CardRewardsEditorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Our analysis is based on publicly available card data and is reviewed regularly by our editorial team. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content. Last updated: May 2026.
Ranked by effective value per dollar at RCI — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
RCI® Elite Rewards® Mastercard® earns the top spot for RCI purchases at 5.0¢ per dollar — no annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against RCI purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Barclays
Ranked by effective value per dollar at RCI — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
RCI® Elite Rewards® Mastercard® earns the top spot for RCI purchases at 5.0¢ per dollar — no annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against RCI purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Barclays
Ranked by effective value per dollar at RCI — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
RCI® Elite Rewards® Mastercard® earns the top spot for RCI purchases at 5.0¢ per dollar — no annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against RCI purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Barclays
Capital One
Bmo
RCI® Elite Rewards® Mastercard® earns 5.0¢ per dollar at RCI, the highest in our database. Without an annual fee, the math is simple — every dollar you spend earns immediately. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind a focused rewards structure.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Cruises Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCI® Elite Rewards® Mastercard®Barclays | 5x points | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 2x Venture Miles | 3.7¢/$ | $395 | $315 | visa |
| BMO EscapeBmo | 3x points | 3.0¢/$ | $150 | $132.50 | mastercard |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 1x Membership Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $895 | $1,422 | amex |
| Citi Strata Elite℠CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 1.25x Venture Miles | 2.3¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards for StudentsBank Of America | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| Bilt Obsidian CardCardless | 1x Bilt Rewards | 2.0¢/$ | $95 | — | mastercard |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 1x Ultimate Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $795 | $968 | visa |
| Navy Federal Flagship Rewards® CardNavy Federal | 2x Navy Federal Nrewards | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
Other brands in Cruises where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →Capital One
Bmo
RCI® Elite Rewards® Mastercard® earns 5.0¢ per dollar at RCI, the highest in our database. Without an annual fee, the math is simple — every dollar you spend earns immediately. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind a focused rewards structure.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Cruises Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCI® Elite Rewards® Mastercard®Barclays | 5x points | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 2x Venture Miles | 3.7¢/$ | $395 | $315 | visa |
| BMO EscapeBmo | 3x points | 3.0¢/$ | $150 | $132.50 | mastercard |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 1x Membership Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $895 | $1,422 | amex |
| Citi Strata Elite℠CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 1.25x Venture Miles | 2.3¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards for StudentsBank Of America | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| Bilt Obsidian CardCardless | 1x Bilt Rewards | 2.0¢/$ | $95 | — | mastercard |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 1x Ultimate Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $795 | $968 | visa |
| Navy Federal Flagship Rewards® CardNavy Federal | 2x Navy Federal Nrewards | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
Other brands in Cruises where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →Capital One
Bmo
RCI® Elite Rewards® Mastercard® earns 5.0¢ per dollar at RCI, the highest in our database. Without an annual fee, the math is simple — every dollar you spend earns immediately. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind a focused rewards structure.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Cruises Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCI® Elite Rewards® Mastercard®Barclays | 5x points | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 2x Venture Miles | 3.7¢/$ | $395 | $315 | visa |
| BMO EscapeBmo | 3x points | 3.0¢/$ | $150 | $132.50 | mastercard |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 1x Membership Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $895 | $1,422 | amex |
| Citi Strata Elite℠CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 1.25x Venture Miles | 2.3¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards for StudentsBank Of America | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| Bilt Obsidian CardCardless | 1x Bilt Rewards | 2.0¢/$ | $95 | — | mastercard |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 1x Ultimate Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $795 | $968 | visa |
| Navy Federal Flagship Rewards® CardNavy Federal | 2x Navy Federal Nrewards | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
Other brands in Cruises where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →