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| Grab these points! |
| by Gene Sloan, Principal Writer |
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Regular readers of this newsletter know that I almost never write about the best credit cards for travel, even though The Points Guy is considered an expert on the topic. My focus typically is on how to pick the best cruise lines, ships and itineraries.
But something recently happened in the credit card space that is a big enough deal for cruisers that I feel compelled to shout it across the Lido deck: Royal Caribbean, the world’s largest line, launched two new credit cards that, when used smartly, can bring fans of the brand and its two sisters (Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises) serious value.
I’m most excited about the new Royal ONE Plus™ Visa Signature® credit card, in part due to its generous limited-time welcome offer. You can earn 70,000 bonus points after spending just $3,000 in purchases on the card within the first 90 days of account opening — points that can be redeemed for $700 in valuable onboard credit or cruise discounts on any of the three brands.
The card also brings a $200 cruise discount after you spend $20,000 on purchases in the prior anniversary year.
Given that the card has a reasonable $99 annual fee, that sounds like a no-brainer offer to me if you’re a fan of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity or Silversea.
For those who want to avoid an annual fee, the second new card, the Royal ONE™ Visa Signature® credit card, comes with a limited-time welcome offer of 45,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in purchases on the card within the first 90 days of account opening, redeemable for $450 in onboard credit or cruise discounts. It also offers a $100 cruise discount after spending $10,000 on purchases in the prior anniversary year.
That’s an enticing offer for fans of any of the three brands.
In addition to bonus points and cruise discounts, both cards offer priority boarding on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships (a benefit typically reserved for higher-tier cruisers and suite guests). With the Royal One Plus card, you’ll also get priority boarding on Silversea sailings.
Beyond the limited-time welcome bonus, you’ll earn points on the Royal One Plus card at the following rates:- 4 points per dollar on eligible Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea purchases
- 2 points per dollar on eligible groceries, gas, EV charging, airfare, hotels and dining
- 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases
With the Royal One card, you’ll get:- 3 points per dollar on eligible Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea purchases
- 2 points per dollar on eligible groceries, gas and EV charging
- 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases
In short, these are great credit cards for quickly racking up valuable points when you travel, if you’re regularly sailing on the ships of Royal Caribbean or one of its two sister brands.
Learn more: Royal One Visa Signature card
Learn more: Royal One Plus Visa Signature card
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| Photo Credit: GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY. |
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