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That said, you should steer clear of using airline miles or hotel points for cruises if you want to redeem your rewards for maximum value. Capital One offers more flexibility and a more straightforward redemption process than Amex, Chase and Citi. Unless you transfer your miles to an airline or hotel partner, each mile is worth a flat 1 cent toward travel.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Even better, once you hit Platinum status with MGM, you can book one free cruise annually with either of the sister cruise lines. To book your free cruise, you'll need to contact the MGM Rewards elite reservations department. Gold members and above are eligible for onboard credit on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises, plus a welcome amenity and an entertainment tour. You will need to validate your loyalty status with the cruise line prior to departure to access your perks. If you have status with MGM Rewards, for example, you might have access to cruise perks or even free cruises.
Use points and miles for pre-cruise hotels and flights
You'll also pay for all taxes, fees and service charges (including gratuities). You have one year to take advantage of your free cruise after becoming an Ambassador elite member. Another great perk at the Platinum level is free dinners at some of the top restaurants on Norwegian ships on every voyage of five nights or longer. Platinum members get a free dinner for two at either Cagney's, the line's signature steakhouse, or Le Bistro, its signature French restaurant — which includes a bottle of wine.
Disney Cruise Line: Castaway Club
You'll have to call the Ultimate Rewards booking hotline and talk to someone in the cruise reservations department instead. If you have American Express, Capital One, Chase or Citi points, you might be able to get a redemption value of 1 to 1.5 cents per point for cruises. In this case, you'd get $100 or $150 off your cruise fare by redeeming 10,000 points. While this may seem high, it falls short compared to the value some travelers get when redeeming points for luxury hotels or first-class flights.
However, one cruise line is connected to a hotel loyalty program, so a direct booking will earn you points usable outside the cruise world. Perhaps you're a cruise lover who wants to spend less on travel by using points and miles. Or, maybe you're an avid points collector looking to book your first cruise vacation. Either way, you're likely wondering how to leverage your points stash, credit cards and loyalty status to get the most value from your cruise booking.
At one point, Carnival was forced to halt its operations temporarily to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Revenue took a huge hit, dropping 91% between fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2021. So, while using Marriott Cruises may not be a screaming deal, it’s always good to have lots of ways to earn and use points. The cruise line’s own site and Expedia were both higher by a difference of $108, and Marriott Cruises was in the middle due to the $24.99 processing fee. Let’s look at a 4-night Key West and Bahamas cruise on Celebrity Cruise Line.
On Mexico's Pacific Coast, ports might include Huatulco, offering access to an iguana sanctuary and ecological park, or Puerto Vallarta, where you can enjoy a snorkel trip to Los Arcos de Mismaloya. From the bright lights and youthful energy of modern Tokyo, an itinerary will visit 10 or so Japanese cities. Your ship will also call on Busan, South Korea as required by maritime regulations. The sophisticated capitals of Scandinavia — Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo and Helsinki — plus other coastal cities such as Tallinn, Estonia and Gdansk, Poland, are each compelling in their own right. So, imagine the rush of urban euphoria you'll feel while exploring all of them on a Baltic (or Northern Europe) cruise from May through September.
EXPLORE TRAVEL
Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet. As always, we’ve got you covered here at Upgraded Points — this guide will give you all the tools you need to book your next cruise with points. By using points on this given one-night stay, you're getting 2.5 cents per point. The information for the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature has been collected independently by The Points Guy.
Get thousands of bonus Marriott Bonvoy points when you book a cruise
The Best Ways to Book a Cruise - NerdWallet
The Best Ways to Book a Cruise.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:01:35 GMT [source]
Booking through the partnership’s portal also delivers perks like a $250 shipboard credit, which you can use for things like upgraded dining experiences or gift shop purchases. Even better, these cruises count toward earning World of Hyatt status, which awards the most frequent travelers with extra perks like room upgrades and bonus points on future stays. Even if you only earn 1% or 1 mile per dollar spent on travel purchases, you can still use your cruise fare to earn a welcome bonus.
Virgin Voyages offers point redemptions sporadically throughout the year. The availability of cruises you can book with points pop up and disappear just as quickly. It’s possible to book a Virgin cruise with points if you keep your eyes out. Occasionally, Virgin Voyages, the adult-only cruise line, offers point redemptions through Virgin Red with special promotions.
If you decide you’d rather not use your Marriott Bonvoy points for a cruise, you can still book with Marriott Cruises to earn 3 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 spent. The Pacific Northwest port cities of Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia are the gateways for the majority of Alaska cruises. Inside Passage itineraries are the most popular and cruise lines offer these sailings from May through September. You'll definitely want to get the most bang for your buck in points, miles, status advancement or perks when you pay that bill.
Equally captivating is Stockholm, where a stroll through Old Town (Gamla Stan) will take you back to medieval times. A visit to the one-of-a-kind Vasa Museum offers a fascinating glimpse at a doomed 17th-century wooden warship, and a few hours in the ABBA Museum will have you humming the band's hits for hours afterward. Even if you’ve never cruised with Carnival before, join the club today — the benefits begin today. With the right strategy and timing, booking a Virgin Voyages cruise with points can lead to significant savings, making your sea voyage an even more rewarding experience. The redemptions are typically for one room type and book into a Central Sea Terrace Cabin or The Sea Terrace Cabin, which are not base-level rooms, offering a comfortable setting complete with a balcony and a hammock.
The Viking Explorer Society loyalty program's main perk is a travel credit of up to $200 that you can get every time you book a new Viking ocean, river or expedition cruise within two years of sailing with the line. You can only use a Viking Explorer Society credit to pay for a cruise, not for onboard spending. Once you reach the first tier of the program (Silver), you will be entitled to exactly six perks. Perhaps the most notable is the ability to make advance bookings for onboard cruise activities such as ticket-only character greetings and specialty restaurant dinners up to 90 days before sailings.
Instead of letting those loyalty program balances languish, use it to take your next vacation without spending a fortune. Sailing destinations include Alaska, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and the Mediterranean. If you have an eligible American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points, you can use those points to cover the cost of your cruise through the Pay with Points program. With this program, you can redeem Membership Rewards points at a value of 0.5 to 0.7 cents per point for most travel purchases. However, we value each Membership Rewards point at 2 cents when you maximize the program's transfer partners, so you would be using them at a lower value. Typically, you will be required to make the reservation through the portal provided by your credit card issuer, but some require calling a booking center.
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