This cruise line is giving away 1,000 free sailings; here's how to enter
Contests aren't unusual in the cruise realm, but relative newcomer Virgin Voyages is giving away an impressive number of free cabins — 1,000, to be exact — for sailings this fall as part of its "JLo's Epic 1,000 Virgin Voyages Giveaway."
Songstress and actor Jennifer Lopez, the brand's "chief entertainment and lifestyle officer," has attached her name to the sweepstakes, which runs through June 29, 2022.
Winners will each receive a balcony cabin on their choice of either Scarlet Lady, departing from Miami, or Valiant Lady, sailing from Barcelona.
So, what's the catch? If you win, you have to claim your prize and embark on your sailing between July and October of this year. The good news is that you'll get to bring a friend, free of charge, but you'll both have to pay for your own airfare and any pre- or post-cruise hotel accommodations, as those aren't included in the prize.
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You can enter by taking a quiz on Virgin Voyages' website. Adults (21 and older) who are legal residents of the United States (including Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico), Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, Germany and Spain are eligible.
This isn't the first time Virgin Voyages has run such a contest. In early 2021, Virgin's Shipload of Love sweepstakes encouraged people to nominate, via video entry, someone in need of a vacation for a chance to win one of 1,000 cruises.
This contest fits in with a recent trend of cruise lines announcing extra deals and incentives to entice potential passengers onto their ships. As part of this longer-than-usual wave season, Virgin Voyages has also been sending out e-mail promotions for cruise discounts of up to 40%, plus bonus drink credits when initial drink credits are purchased.
The slashing of fares and availability of cabins throughout the first half of the year is indicative of travelers' current reluctance to commit to future vacation plans across cruise lines.
Cruise line executives believe cruising will return to normal in 2023. Yet at the industry's annual conference in April, they admitted that 2022 bookings have been soft so far, with cruisers opting to wait until the last minute to make reservations.
Perhaps winning a free sailing on Scarlet Lady or Valiant Lady will help change travelers' minds.
Featured photo courtesy of Virgin Voyages.
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- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
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| 10x | Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
| 5x | Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
| 3x | Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. |
| 1x | Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®80,000 bonus pointsAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
If you are looking to take your premium rewards to the highest level, this card is really a no brainer in our eyes. Chase's Ultimate Rewards make points easy to redeem, with a wide range of 10 airline and three hotel transfer partners and a friendly user interface. Despite the high annual fee, Chase is consistently adding new benefits to keep the card competitive in a fierce premium rewards field.Pros
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year
- Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards hotel and airline travel partners
- Unlimited 3x points on the broad category of travel and dining
- 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Broad definitions for travel and dining bonus categories
Cons
- Steep $550 annual fee
- May not make sense for people that don't travel frequently
- You must spend the $300 travel credit before earning 3x points for travel and dining
- No automatic hotel elite status
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,200 toward travel
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more