Getting upgraded to deluxe accommodations or first-class seating is one of the best feelings in the world. I once got a free upgrade to the front row of first class on a (short) international flight, and I'm still riding that high more than a year later!
But my travel win was nothing compared to what Garett Talcott and his husband Michael Rivera got on their 20-day-long voyage with Azamara Cruises. Near the start of their trip, Talcott won a game of "Blackout Bingo" and scored an unbelievable grand prize: a free upgrade to the biggest, most luxurious cabin on the ship!
It's not every day a bingo game wins you a grand prize worth $50,000! The couple seemed like they couldn't believe their incredible luck in their now-viral cabin tour/victory lap, uploaded to Rivera's TikTok account, @vividmichael . Their deluxe cabin was incredibly spacious, with a dining nook, a living room, a master bedroom , a full tiled bathroom with a big tub and shower, and, "Holy Toledo," tons of storage. But the true piece de resistance sat just outside the cabin's floor-to-ceiling windows.
There was no rinky-dink little balcony here. The couple's cabin came with an enormous wrap-around deck, complete with a patio furniture set and a pair of patio loungers . Looking out from the stern of the ship, there was nothing to detract from the untouched beauty of the perfect ocean scenery.
The whole stateroom was incredible, but the couple's followers went wild for the deck and the bathroom in particular!
"I would alternate between the bathtub and the deck, OMG," admired @toughndelusional.
"I don't think I'd leave the room and its balcony for the rest of the trip," agreed @mattieonename.
The Ultimate Antarctic Adventure Upgrade
Their scenic setup couldn't have been better for the cruise itinerary they were on, either, because they were headed to one of the most visually striking destinations on Earth. Michael Rivera told Newsweek that the couple had won their upgrade on Day 2 of their 20-day Azamara Antarctic cruise last December. The couple had spent around $450 worth of cards playing Blackout Bingo against roughly 20 to 30 other guests, and it came down to a nail-biting finish between Garett and one other player. But the lucky couple clinched the big win, multiplying their $450 investment more than 100 times over and upgrading to a cabin with perfect panoramic views for their Antarctic adventure.
The couple's cabin was stacked to the nines with tons of other perks as well. "The suite came with access to the special spa area, all the specialty dining, a butler, and private concierge, special seating- it was like being in Downton Abbey , but on a ship," Rivera told Newsweek . "We had never experienced anything like this before."
The cruise vacation gods definitely smiled on Garett and Michael here. Don't underestimate those cruise ship bingo games, people - you never know what you might win!
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