So, you’ve racked up some hard-earned rewards points, and now you want to book a cruise. You may be left wondering, how do I do that? What are my options? When is the best time to book? Are there are any cruise deals?
There are a few options you have to redeem points and book a cruise, and some options may be better than others.
Here is a quick list on how you can redeem points:
Marriott Bonvoy points
One of the bonuses of booking a cruise with Marriott Bonvoy points is that you can pay part of the balance in cash if you don’t have enough points for the cost of the whole cruise.
One thing to keep in mind is that you’ll get a rate of about 0.4 cents per point, which isn’t as great of a deal in comparison to others programs out there, but it may work for you.
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Depending on which Chase credit card you have, you’ll receive a rate of between 1.25 and 1.5 cent per point. This is significantly better than the above mentioned Marriot Bonvoy points.
This means if you’re looking to book a $1,500 cruise, you’ll need to redeem approximately 100,000 with a Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, and 120,000 points with a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
To book a cruise with Chase, you will need to phone the Ultimate Rewards hotline and speak to an agent directly. Before you do so, be sure to gather as much information as possible regarding the cruise you want, including price, itinerary, and cabin options.
The Capital One Venture Rewards
In comparison to the other options listed so far, The Capital One program provides the easiest way for you to redeem points and book a cruise. You won’t need to book directly through a Capital One portal and you can instead contact and book directly through the cruise line.
This makes your options a lot more flexible, and because you can book directly with the cruise line, you’ll can take advantage of any cruise deals they may have at the time.
Use airline miles
Your airline miles can be used on more than just booking flights. You can use your United MileagePlus miles, American Airlines Mile and many more options to book a cruise. While the value per mile isn’t the best, it’s fairly decent in comparison to other options. You can expect to get about 0.8 cents per mile you redeem.
This may be a good option for you if you’re a frequent flyer, but looking to change things up and redeem your points on a cruise.
Pay for the cruise in cash and earn points
Even though the title of this article is “Booking a cruise using your points”, there are cases where that may not be the best option for you. In these cases, it may make sense to simply pay cash for your cruise, and earn valuable points to be put towards your next cruise.
Here are some examples:
- If an amazing cash deal comes up. You always want to maximize your points. If a fantastic deal comes up on a cruise during your ideal travel time, it may be worth simply biting the bullet and paying cash, especially if the fare based on points will cost you more on a point to dollar ratio.
- If you’re traveling with a large group. Booking through point-based portals can sometimes be restricting, and you may not be able to book a time that fits in with everyone’s schedules.
- If you think you may need to make changes. If you book your cruise through rewards programs, the cruise line may not show much flexibility if you need to cancel or change your reservation.
