Review
Updated
Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card can be a great fit for loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers. It offers strong rewards on Royal Caribbean spending, as well as the opportunity to save on airfare to your next cruise. However, be sure to read our full expert review to find out if it's right for you.
Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Best
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= Excellent
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= Good
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= Fair
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= Poor
= Best
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Credit Score
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
18.24%-28.24%
Rewards 2 points per $1 spent on qualifying Royal Caribbean purchases. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
1X-2X points
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer 25,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 or more on purchases within 90 days of opening your account.
25,000 bonus points
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The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card is a solid product for loyal Royal Caribbean customers, but isn't likely to be the best all-around travel credit card you can find.
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- Strong welcome offer
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Solid earnings rate for Royal Caribbean spending
- Can get better rewards rate elsewhere
- No 0% intro APR
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- 25,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 or more on purchases within 90 days of opening your account.
- Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on qualifying Royal Caribbean and Celebrity purchases.
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No annual fee.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
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Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
60,000 bonus points Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Full Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card review
This credit card is a good fit for: Frequent Royal Caribbean cruisers who will get a lot of value from the cruise line's MyCruise® Rewards points while traveling.
Top perks
The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card has some interesting perks, especially for people who cruise frequently. Here are some of the most significant card benefits.
Strong welcome offer
The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card has an enticing welcome offer that is highly competitive with some of the other no annual fee credit cards on our radar. New cardholders can get 25,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 or more on purchases within 90 days of opening your account. MyCruise® Rewards points are worth $0.01 in most redemption cases, so this translates into $250 for onboard credit, room upgrades, or toward your next Royal Caribbean cruise.
No annual fee or foreign transaction fee
The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card has no annual fee, so you aren't paying extra for any of the perks of the card. There are also no foreign transaction fees, which is a nice perk that can be especially useful when you're on a cruise and you plan to shop or dine while in foreign ports. Many credit cards charge foreign transaction fees that can add 3% or more to your purchases.
Royal Caribbean rewards
The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card earns 1 MyCruise® Rewards point per $1 for most purchases, but earns 2X points per $1 spent on purchases with Royal Caribbean as well as Celebrity Cruises, which is also owned by Royal Caribbean International. Cardholders who spend $3,500 in a year can receive $50 off flights through Royal Caribbean's Air2Sea program.
It's also worth noting that while the redemption value of MyCruise® Rewards points is generally $0.01, it can be more than that in some cases. For example, you can redeem 50,000 MyCruise® Rewards points for a three- or four-night Royal Caribbean cruise with a value of up to $1,000.
What could be improved
As mentioned, the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card is a solid product when it comes to spending money on cruises and related purchases, but there are some drawbacks that make it fall short as an all-in-one rewards credit card.
Rewards rate is on the lower end
We won't sugar-coat it. If maximizing the rewards on your spending is the top priority, you're likely to find a better fit elsewhere. While the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card has a rewards rate of 2 miles per $1 on purchases, there are other no annual fee credit cards that offer $0.02 of rewards value for all purchases, and some have even higher rates in certain categories (including travel).
No 0% intro APR
Many travel-focused credit cards, even those with no annual fee, offer 0% intro APRs on purchases and/or balance transfers. For example, the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card mentioned earlier has a 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on new purchases. (The go-to 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR applies at the end of the intro period). However, the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card has a variable APR ranging from 18.24% to 28.24%, and it will be in place starting with your first billing cycle. To be sure, Bank of America (the card's issuing bank) might offer you targeted balance transfer offers, but there's no standard 0% intro APR offer with the card.
Suggested credit score
Like most Bank of America credit card products, we would suggest that you have at least good credit before applying for the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card. This means that you should aim for a FICO® Score of 670 or higher, and having a higher score may increase your chances of approval or get you a better APR. However, your credit score is just one factor Bank of America will consider. Your income, employment situation, and other debts will be taken into account, and it's entirely possible to get approved with a lower score or rejected with a higher one.
The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card is right for you if:
The bottom line is that the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card is a solid credit card to buy your next cruise or to take with you for spending while you're traveling. As a general credit card, however, you can probably find a better rewards rate with one of the top cash back credit cards.
Our credit card methodology
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
FAQs
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25,000 Royal Caribbean points are worth $250 in onboard credit. The points, which are officially called MyCruise® Rewards points, are worth $0.01 each for most redemption options.
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The short answer is that it depends. The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card offers a solid rewards rate for Royal Caribbean spending, but you can probably find a better cash back rewards rate with another card for general purchases.
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The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card is issued by Bank of America, and is a Visa Signature credit card, which comes with some unique travel benefits.
Our Credit Cards Experts
Matt is a Certified Financial Planner™ and investment advisor based in Columbia, South Carolina. He writes personal finance and investment advice for The Ascent and its parent company The Motley Fool, with more than 4,500 published articles and a 2017 SABEW Best in Business award. Matt writes a weekly investment column ("Ask a Fool") that is syndicated in USA Today, and his work has been regularly featured on CNBC, Fox Business, MSN Money, and many other major outlets. He’s a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Nova Southeastern University, and holds a graduate certificate in financial planning from Florida State University.
Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman has worked with The Motley Fool since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As The Ascent's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.
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