How to Plan a Transatlantic Cruise on Points
The Queen Mary 2 from New York to Southampton. A repositioning cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona. Seven nights across the open Atlantic — and a surprising number of ways to pay for it with points instead of cash.
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Category: Educational (Cruise Travel + Points Strategy)
Cluster: Cluster 5 — River Cruises on Points
Internal Links: Pillar 5 (River Cruises on Points), Best Cruise Cabin on Points, Best Credit Cards for Cruises, European River Cruise on Points, Credit Card Travel Protections, Caribbean on Points, Chase Ultimate Rewards Guide, Amex Membership Rewards Guide, Capital One Miles Guide, Travel Score Quiz
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Meta Title: How to Plan a Transatlantic Cruise on Points (2026 Guide) | WanderWise
Meta Description: A transatlantic cruise is one of travel's great experiences — and more affordable than you think when you use credit card points strategically. Here's how to book the Queen Mary 2 and repositioning cruises using points.
Slug: /blog/how-to-plan-transatlantic-cruise-on-points
There's a version of crossing the Atlantic that involves a ten-hour flight in a middle seat, two connections, and arriving at your destination feeling like you've been folded into a suitcase.
And then there's the version where you board a ship in New York Harbor, watch the Statue of Liberty recede into the distance, and spend seven days at sea with nothing to do but read, eat well, watch the ocean, attend a lecture on maritime history, and arrive in England feeling like a human being who just had a week of vacation before your vacation even started.
A transatlantic crossing is one of travel's last great experiences. And while it may sound like something reserved for people with more money than you, the reality is more interesting — and more accessible — than most people realize.
Let me show you how to plan a transatlantic cruise using credit card points, which strategies work best, and why this might be the most luxurious use of your points balance.
The two types of transatlantic cruises
Before we talk about points, it helps to understand that there are two fundamentally different ways to cross the Atlantic by ship, and they have different price structures, experiences, and point-redemption strategies.
1. Scheduled crossings (the Queen Mary 2)
Cunard's Queen Mary 2 is the only ocean liner currently making regular scheduled transatlantic crossings. She sails between New York (Brooklyn Cruise Terminal) and Southampton, England, multiple times per year — typically from April through December.
The crossing takes seven nights. There's no island-hopping, no port stops. It's seven days of open ocean, and the ship is designed for exactly that experience: an enormous library, multiple restaurants, a planetarium, a ballroom with a live orchestra, daily lectures, and the kind of unhurried pace that feels profoundly different from modern life.
Typical pricing for a Queen Mary 2 transatlantic crossing (2026):
| Stateroom Category | Approximate Cash Price (Per Person) |
|---|---|
| Inside (Britannia) | $1,200–$1,800 |
| Balcony (Britannia) | $1,800–$3,000 |
| Princess Grill Suite | $3,500–$5,500 |
| Queens Grill Suite | $5,000–$12,000+ |
These prices include meals, entertainment, and the crossing itself. You'll pay separately for specialty drinks, spa treatments, and gratuities.
2. Repositioning cruises
Every spring and fall, cruise lines move their ships between seasonal markets. A ship that spent the winter in the Caribbean needs to get to the Mediterranean for summer — and rather than sail it empty, the cruise line sells the crossing to passengers at a significant discount.
Repositioning cruises are transatlantic crossings on ships that weren't specifically designed for the route but make the journey anyway. They typically include one or two port stops along the way (the Azores and Bermuda are common), and the itineraries can be wonderfully unusual — Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona, Miami to Lisbon, Tampa to Rome.
Why repositioning cruises matter for points travelers: They're often 30% to 50% cheaper than a scheduled crossing or a standard Caribbean/Mediterranean itinerary. And because they sail during shoulder season (April–May and September–October), they pair beautifully with a European trip that follows — one you can also plan on points.
Typical pricing for a repositioning cruise (2026):
| Stateroom Category | Approximate Cash Price (Per Person, 10–14 Nights) |
|---|---|
| Inside cabin | $800–$1,400 |
| Balcony cabin | $1,200–$2,200 |
| Suite | $2,500–$5,000+ |
Those numbers make this one of the most affordable ways to get to Europe — especially when you realize that meals, entertainment, and accommodations for 10 to 14 nights are all included.
How to use credit card points for a transatlantic cruise
Cruise lines don't have traditional "award charts" like airlines and hotels. You can't transfer Chase or Amex points directly to Cunard or Royal Caribbean and book a cabin in points. The redemption path is different — but it absolutely works.
Here are the four main strategies, ranked from simplest to most creative.
Strategy 1: Book through your credit card travel portal
This is the most straightforward method. Major credit card travel portals — including Chase Travel, the Amex Travel portal, and Capital One Travel — list cruises alongside flights and hotels.
How it works: Search for your cruise in the travel portal, select your cabin category, and pay with points instead of cash.
Point values through travel portals:
| Card / Portal | Points Value When Booking Cruises |
|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve (Chase Travel) | 1.5 cents per point |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred (Chase Travel) | 1.25 cents per point |
| Amex Platinum (Amex Travel) | 1 cent per point (cruise bookings) |
| Capital One Venture X (Capital One Travel) | 1 cent per mile |
Example: A $2,400 balcony cabin on the Queen Mary 2, booked through Chase Travel with a Sapphire Reserve card, would cost 160,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points — because each point is worth 1.5 cents.
That same booking through the Amex Travel portal would cost 240,000 Membership Rewards points at 1 cent each.
Pros: Simple, reliable, and you can see exactly what you're paying in points before you commit.
Cons: Portal availability for cruises can be limited, and not every sailing or cabin category will appear. If you have a specific ship and date in mind, check the portal early.
Strategy 2: Use points as a statement credit
If the cruise you want isn't available through a travel portal, you can book directly with the cruise line (or through a travel agent) using your credit card, and then use your points to offset the charge as a statement credit.
How it works: Book and pay for the cruise on your rewards credit card. Then redeem points to "erase" the charge from your statement.
The value per point is typically lower with this approach — Chase Sapphire Preferred gives you 1 cent per point as a statement credit versus 1.25 cents through the portal, for instance. But it gives you complete flexibility in what you book.
When this makes sense: When you want a specific cabin, sailing, or promotion that isn't available through a portal. Also useful when booking through a travel agent who offers onboard credits, cabin upgrades, or other perks you wouldn't get through a card portal.
Strategy 3: The hybrid approach (points for flights, then cruise for cash or fewer points)
This is the strategy experienced travelers use most, and it's particularly elegant for transatlantic cruises.
The idea: Use the transatlantic cruise as your transportation to Europe (replacing a flight), then use points for flights, hotels, and other travel on the other end.
For example:
- Sail the Queen Mary 2 from New York to Southampton (booked with points through a travel portal, or paid with cash and offset with statement credits)
- Spend two weeks in England, France, or Italy (hotels booked with Hyatt, Marriott, or Hilton points)
- Fly home business class from London or Paris (booked with airline miles transferred from Chase or Amex)
This approach splits your points across different redemptions, using each type of point where it delivers the most value. Hotel points for hotels. Airline miles for the return flight. Cash or portal points for the cruise itself.
The math often works out better than trying to cover the entire trip with a single point currency.
Strategy 4: Use Cunard's own loyalty program alongside points
If you've sailed with Cunard before, you may have status in their Cunarders Club loyalty program, which offers onboard credits, cabin upgrades, and discounts on future sailings. These benefits can be combined with a credit card point booking to reduce the net cost even further.
Similarly, many cruise lines offer past-passenger discounts and early-booking incentives. Book early, use a credit card to earn points on the purchase, and apply loyalty discounts — then offset whatever remains with your points balance.
Repositioning cruises: the secret weapon
If you're flexible with dates and don't need to cross on a specific ship, repositioning cruises offer some of the best value in all of points-based travel. Here's why:
The prices are already low. A 12-night repositioning cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona in a balcony cabin might cost $1,400 per person. That's $117 per night for accommodations, three meals a day, entertainment, a gym, a pool, and transportation across the Atlantic. Finding that value on land is nearly impossible.
The point costs are proportionally lower. At 1.5 cents per point through Chase Travel, that $1,400 repositioning cruise costs roughly 93,000 Ultimate Rewards points. For context, many Chase credit cards offer sign-up bonuses of 60,000 to 80,000 points — meaning a single card bonus can cover more than half the cruise.
The timing is perfect for extended European travel. Repositioning cruises typically sail in April–May (eastbound, heading to Europe for summer) and September–October (westbound, returning from Europe). These are shoulder-season months — arguably the best time to visit Europe. Fewer crowds, pleasant weather, lower hotel prices on the other end.
You arrive rested. After 10 to 14 days at sea, you step off the ship in Lisbon or Barcelona or Rome already relaxed, adjusted to the time zone, and ready to explore. Compare that to arriving after an overnight flight, jet-lagged and disoriented, and the cruise option starts to look remarkably sensible.
How to find repositioning cruises
- Cruise line websites: Search for "repositioning" or "transatlantic" itineraries on the websites of major cruise lines — Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, and Royal Caribbean all offer them.
- Vacations to Go (vacationstogo.com): One of the best aggregators for discounted repositioning cruises. You can filter by route, date, and cruise line.
- CruiseSheet and CruiseDirect: Additional booking platforms that often feature repositioning sailings at competitive prices.
- Your credit card travel portal: Check Chase Travel, Amex Travel, and Capital One Travel for repositioning itineraries available for direct point booking.
Planning the complete transatlantic trip on points
Here's a real-world example of what a full transatlantic trip might look like, built primarily with points:
The trip: New York to Southampton on the Queen Mary 2 (7 nights) → London (4 nights) → Paris by Eurostar train (3 nights) → Fly home business class.
The points budget (for two people):
| Component | Booking Method | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|---|
| QM2 crossing, balcony cabin (2 passengers) | Chase Travel, 1.5¢/point | ~320,000 Chase UR points |
| London hotel, 4 nights (Hyatt) | World of Hyatt points | ~80,000 Hyatt points (transferred from Chase) |
| Paris hotel, 3 nights (Hyatt) | World of Hyatt points | ~60,000 Hyatt points (transferred from Chase) |
| Eurostar London → Paris | Cash (~$150 per person) | $300 cash |
| Business class flights home, 2 passengers | Transfer to airline partner | ~130,000 airline miles (via Chase or Amex transfer) |
Total: Roughly 320,000 Chase points for the cruise, 140,000 Chase points transferred to Hyatt, 130,000 miles through airline transfers, and $300 in cash. For two people, across a trip that would easily cost $12,000 to $18,000 in cash.
That's a lot of points — but it's also a trip that covers nearly three weeks of travel including transportation, accommodations, and business-class flights home. Accumulated over 18 to 24 months of normal spending across two or three credit cards, those balances are realistic for most households.
What to know before booking your transatlantic cruise
Book early for the best cabin selection. Queen Mary 2 crossings and popular repositioning itineraries sell out months in advance, particularly for balcony cabins and higher categories. Booking 8 to 12 months ahead gives you the best options.
Check your credit card travel protections. Many premium credit cards include trip cancellation, trip interruption, and travel delay coverage when you book travel with the card. This is especially valuable for a cruise booking, where the total cost is higher than a typical flight or hotel reservation.
Consider travel insurance for the crossing. Transatlantic crossings mean seven or more days at sea with no ports of call. If a medical situation arises, evacuation from mid-ocean is extremely expensive. A comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes medical evacuation is worth serious consideration for an ocean crossing.
Pack for variable weather. The North Atlantic can be warm and calm or cold and rough, sometimes on the same crossing. Bring layers, a windproof jacket, and motion-sickness remedies even if you don't usually need them. The ship's shops sell necessities, but at ship prices.
Bring a book. Several books, actually. There's no better setting for reading than an ocean crossing — and there's no cell service to interrupt you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use points to book just the Queen Mary 2?
Yes. Cunard's Queen Mary 2 crossings are available through several credit card travel portals, including Chase Travel. You can also book directly with Cunard using your credit card and apply points as a statement credit.
Is a transatlantic cruise a good value compared to flying?
In pure time-to-destination terms, flying is obviously faster. But a transatlantic cruise includes seven nights of accommodations and meals — costs you'd pay separately if you flew. When you factor in a week of hotel and dining expenses, the cruise often compares favorably, especially at repositioning-cruise prices.
Do I get seasick on a transatlantic crossing?
Modern ocean liners and large cruise ships have stabilizers that significantly reduce motion. Most passengers on the Queen Mary 2 report little to no discomfort. That said, the open Atlantic can produce swells that smaller ships handle less smoothly. If you're prone to motion sickness, consult your doctor about preventive options before the trip, and consider choosing a mid-ship, lower-deck cabin — these experience the least motion.
Can I book a one-way cruise and fly back?
Absolutely — and this is one of the most popular ways to do a transatlantic trip. Sail one direction, explore on the other end, and fly home. The hybrid approach outlined above is designed around exactly this itinerary.
When should I book a repositioning cruise?
Repositioning cruises are announced 12 to 18 months before sailing. The best deals tend to be available either very early (when cabins first go on sale) or very late (last-minute discounting within 60 to 90 days of departure). For the widest selection of cabin types and the ability to plan your points strategy around the trip, booking 6 to 12 months ahead is the sweet spot.
A transatlantic crossing is the antidote to the way we usually travel. No rushing. No connections. No middle seats. Just the open ocean, a comfortable ship, and the kind of unhurried experience you've been promising yourself for years. Your points can get you there — and the journey itself becomes the destination.