Cruise Hack - Using Points for Flights and Hotel
Cruise Hack - Points traveling to and from the Cruise
When my parents, Brenda and David, told me they were ready for their next cruise, I knew it was time to put my travel hacking skills to work. With creativity (and a few points), I managed to get them to and from their Holland America cruise with almost no out-of-pocket costs. Here’s how I pieced it all together:
💳Learn my credit card strategy here -> Credit Card Strategy - unlock travel
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Flights to Ft. Lauderdale for $11.20
Southwest Rapid Rewards came to the rescue! Using points I’d earned from everyday spending, I booked their flights straight to Ft Lauderdale. The total cost? Just $11.20 in taxes and fees. That’s the beauty of Southwest—no blackout dates, flexible redemptions, and a straightforward way to stretch points for maximum value. They have the Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card, so they will each get a checked bag free. They will also get free wifi on Southwest if you are a Rapid Rewards member! We could have used fewer points, but we all felt it was worth it to spend a few more for direct flights. We had enough points in my dad’s Southwest Rapid Rewards account for one of their flights. We transferred enough for the 2nd ticket from their Chase Sapphire card. Check out my review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. If you are new to transferring points to travel partners, check this out -> Credit Card Transfer Partners.
Flights Home from Montreal
Their cruise itinerary ended in Montreal, so I turned to the Capital One Travel Portal. By leveraging their Venture card rewards, I booked their return flights home without touching their wallets. The portal made it seamless, and the redemption value was strong enough to cover the trip entirely. They are flying home on a holiday weekend. The points were pretty high using the transfer portal to travel partners. Instead, we used around 37,000 miles to fly them both home, including taxes and fees. Score! I don’t use the portal often, but in this case, it was a no-brainer. Especially with direct flights from Montreal to Nashville.
Free Hotel Stay at Renaissance Ft. Lauderdale
Before boarding their cruise, my parents will spend a night at the Renaissance Ft Lauderdale. The best part? The room was free thanks to the $300 credit they got from their sign-up bonus from the Capital One Venture card. Instead of paying cash, I applied the credit directly to the booking. Check out my review of the Capital One Card -> Capital One Venture Card.
The Cruise Itself
Of course, the centerpiece of this adventure was their Holland America cruise, beautifully arranged by Mary at Sunny Breezes Travel. With the logistics handled, my parents could focus on enjoying the journey without worrying about the details. You can learn more about Mary at Certified Cruise Agent - Mary Kennedy.
Travel Hacks You Can Use
Credit card points & miles: Use airline loyalty programs like Southwest Rapid Rewards for low-cost flights.
Travel portals: Redeem points through portals like Capital One Travel for international flights.
Cruise specialists: Work with experienced travel agents to secure the best cruise deals. We recommend Mary at Sunny Breezes.
Takeaway
With a mix of points, credits, and smart planning, I turned what could have been thousands of dollars in travel expenses to get to their cruise for almost free! This is exactly why I love travel hacking—it’s not just about saving money, it’s about creating experiences and memories for the people you love. I also love this example shows that you do not have to have a ton of credit cards to save big on travel with credit card reward points.
