Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit Card
Get 10,000 MyCruise® bonus points after making a qualifying transaction in the first 90 days of account opening, worth $100 in onboard credit.
| $0 | |
| Rewards Earning Rate | 2 MyCruise points for every $1 spent on qualifying purchases with Celebrity Cruises® and our sister brands, Royal Caribbean® and Azamara®.1 MyCruise point per $1 on all other purchases. |
| Balance Transfer Fee | Either $10 or 3% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater. |
| Foreign transaction fee |
The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit Card is not one of out top-rated rewards credit cards to review our list of best rewards credit cards for what we feel are better options.
Get A Free Cruise With Royal Caribbean’s Credit Card
Royal Caribbean offers its own branded Visa Signature credit card, where you can earn points towards free cruises .
Like all company-specific cred it cards, the rate at which you earn points is worse than general travel rewards credit cards, and you are of course limited to just Royal Caribbean cruises.
If your mission is to only earn free cruises on Royal Caribbean with credit card points, this is the simplest method of doing so. However, you will get more bang for your buck with other rewards cards.
Read more: Is the Royal Caribbean credit card worth it?
Things To Know About The Royal Caribbean Credit Card
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The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® card is aimed at people who enjoy taking cruises frequently with Royal Caribbean International or its sister brand, Celebrity Cruises.
The $0-annual-fee card, issued by Bank of America®, earns decent rewards on Royal Caribbean purchases and features bonuses for new cardholders. However, limited redemption options and lack of lucrative benefits make the card of little value for even the most loyal Caribbean customers.
Here are five things to know about the card.
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Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Card Benefits And Features
On the plus side, while other credit cards require you to spend hundreds of dollars to earn a sign-up bonus, the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® card makes it incredibly easy. The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® card offers 10,000 bonus points after your first qualifying transaction within 90 days of account opening, and a $100 statement credit after making $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of account opening. You can use those 10,000 points for a $100 onboard credit through the MyCruise Rewards Program. And while this isnt the highest bonus weve ever seen, its a decent offering for a $0-annual-fee card and theres no minimum spending requirement.
In addition to bonus points, the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® card advertises a $50 airfare discount through Royal Caribbeans Air2Sea program after making at least $3,500 in card purchases within the first 90 days of account opening . Overall, though, this $50 discount is a measly offer and isnt necessarily compelling.
In terms of the earnings rate, the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® card rewards users Earn 2x MyCruise® Points on qualifying Royal Caribbean purchases – plus 1 point per $1 spent on purchases everywhere else. MyCruise Points are worth about $0.01, putting this cards rewards rate at anywhere between 1% and 2%.
It Offers Meager Welcome Offers
The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® card comes with the following offers for new cardholders :
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Earn 10,000 bonus points when you make your first purchase with the card within 90 days of account opening. At the rate of a penny per point, this bonus is worth $100 in onboard credit, but as stated above, it can get you up to $200 depending on your redemption choice.
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For a limited time, you can earn a $100 statement credit after you make $1,000 or more in purchases within 90 days of holding the card. This statement credit will be automatically applied toward your credit card bill.
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The card also offers a $50 airfare discount through Royal Caribbeans Air2Sea program, after making at least $3,500 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. Note that students are not eligible for this offer and that the credit will expire 18 months after its issued.
You wont be able to get much out of these offers, especially considering the steep spending requirements and the cards mediocre earn rate. However, these bonuses are on par with, if not slightly more lucrative than, what other comparable cruise line cards offer.
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All Four Corners One Epic Voyage
Pick a corner of the globe and explore every inch of it on one of four Ultimate World Cruise Expeditions each an immersive voyage of 60+ nights. Venture across three continents, from the postcard-perfect shores of the Caribbean to South America and the wildlife-studded shores of Antarctica as you round Cape Horn. Or head to the Far East and Down Under for unparalleled adventure across Asia, Australia, India and the South Pacific. You can journey back in time to discover historys greatest mysteries, myths and legends as you uncover ancient sites in Dubai, Egypt, Greece, Italy and more. Or opt for an immersive cultural exploration from Barcelona and Paris to Morocco en route to Scandinavia and beyond. Whichever Expedition you choose, get ready for a journey thats worlds away from ordinary. Or, if you can’t choose just one, join us for the entire Ultimate World Cruise and experience them all.
Royal Caribbean And Celebrity Attract Different Crowds
While it’s hard to base what type of crowd to expect on a single sailing, Celebrity generally aims for a more adult crowd, My sailing, since it was Thanksgiving week, had more kids than usual, according to a number of crew members, but they were not a very visual presence.
The main pools did have lots of people of all ages using them, and there were occasionally packs of unsupervised teenagers making noise, but the general vibe was more adult.
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Individual Cruise Certificate Program
Recognize, Inspire, Motivate with an unforgettable reward!
What an amazing way to tell someone you value their loyalty, productivity or achievement. Reward them with a Royal Caribbean cruise certificate! Extraordinary onboard experience, delectable dining, luxurious accommodations, coupled with a selection of itinerary choices to some of the worlds most popular and beautiful destinations.
Here are six great reasons why a Royal Caribbean cruise certificate is the perfect individual incentive reward:
Use Points To Bring Vacation Cost Down
If none of these options seem to be a great fit, you can always fall back on using your credit card points to help bring down the overall cost of your cruise vacation.
If you have to fly to your cruise, you can redeem your points for flights and reduce another significant cost.
You could use credit card points towards individual purchases, such as cruise add-ons, like shore excursions or drink packages.
These add-ons can be purchased through Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner website before the cruise begins.
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The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Card: A Poor Offering For Cruise Fans
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the authors opinions and recommendations alone. It may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Citi is an advertising partner.
- Getting an easy sign-up bonus
- Overall rewards rate on all purchases
- Royal Caribbean loyalty benefits
Whether you want airline, hotel or general travel rewards, theres no shortage of travel credit cards out there. These cards attract applicants with exclusive perks to enhance your travel experience and if youre a frequent cruise goer, you may have considered applying for a cruise line credit card.
Royal Caribbean offers the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® card for its most loyal customers. With a $0 annual fee, this card helps you earn points through the MyCruise rewards program that you can redeem toward your next cruise or for onboard credit.
Unlike most airline and hotel credit cards, however, this cruise-line card lacks any real loyalty benefits instead, we recommend that consumers consider other cards that offer more flexible rewards. The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® card does not offer enough value to justify it over another travel card or a cashback credit card.
Membership Has Its Perks
Crown & Anchor Society members enjoy access to all kinds of rewards, like on board discounts, access to private events, and even a dedicated Loyalty Call Center to assist with all your vacation needs. Youll score great deals on last-minute sailings, reduced member rates on Suites, and bonus offers when booking your next cruise on board. And the perks dont just happen at sea as a member, you can take advantage of exclusive discounts and services on land with our participating partners. Below are some examples of offers that our members are able to take advantage of on a regular basis.
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Celebrity Has Better Included Food
While Royal Caribbean has perfectly adequate food in its MDR, Windjammer Buffet, Cafe Promenade coffee shop, and Sorrento’s pizza parlor, Celebrity outdoes its sister brand pretty much across the board. Celebrity’s Oceanview Buffet did offer less variety than Royal Caribbean does in the Windjammer as there were fewer stations that rotated each day, but the food leaned toward grilled over fried with a lot of simple meat and fish options as well as extensive “make-your-own” pasta, sandwich, and salad stations.
The food at Oceanview compared well to the lighter take on the Windjammer Royal Caribbean offers on its Oasis-class ships in the Solarium Bistro buffet. The differences in the MDR were less pronounced, but still notable. The same could be said for the onboard pizza, Summit lacked a dedicated pizza restaurant, but served it at the buffet until 1 a.m. The quality was notably better than Sorrento’s.
Celebrity really shined, however, at Cafe al Bacio, its answer to Royal Carribean’s Cafe Promenade. The Celebrity cafe had a deep coffee and tea menu offering some inventive choices as well a a large list of boozy coffees. The pastries, however, were the true stars as Cafe al Bacio offered a rotating selection of cake slices, cupcakes, and pastries that look like they came from a small-town bakery while Cafe Promenade has a much weaker offering.
How Long Does It Take For Mycruise Rewards To Be Applied After Redeemed
MyCruise® Rewards redemptions are applied based on the sail date, not the redemption date. Refer to the suggestions below to help you plan your redemption accordingly. Any MyCruise® Reward redemption without a booking number, ship and sail date selected will expire 6 months after the points are redeemed. Rewards are nontransferable to another reservation after they are applied.
Onboard Credits and onboard merchandise will be applied to your reservation approximately 2 weeks prior to sail date. The onboard credit will be posted to your onboard account within 48 hours of your verified ship sailing.
Discounts are applied approximately 3 months prior to sail date, just before final payment. Ensure before you redeem your MyCruise® Reward that a booking number, ship and sail date have been chosen and is specified in the redemption, under comments.
Cruise Fares, Onboard Credits, and Upgrades are applied approximately 3 months prior to sail date, just before final payment. Ensure before you redeem your MyCruise® Reward that a booking number, ship and sail date have been chosen and is specified in the redemption.
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The Elite Level That Makes A Difference
In our view, the Diamond Plus level is where the Royal Caribbean loyalty program really starts paying off.
Once you reach Diamond Plus, youll get all the aforementioned benefits plus priority access and seating at main theater shows, ice shows and AquaTheater events, which is a great perk.
Diamond Plus status also brings a 50% reduction in the single supplement charge for solo travelers albeit only after your point total in the program hits 340 points. If you’re a solo traveler, this is a very big deal, as it will save you a considerable amount of money when sailing Royal Caribbean.
Diamond Plus members also get:
- Access to exclusive top-tier events.
- A personalized gift/amenity .
- Exclusive access to Diamond Plus call center staff.
Diamond Plus members who accumulate 340 points also get access to a Cheers event with a ship’s officer, upgraded bathroom amenities and a bonus gift. Those accumulating 525 points get another bonus gift.
It can take as many as 25 seven-night cruises to reach Diamond Plus status if you stay in standard cabins. You can reach this level in far fewer cruises if you stay in suites and sail on longer voyages.
Related: The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean
Pay Down The Cost Of The Cruise
Unfortunately redeeming reward points for a cruise is not as simple as booking a flight, but you can definitely still leverage all of those points you earned.
The easiest thing you can do is use a credit card that gives you points that can be applied directly towards purchases you make on travel and/or any purchase.
Many credit cards will let you apply your points towards your credit card balance for the month, thereby offsetting the cost of the cruise. This has an additional benefit of allowing you to partially pay off the cruise if you do not have a lot of points. Other credit cards may offer cash back instead, which can also reduce the cost.
Moreover, you can use this strategy effectively by using points to pay off the deposit, and then apply more points later at regular intervals with payments or waiting for the final payment.
Example:
- $500 initial deposit to secure the fare
- $1000 payment a few months later
- $500 payment next month
- $1200 final payment 90 days before the cruise
Each of those payments could potentially be on different credit card billing cycles, and you could apply rewards points to each one.
Read more: 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise
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How Much Are Mycruise Points Worth
With the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® card, youll earn rewards in the form of points through the MyCruise Rewards Program. You can redeem these points on Royal Caribbean or its sister brands Azamara or Celebrity Cruises.
The estimated value of a single MyCruise point is $0.01, as the value of the bonus equates to a $100 onboard credit .
Youll need a minimum of 1,000 points to make a redemption with your MyCruise points. Outside of onboard credits, points can be redeemed at a value of $0.01 per point for stateroom upgrades and cruises with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.
Youll be able to view your MyCruise points balance through your Bank of America online banking account. Keep in mind that youll need to call the cruise line directly to book your cruise at least seven days before sailing, and mention that you want to use points.
How You Compare Royal Caribbean And Celebrity
Summit, it should be noted, is a smaller ship, arguably on the lower end of Celebrity’s fleet, Both cruise lines have smaller and larger ships. Bigger ships mean more restaurants, features, and entertainment choices, but there are some core things that each cruise line does differently across all of its ships.
For this comparison, I’ll be focusing on the core choices the parent company has made for each cruise line. Celebrity and Royal Caribbean intentionally offer different experiences. Royal Caribbean, for example really wants to deliver a full family experience while kids are present and well-served on Celebrity, but are perhaps less of a focus.
In addition, while there are variations across the fleet, the food in the Main Dining Room , buffet, and other free venues tends to be uniform across the fleet.
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Comparative Analysis With Other Cards
Bank of America Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit Card, vs. Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit Card
Annual Fee: The Bank of America Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit Card charges an annual fee of $0. Annual fee for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: $95.
Reward: Bank of America Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit Card offers two points per $1 on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises purchases, as well as one point for all purchases. All purchases earn 2 miles for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Sign up bonus: Earn 10,000 bonus points when you open an account with Bank of America Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit Card. You also get a $50 Air2Sea discount when you spend $3,000. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit card offers 60,000 bonus point when you spend $3,000 within three months of account opening. This is equivalent to $600 for travel.
Benefits: Bank of America Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit Card benefits include no dollar liability for fraudulent transactions, and free monthly access to your FICO credit score. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit card offers zero dollars fraud liability and concierge service. You also get extended warranty coverage and the ability to save at hotels and resorts participating.
Bank of America Royal Caribbean Visa Signature Credit Card, vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Royal Caribbean And Celebrity Offer Similar Cabins
On Summit, like on most Royal Caribbean sailings, I had a balcony room. In this case, my room looked an awful lot like every other one i have had albeit with a slightly bigger shower than anything but the newest Royal Caribbean ships offer .
My cabin had USB ports, which some Royal Caribbean ships lack, and a seating area that was somewhere between a big chair and a small loveseat. That’s similar to Royal Caribbean where the seating options can vary from chair through full-sized couch.
The room was really indistinguishable from many others I’ve had, which is a positive as both lines offer comfortable rooms that use their space well.
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