If you’re considering cruising alone on Virgin Voyages you might be having hesitations, because if I’m honest: I had hesitations, too.
In this blog post you’ll find misperceptions about cruising alone vs. the realities of what it was actually like.
Additionally, you’ll find some helpful tips so you know what to expect, can plan ahead and SPOILER ALRT: have the best time possible because cruising alone on Virgin Voyages is really, really fun!
5. Won’t Cruising Alone Be Expensive?
The top misperception you may have is around the cost: “Won’t it cost twice as much to cruise alone?”
The short answer: not really.
It’s not as pricey as you’d fear. While it’s true that single occupancy usually comes with a premium, Virgin Voyages has crafted a nifty solution: solo sailor rooms.
The solo sailor insider rooms on Virgin Voyages is a smaller footprint, no window (it’s literally “inside” the ship), but just enough space to enjoy and relax alone.
Check out the image below…
Want to see the video version of this room along with the ENTIRE helpful video that supplements this blog post? You can check it out in the video below! The room can be seen at this point in the video.
While it might feel “a bit cozy”, at the same time, it affords a lower price and is a perfect place to sleep alone and then enjoy all the adventures around the ship.
Pricing Example of Sailing Alone
I’ve asked my travel agent to help me create a side by side pricing chart so you can do a quick comparison of sailing with someone vs. sailing alone.
Who? JC! Jason Carter. He gets the LOWEST prices on Virgin Voyages. So be a smart traveler and don’t miss out on getting a free quote from him by clicking here).
Reminder: prices on Virgin Voyages can vary wildly by season, demand, location, length of sailing, etc etc etc. I’ve asked JC to price a “generic 5 night sailing in the Caribbean for two people vs. one person” and THIS is what it looks like:
| Room Type | Price for 2 | Price for 1 |
| Mega Rockstar | $13,000 | $7,400 |
| Rockstar | $8,000 | $4,500 |
| Sea Terrace | $2,600 | $2,300 |
| Insider | $2,300 | $2,000 |
| Solo Insider | n/a | $1,600 |
But wait, aren’t there multiple kinds of Rockstar rooms at different prices?
Yes. And same goes with the Sea Terrace rooms (there’s XL versions, etc etc). This is generally what you can expect. Again, if you want to SPECIFIC price quote for the sailing you have your eye on so…
To make sure you’re getting the BEST price on your sailing I recommend:
- Price exactly what you are looking for on the Virgin Voyages website
- Then get a super fast price quote from my travel agent (JC) to MAKE SURE you’re getting the best price possible
And if you’re wondering “Hmm.. is Rockstar status worth it?” then you might want to read this blog post!
Personally, I still stayed in a Sea Terrace room (click here for a quick video tour). I love the natural light and hanging out on the balcony.
So can you still get a room with a balcony? Yes, of course, it’ll just cost more than the insider or solo insider rooms.
Did you know there are SPECIFIC things you should pack for a Virgin Voyage cruise (vs. other cruise lines)?
Checkout this helpful blog post that lays it out for you and grab the free pack list below!
Don’t forget to pack THIS!
Virgin Voyages has reimagined sailing and what you need to pack on for this trip is DIFFERENT than a normal cruise line. There are many items I wish I knew to bring (that I didn’t have with me on my first sailing).
Get a free printable pack list and save yourself the headache!
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. Can I Get Smaller Food Portions So I Can Try More Food?
Ah, the culinary conundrum.
As a solo cruiser, you might wonder, “How can I indulge in the myriad of dining options without wasting food?”.
I wondered the same thing because when I’m with my boyfriend (he’s called “Meatball” for a reason) he eats a lot, therefore orders a lot, and I get a liiiiiiiittle taste of everything. But how do I recreate this alone?
You’ve got a few options to try a lot without eating a lot when cruising alone:
- At The Galley (the food hall that is in place of a “buffet experience”) where you can sample your heart away
- The Test Kitchen restaurant is a gastronomy experience and the portions are SMALL. You can always ask to skip a plate or maybe this is your night to have BOTH dinner at Test Kitchen and dinner in The Galley (or Pizza Place), etc etc.
- Some restaurants will accommodate smaller portions. Just ASK! I did!
- At Gunbae, ask the waiter to give you the mixed BBQ (they’ll make you a taste of everything!) and you can share appetizers around the table with others.
During my sailings alone (yes, I’ve done 8 sailings total and more than one alone), I expressed my desire to try various dishes in smaller portions, and the staff went above and beyond.
Picture this: me, solo, wanting both cheese and charcuterie but only having room for charcuterie, so my waiter at Extra Virgin ONLY served me charcuterie. Perfect!
3. Won’t I Feel Really Lonely Cruising Alone?
Loneliness on a cruise filled with couples and groups? A valid fear, but one that makes me realize Virgin Voyages is just different.
Why? Virgin Voyages has created an atmosphere that is just… straight up FUN. It encourages a lot of interaction between you and the Happenings Cast as well as with the other people around the ship (remember the Gunbae example?).
But wait… there’s more (for solo sailors or SOCIAL sailors)…
The solo sailor meetups are a must. You’ll get an invite to your first one as soon as you get on board. It looks something like this (and will be inside your stateroom):
The first thing to do – go meet all the other sailors who are traveling alone (or are just really social and want to meet other people).
This will happen upstairs on the 16th deck before the sail away party if it’s nice outside, or inside at Loose Cannon if the weather isn’t cooperating.
The Happenings Cast (your cruise directors) will be there to help facilitate conversation and make the intros. One of my fave parts? The option to opt-in for the what’s app group where you can stay in the know about what other are up to or actively send out invites for meetups.
A few more things to sign up for that won’t make you feel alone on Virgin Voyages
- Sign up for the Grog Walk (a bar crawl for $50, in which you are required to be social to get your drink at each bar stop!)
- Dine at Gunbae (where strangers are forced to sit together!)
- Attend workout classes
- Go to trivia! Lots of people are looking to make groups together
- Participate in the various games put on by The Gamer
- Hangout with The Happenings Cast!
2. Will I Be Unsafe Cruising Alone?
A valid concern and something many people ask when traveling alone: will I be safe?
One of the things I love about Virgin Voyages is the amount of security they have around the ship and at all the events. So yes, security is tight, but not in a way that feels imposing.
I also felt like SO many people are sailing alone that I couldn’t help but run into the solo sailors no matter where I was on the ship…
I will admit one thing I’m changing when I travel alone moving forward. And that’s how I share my room number.
In other words, it’s a must-ask question by hosts and hostesses at the restaurants “what is your cabin number?” and announcing it to the world as a solo sailor everywhere I was at felt… crappy.
So moving forward I’m going to simply show my cabin number from the app without having to announce it out loud.
Why? It simply makes me feel better that “just in case” no one knows what room I’m staying in. I recently posted on social media about one of the FIRST times I posted real time about my location and where I was staying in years. Given it was an all-inclusive, no one can enter the property without a wristband. This meant the guys that “really wanted to meet me” were waiting for me outside the property. That sucked.
1. Will I Be Bored Cruising Alone?
Boredom, the dreaded B-word. To be honest, it was one of the things I talk about in my “biggest mistakes” video. There are simply too many options of things to do and on my first sailings (not alone) I regretted feeling like I needed a vacation after my vacation on Virgin Voyages. I was exhausted.
Short answer: no, you “shouldn’t” be bored.
One thing I DID really enjoy is being able to do WHATEVER I wanted without having to appease anyone else. This meant things like:
- Dining at two dining spots in a night (yes they’ll let you do it if you ask nicely)
- Enjoying the quiet areas on the ship (like the Perch on 17 with a view)
- Taking every single workout and fitness class
- Doing a shake for champagne and drinking an entire bottle of Moet to myself
- Having $1,100 in sailor loot that I DID NOT need to share with anyone else.
This list is long and I’ll spare you the details because I think you get the point.
Bottom Line
Sailing alone on Virgin Voyages ended up being way more fun and way different than I thought.
It’s why I did it twice (and I’m not done yet).
Solo cruising on Virgin Voyages means having the freedom to craft your own adventure, whether you’re soaking in moments of solitude or mingling at social events. It’s an ideal blend of independence and community, set against the backdrop of unforgettable experiences.
Checkout the full experience in the video version of this blog post!
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!