How to Use Amex Points Toward Bucket-List Cruises
If you're hoarding American Express Membership Rewards like a dragon with a treasure hoard, it's time to put those points to work. Yes—you can use Amex points to chip away (or fully pay off!) luxury cruises, including high-end expeditions to Antarctica, the Galápagos, the Nile, and beyond. But unlike flight redemptions, it takes a little know-how to squeeze out full value.
Here’s how to turn your Amex points into a bucket-list cruise dream come true.
Understand Your Options
American Express doesn’t have direct cruise partners the way it does with airlines. But you’ve got three solid options:
Book Through Amex Travel: Use points at a flat rate (usually 1 cent per point). It’s easy, but not always the best value.
Use Amex Pay with Points: This lets you pay with points for cruise bookings through Amex’s platform or phone reps, usually at 0.7–1.0 cents per point.
Transfer to Airline Partners: Here’s where it gets spicy. You can’t book cruises directly—but you can transfer points to partners like Delta, Air Canada, or Singapore Airlines to cover positioning flights to cruise ports (e.g. Buenos Aires for Antarctica, Quito for Galápagos).
Booking Luxury Cruises with Amex
Let’s say you want to sail with Seabourn, Scenic, or Lindblad Expeditions. Here’s what works:
Use an Amex Platinum or Centurion Card: These give you access to the Cruise Privileges Program, which offers extras like $300–$500 onboard credits, private shore excursions, or room upgrades when booking through Amex Travel.
Let a Travel Advisor Do the Work: Booking through a certified Amex travel partner (like us!) means you can still use points and get access to additional perks not shown online.
Need help figuring out how to use points on a specific itinerary? That’s our jam.
Maximize Points for Flights to the Ship
This is where Amex shines. Most premium cruise itineraries require international positioning flights, and using points for those can save thousands:
Transfer to Air Canada Aeroplan or Avianca LifeMiles to book business class to South America
Use Delta SkyMiles or Flying Blue for transatlantic flights to Nile or Arctic itineraries
Amex frequently offers transfer bonuses, too—making your points go even further. It’s one of the best plays in the travel-hacking game.
Final Tips for Points-Backed Cruise Bliss
Don’t redeem at 0.7 cpp if you can help it. That’s like trading in gold for gum wrappers.
Consider combining cash + points if you're short—especially for high-commission itineraries.
Watch for Amex Offers that may stack with cruise bookings for extra value.
If you're overwhelmed by options, let our travel planning team help you decode it all.
Start your journey with the points you already have. Request a cruise quote and let's make magic happen.
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