How to earn frequent flyer points on cruises in Australia

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

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.

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.

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