How I Booked a 7‑Day Holland America Cruise for $1,000 Total
Every once in a while, the travel‑hacking stars align — and this June, they aligned perfectly. I just booked a 7‑day Holland America cruise to Canada with my son Tanner, and the total out‑of‑pocket cost will be right around $500 per person. Yes, for a full week of cruising in peak summer.
Here’s the full breakdown of how I stacked casino offers, expiring points, airline miles, a forgotten flight certificate, and even a free hotel night to make this trip happen.
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If you’re new to casino offers or booking cruises with points, start with my Cruise Hub for guides, tips, and deal‑stacking strategies
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The Deal That Started It All: Holland America Casino Offer
Holland America sent out a round of last‑minute casino deals, and one of them stopped me in my tracks:
7‑day Canada cruise
$365 per person
$100 onboard credit each
For a summer sailing, that’s already a steal — but you know I wasn’t stopping there.
Looking for last‑minute cruise deals → How I Save on Cruises
Free Pre‑Cruise Hotel Night in Boston (Hyatt Regency)
Because we’re flying in the day before (always, always fly in early for a cruise), I booked our Boston hotel using Hyatt points.
We’ll be staying at the Hyatt Regency Boston, and the cash rate for that night was around $350 — completely free thanks to points.
This alone made the trip feel like a win before we even boarded the ship.
Flights to Boston for Just Taxes (Thanks to Expiring Qantas Points)
This part felt like fate.
I had Qantas points sitting in my account that were about to expire. Qantas partners with American Airlines, which meant I could book our flights to Boston for just the taxes.
Outbound flights: Booked with Qantas points on American
Retail value: About $500 total
My cost: Taxes only
Emotion: Pure relief that those points didn’t go to waste
Flying Home on Air Canada Using Amex‑Transferred Points
For the return, I pieced together another win:
I transferred American Express Membership Rewards → Air Canada Aeroplan
I booked our flights home using those miles
And then I remembered I had a 5,000‑mile flight certificate from an old promo sitting in my Aeroplan account
I genuinely didn’t think I’d ever use that certificate, but it ended up being perfect for this itinerary.
Retail value of return flights: About $500 total
My cost: Miles + taxes
A Bonus Adventure: Train From Quebec City to Montreal
Our cruise ends in Quebec City, but the best flight options were out of Montreal. Instead of seeing that as an inconvenience, I turned it into a mini adventure.
We’ll:
Explore Quebec City after disembarking
Take the train to Montreal
Fly home later that evening
It adds a fun travel‑day twist and gives us more time in one of the most beautiful cities in North America. I’ve been to Québec City before and absolutely loved it — you can read my full Québec City review here.
What This Trip Should Have Cost
If I booked everything with cash, here’s what the total would look like:
Flights to Boston: ~$500 total
Flights home from Montreal: ~$500 total
Pre‑cruise hotel in Boston: ~$350
7‑day Holland America cruise: ~$2,400 total for two people
Estimated retail value:~$3,750+
What I’m Actually Paying
Thanks to:
A $365 casino fare each (wth $100 on board credit each)
Flights booked almost entirely on points
A forgotten flight certificate
A free Hyatt night in Boston
…I’m landing at less than $500 per person for a 7‑day summer cruise to Canada.
Travel hacking isn’t always glamorous — sometimes it’s a puzzle of random points, old offers, and last‑minute deals. But when it comes together like this? It feels like magic.
I can’t wait to explore Canada with Tanner this June and share all the details, tips, and reviews along the way.
Looking for last‑minute cruise deals → How I Save on Cruises
Free Pre‑Cruise Hotel Night in Boston (Hyatt Regency)
Because we’re flying in the day before (always, always fly in early for a cruise), I booked our Boston hotel using Hyatt points.
We’ll be staying at the Hyatt Regency Boston, and the cash rate for that night was around $350 — completely free thanks to points.
This alone made the trip feel like a win before we even boarded the ship.
Flights to Boston for Just Taxes (Thanks to Expiring Qantas Points)
This part felt like fate.
I had Qantas points sitting in my account that were about to expire. Qantas partners with American Airlines, which meant I could book our flights to Boston for just the taxes.
Outbound flights: Booked with Qantas points on American
Retail value: About $500 total
My cost: Taxes only
Emotion: Pure relief that those points didn’t go to waste
Flying Home on Air Canada Using Amex‑Transferred Points
For the return, I pieced together another win:
I transferred American Express Membership Rewards → Air Canada Aeroplan
I booked our flights home using those miles
And then I remembered I had a 5,000‑mile flight certificate from an old promo sitting in my Aeroplan account
I genuinely didn’t think I’d ever use that certificate, but it ended up being perfect for this itinerary.
Retail value of return flights: About $500 total
My cost: Miles + taxes
A Bonus Adventure: Train From Quebec City to Montreal
Our cruise ends in Quebec City, but the best flight options were out of Montreal. Instead of seeing that as an inconvenience, I turned it into a mini adventure.
We’ll:
Explore Quebec City after disembarking
Take the train to Montreal
Fly home later that evening
It adds a fun travel‑day twist and gives us more time in one of the most beautiful cities in North America. I’ve been to Québec City before and absolutely loved it — you can read my full Québec City review here.
What This Trip Should Have Cost
If I booked everything with cash, here’s what the total would look like:
Flights to Boston: ~$500 total
Flights home from Montreal: ~$500 total
Pre‑cruise hotel in Boston: ~$350
7‑day Holland America cruise: ~$2,400 total for two people
Estimated retail value:~$3,750+
What I’m Actually Paying
Thanks to:
A $365 casino fare each
Flights booked almost entirely on points
A forgotten flight certificate
A free Hyatt night in Boston
…I’m landing at less than $500 per person for a 7‑day summer cruise to Canada.
Travel hacking isn’t always glamorous — sometimes it’s a puzzle of random points, old offers, and last‑minute deals. But when it comes together like this? It feels like magic.
I can’t wait to explore Canada with Tanner this June and share all the details, tips, and reviews along the way.
About the Author
Julie Davis is the creator of No Point Left Behind, where she shares real‑life travel hacking strategies and family adventures that turn points and miles into unforgettable trips. A cruise‑loving mom and Amazon Influencer, Julie helps readers learn how to stretch rewards, stack deals, and travel smarter — all while keeping it authentic and attainable.
Follow her for more cruise tips, hotel hacks, and points‑powered itineraries across Cruise Hub, Trip Guide, and Points & Miles Adventures.
Want to learn how to stack like this? Check out my Stack and Save Credit Hub and join my Facebook group, Travel Hacking Mom.
