I’m Going on a 6-Night Cruise in February. Here Are the 3 Credit Cards We’re Bringing With Us

My family and I are taking a six-night Carnival cruise vacation later this month, and while the cruise itself and much of what we plan to do on board is paid for already, there are likely to be significant incidental expenses. We’re flying to Miami, so we’ll be spending time in airports, we have to get from the airport to the ship, and we’re staying for a night in a hotel after the ship returns.

I have several credit cards I could bring, but I’m not going to take them all. There are three cards in particular that I’m going to have in my wallet when we leave for our trip.

1. This one is always in my wallet

I’ve written about it before, but The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees) is always in my wallet. So, I’ll be bringing it on my trip, but not to maximize rewards. In fact, other than paying for flights and hotels, which we bought a while ago, The Platinum Card® from American Express only earns 1 point per $1 (terms apply).

The primary reason I’m bringing it when we go on our cruise is for the other travel benefits. For example, we’re flying to Miami to get on the cruise, and the card offers access to several airport lounge networks. It offers $200 in annual airline incidental reimbursement, so if my kids want a snack on the flight, it will effectively be free. It also offers $15 per month in Uber credits, and that’s how we plan to get from our hotel to the airport. Terms apply.

2. This one is great for hotel perks and incidentals

When we get back from the cruise, we’re staying an extra night in Miami to visit family, and we’re staying at a Marriott hotel. So, I’ll also have my Marriott Bonvoy Business™ Card with me.

Not only does this card earn a fantastic rate of 6 points per $1 on spending at Marriott hotels, but it also comes with a 4 point per $1 rate on gas stations and dining, and we’ll likely go out to eat while we’re there. (Terms apply, see rates and fees.)

3. This one is a great cash back card

I’m also bringing the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, and for two big reasons. First, with a 2X rewards rate on purchases, it is a solid way to earn rewards on everyday spending. I’m also bringing it because I don’t want to hear the dreaded “we don’t take American Express.” This has mostly become a thing of the past in the United States, but we’re stopping at three foreign ports, and the Capital One Venture Card is not only a Visa, but also has no foreign transaction fees.

There’s another card we’re bringing, but we won’t likely use it

It’s also worth noting that some of the major cruise lines have their own credit cards, including Carnival and Royal Caribbean. And these have some potentially valuable benefits. For example, my wife has the Carnival® World Mastercard®, which offers 0% APR financing for six months on Carnival bookings, as well as a 10% statement credit if you book shore excursions before the cruise. And in full disclosure, we used this one to book the cruise itself and prepay for a couple of excursions. It will most likely be in her wallet while we travel.

However, while this is a solid card when it comes to booking things ahead of time, the purchase rewards rate doesn’t make a ton of sense to use the card on the vacation. It earns 2x FunPoints on Carnival purchases (essentially 2% back in rewards to use towards Carnival purchases), but I earn a similar rewards rate on other cards (like the Capital One Venture Card) that come in much more flexible redemption forms.

The bottom line is that the three credit cards I’m bringing make the most sense for spending while we’re actually on vacation. And I plan to use them to maximize the rewards from our spending, get access to airport lounges, and make sure I always have a way to pay when we get off the ship.

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