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Princess Rewards Visa Card review: Extra perks for cruise lovers with no annual fee

Updated 8 min read

Princess Cruises, part of the Carnival Corporation, is a leading cruise line with 15 ships visiting destinations, including Hawaii and New Zealand. If Princess is your cruise line of choice, the Princess? Rewards Visa? Card could be a worthwhile addition to your travel credit card lineup. It has no annual fee, but it has a valuable bonus offer for new cardmembers and extra perks.

Although it may be a useful card for some, its rewards structure provides limited value. Learn about the Princess Rewards Visa Card's rates, terms and fees to decide whether it's a good fit for you.

  • Annual fee: $0

  • Welcome offer: Earn 10,000 bonus points by spending $500 within the first 90 days of account opening

  • Rewards:

    • 2x points per $1 spent on all Princess purchases

    • 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases

The Princess Rewards Visa Card has no annual fee. Without an annual fee, you can earn rewards at no cost as long as you pay off your statement balance in full every month by the due date.

New cardmembers who spend $500 or more within 90 days of opening an account can qualify for 10,000 bonus points — a value of about $76 when redeemed for Princess cruise purchases.

The card has an introductory APR offer for balance transfers. You can take advantage of 0% APR for 15 billing cycles on balance transfers completed within 45 days of account opening, giving you more than a year to pay down your debt without interest charges. After the promotional period ends, a variable APR of 20.24% to 29.99% will apply. Keep in mind that a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the transfer amount — whichever is greater — will apply.

Unlike some credit cards that have complex rewards structures, the Princess Rewards Visa's rewards program is simple. You'll earn two points per $1 spent on all Princess purchases, and one point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

With the Princess Rewards Visa, you can maximize your rewards by using the card to book upcoming cruises, cruise activities and onboard purchases. You'll earn two points per $1 spent on Princess purchases.

For example, let's say you book a Caribbean cruise on Princess for two. Here is how much you could earn in rewards:

Spending

Rewards Rate

Miles Earned

$1,700 for a stateroom for a 6-day Caribbean cruise

2x points per $1 spent

3400

$600 for a hotel stay for the nights before and after the cruise

One point per $1 spent

600

$500 on flights to the cruise port

One point per $1 spent

500

TOTAL

4,500

If you redeem those rewards for Princess purchases or statement credits, your points would be worth about $34.

You can redeem Princess Rewards Visa points for the following:

  • Statement credits

  • Onboard amenities, such as spa treatments or drinks

  • Gift cards

  • Merchandise

  • Travel

Redemptions start at 3,300 points for $25, giving you a value of about $0.0076 per point.

Your points never expire as long as the account is open and in good standing.

When you apply for the Princess Rewards Visa, you are automatically considered for the Visa Signature and the Visa Platinum card. The Visa Signature is for those with stronger credit profiles, and it offers more benefits. If you qualify, the card's benefits include:

  • Extended warranty: This perk doubles the warranty on eligible purchases with warranties of three years or less.

  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: If your trip is canceled or interrupted due to an unexpected emergency, this coverage reimburses you for non-refundable trip costs, up to a maximum of $1,500 per covered person.

  • Baggage delay insurance: Use your card to pay for your fare on a common carrier, and you automatically receive baggage delay insurance. If your trip is delayed by four hours or more, the card will reimburse you for essential purchases, up to a maximum of $100 per day for up to three days.

  • Travel accident insurance: If you're traveling and are injured or killed in an accident, this benefit will provide up to $250,000 in compensation.

  • Auto rental collision damage waiver: If you're renting a car during your trip, use your card to cover the cost and decline the rental company's coverage to get coverage against theft or collision damage through your credit card.

  • Roadside dispatch: Roadside dispatch is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need fuel delivery, a tire change or a battery jumpstart. There's no membership fee required, but you may need to pay for services provided.

  • Cell phone protection: Pay your cell phone bill with the Princess Rewards Visa and you'll be covered against damages or theft, up to a maximum of $600 per claim and $1,000 per 12-month period. Each claim is subject to a $25 deductible.

The Princess Rewards Visa is best for cruise enthusiasts who are devotees of Princess cruises. You'll earn a higher rewards rate on Princess purchases when you use your card, and you can enjoy perks like cell phone protection, car rental insurance and concierge service.

However, the card provides limited rewards on non-Princess cruise purchases; you'll earn just one point per $1 spent on all other purchases, and each point is worth about $0.0076 — a lower-than-usual rate.

You can likely earn more rewards on other purchases with a more general rewards card. For example, you'll earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase you make with the Quicksilver Card from Capital One. If you used that card to pay for your cruise, airfare and hotel accommodations from the example above — a $2,800 total — you'd earn $42 in rewards, about $8 more than you'd get with the Princess Rewards Visa.

  • No foreign transaction fees: There are no foreign transaction fees on this card, so you don't have to worry about paying added fees at ports of call during your cruise.

  • Low spend requirement for the bonus offer: While some new cardmember offers require customers to spend thousands, you can qualify for the bonus by spending just $500 within three months — a relatively low requirement.

  • Valuable perks: For a card without an annual fee, the Princess Rewards Visa has a surprising number of perks, including cell phone protection and travel accident insurance.

  • No promotional APR on cruises: Some cruise line cards offer special financing rates on new cruise reservations. But with the Princess Rewards Visa, the promotional APR only applies to balance transfers.

  • Limited rewards: The Princess Rewards Visa has a limited rewards program; on non-Princess purchases, you'll earn just one point per $1 spent.

  • Low rewards value: Redemptions start at 3,300 points for $25, so your points are worth less than one cent each. You may find that other rewards credit cards give you more value for your routine purchases, such as gas or groceries.

The Princess Rewards Visa is issued by Barclays. Barclays allows you to make payments online, through its mobile app, over the phone or by mailing a check:

Credit Card payments

P.O. Box 13337

Philadelphia, PA 19191

If you're looking for a rewards credit card that offers more value for your everyday spending, consider these options:

Why we like it: Like the Princess Rewards Visa, the Quicksilver card has no annual fee. But its rewards structure may be more useful if you don't go on cruises often; the Quicksilver card allows you to earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase, with no limit on how much you can earn in rewards.

Why we like it: The VentureOne Rewards card doesn't have an annual fee, but it may be a better travel rewards card for you than the Princess Rewards Visa. You can earn 1.25 miles per $1 spent on every purchase, and you'll earn 5 miles per $1 spent on hotel stays and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Plus, the card offers a generous introductory APR for balance transfers and purchases.

Blue Cash Everyday? Card from American Express

Why we like it: If you're more of a homebody, the Blue Cash Everyday Card is likely a better option than the Princess Rewards Visa. It has no annual fee, and you can earn 3% cash back on up to $6,000 at U.S. supermarkets per year (then 1%); 3% cash back on up to $6,000 at U.S. online retailers per year (then 1%); 3% on up to $6,000 at U.S. gas stations per year (then 1%); and 1% cash back on all other purchases (Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit on Amazon.com at checkout; see rates and fees; terms apply).

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This article was edited by Rebecca McCracken

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