How to Book Cruises With Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

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Lots of folks I talk to are interested in using miles & points for cruises, but the problem is there aren’t any useful or valuable cruise line co-branded credit cards.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t use points to book cruises.

The obvious answer is to earn rewards with a cash back credit card and pay for a cruise that way.  But you can also use flexible points, like Chase Ultimate Rewards points, to pay for your cruises!

And because I know lots of you already have a healthy stash of Ultimate Rewards points, here is a quick reminder of how simple it is to use them for your next cruise vacation.

How to Use Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to Pay for a Cruise

You can book your cruise through the Chase Travel Portal, but you can’t book it online.  You’ll have to find the cruise you want to take and call 866-951-6592 to book it.

It’s possible to search for cruises through Chase’s travel portal, but I’m not sure there is any advantage to doing it this way.

That’s because you’ll still need to call in and the Chase phone agent I talked to said they get their prices directly from the cruise line.  So whatever price you find online should be the price you’ll pay when booking with your Chase points, unless it’s a special promotion offered by someone other than the cruise line itself.

I did notice that the cruises listed on the Chase Travel Portal often have bonus credits listed.  So when you call to book, be sure to double check if there are any specials available.

The only major cruises you can’t book through Chase are cruises that visit Cuba.

Make Sure You’re Paying With the Right Chase Card!

All Chase Ultimate Rewards points are only worth 1 cent each when you redeem them for cash back.  So a $500 cruise would cost you 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points ($500 cruise price/ 1 cent per point).  But when you book travel through the Chase Travel Portal you’ll get more value for your points with certain cards.

With the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, your points are worth 1.25 cents each toward travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal.  And with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, your points are worth 1.5 cents each toward travel (like cruises!) booked through the portal.

You have the option of paying for only part of your cruise with Chase Ultimate Rewards points.  But you’ll need to pay the rest with a Chase credit card.

Bottom Line

Flights and hotels aren’t the only things on the menu when it comes to Big Travel with Small Money.  You can use your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to pay for cruises, too!

When you book your cruise by calling the Chase Travel Portal team, you can get more value for your Chase Ultimate Rewards points (depending on which Chase card you have).

Hope this helps!  If you’re looking for more miles or points, check out our Hot Deals page for a current list of the top credit card offers!