Miami-based Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) and Bank of America have launched the cruise industry’s first tri-branded credit cards, a partnership that could reshape how loyalty programs drive customer acquisition and spending across the cruise sector.
The Royal ONE Visa Signature and Royal ONE Plus Visa Signature credit cards, announced March 31, allow cardholders to earn and redeem rewards across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea brands from a single account. The cards are designed to convert everyday spending into cruise experiences, with accelerated point earnings on groceries, gas, and cruise bookings.
The Royal ONE Card: No Annual Fee, 3X on Cruise
The base-tier Royal ONE card carries no annual fee and awards 3X points on purchases with all three cruise brands. Cardholders earn 2X points on groceries, gas, and electric vehicle charging, with 1X on all other spending.
Perks include priority boarding for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises sailings, a $100 anniversary reward after qualifying spend, Visa Signature travel protections, and no foreign transaction fees.
Royal ONE Plus: $99 Annual Fee, 4X on Cruise
The premium Royal ONE Plus card carries a $99 annual fee and delivers 4X points on cruise brand purchases. The enhanced earning structure also includes 2X points on groceries, gas, EV charging, airfare, hotels, and dining, with 1X elsewhere.
Top-tier benefits include priority suite boarding across all three cruise lines, priority luggage handling, a $200 anniversary reward, and a $120 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit every four years. Like the base card, there are no foreign transaction fees.
What This Means for Travel Merchants and Operators
The partnership signals a deepening relationship between major cruise lines and banking institutions, one that could reshape how loyalty economics work across the vacation sector.
Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, described the cards as the next step in a multi-year loyalty transformation that already includes the Points Choice program and industry-first Status Match across brands.
“These new cards bring together the ways our guests vacation across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea, making it easier to earn and use rewards, so every trip delivers greater value and more meaningful experiences,” Liberty said in a press statement.
For travel merchants and tour operators who sell cruise products, the tri-branded structure creates a new incentive model. Cardholders have a built-in reason to concentrate cruise spending within the Royal Caribbean ecosystem, which could increase customer lifetime value and reduce leakage to competitors.
The cross-brand redemption option is also notable. Unlike traditional co-branded cruise cards that lock rewards to a single line, the Royal ONE program lets cardholders redeem points across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Silversea, effectively creating a unified currency for the entire group.
Loyalty as a Competitive Differentiator
Royal Caribbean operates 69 ships across more than 1,000 global destinations. The company is expanding its private destination portfolio from three to eight by 2028 through its Perfect Day and Royal Beach Club collections, and will enter river cruising in 2027 with Celebrity River Cruises.
Bank of America’s willingness to partner on a tri-branded product reflects confidence in the cruise sector’s recovery trajectory and its appeal to affluent, travel-active consumers who represent high-value cardholders.
“Offering both a no-fee card and an enhanced rewards card gives travelers more ways to maximize spending and earn bigger rewards,” said Lora Monfared, head of consumer card products at Bank of America.
The cards will be available in the coming weeks. Full details on rates, fees, and disclosures are available through Royal Caribbean’s website.
