Hey there fellow credit card enthusiasts! I'm excited to share my recent travel adventure to the stunning Andaman & Nicobar Islands with you. This trip was a perfect blend of using miles and cash to experience luxury and serenity in this tropical paradise.
Flights:
Our journey began with Vistara's UK 747 flight from Kolkata to Port Blair. We had a group of six - five adults and one little explorer. Here's how we optimized our flight bookings:
- One Business Class voucher from the Axis Vistara Infinite Credit Card.
- One Business Class revenue fare, snagged for a steal at 20,000 INR.
- Four Premium Economy vouchers from the IDFC Vistara Credit Card, which we smartly upgraded to Business Class at the counter for just 6,600 INR.
Our return flights ( UK 778 ) followed a similar strategy:
- Another Business Class voucher from Axis Vistara.
- Four economy revenue tickets, purchased at 5,500 INR each, later upgraded to Premium Economy using an IDFC Vistara one-class upgrade voucher.
- One Premium Economy ticket bought at 7,800 INR.
Stay:
Our accommodation was a delightful mix of luxury and savings. We stayed at the ITC WelcomBay in Port Blair for a total of four nights, booking two Superior Award Rooms at 7,650 ITC Green Points per night. But the real magic happened when we used the ITC Cullinaire Membership Room upgrade voucher to elevate one of the Superior Rooms to a spacious Suite (Room 303).
As ITC WelcomBay has only two suite rooms, we were thrilled to land the better of the two. We also spent one night at the Taj Exotica Radha Nagar Beach in Havelock (a revenue booking), and an additional night back at ITC WelcomBay, this time in a Deluxe Room. This room was initially booked using a complementary stay voucher through the ITC Cullinaire membership, which later got upgraded to a Suite (Room 308) for a mere 6,100 INR. To top it off, we booked one more Superior Room at 7,450 ITC Green Points.
The total Green Points spent on rooms amounted to 53,350. Had we paid in cash, it would have easily costed 72-75K INR.
Food:
While staying at WelcomBay, we dined at their two restaurants: Swizzels and Bay Leaf. Bay Leaf, where they serve the buffet breakfast, offered decent food. Swizzels, on the other hand, delighted our taste buds with lip-smacking finger foods and some fantastic mocktails and cocktails.
For lunch and dinner, we recommend exploring local seafood delicacies at places like Seafood Delights and Lighthouse Restaurant in town. As an ITC Cullinaire member, I was able to take advantage of some fantastic discount vouchers, including a 50% off voucher and a 25% off voucher for our meals.
Spa:
One of the highlights of our stay at WelcomBay was the Kaya Kalp spa. With reasonable pricing and exceptional services, we treated ourselves to a couple's spa, which proved to be incredibly soothing after long days of exploration.
Laundry:
WelcomBay's laundry service, though outsourced, was efficient. It typically takes around 24 hours to get your clothes back, and the charges are reasonable.
Travel Desk:
WelcomBay boasts a third-party travel desk managed by the competent Miss Geeta. Her genuine advice and expertise proved invaluable during our trip.
Sightseeing Suggestions:
During our stay in Port Blair, we explored the Cellular Jail with its captivating light and sound show, visited the Samudrika Museum, and took in the beauty of nearby beaches like Corbyn's Cove, Wandoor, and Chidiyatapu.
An overnight trip to Havelock Island is a must, and you'll fall in love with its charm. Don't forget to include Ross and North Bay in your itinerary, as well as a day at Diglipur.
Expenses at WelcomBay:
Our expenses at WelcomBay, including food, laundry, spa, room taxes, and room upgrade, amounted to around 38,000 INR. We used 30,000 INR worth of ITC Green Points and paid the remaining 8,000 INR in cash.
Overall Summary:
To sum it all up, we spent 83,350 ITC Green Points + 8,000 INR in cash for our accommodation and 59,000 INR approximately for our flights( 5 PAX + 1 Kid J class from kolkata to Port Blair and 1 J and 5( 4 + 1 kid) PY from Port blair to Kolkata ). Our strategic use of credit card vouchers and miles made this incredible trip possible while keeping our expenses in check.
All in all, the total revenue for this trip, including flights and the WelcomBay hotel stay with food, would have easily exceeded 2-2.2 lakhs INR. Talk about a sweet deal for credit card enthusiasts like us!
Here are some pictures from our amazing Andaman & Nicobar Islands adventure:
Until next time, fellow travellers and credit card enthusiasts – happy miles and points hunting!
Flights:
Our journey began with Vistara's UK 747 flight from Kolkata to Port Blair. We had a group of six - five adults and one little explorer. Here's how we optimized our flight bookings:
- One Business Class voucher from the Axis Vistara Infinite Credit Card.
- One Business Class revenue fare, snagged for a steal at 20,000 INR.
- Four Premium Economy vouchers from the IDFC Vistara Credit Card, which we smartly upgraded to Business Class at the counter for just 6,600 INR.
Our return flights ( UK 778 ) followed a similar strategy:
- Another Business Class voucher from Axis Vistara.
- Four economy revenue tickets, purchased at 5,500 INR each, later upgraded to Premium Economy using an IDFC Vistara one-class upgrade voucher.
- One Premium Economy ticket bought at 7,800 INR.
Stay:
Our accommodation was a delightful mix of luxury and savings. We stayed at the ITC WelcomBay in Port Blair for a total of four nights, booking two Superior Award Rooms at 7,650 ITC Green Points per night. But the real magic happened when we used the ITC Cullinaire Membership Room upgrade voucher to elevate one of the Superior Rooms to a spacious Suite (Room 303).
As ITC WelcomBay has only two suite rooms, we were thrilled to land the better of the two. We also spent one night at the Taj Exotica Radha Nagar Beach in Havelock (a revenue booking), and an additional night back at ITC WelcomBay, this time in a Deluxe Room. This room was initially booked using a complementary stay voucher through the ITC Cullinaire membership, which later got upgraded to a Suite (Room 308) for a mere 6,100 INR. To top it off, we booked one more Superior Room at 7,450 ITC Green Points.
The total Green Points spent on rooms amounted to 53,350. Had we paid in cash, it would have easily costed 72-75K INR.
Food:
While staying at WelcomBay, we dined at their two restaurants: Swizzels and Bay Leaf. Bay Leaf, where they serve the buffet breakfast, offered decent food. Swizzels, on the other hand, delighted our taste buds with lip-smacking finger foods and some fantastic mocktails and cocktails.
For lunch and dinner, we recommend exploring local seafood delicacies at places like Seafood Delights and Lighthouse Restaurant in town. As an ITC Cullinaire member, I was able to take advantage of some fantastic discount vouchers, including a 50% off voucher and a 25% off voucher for our meals.
Spa:
One of the highlights of our stay at WelcomBay was the Kaya Kalp spa. With reasonable pricing and exceptional services, we treated ourselves to a couple's spa, which proved to be incredibly soothing after long days of exploration.
Laundry:
WelcomBay's laundry service, though outsourced, was efficient. It typically takes around 24 hours to get your clothes back, and the charges are reasonable.
Travel Desk:
WelcomBay boasts a third-party travel desk managed by the competent Miss Geeta. Her genuine advice and expertise proved invaluable during our trip.
Sightseeing Suggestions:
During our stay in Port Blair, we explored the Cellular Jail with its captivating light and sound show, visited the Samudrika Museum, and took in the beauty of nearby beaches like Corbyn's Cove, Wandoor, and Chidiyatapu.
An overnight trip to Havelock Island is a must, and you'll fall in love with its charm. Don't forget to include Ross and North Bay in your itinerary, as well as a day at Diglipur.
Expenses at WelcomBay:
Our expenses at WelcomBay, including food, laundry, spa, room taxes, and room upgrade, amounted to around 38,000 INR. We used 30,000 INR worth of ITC Green Points and paid the remaining 8,000 INR in cash.
Overall Summary:
To sum it all up, we spent 83,350 ITC Green Points + 8,000 INR in cash for our accommodation and 59,000 INR approximately for our flights( 5 PAX + 1 Kid J class from kolkata to Port Blair and 1 J and 5( 4 + 1 kid) PY from Port blair to Kolkata ). Our strategic use of credit card vouchers and miles made this incredible trip possible while keeping our expenses in check.
All in all, the total revenue for this trip, including flights and the WelcomBay hotel stay with food, would have easily exceeded 2-2.2 lakhs INR. Talk about a sweet deal for credit card enthusiasts like us!
Here are some pictures from our amazing Andaman & Nicobar Islands adventure:
Until next time, fellow travellers and credit card enthusiasts – happy miles and points hunting!
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