Imagine sitting on the balcony, feeling the salty tang of the wind on your face. Cruises hold a massive appeal for many travellers. So whether you’re planning a short cruise close to home or an international voyage, here’s how you can earn frequent flyer points on cruise bookings.
Earning Qantas Points on cruises
Unsurprisingly, Qantas Frequent Flyer has a cruising arm powered by Cruiseguru.com. Booking through Qantas Cruises, you can earn one Qantas Point per dollar spent.
If you fancy a package instead, various TripADeal packages earn a higher 3 Qantas Points per dollar spent, many of which include a cruising component.
Earning Velocity Points on cruises
If you’d rather soar on the likes of Virgin Australia, Singapore Airlines or United after your cruise, then Cruisepilot is your answer. It’s a Velocity Frequent Flyer partner, offering a higher three points per dollar spent. Plus, elite Velocity members enjoy 50-100% bonus points on top.
- Silver members: 50% bonus points
- Gold members: 75% bonus points
- Platinum members: 100% bonus points
Earning KrisFlyer miles on cruises
KrisFlyer Cruise boasts a new way for KrisFlyer members to earn miles at sea. You’ll pocket 2 KrisFlyer miles per USD$1 spent on bookings made via the KrisFlyer Cruise platform.
Double-dip with a points-earning credit card
We’ve covered some ways to earn frequent flyer points when booking a cruise. But by paying for your cruise using a credit card that earns frequent flyer points, you can pocket extra points in the process. For example, the American Express Platinum Card earns 2.25 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent. You could then convert these flexible points to a number of airline partners, including KrisFlyer, Etihad Guest and Cathay, putting you one step closer to your next holiday.
You could even leverage a credit card sign up bonus, like the one below, to boost your points balance.
Qantas American Express Ultimate
- Sign-up Bonus:
- Up to 100,000 bonus Qantas Points¹
- Rewards Earn Rate:
- 1.25 Qantas Points earned per $1 on eligible everyday purchases. 2.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on selected Qantas products and services in Australia. 0.5 Qantas Point per $1 at government bodies in Australia. After a total of 100,000 Qantas Points is earned in a calendar year, the everyday earn rate will change from 1.25 to 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent.
- Annual Fee:
- $450 p.a.
- Offer expires
- 5 May 2026
- Earn 70,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months, plus an additional 30,000 Qantas Points when you spend a minimum of $1 on your Card within 90 days of paying your second year annual Card Fee¹. (Offer ends 5 May 2026. New Amex Card Members only. T&Cs apply.) This card includes an annual $450 Qantas Travel Credit, two Qantas Club Complimentary Lounge Invitations after eligible Qantas spend each year, complimentary international travel insurance, and Qantas Wine Premium Membership (valued at $99). Earn 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 on everyday spend, 2.25 on Qantas purchases, and 0.5 on government payments. The annual fee is $450.
Quick mention: earning points with other programs
Out of Australia, there are many more hotel and airline loyalty programs that offer points for cruises. Some online rates are restricted to US residents only (such as Marriott, though you can call up). Examples include:
- American Airlines Cruises (one mile per US$1 spent, up to 10,000 miles)
- Delta SkyMiles Cruises (up to four miles per US$1 spent)
- United Cruises (up to four miles per US$1 spent, up to 25,000 miles)
- Marriott Cruise with Points (three points per US$1 spent)
Summing up
If you’re looking to book a cruise, then consider booking through Qantas Cruises or Cruisepilot to earn frequent flyer points. Velocity members enjoy the best deal here, with three to six points per dollar spent depending on your status tier.
With Virgin Australia Economy flight rewards starting from 6,200 Velocity Points + taxes, it’s literally possible to earn enough points for ‘free’ domestic flights with your next cruise.
Most cruise lines also offer their own loyalty programs. Explore our guides to popular cruise loyalty programs, like Royal Caibbean’s Crown & Anchor Society or Carnival’s VIFP Club.
Stay up to date with the latest news, reviews and guides by subscribing to Point Hacks’ email newsletter.
FAQs
You can earn Qantas Points or Velocity Points when booking cruises through Qantas Cruises or Cruisepilot, respectively.
Qantas Frequent Flyer members can earn one Qantas Point per $1 on cruise bookings via Qantas Cruises.
Velocity Frequent Flyer members can earn at least three Velocity Points per $1 spent on cruise bookings via Cruisepilot. The earn rate is dependant on your Velocity tier – Silver members earn 50% bonus points, Gold members earn 75% bonus points, and Platinum members earn 100% bonus points on cruise bookings.
