer the best point value? Is there a credit card sign-up bonus you could earn to cover the remaining balance?
Remember that flexibility is your friend. If you’re willing to sail during off-peak times, choose less popular embarkation ports, or book a slightly different itinerary, you’ll find much better award availability. And don’t be afraid to mix cash and points. Sometimes paying $200 out of pocket for a cruise that costs 50,000 points is better than using 100,000 points for the same cruise.
The world of cruise travel is vast and exciting, and with the right points strategy, it’s more accessible than ever. Whether you’re dreaming of a Caribbean getaway, an Alaskan adventure, or a grand European voyage, your points can help you get there. Happy sailing, and even happier saving.
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Author: Yangtze Cruise
Link: https://yangtzecruise.github.io/travel-blog/using-travel-points-and-miles-for-cruise-discounts.htm
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