Deals & Booking

Booking a Cruise With Points vs Cash: Which Makes Sense

Published 6 August 2026 · 2 min read · Cruise Questions Canada editorial team

Quick answerRedeeming travel rewards points for a cruise makes sense when the points' redemption value for cruise bookings meets or exceeds their value for flights or hotels — since cruise redemption rates vary by program, comparing the cash-equivalent value against simply paying cash and keeping points for other travel is worth doing before redeeming.

For Canadians with meaningful travel rewards balances, understanding whether points or cash makes more sense for a cruise booking specifically is worth a quick comparison.

Checking your program's cruise redemption value

Most travel rewards programs publish or make discoverable their redemption rate for cruise bookings through a travel portal — comparing this against the cash value of the same points redeemed for flights or hotels reveals which use is genuinely better value.

When points make sense for cruising

If your specific program offers comparable or better redemption value for cruises than other travel, and you have a points balance without another planned use, redeeming for the cruise is reasonable.

When cash plus a promotion wins

If points redeem notably better for flights, or if a strong cruise promotion (attached extras, wave-season pricing) exists that a points redemption wouldn't capture, paying cash for the cruise while saving points for flights often nets more total value.

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Working out the best use of your specific points balance

Given how much this varies by program, comparing your actual redemption options before deciding is worth the few minutes it takes.

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Frequently asked questions

Do travel points cover cruise fares well?

Varies significantly by specific rewards program — some offer strong redemption value for cruises through a travel portal, others offer notably weaker value for cruises than for flights or hotels, worth checking your specific program's cruise redemption rate.

Should you save points for cruises or use them for flights?

Depends on your program's relative redemption value — if flights redeem at meaningfully better value than cruises through your specific program, paying cash for the cruise and saving points for flights often makes more sense.