There is traditional cruising and then there is Virgin Voyages. Many people have set expectations about cruises (huge ships, all you can eat buffets, matching tee-shirts with your group and lanyards to hold your cruise card.. and more).
Virgin Voyages is a totally different experience and many are debating whether it is a good cruise line.
Below are eight things to consider about Virgin Voyages to help you decide if you would think it’s a good cruise line.
And what’s actually important? Let’s figure out if this is the RIGHT cruise line for YOU.
8. Virgin Voyages is not a cheap cruise
There is a difference between getting a great deal on a cruise and going on a cheap cruise.
I’m guilty of making more than one of these 11 mistakes when trying to get a cruise deal, if you’re curious if you are, too, click here to check out the blog post on how to get cruise deals.
I’m going to be honest: I’m a super savvy traveler and I didn’t believe travel agents could get a better deal than me..
Until I was proven wrong by a *TOP 100* Virgin Voyages travel agent who beat every price I compared.
Learn more by clicking here!
Not sure if we can get you the best deal? Learn more about us in Virgin Voyages Facebook group by clicking here!
An example of a cheap cruise
A recent “cheap” cruise example – a few months prior to sailing with Virgin Voyages I went on a $25/night cruise with Bahamas Paradise cruise line.
Was it amazing? No.
Was it a cheap cruise? YES!
Would I do it again? Probably not.
Was it worth the money? $25 can get me 2 California burritos WITHOUT guacamole.
So YES.
See the cheap cruise I went on with Bahamas Paradise Cruise in this video…
How much does Virgin Voyages cost?
Let’s look at some example prices of what I’ve paid…
My first sailing was a 6 day/5 night cruise to Bimini Bahamas and Costa Maya Mexico.
Total for cruise and taxes (no extras – i.e. alcohol, excursions, etc) = $2,858 or $571/night.
While on my (recent) second sailing, I booked my third sailing. You can get a “deal” by booking on the ship with the concierge (an additional 10% + onboard credit). We are sailing for 7 days/6 nights…
Total = $1,875 for cruise and taxes (or $312/night).
Relative to the above example with the $25/night cruise, this is VERY expensive. Relative to the cheapest cruises on Cruise Critic, it’s expensive.
Relative to some of the hotels we stay at (like the Waldorf in Orlando) a night on the cruise with all your food and entertainment is equivalent to JUST the price of a hotel (so therefore Virgin Voyages is a great deal).
But only YOU can decide if the price is right for you. If you want a full breakdown of my 6 day/5 night cruise you can find that in this video:
Get a great cruise DEAL
Do you know how to find a great DEAL on a cruise? Here are 11 things to avoid in this blog post, or see the video below.
7. There are no buffets on Virgin Voyages
Part of the traditional cruising experience is buffets and you won’t find one on Virgin Voyages. Every experience, including the Galley Food Hall is a sit down experience with menu.
But won’t they limit you on portion sizes and number of servings? Absolutely not.
To learn more about what the food and dining experience is like on Virgin Voyages, checkout this video:
6. There is no open bar on Virgin Voyages
This one is widely known, but many have the misperception that drinks are expensive. On average:
- Beers are $5-6
- Cocktails are $9
- Almost half of the wine by the glass list is less than $10
Yes there are options for elaborate cocktails and premium wine, but drinking on this cruise can be very affordable. You can see more on the Virgin Voyages website. Or to see more about drinks, the video below breaks it down.
5. No central gathering place on Virgin Voyages
There were several people we met on the ship that were frustrated there isn’t a large pool that EVERYONE on the ship is always hanging out at. Instead, it’s everyone.. everywhere.
They do things differently, for example – there isn’t a single cruise director in charge of entertainment. You have an entire team (the “Happenings Cast”).
The ENTIRE video version of this blog post (with TONS of visuals so you can decide if this cruise is for you) can be found below..
Despite there not being a central gathering place, Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady is a BEAUTIFUL ship. It has thoughtfully and well designed spaces that are not just instagram-worthy, but fantastic to enjoy yourself in.
Check out this blog post to see the deck plans or checkout the full video below for a walkthrough of Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady!
OR if you’re just looking for some inspo! See the curated list of Amazon items I’ve put together (and use!) for Virgin Voyages.
4. Virgin Voyages is not a family cruise line
I thought it meant 21+, but it’s not! It’s 18+! Regardless, this is not a cruise for families with young children.
Have you seen Virgin’s video about this? It’s hilarious:
So don’t pack your kids, but (FYI) there ARE some helpful things you SHOULD pack.
3. Bring an open mind
Virgin Voyages is not your traditional cruise in A LOT of ways as we’ve learned above, but there’s more!
Adult humor, drag queens, and a dinner (Gunbae) that requires playing drinking games with the strangers sitting next to you (this list gets long), but also includes…
2. Not your grandmother’s bingo
Here’s a story that might help you decide if this cruise is or is not for you.
There were a lot of die-hard bingo players when I went to bingo (rightfully titled “Not your grandmother’s bingo”). Why the title? It’s drag queen bingo.
I LOVED the song, dance and hilarious jokes. Not everyone did. Some people were just there to win the pot (which sometimes was quite large at $700+!).
Learn more about the entertainment on the ship in the video below..
1. Requires being tech savvy
EVERYTHING on this cruise (booking your dinners, entertainment and workouts) happens on the app. If you’re not tech savvy, it’s gonna bother you.
Bottom line
There are some unique things about Virgin Voyages that makes it a different cruise line than what’s out there. But that’s the point – it’s not your traditional cruise, it’s something different.
After sailing a few times with Virgin Voyages I got onto a Royal Caribbean cruise and realized… whoa, my parents should NEVER sail with Virgin Voyages. It’s NOT for everyone!
Want more? See the entire blog below or video playlist.