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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Reviews
Royal ONE Visa Signature credit card review: A faster path to cruise discounts across Royal Caribbean brands
Erica Silverstein is the managing editor for TPG's cruise team. She’s covered the cruise industry for nearly 20 years and has sailed on more than 60 ships. Her work has appeared on Cruise Critic and in The Washington Post, Fodor’s and Let’s Go travel guides.
May 7, 2026 • 15 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
A new cruise-focused credit card allows fans of three major cruise brands to earn and redeem points across all lines, offering flexibility for cruise-related rewards.
The card provides perks such as priority boarding and an annual cruise discount for high spenders, with rewards redeemable for cruise discounts and onboard credit.
Points are earned at elevated rates for purchases at cruise lines, gas stations, grocery stores and EV charging stations, with no cap on earnings and points that never expire.
While the card is ideal for dedicated cruise enthusiasts, its rewards are limited to cruise-related redemptions and do not connect to cruise loyalty programs.
What to consider
Points cannot be used for taxes, fees or gratuities and are not transferable to airline or hotel programs.
Priority boarding is not available on all sailings and may be redundant for suite guests or top-tier loyalty members.
Existing cruise cardholders will be automatically switched to the new product, but will not receive the introductory bonus.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of cruise-focused cards versus more flexible travel and cash-back cards, including which travelers benefit most from each option.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Earn 3x points on eligible Royal Caribbean®, Celebrity Cruises® and Silversea® purchases.
2x
Earn 2x points on eligible grocery, gas and EV charging station purchases.
1x
Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Intro offer
30,000 bonus points
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
17.74% - 27.74% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
Recommended credit
670-850
Excellent/Good
Fans of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises now have a faster way to earn cruise rewards and the flexibility to redeem points across the three sister cruise brands with the .
While the card does not sync with the loyalty programs of these cruise lines, it does let cruise aficionados earn points on both cruise and everyday purchases with no annual fee. Cardholders receive special perks, such as priority boarding, and can redeem points for cruise discounts and onboard credit.
The Royal ONE Visa Signature can be a good option for devoted Royal Caribbean fans focused on cruise vacation savings, but a more flexible rewards card has the potential to offer greater value.
Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Royal ONE Visa Signature: The basics
Royal Caribbean Group is getting rid of its individually branded credit cards in favor of two new tri-branded cards, including the .
This card is targeted at cruise fans who predominantly book sailings on Royal Caribbean, Silversea and Celebrity Cruises. It offers the flexibility to earn and redeem points across all three cruise lines.
The Royal ONE Visa Signature credit card has no annual fee. Cardholders who spend $1,500 with the card in the first 90 days after account opening will earn a welcome bonus of 30,000 points.
KRISTY TOLLEY/THE POINTS GUY
Cardholders can earn extra points on both cruise and non-cruise purchases. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea purchases, and 2 points per dollar spent on gas, grocery and EV charging purchases. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar spent.
You can redeem points across the three Royal Caribbean Group brands for cruise discounts and onboard credit (money added to your shipboard account to pay for vacation expenses such as specialty dining, beverage packages, Wi-Fi and shore excursions). One point equals one cent, and the minimum redemption is 5,000 points (equal to a $50 discount or credit). Points cannot be used to pay for taxes, fees or gratuities.
Additional perks include a $100 cruise discount, credited to your account on your account opening anniversary, if you spend $10,000 or more with the card in the previous year. Cardholders can also access priority boarding on embarkation day in a special cardholder line (not available on all cruise departures).
This card makes the most sense for frequent cruisers who are loyal to Royal — especially if they spend a lot on board.
Royal ONE Visa Signature pros and cons
Pros
Cons
No annual fee
Rewards limited to cruise-related discounts
Elevated earnings on cruise purchases
No connection with cruise loyalty programs
Bonus categories for everyday spending
No foreign transaction fees
Royal ONE Visa Signature benefits
The benefits are fairly straightforward for Royal Caribbean cruise fans.
No annual fee and welcome bonus
The most obvious perk of the Royal ONE Visa Signature is that you get all the benefits with no annual fee.
The card also offers a 30,000-point welcome bonus, matching the typical welcome bonus on the old Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card (no longer available). While the spending requirement has increased to $1,500 (up from $1,000 on the previous card), new cardholders gain access to the Royal ONE Visa Signature's enhanced earning rates and updated card benefits.
The information for the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bonus earnings on cruise and non-cruise purchases
Compared to the previous Royal Caribbean® Visa Signature® credit card and Celebrity Cruises® Visa Signature® credit card, the Royal ONE Visa Signature offers more ways to earn extra points.
Whereas the previous cards earned 2 points per dollar spent on cruise purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else, the current card offers 3 points per dollar on Royal Caribbean Group purchases and 2 points per dollar on groceries, gas and EV charging. All other purchases continue to earn 1 point per dollar.
The information for the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature and Celebrity Cruises Visa has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Note that you can earn 3 points per dollar when you book a cruise, on pre-cruise purchases through the cruise line (such as shore excursion reservations or drink packages) and onboard expenses. If you book your cruise through a travel agent or another independent seller, you’ll need to make sure the transaction codes as a Royal Caribbean purchase to receive the additional points.
Also, unlike previous cards, there is no limit to the number of points you can earn each year. Points never expire, so you can save up for a big discount on your next cruise.
Flexible redemptions and perks across Royal Caribbean Group brands
Previously, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean offered individual cobranded credit cards, even though you could redeem points across both lines on each card. The new Royal ONE card simplifies things for fans of all three by offering a single credit card that serves Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea.
When you redeem points for Royal ONE Rewards, you can access discounts and onboard credit on any of the three cruise lines. That means you can earn points when booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, but redeem the points for a discount on a Silversea sailing or onboard credit on a Celebrity cruise.
The Celebrity Reflection. CELEBRITY CRUISES
Plus, the additional perks of a $100 anniversary discount (after spending $10,000 annually on the card) and priority boarding (where applicable) apply across the three brands and offer extra value.
Additional benefits
In addition to cruise-related perks, Royal ONE Visa Signature cardholders earn typical Bank of America protections, such as a $0 liability guarantee for fraudulent charges, extended warranty protection and overdraft protection.
Travel protections include a car rental collision damage waiver, basic trip insurance, travel and emergency assistance services, lost luggage reimbursement and Roadside Dispatch.
Cardholders have access to the Visa Signature® Concierge, who can assist with travel and dining reservations, gift and floral delivery and other lifestyle requests. They can also receive special rates on Visa Signature® Luxury Hotel Collection bookings.
The is straightforward when it comes to earning and redeeming points.
You’ll earn points for purchases at the following rates:
3 points per dollar spent on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea purchases
2 points per dollar spent on groceries, gas and EV charging stations
1 point per dollar spent on everything else
Library on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
Cruise loyalists who already hold Royal Caribbean and Celebrity credit cards will have their existing points balances transferred to their new Royal ONE account at the same value.
You can redeem points for discounts on Royal Caribbean brand cruises or onboard credit (which functions as a credit on your onboard account). One point is equivalent to one cent, and the minimum redemption is 5,000 points for $50 in credit or a $50 discount on your cruise purchase.
You can redeem points through the relevant Royal Caribbean Group cruise line’s website or app, or by calling the line’s reservations call center.
You could save up points to cover your entire cruise fare (for example, you’d need 100,000 points to get a $1,000 cruise for free).
But frequent cruisers might find it makes more sense to pay for the cruise fare with their Royal ONE Visa Signature and then use the earned points to pay for shore excursions, onboard credit to buy drinks, spa treatments and souvenirs. That way, they are not sitting on points and can get rewards more quickly.
For example, if you paid $5,000 for a cruise, you would earn 15,000 points, which would equal $150 you could apply to expenses during your cruise.
S.A.L.T. Lab on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
Even on luxury cruise line Silversea, which includes alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, onboard gratuities and Wi-Fi in its base rates, you still need to pay extra for certain dining experiences, premium liquors, spa treatments, shore excursions and boutique purchases. You can redeem points for onboard credit to treat yourself to these extras.
Unlike with airline cards or hotel cards, where credit card earnings can provide a faster path to higher-tier loyalty status, your Royal ONE points earnings will not impact your loyalty status on board.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES
In addition, suite guests and certain top-tier loyalty program members already receive expedited boarding, so that credit card perk is not as valuable for them.
The credit card perks and redemption options are fairly limited, compared to flexible currency cards and even certain airline and hotel cards. You cannot transfer Royal ONE Rewards points to airline or hotel currencies or use them to book other types of travel.
Finally, the fixed value of points at 1 cent each is not as valuable as travelers might get with a more flexible rewards card.
Royal ONE Visa Signature vs. Royal ONE Plus Visa Signature
Royal Caribbean loyalists looking for a more premium card can also consider the .
The Royal ONE Plus offers additional benefits, but also comes with an annual fee of $99.
The premium card offers additional earning opportunities:
4 points per dollar spent on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea purchases
2 points per dollar on groceries, gas and EV charging, and on eligible airline, hotel and dining purchases
1 point per dollar spent on everything else
The anniversary cruise discount is greater: $200 annually after $20,000 annual spend on the card. Perks include priority boarding through the suite entrance (vs. a dedicated Royal ONE line), priority luggage delivery and up to a $120 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck applications every four years.
AquaTheater on the Boardwalk. SIMON BROOKE-WEBB/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
The annual fee is low enough, especially since it will be partially offset by the Known Traveler Program statement credit, that the Royal ONE Plus Visa Signature makes more sense for the dedicated Royal Caribbean cruiser. It has the potential for much greater earnings and the travel perks are better than the standard Royal ONE Visa.
However, cruise travelers who don’t expect to spend $20,000 on the card or who use other cards for hotel and airline purchases might not fully maximize the premium card's benefits. They’ll get more value from the no-annual-fee card.
Is the Royal ONE Visa Signature worth it?
Diehard Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea cruise fans who mainly drive to cruise home ports and don’t book many flights and hotels could get value out of the by consolidating their spending on this card. If your travel expenses only extend to Royal Caribbean Group brand cruises, you’ll benefit from the cruise discounts.
However, if a cruise is just one part of your travel plans, other travel rewards cards can get you better value than 1 cent per point on flight and hotel bookings. You’d be better off paying for cruises with these cards and stretching your points further with redemptions on pre-cruise air and hotel (or non-cruise vacations).
You’ll receive a welcome bonus of 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 with your within 90 days of opening an account. Those points are redeemable for $300 in cruise discounts or onboard credit across the three Royal Caribbean Group brands.
Royal Caribbean fans who currently hold the Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises Visa card will be automatically switched to a Royal ONE Visa Signature. You can expect to receive a new card starting June 2026, and your current card will continue to work until your new card arrives. However, existing cardholders will not be eligible for the welcome bonus.
Other cards to consider if you don’t want aRoyal ONE Visa Signature
Cruise aficionados, even if they’re committed to the Royal Caribbean brands, will likely find better value from their card spending with a flexible rewards card or a cash back card. Here are some alternatives.
(see rates and fees): This card is a good option if you want a variety of elevated earning options (dining, groceries, travel) and redemption options. Points can be transferred into numerous airline and hotel programs or redeemed through the Chase Travel℠ portal. (And, yes, you can book cruises through Chase.) It also offers a higher welcome bonus, though it does have a $95 annual fee. To learn more, check out our full review of the Sapphire Preferred card.
American Express® Classic Green Card (no longer accepting applications): This card earns 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on all travel purchases, so your pre-cruise airfare and hotel, as well as non-cruise vacations, all offer elevated earnings opportunities in addition to your cruise booking. Plus, you have points transfer opportunities not available on the Royal ONE card. For more information, read our full review of the Amex Classic Green.
(see rates and fees): For cruise travelers who’d prefer to earn cash back instead of points, this card offers a flat earning rate and no annual fee. You’ll earn 2% cash back on all purchases, 1% when you buy and an extra 1% when you pay for your purchase, and additional cash back on select travel (sadly, not cruises) booked through Citi Travel. It’s a good way to maximize your non-cruise spending and save the cash back to cover cruise costs. For more information, read our full review of the Citi Double Cash Card.
The information for the American Express Classic Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Royal Caribbean fans might be thrilled that its three brands have now teamed up for a one-card-fits-all option with earning and redeeming options across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea. But compared to other flexible rewards and cash-back cards, the earning and redemption options are limited and the redemption value low.
While diehard cruise aficionados can certainly earn meaningful discounts on their cruise vacations with this card, they will likely get more earning power from a more flexible credit card.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
