Use The Combined Power of Your Marriott Rewards and Starpoints to Get to Antarctica

Antarctica is often the 'final frontier' for world travelers longing to experience a continent that is relatively untouched by tourists. Historically, it's been next to impossible to use points to reach the ice-covered continent — but not anymore. Starwood is offering an incredible opportunity through its SPG Moments program to get to Antarctica.

You can now bid Starpoints to purchase a trip for two as part of "Journey to Antarctica: The White Continent" from National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions. Your 14-day trip to Antarctica will begin November 6 from Santiago, Chile and will end November 19. You'll spend two weeks aboard the comfortable, ice-class National Geographic Orion ship that has a capacity of just 102 guests. During your time in Antarctica, you'll have the opportunities to make memories that will last a lifetime by seeing magnificent mountains, icebergs and glaciers. You'll explore in Zodiacs and kayaks, by foot and even cross-country skis on a frozen sea, and spend time making friends with gentoo, Adélie and chinstrap penguins.

As of the time of this posting, the high bid for the expedition is approaching 250,000 Starpoints, with almost a week left to place bids. TPG values Starpoints at 2.5 cents each, which means that the high bid of 250,000 translates into a cash value of approximately $6,250 — a tremendous deal considering the price of this trip ranges from $13,360 to $28,340. Surely, as the closing of the auction comes closer the bids will increase in price, but it would still represent one of the most unique ways to use your points, and a great way to get maximum value from transferring Marriott Rewards to your SPG account.

Is anyone planning on bidding for the "Journey to Antarctica: The White Continent"?