Current offers on the Royal ONE Visa cards
If you’re a frequent cruiser, you’ll be excited to hear that Royal Caribbean has launched two new credit cards issued by Bank of America.
The Royal ONE™ Visa Signature® credit card and Royal ONE Plus™ Visa Signature® credit card have no annual fee and a $99 annual fee, respectively, making them affordable options for those searching for a cruise-focused card.
Of course, a travel credit card isn’t complete without a welcome bonus, and both cards have one to offer.
Let’s dig into what the Royal Caribbean cards bring to port.
Royal ONE Visa
Welcome offer: New Royal ONE Visa cardholders can earn 45,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening.
Points can be redeemed for a variety of Royal Caribbean-related options, including cabin upgrades, full fare cruises, companion fares, onboard credits, amenities and charity donations.
Your rewards are redeemable at a one cent per point rate, except for a seven-night Royal Caribbean cruise, which costs 350,000 points in exchange for a $7,000 valuation.
That means this welcome bonus is worth $450. That’s almost enough points for two companion fares on a three or four-night Royal Caribbean cruise.
Annual fee: $0
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Why we like it: This card is a solid option for cruise fans who may not sail more than once a year.
Cardholders will enjoy the following benefits on the Royal ONE Visa:
This card earns
- 3 points per dollar spent on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea
- 2 points per dollar spent on groceries, gas and electric vehicle charging
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Apply here: Royal ONE Visa Signature credit card
Royal ONE Plus Visa
Welcome offer: New cardholders can earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening.
Since Royal Caribbean points are worth at least one cent per point, this bonus is worth at least $700. It’s enough points for a three or four-night Royal Caribbean cruise, making this a very valuable bonus for cruise lovers.
Annual fee: $99
Why we like it: If you sail with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises or Silversea at least twice or more each year, the Royal ONE Plus Visa may be a better choice than its no-annual-fee counterpart.
Cardholders receive the following perks with this card:
- Priority boarding for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea cruises
- Private luggage handling with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises
- $200 anniversary reward after spending $20,000 in the prior anniversary year
- $120 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit every four years
- No foreign transaction fees
- Visa Signature travel protections
Whether you’re able to justify this card’s annual fee will likely come down in large part to how many points you’re able to earn. As a cardholder, you’ll earn at these rates:
- 4 points per dollar spent on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea
- 2 points per dollar spent on groceries, gas, EV charging, airfare, hotels and dining
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
You’ll almost always get better value out of your spending by putting it on a transferable rewards card. That said, if you’re an avid cruiser or you aren’t interested in transferable rewards, this card’s broad categories mean you’ll be able to rack up a lot of rewards.
Apply here: Royal ONE Plus Visa Signature credit card
Should you get a Royal ONE Visa card?
Cobranded cards can be hit or miss, depending on the associated brand. The Royal ONE cards have solid value propositions for the right traveler, especially the no-annual-fee Royal ONE Visa.
With a no-annual-fee card, you don’t have to worry about maximizing its benefits to justify keeping it each year. That makes it a great fit for those who prefer using transferable rewards cards or who don’t cruise more than once a year.
The Royal ONE Plus Visa is a bit of a harder sell, since it carries a $99 annual fee. While this isn’t a big punch to your wallet, it’s still worth taking seriously. If you don’t sail with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises or Silversea cruises a couple of times each year or more, you will probably struggle to get meaningful value out of the Royal ONE Plus.
As I mentioned earlier, I only recommend the Royal ONE Plus for frequent cruisers looking for a one-card wallet or those uninterested in transferable rewards. Otherwise, opt for the no-annual-fee Royal ONE card or a transferable travel rewards card.
Bottom line
If you’re a big fan of cruises, you have a reason to celebrate. The new Royal ONE cards have good value to offer the right travelers and come packaged with valuable welcome bonuses that can boost your Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises or Silversea experience.
For most people, the no-annual-fee Royal ONE Visa will be the easier choice to justify. The Royal ONE Plus can deliver more value, but only if you cruise often enough to take advantage of its perks.
Before applying, consider how often you sail and whether you’d benefit more from flexible travel rewards instead.
Apply here: Royal ONE Visa Signature credit card
Apply here: Royal ONE Plus Visa Signature credit card
