TRIP REPORT: My FREE Virgin Voyages Sea Terrace Cruise (Resilient Lady 7 Day Greek Island Glow for ~$100/day!)

I continue to be amazed that the Casino Status Match Jackpot has paid off so handsomely for me (here’s my full haul)! I have heard so many incredible things about Virgin Voyages so I’m really excited for this comp cruise. As if getting a free cruise sailing the Mediterranean wasn’t enough, I was able to really maximize my travels by timing my comp cruise bookings: after wrapping up my Holland America Nordics Comp Cruise and a couple days in Reykjavik, I would head to Athens and then down to Piraeus to board the Resilient Lady.

So how did I spend ~ $100/day for the entire trip INCLUDING flights, hotels, food, etc? Let’s dive in and see how!

Note: trip reports and this post focus on numbers and travel hacking. People wonder how I can afford to travel so much so I am peeling back the curtain to show you exactly what I did but as importantly, to show how it’s possible for YOU to do this as well. The reason why I am so passionate about travel hacking is that it is simply a way that allows you to travel for cheaper, for better and/or more often. As with everything there are levels to it so it can be simple or complex as you want it to be. This trip showcases so many things in action so please don’t be intimated as I have been doing this for a LONG time: learn and use what you can! I have included some beautiful tips as well as give some insight into my choices that show you how to maximize trip planning.

One thing to note is that the cash price is what I would have paid at the time I booked XX. Take those numbers with a grain of salt because some of the things especially the business class flights or even this cruise are not things I would be taking IF I had to pay the full cash price for them. But they are included because they give you an idea of what travel hacking looks like in action.

_{Please note: this post contains affiliate links which means if you buy something following a link on this page, I may get a small commission. There is no additional cost to you and helps reduce the ever-increasing costs of keeping this site active}. _{Thanks for supporting my blog (AKA feeding my ice cream addiction around the world!) Rosemary}

SPEND (Cash, Miles, Points) & SAVINGS BREAKDOWN

FLIGHTS

Flights tend to be one of the larger expenses for travel and being able to book two European cruises back to back eliminated the need for multiple transatlantic flights!

KEF-ATH (Lufthansa)

Spend: 16K United Airlines Miles + $68.90 / Savings: $34 preferred seat fee waived

One of the biggest reasons why I love award travel is the ability to change travel plans – for me, this is one of the ways that I travel better. I made a very impulsive decision to stay longer in Iceland and because I had booked my flight using United miles, I was able to change my flights without penalties. This was done only a couple days before my scheduled flights so cash prices were incredibly high – so I was able to save a lot of money with a trade-off that the itinerary was not ideal (not only did I not have a direct flight but I would have a very long layover in Frankfurt, Germany)

ATH-FRA (Lufthansa)

Spend: 12.5 Air Canada miles + $60.93 / Savings: 2K Chase Ultimate Reward POints

The number of miles needed on Air Canada and United were the same for this particular flight but I chose to book with my AC miles as I had transferred some over when there was a 20% transfer bonus via Chase Ultimate Rewards.

This flight was even more impulsive than the previous flight as I decided to completely change my plans on the morning that we disembarked from the Resilient Lady! Why? I was originally going to Thessaloniki after the cruise but there was a huge wildfire happening and I just had a crushing feeling the morning I woke up that I should go somewhere else. So I went to the Athens airport with my new friend from the cruise and as she was checking in for her flight, I booked this flight to Frankfurt. Ticket prices were not only high because this was so last minute but this also happened to be the weekend that the CrowdStrike faulty update happened – disrupting global tech and travel. Miles + award travel for the win!

LODGING

Hyatt Place Frankfurt

Spend: $10.73 (€10 Housekeeping tip) / Savings: $10.86 from upgraded room type

Obviously not an ideal itinerary from KEF-ATH with an overnight layover, but very easy to manage as this hotel is not only easily accessible with public transport from the FRA airport but within close walking distance from the train station.

VIRGIN VOYAGES COMPED CRUISE

• Cruise Line/Ship: Virgin Voyages (VV) / Resilient Lady
• Stateroom Type: SeaView (Oceanview)
• How was comped cruise obtained?: via direct match to Virgin casino
• Cruise Itinerary: Greek Island Glow – 7 Nights/8 Days
• Dates: July 2024
• Included in comped cruise offer:
  • Free specialty coffee (unlimited!)
  • Free drinks for two while playing in the casino

Spend $283- including additional tips ($70/stateroom attendants + $1-10/other staff) / Savings: comped cruise fare (for two/single supplement fee not charged for solo)

One of the nicest perks with comp cruises for me is that there are no single supplement fees assessed which are significant savings. And sailing on Virgin, there are so many other ways that you save from not being charged mandated staff gratuities to complimentary Wi-Fi – read this post which outlines the savings from a Virgin cruise vs other lines and what my free cruise really cost.

FOOD

Spend: $48.54 / Savings: $475 on meals (comp cruise extras/dining on VV + ATH lounge access + covered drinks/food in Mykonos)

I did count some of the meals that I had aboard the Resilient Lady as they would have been akin to specialty restaurants on other cruise lines. In addition, I did have a few drinks in the casino and daily comped specialty coffees. Not travel hacking so not easily replicable was that I was also lucky in having drinks/meals comped whilst in Mykonos.

TRANSPORTATION

Spend: $57.82 / Savings: $0

Making friends during the trip definitely helped in this area as I was able to split the cost for the cab from the Piraeus port to the ATH airport.

ACTIVITIES

Spend: $167.20 / Savings: $300

I was able to redeem some Viator rewards to save money on activities. Again not travel hacking and not easily replicable was that in addition to having drinks/meals paid for whilst in Mykonos, entrance fees to clubs were taken care by some friends.

MISCELLANEOUS

Spend: $159.20 / Savings: $297.01 Souvenirs: magnet

An expensive trip to the medical center aboard the Resilient Lady was covered by travel insurance (with one successful appeal)

ITINERARY

Coming up next is the trip overview that will cover the itinerary in detail.