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Exclusive: You could get a free voyage with this Windstar Cruises 'treasure hunt'

Gene Sloan
Gene Sloan
Cruise team lead
As TPG's cruise team lead, Gene Sloan oversees the site's cruise content and also writes many of TPG's main cruise guides. He has spent nearly 30 years writing about cruise ships and cruising, and he is one of the world's best-known authorities on the topic.
Sept. 07, 2021
•
3 min read
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Exclusive: You could get a free voyage with this Windstar Cruises 'treasure hunt'
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Windstar Cruises has cooked up something fun to celebrate the comeback of cruising -- a "treasure hunt" that has a free cruise as a prize.

The small-ship cruise specialist will launch the nearly-month-long event, which will start with an online puzzle, on Friday.

Would-be cruisers who solve the online puzzle, which will reveal the location of the as-yet-undisclosed "treasure," can earn up to $200 in onboard credits that can be used on a Windstar sailing and will be entered in a contest to win a Windstar cruise for two.

The winner of the Windstar cruise then will search for the treasure while on the sailing.

Windstar is staying tight-lipped about what region of the world the treasure will be located and what it might be, but it says the free trip to find it will be "an exotic cruise to a fabled port-of-call" and the treasure will be "massive."

The contest comes as Windstar approaches having its entire fleet of six ships back in operation.

Related: Everything you need to know about Windstar's loyalty program

Windstar operates three small motor yachts in addition to three sailing vessels. (Photo courtesy of Windstar Cruises)

Windstar restarted sailings in June with two ships, the 148-passenger Wind Star and 312-passenger Star Breeze, operating in the Greek Islands and the Caribbean, respectively. It added a third vessel, Wind Spirit, to operations in Tahiti in July and a fourth vessel, the 312-passenger Wind Surf, to operations in the Mediterranean in August.

A fifth Windstar vessel, the 312-passenger Star Legend, will resume sailings on Sept. 27 in the Mediterranean. The line's final ship to restart operations, the 312-passenger Star Pride, is scheduled to resume trips on Nov. 20 in the Caribbean.

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How the treasure hunt will work

To find the location of the hidden treasure, participants must go online and watch 11 short videos hosted on Windstar's social channels and on the treasure hunt landing page, windstarcruises.com/treasurehunt (note that this page won't be active until Thursday).

Each video will contain a number, letter or symbol that, strung together, form a Google Plus code revealing the destination of the treasure.

Once players crack the code, they can earn up to $200 in onboard credits and are entered to win a Windstar cruise. The cruise winner and a partner will then search for the treasure while on the free sailing.

The initial part of the treasure hunt will continue through Oct. 1. No purchase is necessary to enter. For official rules and to get started, visit the treasure hunt landing page noted above starting Thursday.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.