How I Saved on an Alaska Cruise Using Venture X + a Princess Casino Offer
Thanks to a combination of points, miles, and a fantastic Princess casino offer, I booked an Alaska cruise for me and my 16‑year‑old — and saved hundreds of dollars in the process. This is exactly how I stacked deals, used the Capital One Venture X card strategically, and turned a dream Glacier Bay itinerary into an affordable family trip.
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Why This Alaska Cruise Was the Perfect Deal to Stack
Earlier this week, I received a Princess casino offer for an Alaska sailing on the Royal Princess — including Glacier Bay National Park (my dream!). The offer reduced the base fare, meaning I only needed to pay:
Taxes
Port fees
A $200 deposit per person
For two people, this came to $1,160 for an interior cabin. A fantastic deal — but I had just paid for our Greek Isles cruise (also a casino offer), and the timing wasn’t ideal.
That’s when I realized: This is exactly what the Capital One Venture X card is perfect for.
How We Earned 83,498 Capital One Miles
My husband recently opened the Capital One Venture X card. Between tuition and normal life expenses, we hit the 75,000‑point welcome bonus quickly.
Here’s how the total added up:
75,000‑point welcome bonus
2% back on the $4,000+ required spend
Total: 83,498 miles
These miles became the key to making the Alaska cruise affordable.
How I Used Capital One Miles to Offset the Cruise Cost
Once the Princess charge was posted to our Venture X account, I logged into Capital One and selected Cover Travel Purchases.
My Princess cruise showed up immediately.
Even though the cruise cost more than the miles I had, I was able to redeem all 83,498 miles for a statement credit of $834.98.
This instantly lowered the out‑of‑pocket cost of the cruise.
What the Remaining Cruise Cost Looked Like
Princess casino offers reduce the base fare, but you still pay:
Taxes
Port fees
Gratuities (paid onboard)
Here’s how my numbers shook out:
That’s how I turned a $1,160 cruise into a $325 Alaska cruise.
Why This Strategy Works So Well
This is the perfect example of deal stacking:
A casino offer lowered the base fare
A credit card welcome bonus offset the remaining cost
A travel credit card allowed me to erase the charge as a travel purchase
A timely redemption made the deal possible without straining our budget
This is exactly what my Stack & Save strategy is built for — using the right tools at the right time to make dream trips affordable.
What’s Next: Flights + Hotel on Points
I’m currently waiting for Southwest to release next summer’s schedule so I can book our flights using points. If that doesn’t work out, I have plenty of Amex Membership Rewards as a backup.
I’ve already booked our Hyatt hotel in Seattle for the night before the cruise — also on points.
This entire trip is shaping up to be a nearly free Alaska adventure.
Want to Book Your Own Alaska Cruise Using Points?
Here are the resources I recommend:
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If you enjoy learning how we travel as a family using points, miles, and smart credit card strategies, I’d love for you to follow along:
