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How to book a sailing through United Cruises

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

Getting frequent flyer miles for a cruise? It might sound weird, but it's a thing. If you're a points and miles aficionado, cruising is another way you can rack up miles. And if you're a cruise nut but haven't yet ventured into the world of points and miles, there's no better time than now to capitalize on one of your favorite ways to travel.

For an upcoming sailing, I reserved a cabin via United Cruises — a booking channel that allowed me to earn MileagePlus points for my voyage while saving a bit of money on my cabin.

Here, I'll explain the ins and outs of booking through United Cruises to earn (or burn) points on your next cruise vacation.

Why I chose United Cruises

I'm new to the points and miles game. Due to 2021's cruise industry restart, I found myself sailing quite a bit — and flying United to get there — which meant I achieved airline status for the first time ever and earned a ton of miles. Now I'm hooked on earning and have been making sure to rake in miles whenever I can. That's where United Cruises comes in.

I chose United Cruises because United is my airline of choice, I have status within the MileagePlus program, and the opportunity to earn extra miles was enticing.

I should also add that I recently became a proud cardholder of The Platinum Card® from American Express, which has a Cruise Privileges Program that allows cardholders to earn points and offers discounts and onboard credit with certain cruise lines. I originally planned to book through Amex, but I discovered the portal didn't have as much inventory as United Cruises' did. Plus, I wouldn't have earned miles, and I would only have been eligible for the full $300 onboard credit offered by Amex if I had booked a suite — something that wasn't in the budget.

For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's new cruise newsletter .

How you'll earn miles

The first step to earning miles through a United Cruises booking is to make sure that you're a MileagePlus member. (If you aren't already enrolled, you can sign up at united.com.)

Before booking your cruise through the United Cruises portal, sign in using the link at the top right of the screen. If you're booking over the phone, your agent should ask for your MileagePlus number, so have it readily available. This will make sure any miles earned are credited to your MileagePlus account.

Even when no promotions are in place, United MileagePlus members will receive miles based on cabin type, with 2 miles per dollar spent awarded for inside and ocean view cabins, and 4 miles per dollar given for balconies and suites. (Miles are awarded on the amount of the base fare only; they won't be accrued for taxes or additional purchases, such as Wi-Fi or drink packages.)

If you're a United MileagePlus Visa cardholder, you can earn up to 2 additional miles per dollar spent on travel purchases — including cruises — depending on the type of card you have. United Cruises also frequently runs offers that allow you to earn additional miles for cruise bookings. I've seen promotions offering as many as 10 miles per dollar spent, up to 60,000 miles, for balcony and suite accommodations booked with a MileagePlus credit card via United Cruises.

Miles will post to your account anywhere from six to eight weeks after sailing. Note that, if you book multiple cabins, you will only earn miles for the one in which you're staying. Miles for the other cabins will be awarded to passengers whose names are attached to those rooms. Miles earned through United Cruises also do not count toward elite status with the airline unless you book using one of United's fee-based credit cards.

Another important caveat is that you'll incur a $25 fee per booking for any reservations made through the United Cruises portal or handled by an agent over the phone — something that wasn't disclosed to me when I called. (I noticed the charge on my bill after the fact, but it is spelled out on the check-out page for online bookings.)

For my balcony cabin booking, which cost $2,146, I'll be earning 4 miles per dollar — a total of 8,584 miles. I also qualified for a special promotion that earned me 10,000 additional miles for booking a balcony room. Based on TPG's valuations at the time of publication, those 18,584 miles are worth about $206. That means I still come out ahead, even after the $25 fee.

Other reasons to book through United Cruises

If you've already got a ton of United miles burning a hole in your pocket, you can redeem them for the purchase of a cruise. If you have enough, you can cover the entire cost with miles, or you can use a combination of miles and cash. However, use caution when redeeming airline miles for a cruise.

"In general, cruises are a better way to earn airline miles than to redeem airline miles," says Katie Genter, a TPG senior writer. "So, it's typically best to redeem airline miles for flights, not cruises. But, you may occasionally get good value when redeeming miles to book an airline vacation package that includes a cruise.

"It's best to compare the cost in miles to a comparable paid rate to calculate your redemption rate. Then, compare that redemption rate to TPG's valuation of the airline miles. If you're getting a significantly lower redemption rate than TPG's valuation, it's typically best to avoid that redemption.

"Of course, there are exceptions. For example, you may have more miles than you can use for flights. Or, you may be short on cash and need to redeem miles to take a well-needed vacation."

A United representative told me that an exchange rate is applied to the dollar price of the cruise to get the mileage price. That means the mileage price for each cabin type can vary across cruise ships and sail dates.

In addition to earning and burning miles, you can take advantage of discounts and perks like reduced or waived deposits, onboard credit and free bottles of wine, offered by some cruise lines. Plus, World Travel Holdings -- the agency that backs United's cruise bookings -- offers a 110% guarantee that you won't find a better deal elsewhere at the time of booking, and you'll have access to 24/7 support if anything goes wrong during your sailing. (That's what the $25-per-booking fee is for.)

How to find and book a cruise through United Cruises

There are two ways to book a cruise via United Cruises. You can call an agent by dialing 800-211-2039, or you can make the booking on your own using the online portal.

After navigating to the United Cruises website , use the "Cruise Search" box to narrow down your choices by where you'd like to go, when, for how long and with which cruise line and ship.

Once the search results appear, browse the listings, noting any deals that look promising. To learn more about a sailing, click the "View Itinerary" button next to it. On the next page, in addition to the itinerary, you'll be able to review information about the ship, including dining and entertainment options.

If you've decided you'd like to go ahead with the booking, scroll down on the page, find the sailing date (noted in the far-left column) that best fits your schedule, and click the "Select" button for that row.

Next, you'll be taken through the site's five-step reservation process.

Guest options

In this section, you'll indicate how many people are in your party and enter your mailing zip code to see if you qualify for any local promotions. You can indicate if you're a repeat cruiser or if anyone in your party qualifies for a senior citizen discount. The form will also ask if you'd like to sign up for emails or use future cruise credits from your cruise line to pay for all or part of your voyage.

In step two, you'll choose the type of cabin you'd like. On this page, you'll find information about what each room style provides, along with introductory pricing for the least expensive cabin in each category. When you find the room type for you, click the "Select" button under the price. Before choosing, take care to read the fine print, as some cabins have quirks (balconies with obstructed views, for example).

Select room

Here, you'll select the exact cabin you want. Use the provided deck plan to see which cabin locations are available, and click the "Select" button next to the room number you've chosen.

Guest details

In this step, enter the name, birth date, country of residence, gender and contact information for yourself and each member of your travel party. This is also the section where you'll select your dining preferences — pick a fixed dining time or choose flexible dining, where applicable.

Complete booking

On the final tab, you'll be shown a summary of the cruise you're booking, along with a final price, broken down by base fare and port charges, and taxes and fees. You'll be asked if you'd like to purchase travel protection for your sailing. (I advise purchasing a third-party travel insurance plan for your cruise instead.) On the final page, you'll be asked to enter your payment information, billing address and select whether you'd like to pay a deposit or the entire amount due.

After your booking is completed, you'll be taken to a confirmation page, and a receipt will be sent to the email address you entered when making the purchase.

Is it worth it?

The platform is mostly straightforward. It can get confusing when you're trying to find a specific room type or cabin number (such as accessible cabins or ones near the elevators), or if you're trying to avoid a specific type of accommodation or location on the ship (such as rooms near the noisy kids club or directly under the pool deck). I ended up calling the customer service number to have an agent book for me over the phone.

Even if you're not a MileagePlus member, you can still book through United Cruises. You'll receive whichever non-miles-related deals and promotions are available at the time, along with the support of a dedicated cruise agent if you need help at any stage of booking or travel.

However, Summer Hull, TPG's director of content, advises that 2 miles per dollar generally isn't a great return. So, although United Cruises is one way to price sailings, you'll want to check other avenues to make sure you're getting the best value — especially if you're booking an inside or ocean view cabin. Absent a sizeable mileage bonus of some sort, it might not be worth it, and you could be better off booking through a travel agent who doesn't charge a fee and who can snag you some extras like onboard credit.

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The Best Ways to Book a Cruise

Lee is a freelance travel writer and podcast host based in Nashville, Tennessee. He loves to travel with his wife and two children using miles and points. Lee has held the Southwest Companion Pass since 2007 and enjoys being spoiled thanks to his Kimpton Inner Circle status.

Giselle M. Cancio is an editor for the travel rewards team at NerdWallet. She has traveled to over 30 states and 20 countries, redeeming points and miles for almost a decade. She has over eight years of experience in journalism and content development across many topics.

She has juggled many roles in her career: writer, editor, social media manager, producer, on-camera host, videographer and photographer. She has been published in several media outlets and was selected to report from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

She frequents national parks and is on her way to checking all 30 Major League Baseball parks off her list. When she's not on a plane or planning her next trip, she's crafting, reading, playing board games, watching sports or trying new recipes.

She is based in Miami.

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Not all cruise sites are created equal. While you may find comparable prices on different sites, each site has its own benefits, offers and cancellation policies. 

Before you book, though, have a look at these credit cards that come with cruise benefits to sweeten the pot even more.

What is the best way to book a cruise?

The best place to book a cruise will vary depending on what you're looking for out of the experience. We've broken out cruise booking sites based on common booking goals.

From our findings, here are the top cruise booking sites for your next vacation, plus the pros and cons they offer travelers.

For sailings across the Caribbean, Mexico or Central America: CheapCaribbean

CheapCaribbean.com is the best cruise website for the Caribbean, Mexico or Central America. It offers a best-price guarantee plus limited-time offers and discounts.

If you find a better deal within 24 hours of booking, CheapCaribbean will price match and beat it by $25. The company's customer service is available seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

Best-price guarantee.

Customer service is available seven days a week.

Charges a $24.99 processing fee on reservations.

Must provide an email address to receive the best deals and promos.

» Learn more: The best cruise lines

For consulting reviews from other cruisers: Cruise Critic

Cruise Critic is an independent website that encourages community members to post reviews and share tips.

Its message boards offer ways for website visitors to ask questions and share feedback with others based on their personal experiences and opinions. The site also acts as a metasearch for cruise deals, pulling in prices from multiple cruise websites.

Read cruise reviews from travelers who've been on that itinerary before.

"Deal Score" ranks deals to find the best value.

Price tracker shows 90-day trends for cruise prices.

Must click through the deal to book your cruise on other websites.

Prices are not guaranteed and can change before booking due to fees and restrictions on the sites where the cruises are being sold.

To review several cruise prices at once: CruiseDirect

CruiseDirect is the best cruise website when all you want are cruise prices. It doesn't offer hotels, flights, rental cars or other reservations you may want for your next vacation. CruiseDirect does, however, offer bonuses for travelers booking through its site.

Travelers can filter search results by destination, cruise line or departure port on various ships. This site offers cruises for every type of traveler, from budget to luxury, and every type of ship, from riverboats to mega-ships.

Bonus offers on every reservation provide extra value.

Best-price guarantee and free reservation holds.

Buy now, pay later financing options.

Promos offered by cruise lines aren't exclusive to CruiseDirect.

Customer service can be unfriendly.

» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?

For budget-friendly options: Priceline

Priceline was originally known for its "Name Your Own Price" promotions, but has grown into a full-service online travel agency offering flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises, saving consumers more than $1 billion dollars per year.

Travelers who book a cruise with Priceline receive up to $2,000 to spend at sea, plus waived deposits on their reservations.

Up to $2,000 to spend on board.

Waived deposits of up to $500 when booking your cruise.

110% best-price guarantee within 48 hours of booking.

Ability to book flights, hotels, rental cars and more from the same site.

Must call Priceline to get exclusive offers and unpublished fares.

Restrictions make the best-price guarantee harder to benefit from.

» Learn more: Tips for getting the best cruise deals

For booking travel experiences beyond the cruise: TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is an online reviewer community where travelers share their experiences, pictures and ratings of hotels, suggested activities and more. This honest feedback and travel inspiration also make it one of the best websites to book a cruise.

Search over 70,000 cruise deals from more than 60 sites at once.

Dedicated ship pages share details, reviews, photos and itineraries.

Too many search results make it harder to narrow down your choices.

» Learn more: Are cruises all-inclusive?

To match with a vacation planner: Avoya Travel

Avoya Travel is a family-owned website that matches travelers with a vacation planner based on their preferences. It's the best way to book a cruise using a travel planner because it offers a low-price guarantee without charging extra fees for the planner.

The downside is that online pricing is not "live." Therefore, you must speak with a travel planner to get the latest prices and book your cruise.

Match with cruise planners according to your needs.

Does not charge Avoya fees for booking, changes or cancellations.

Get a low-price guarantee and the expertise of a vacation planner without extra fees.

Must become a member to unlock the best deals.

Pricing on the website is not "live" pricing, so actual cost may vary.

Cannot book a cruise online. You must speak with an independent vacation planner.

» Learn more: The best cruise insurance right now

To book a vacation package with an airline or hotel

American airlines cruises.

American Airlines AAdvantage members can earn airline miles when booking cruises at BookAACruises.com . All members earn one mile for every dollar they spend on cruise reservations, up to 10,000 miles. Some cruise specials offer up to 100,000 miles based on your selected cruise.

If you have an American Airlines credit card, you'll earn 2x miles, up to 20,000 miles. These miles and Loyalty Points count toward airline elite status. Additionally, trips booked through this site are eligible for promotions offered by the cruise lines.

Earn miles and Loyalty Points toward travel and elite status.

Cardholders earn 2x miles, up to 20,000 miles on cruises.

Cruise experts are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Cruise reservations are offered by a third party, so customer service issues can be a challenge.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Delta SkyMiles Cruises

Delta Air Lines is another airline that allows members to earn airline miles when booking cruises through its portal. Booking through SkyMilesCruises.com helps you earn Delta SkyMiles on your purchase.

Members get up to 10,000 miles on most cruises and up to 100,000 miles on luxury cruises. Plus, the site waives deposits on eligible cruise reservations.

Can earn up to 100,000 miles when booking a cruise.

Waives deposits when booking eligible cruises.

110% price guarantee within 48 hours of booking.

Most cruise awards are capped at 10,000 miles.

Miles earned are based on the length of the cruise, not the amount spent.

United Airlines Cruises

United Airlines MileagePlus members can earn up to 25,000 miles when booking a cruise through United at Cruises.United.com .

When you have a United Airlines credit card, you'll earn up to 45,000 miles. By offering up to 4x miles per dollar spent (or 7x as a cardholder), this site is the best way to book a cruise and earn airline miles on your purchase. If you have Premier status, you receive additional perks on select cruise lines, like wine and onboard credits.

Earn up to 7x miles on cruises.

United MileagePlus Premier members receive additional perks.

Can redeem miles to pay for some or all of your trip.

Not all cruises can be booked online.

Prices do not include a nonrefundable $24.99 processing fee.

Marriott Bonvoy Cruises

If you want to earn hotel points on your cruise, Marriott Cruise with Points is the best cruise website for you. You'll earn up to 6x points on your cruise purchase, or you can redeem Marriott Bonvoy points to pay for your trip.

Plus, Marriott cardholders can earn an extra 2x points when they use that card for their purchase. While most cruises max out at 25,000 Bonvoy points earned, some luxury cruise lines offer up to 250,000 Marriott points.

Earn up to 6x points on your cruise, up to 250,000 Marriott points.

Marriott cardholders receive an extra 2x points when paying with their cards.

Can use Bonvoy points to pay for your cruise.

Redemption value of Bonvoy points is only 0.4 cent.

Must call to book cruises using points.

Processing fee of $24.99 per reservation.

» Learn more: Airline credit cards vs. hotel credit cards

For cruise package deals: Costco Travel

Costco is a retailer that offers exclusive products and pricing to its members. Through its Costco Travel website , members receive exclusive prices and benefits when booking hotels, rental cars, cruises and travel packages.

Executive Members earn 2% back on Costco Travel purchases and receive additional benefits on select packages. Plus, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi cardholders earn 3% cash back rewards on Costco Travel purchases.

Earn 2% rewards and extra perks with Executive Membership.

Some cruises offer Costco gift cards or onboard credit.

Must be a member to book reservations with Costco Travel.

Directly with the Cruise Line

In some cases, booking directly with the cruise line can be best because it eliminates a third party. If there's a problem with your reservation or you need to make a change, you don't have to worry about the booking site and the cruise line pointing fingers at each other.

This may be the best approach if you know which cruise line you want to book and which cities you want to visit. However, you may miss out on promotions offered by third-party sites.

Simple search functions.

No hassles with third parties for problems, changes or cancellations.

Less likely to get scammed by fraudulent sites.

Miss out on deals offered by third-party sites.

Harder to compare prices, benefits and routes from multiple cruise lines.

Comparing cruise prices across websites

Without being able to compare prices, it can be a challenge to determine the best site for booking a cruise. To make it easier to compare, we priced out a 7-night Caribbean cruise for two adults. 

We selected the lowest-priced balcony room on Royal Caribbean departing from Miami in August 2023. Here are the results:

Mitigate cancellation policy risks with travel insurance

If you're worried your trip plans being disrupted by bad weather or a change of plans, travel insurance might help. This optional standalone insurance can be purchased separately from your cruise bookings.

But you might not even need to pay out-of-pocket for trip insurance because many credit cards offer travel insurance as a built-in benefit to customers who pay for travel expenses on that card.

» Learn more: The best credit cards for cruises

Travel cards with cruise benefits

You can get even more perks by booking your cruise with the right card.

on Chase's website

on Bank of America's website

on American Express' website

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Get 25% more value out of your points when you book cruises through Chase.

Book with your card to get automatic travel protections for your cruise.

Redeem miles as a statement credit to cover spending on cruises.

Book with your card to get automatic travel insurance coverage for your cruise.

Earn 2x points on travel spending, including cruises and some ship excursions.

Book with your card to get trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation coverage and other travel assistance services.

Get American Express Cruise Privileges Program benefits when you book at least five nights with eligible cruise lines. Terms apply.

Cruise program benefits include $300 credit redeemable toward dining and spa services plus amenities like wine, chocolates and champagne. Terms apply.

Booking a cruise recapped

When looking for the best way to book a cruise, the price is virtually the same on every website. The difference lies in how each seller sweetens the deal.

Several cruise booking sites set themselves apart from the competition by offering additional benefits to encourage booking through them. Additionally, being able to book other parts of your trip — like flight and excursions — on the same site, or offering access to a travel agent, distinguishes some of the best cruise websites. 

When prices are the same, we recommend cruise bookers compare the perks being offered, then book on the site with the most appealing bonuses, like onboard credits, airline miles, hotel points or cash back.

If you're searching for cruises on a third-party website, you may question the legitimacy of that site. This is especially true if the site doesn't look professional or some of the information is outdated.

For this reason, you should stick with one of the best cruise booking sites on this list because they've been vetted for legitimacy and have a good track record with travelers.

Yes, last-minute deals can be the best way to book a cruise. If your travel plans are flexible, these deals can save you a lot of money. Keep in mind that you may not be able to book your preferred destination or routing if it is sold out.

Unfortunately, most cruise lines do not offer free cancellations or changes to take advantage of price drops after you book. Passengers can always negotiate with a booking site or cruise line, but they aren't obligated to refund the difference. Instead, they may offer you onboard credit, complimentary excursions or credit toward another cruise booking.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.