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Royal ONE Credit Card Review: Benefits, Rewards, and Release Date
July 1, 2025
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Bank of America and Royal Caribbean Group officially announced the Royal ONE™ Visa Signature® and Royal ONE Plus™ Visa Signature® credit cards. If you're a cruiser, you've probably already seen the buzz. But before you apply, here's everything you need to know, including whether these cards actually deliver value or just look good on paper.
Are the Royal ONE Cards Available Yet?
Not quite. The cards were announced on March 31, 2026, and are expected to be available for application in May 2026. If you're interested, you'll need to wait a few more weeks before you can apply. We'll update this post once the cards go live. Let’s jump in with what we know now.
What Are the Royal ONE Credit Cards?
The Royal ONE cards are the cruise industry's first tri-branded credit cards, meaning rewards can be earned and redeemed across all three Royal Caribbean Group brands: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea. They replace the older Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card, which existing cardholders will be automatically migrated away from in the coming months.
There are two tiers:
Royal ONE™ Visa Signature® (No Annual Fee)
- 3X points on purchases with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea
- 2X points on groceries, gas, and EV charging
- 1X points on all other purchases
- Priority boarding for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises
- $100 anniversary reward after $10,000 in annual spend
- No foreign transaction fees
Royal ONE Plus™ Visa Signature® ($99 Annual Fee)
- 4X points on purchases with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea
- 2X points on groceries, gas, EV charging, dining, airfare, and hotels
- 1X points on all other purchases
- Priority suite boarding across all three brands
- Priority luggage handling on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises sailings
- $200 anniversary reward after $20,000 in annual spend
- Up to $120 TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry credit (every four years)
- No foreign transaction fees
Points are worth 1 cent each and can be redeemed for cruise discounts or onboard credits for things like specialty dining, shore excursions, drink packages, and Wi-Fi.
Who Are These Cards For?
If you cruise frequently with Royal Caribbean Group brands and tend to put most of your everyday spending on a single card, the Royal ONE cards offer a meaningful upgrade over the old Royal Caribbean Visa. The tri-branded earning structure is a genuine improvement — previously, you were limited to earning on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises purchases only.
The no-annual-fee Royal ONE card is a low-risk pick for casual cruisers. Priority boarding and a $100 anniversary reward aren't game-changers, but they add some tangible value at zero cost.
The Royal ONE Plus is a harder sell. To break even on the $99 annual fee using just the earn-rate differential over the base card, you'd need to spend roughly $10,000 on Royal Caribbean Group purchases annually. And unlike airline co-branded cards, there are no transfer partners, no status perks, and no flexibility in how you redeem.
How Do the Royal ONE Cards Stack Up Against Other Travel Cards?
Here's the honest answer: for most people, a general travel rewards card will outperform these.
Consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
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The core limitation of the Royal ONE program is redemption inflexibility. Points can only be used for Royal Caribbean Group purchases, including onboard credits or cruise discounts. If you want to cruise with a different line, take a break from cruising, or simply want more flexibility, you're out of luck.
What Happened to the Old Royal Caribbean Visa?
Current Royal Caribbean Visa Signature cardholders will be automatically converted to the new Royal ONE card. No action is required on your part. Bank of America confirmed that accounts will be transitioned in the coming months.
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Should You Apply?
The no-fee Royal ONE is best for casual cruisers and may work as a secondary card, though it's hard to justify over a general travel card for most people. The Royal ONE Plus carries a $99 annual fee and is really only worth it for frequent Royal Caribbean loyalists who spend $10,000 or more per year with Royal Caribbean Group brands — and even then, its low redemption flexibility makes it a tough sell compared to a flexible travel card.
Bottom line: The Royal ONE cards are a clear improvement over what came before, but they're still co-branded cards with limited redemption options. If you're a die-hard Royal Caribbean loyalist who cruises multiple times a year, the no-fee Royal ONE is a solid addition to your wallet as a secondary card. The Royal ONE Plus requires significant spend to justify its annual fee.
For most travelers, pairing a strong general travel card with Kudos to automatically maximize rewards across all your purchases - not just cruise spend - will get you further than any single co-branded card ever could.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
