The Best Cruise Cabin You Can Book With Points
Balcony suites, ocean views, and the room that makes the whole trip — how to use your credit card points to book the cruise cabin you actually want.
Target Keywords: best cruise cabin on points, book cruise cabin with credit card points, cruise cabin types on points, best cruise cabin for seniors, ocean cruise on points
Word Count: ~2,100
Category: Educational + Aspirational (Cruises on Points)
Cluster: Cluster 5 — River Cruises on Points (companion piece)
Internal Links: Pillar 5 (River Cruises on Points), Pillar 3 (Best Cards for 55+), Pillar 4 (Points vs. Cash), Annual Fees Blog, Travel Score Quiz
Schema: Article, FAQ
Meta Title: The Best Cruise Cabin You Can Book With Points (2026 Guide) | WanderWise
Meta Description: Upgrade your ocean cruise cabin using credit card points. Compare inside, oceanview, balcony, and suite cabins — and learn which ones deliver the best value on points.
Slug: /blog/best-cruise-cabin-book-with-points
We wrote the book — well, the guide — on river cruises and points. But we kept hearing the same question from WanderWise readers:
"What about regular cruises? The big ships? Caribbean, Alaska, Mediterranean — can I use points for those too?"
The answer is yes. And if you play it right, points don't just cover a cabin — they can upgrade you to a cabin that transforms the entire cruise experience.
Because here's what experienced cruisers will tell you: the ship is the same for everyone. The ports are the same. The shows, the buffet, the pool — all the same. What changes everything is where you sleep, what you see when you open your curtains in the morning, and whether you have a private balcony where you can sit with coffee and watch the coastline of Alaska drift by at sunrise.
That's what we're going to get you. On points.
Ocean Cruise Cabin Types (A Quick Primer)
If you've never cruised — or always booked whatever was cheapest — here's what you're choosing between:
Inside Cabin
- What it is: An interior room with no window. Compact (150–185 sq ft).
- Price range: $600–$1,500 per person for a 7-day cruise
- The honest take: Fine for sleeping, but you'll feel the lack of natural light. Most experienced cruisers graduate out of inside cabins quickly.
Oceanview Cabin
- What it is: Same as inside, but with a porthole or small window. You can see the ocean, but you can't step outside.
- Price range: $800–$2,000 per person
- The honest take: Better than inside, but the jump to a balcony is where the real magic happens. Oceanview is the "almost" category.
Balcony Cabin (The Sweet Spot)
- What it is: A full-sized room (185–250 sq ft) with a private balcony and sliding glass door. Step outside anytime — morning coffee, evening wine, whale watching in your bathrobe.
- Price range: $1,200–$3,500 per person
- The honest take: This is the cabin that makes people fall in love with cruising. We recommend it to every WanderWise reader as the minimum target for a meaningful cruise experience. The balcony isn't a luxury — it's the entire point.
Mini-Suite
- What it is: A larger room (250–350 sq ft) with a bigger balcony, separate sitting area, and sometimes a bathtub. Often includes priority boarding and preferred dining.
- Price range: $1,800–$4,500 per person
- The honest take: Noticeably more spacious and comfortable. The extra room matters on longer cruises (10+ days) and for couples who value having space to spread out.
Full Suite
- What it is: The top tier. 350–1,000+ sq ft with a large private balcony, separate living room, premium bathroom, butler service, and exclusive lounge/restaurant access.
- Price range: $3,000–$15,000+ per person
- The honest take: Extraordinary, but hard to justify at cash prices. On points? This is where the math gets very interesting.
How Points Can Get You a Better Cabin
There are three strategies for using credit card points toward cruise cabins, ranked from simplest to most powerful.
Strategy 1: Book Through Your Card's Travel Portal
Both Chase and Capital One allow you to book cruises directly through their travel portals and pay with points.
Chase Travel: Search and book cruise packages at 1.25¢/point (Sapphire Preferred) or 1.5¢/point (Sapphire Reserve). A $3,000 balcony cabin for two becomes 200,000 points (Reserve) or 240,000 points (Preferred).
Capital One Travel: Book cruises and erase the charge at 1¢/mile. That same $3,000 cabin costs 300,000 miles.
Amex Travel: Call the Amex cruise desk (Platinum cardholders) to book with Membership Rewards at approximately 1¢/point. Sometimes includes onboard credits or cabin upgrades exclusive to Amex bookers.
Best for: People with large points balances who want a simple, all-in-one booking process.
Strategy 2: Book the Cruise in Cash, Use Points for Everything Else
This is our favorite strategy for ocean cruises — and it's the same approach we recommend in our river cruise guide.
Here's the insight: cruise lines frequently offer promotions — kids sail free, buy-one-get-one fares, onboard credit deals, early booking discounts — that you can only access by booking directly with the cruise line for cash. These promotions can save you $500–$2,000 per person.
So instead of using points for the cruise itself, you:
- Book the cruise directly in cash during a promotion (and get the best possible cabin at the best price)
- Use your points for flights to the departure port — this is often the most expensive part of the trip
- Use remaining points for pre- and post-cruise hotels (most cruisers add a night or two at each end)
Example: A 7-day Alaska cruise from Seattle
| Component | Cash Price (couple) | Points Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Balcony cabin (booked during BOGO promotion) | $3,200 | Pay cash ($3,200) |
| Flights to Seattle (from East Coast) | $900 | 30,000 Chase points (via portal) |
| Pre-cruise hotel in Seattle (1 night) | $250 | 35,000 Marriott points |
| Post-cruise hotel in Seattle (1 night) | $250 | 35,000 Marriott points |
| Total | $4,600 | $3,200 cash + 30,000 Chase points + 70,000 Marriott points |
You've saved $1,400 in cash and gotten the promotional cruise rate that portal bookings can't access. Plus you're in a balcony cabin because you spent your cash budget where it matters most — the cabin — and let points handle the logistics around it.
Strategy 3: Use Points to Upgrade Your Cabin Category
This is the power move. Instead of using points to cover the cheapest cabin, use them to bridge the gap to a better cabin.
Most cruise lines price the jump from one cabin tier to the next at $500–$1,500 per person. In points terms:
| Upgrade | Typical Cash Difference (per person) | Points Cost (at 1.25¢/point) |
|---|---|---|
| Inside → Oceanview | $200–$500 | 16,000–40,000 |
| Oceanview → Balcony | $400–$1,000 | 32,000–80,000 |
| Balcony → Mini-Suite | $500–$1,500 | 40,000–120,000 |
| Mini-Suite → Suite | $1,000–$5,000+ | 80,000–400,000 |
The strategy: Book a base-level cabin in cash (at the best promotional rate), then use a separate points booking or statement credit to cover the upgrade cost. Some cruise lines allow you to bid on upgrades after booking — you can fund those bids with points-derived statement credits.
This is how a couple with 80,000 Chase points and a reasonable cash budget ends up in a mini-suite instead of a standard balcony. Same cruise. Same ports. Dramatically better room.
The Best Cruise Lines for Points Travelers Over 55
Not all cruise lines are created equal — especially for our audience. Here are the lines we recommend most, and how they intersect with points:
Celebrity Cruises — "Modern Luxury"
- Why we like it for 55+: Sophisticated atmosphere, excellent dining, beautiful ship design. Skews slightly older than Royal Caribbean without feeling "old."
- Points play: Bookable through Chase Travel, Capital One, and Amex cruise desk. Celebrity frequently offers balcony-cabin promotions with drinks and Wi-Fi included.
- Best itineraries: Mediterranean, Alaska, Caribbean
Holland America Line — "Classic and Comfortable"
- Why we like it for 55+: Traditional cruising experience, enrichment programs (cooking classes, guest lecturers), smaller ships relative to mega-liners. Median passenger age is around 60 — you'll be among peers.
- Points play: Available through travel portals. Holland America's early booking promotions often include reduced deposits and onboard credits.
- Best itineraries: Alaska, Northern Europe, Transatlantic crossings
Princess Cruises — "The Best of Both Worlds"
- Why we like it for 55+: Great balance of activities and relaxation, excellent itineraries, MedallionClass technology makes the onboard experience seamless.
- Points play: Princess has a co-branded credit card (through Barclays) that earns toward cruise credits, though we generally recommend flexible points cards over cruise-specific cards.
- Best itineraries: Alaska (arguably the best Alaska product), Japan, Mediterranean
Oceania Cruises — "The Foodie's Cruise"
- Why we like it for 55+: Smaller ships (1,200 passengers vs. 5,000+ on mega-ships), extraordinary dining included in the fare, destination-focused itineraries. If you care more about the food and the ports than waterslides and rock walls, this is your line.
- Points play: Higher base price means your points deliver the best per-point value here — a $5,000 suite becomes a genuinely incredible points redemption.
- Best itineraries: Mediterranean, Asia, World cruises
Which Cabin Should You Book? (Our Recommendation)
After speaking with hundreds of WanderWise members who cruise, here's our honest guidance:
Book a balcony cabin. Every time.
The upgrade from inside or oceanview to a balcony is the single biggest quality-of-life improvement on a cruise ship. It's the difference between a nice hotel room and a hotel room with a private terrace overlooking the ocean. You'll spend more time in your cabin than you expect — early mornings, between ports, before dinner — and having that outdoor space transforms dead time into the highlight of your day.
If your points balance can bridge the gap to a mini-suite, even better. But if it's a choice between an inside cabin on a fancy ship and a balcony cabin on a solid ship? Take the balcony.
The view matters. The fresh air matters. The feeling of sitting outside with a glass of wine while the sun sets over the Aegean — that's the trip. And that's what points can give you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use points to book any cruise line?
Through credit card travel portals, you can book virtually any major cruise line with points. The portals aggregate cruise inventory the same way they aggregate flights and hotels. Specialty and luxury lines (like Seabourn, Silversea, or Regent Seven Seas) may have limited portal availability — for those, Strategy 2 (book in cash, use points for flights and hotels) is typically the better approach.
How far in advance should I book a cruise?
For the best cabin selection, 8–12 months out is ideal. For the best prices, watch for wave season promotions (January–March) and last-minute deals (4–8 weeks before sailing, if you're flexible on cabin type). Alaska and Mediterranean itineraries for popular summer dates sell out fast — don't wait.
Is an inside cabin ever worth it?
For short cruises (3–4 nights) where you're in port most of the time, an inside cabin is perfectly fine. You'll barely be in the room. For 7+ day cruises, especially sea-day-heavy itineraries, the balcony upgrade is worth every point.
Should I book through the travel portal or directly with the cruise line?
It depends. Portal booking lets you use points but may exclude cruise line promotions. Direct booking gives you access to the best deals and cabin selection. Our recommended hybrid: book directly in cash for the best deal, then use points for flights and hotels around the cruise. See our guide on when to use points vs. cash for the full framework.
Your Cruise Points Action Plan
- Pick your cruise line and itinerary. Alaska? Mediterranean? Caribbean? Start with where you want to go.
- Check for promotions. Visit the cruise line's website and look for current deals — BOGO fares, onboard credits, reduced deposits.
- Book the best balcony cabin you can find at the promotional rate, in cash.
- Use your points for flights to and from the departure port.
- Use remaining points for pre/post-cruise hotels. A night in Seattle before your Alaska cruise, or a night in Barcelona after your Mediterranean voyage, adds immensely to the experience.
- Not sure which card maximizes your cruise value? Take the WanderWise Travel Score Quiz — it factors in cruise travel as part of your recommendation.
The ocean is calling. Your balcony is waiting. And those points in your account? They've been saving up for this moment just as long as you have.
Love cruises? Check out our comprehensive Guide to River Cruises on Points and join the WanderWise Community where members share cruise deals and cabin reviews every week.