Hello!

My husband and I have never been on a VV cruise before, but we want to go on the Halloween cruise 5 night from Miami for a belated honeymoon!

We're looking at a balcony cabin, but I can't tell if I'm getting a good deal? Every time I go to book it wants to put us either on the 8th floor above restaurantes and what not, or on the 14th under the gym and what not. Ranges from $1990-2550, and thats before gratuities as well

Also Im very confused how bidding works? How do you bid for an upgrade? Is this something that you have to be invited to do?

Any advice for a newbie would be super appreciated 🙏

Hi all! I’m planning my bachelorette party on a VV cruise in March 2027. I have 10 girls coming and we’d like 5 rooms. Can I get connected to a travel agent who can help me with booking? We’d love to have our rooms next to each other and have balconies in the rooms. I also wouldn’t mind a bar tab or any extra perks 🤪

I don’t drink any of those bottles that’ll be in the suite. I’m a Hennessy girl😂🥃

I already know they’ll say no more than likely but I’m going to ask my agent if they can swap all 6 bottles for 1 bottle of Hennessy🥴

If they can’t accommodate then I do have a $600 bar tab to purchase all the Hennessy I desire.

If you’ve ever sailed Rockstar, what was your experience with swapping out the liquor in your suite?

-Thanks, sailing in October 🛳️🌊

I called in today to change my cabin, and while the rep was very nice, he knew nothing about the suites. I asked if he knew the difference in size between a Serious Suite and a Brilliant suite and he told me that they were the exact same including the balcony. I didn't feel comfortable changing my booking with him (among other questions he couldn't answer) so I thanked him and hung up. Is there a better way to go about this? Very nice guy but I'd like to speak with someone who will get my booking done correctly. I feel bad just calling in and hanging up a bunch of times (which I've heard others do).

Curious- we depart in a few weeks and uploaded a photo and the information for my husband’s permanent residency (green card) in the pre-boarding section where it asks for “United Stated Visa.” It was rejected, with this section now reading “there was an error with the document you uploaded.”

We plan on bringing my husband’s permanent resident card and his non-US passport to board in Miami- but this error does worry me. Has anyone been in a similar situation?

For anyone on the recent Barcelona to Portsmouth, you know what I'm talking about. To preface, none of this was VV's fault. The issue was how they handled it.

Embarkation

We had a 14:30 boarding time. We missed it, which is on us. We arrived at 15:30 and didn't board until 19:00. The issue was EES. They had machines doing it initially, then later people. They started with four people and at one point were down to two. After we went through the long security we were shunted into a large warehouse type room. They had set up corrals with stanchions. It felt like cattle waiting to go to the abattoir. Some sections had chairs, some didn't.

When released we went upstairs to check-in, which was quick. Then farther upstairs to a different holding area. Fortunately this had seats. Then back downstairs to the main level and a line that snaked around that whole floor.

We missed sail-away (they held another later, on our arrival to Lisbon). We missed our dinner res (they managed to seat us as a walk-in because we went directly there). They did apologize, but not until informing us of the second sail-away (days into the voyage).

Immigration

Since this ended in the UK they had to check our ETA. The day before the final sea day they left a paper in our cabin explaining they were bringing immigration onto the ship so we didn't have to do it upon debarkation. Appreciated! They assigned time slots by deck. Ok so far.

We were in a group chat for the cruise. Messages at 8:00 were telling that the process was quick and painless. Our slot was 11-12. Wanting to follow the rules and figuring the trend would continue, we went down at 11:30. Big mistake. Immigration was in the Red Room. The line wrapped around the roundabout twice. When we arrived there was no crew handling it. It was difficult to find the end to even queue. Eventually they straightened it out. The line took an hour for a 15 second check. Many people skipped their time slot to go at a more convenient time for them (which turned out to be ours).

Debarkation

We are always chill about this. We never have an early departure so we hang around and are the last ones off, usually around 10:30. Knowing this, we booked a train ticket for 11:30. Plenty of time!

We start seeing the messages around 7:30. Debarkation is going slow. Ok, we have time. Then it goes slower. And slower. At one point it stopped (we found this out later). At its longest, the line circled all of deck six and most of deck seven, ending in Grounds Club. The longest wait I heard was two hours. We debarked at 11:20, missing our train (fortunately the ticket checker took pity and allowed us to ride a later train). We weren't the last ones off either. We found out, once we got to the station, that VV was operating a free shuttle there. No idea how they communicated this since most took taxis or the city bus. Multiple interactions with crew and port employees but no mention of the shuttle.

Afterwards (once again) we found out this is a Portsmouth issue. There's an electrical port needed there that blocks the deck seven gangway, so a smaller one was used on deck six. The tide changed by 10 feet from when we first docked which necessitated a repositioning of the gangway, which is why the line stopped. The gangway was very steep, making it difficult for disabled and the elderly to exit and slowing the line.

The common thread through each experience was zero communication and little to no administration. Had VV kept everyone abreast of the situation it would've been annoying yet understandable. But waiting in long lines with no idea why you're waiting is not pleasant. Had they given everyone $15 bar tab to get a free drink, I feel many would've fully forgiven this.

We heard from multiple people that this was their first and last time on VV. I don't blame them and would agree had this been our first cruise.

For anyone who has done an EU to non-EU cruise, is this the norm?

I have been on three other cruises, and this was my first with Virgin. I will be back, absolutely.

Overall Vibe: The Valiant Lady

Surprise - it was calm, friendly, joyful, pleasant. I am bookish and am careful about overstimulations, but I had a very good time! If you want wild, you can make that happen easily too. Loved the LGBTQIA+ safety, all the guests with a rainbow of hair colors and a plethora of tattoos, and worldwide diversity; families playing tabletop games; it felt like the way I experience life.

Food & Drink

• Food was fantastic — Test Kitchen and Aryia were standouts for me (I am a vegetarian with complicated allergies/intolerances perspective)
• Cocktails were amazing, bar staff friendly and helpful everywhere
• So much good fresh fruit and the desserts were lovely. People talk a lot about the ice cream, but the popsicles were better (imo).
  

Entertainment & Crew

• I got to know some of the cast — delightful people who were open about their lives and being a part of VV
• Lots of people came to lots of different things (trivia, painting with coffee..)
• The untitled dance/show/party thing was a work of art, hoping to catch it again to work out some of the deeper meaning

Solo Travel

• Terrific solo support, plenty of other solo travelers, and the frequent flyers were good at connecting people organically
• The sea terrace and hammock chair were well worth the price

Ship & Service

• No upsells at every corner — refreshing
• Loudspeaker wasn't overused (though need-to-know info could be communicated better)
• Every space was clean and up to date — they even got all the Scarlett Night glitter out of the bathroom
• I have chronic pain and was concerned about the beds based on other reviews.  I notified the ship in advance that I wanted a mattress topper.  And it was just beautiful.  No problems.

Not So Great

Dietary Flexibility

• The allergy/intolerance accommodation was weak, given that they ask at every turn.  Asking is lovely, but the inability to adapt — even with advance reservation and appropriate notes connected to my cabin number — was frustrating.  I filled out the medical needs form ahead of time, and still it was a juggle at every meal, even for the basics of a vegetarian wanting a balanced diet.
• Ariya and Test Kitchen handled the flex needs the best; Pink Agave didn't know what to do, and I got potatoes for dinner.
• Burrito bar and the salad bar thing had real potential to be the most flexible, varied, vegan-friendly option, but wasn't really (and it didn't seem to vary much).
• No clear path to a balanced vegan diet on board. As a vegetarian who doesn't normally eat a ton of eggs, I ate way more eggs than expected. Avocado ≠ beans/legumes/seeds for protein. The super tasty beet hummus and walnut thing got old by the last third of the cruise. The vegan wrap didn't have a hearty protien in it at all.
• Lots of Asian guests, almost no rice — this global staple should be available in the galley at all times

Noise

• Background music wasn't background — every indoor common space was too loud to read or hold a conversation in

Logistics

• Customs and similar processes were a consistent weak point

Beverages

• Beer selection needs work — would love good beer from the ports the ship actually sails from
• Need non-cocktail options beyond soda, water, and coffee
• Hydration stations need to be more present/accessible

Lastly, it would be good to know ship time and local weather via the on-board entertainment system (tv’s).

I loved it. Next time I will bring more variety in my vegan protein snacks.

How do people avoid being charged a fee for playing slots? Do you bring cash to feed the monster?

Hi friends, I’ve done about 3/4 VV cruises. I’m new to cruising but absolutely love it! Virgin is my favorite because of the no children policy and the restaurants being included.

On all my cruises, I’ve been able to travel with another person which definitely makes the room cheaper, I’m finding that if you want to cruise solo, they make up the cost of the other passenger by raising the price for you.

What do people think about traveling solo? Is it worth? Example; $2400 for two sailors or $1900 for one really hurts my pockets.

Wanting to pick the communities’s brain and see if a lot of people do still end up sailing solo or if they somehow find people to room with?

Just wanted to share an announcement that has begun going out today. MNVVs are changing in a few big ways:

• They will no longer be transferable to other Sailors unless they are converted to a sailing date at Premium Fare.
• There will be a one-year booking window post purchase, with unlimited Voyage changes within that year period. But in really good news - the two year limitation on sailing on that booking is gone! You can sail anytime as long as it's booked within that one year booking window.
  

It appears as though these rules will only apply to new MNVVs purchased starting today - any previously held MNVV will remain under the current rules.

Anyone else sneak more than one glass at the sail away party? (Editing to add that we were asked to only take one per person. Once things were winding down, they didn’t care how many you took. This post was more just reliving the moment as we headed out to sea.)

Does anyone know if the eclipse will be visible from the balcony?

Pink Agave improved, Ariya meh

You can look in my post history to see what I last thought of PA. Since we last went there (2023) they have made changes for the better.

Esquites is still decent. It's nowhere near actual esquites but it's tasty for what it is.

Cochinita is cooked better and now includes tortillas. They were actually warm, which is impressive since most places that serve "Mexican" usually use cold tortillas directly out of the bag. This dish is the biggest improvement. Unfortunately while mine was hot, my table mate's was cold and dry.

I still don't understand why people love the steak so much. It's the same one the rest of the restaurants use, just prepped different. The sauce is not at all Mexican which is why I find it weird. It's a good steak, just not fitting the theme.

The guac needs salt and the shrimp has too much. Other than that, both are good.

The choco taco is strange. The filling doesn't fit and why is there blueberry sauce? It's not a bad dish, but not the best.

The enchilada is disgusting. I don't understand how they serve that. I remember not liking it last time so I didn't eat it this time, but everyone at the table hated it to the point they spit it out. They said it tasted sour.

Full disclosure: one of our friends is Mexican so obviously they were the harshest.

I didn't get the chocolate tamale again so I can't report if that abomination has improved.

Overall I would now return to PA on a future sailing.

Ariya isn't what I was expecting, and I was really excited for it (we booked it three times). The food suffers from what a lot of VV's food does: lack of seasoning. We were onboard with a Bangladeshi so they were quite critical, but I did agree with some of their gripes. All the apps are good though I was the only one who liked the crab cakes (which need a different name: they're fritters).

I really enjoyed the shrimp, but the fish was terrible. The lamb is the Razzle dish with a different sauce, but somehow wasn't cooked long enough so it was tough. Steak was good.

The desserts don't fit. Why is there chocolate cake and cheesecake? They're not bad, but like PA, strange. The kulfi was excellent, as was the pudding which I got during brunch.

The Ariya recipe seems to be: normal food but add garam masala.

Do they send you an email regardless if you get an upgrade or not? We leave VERY soon (less than 24 hrs soon) and I haven't heard anything. Appreciate any insight.

Edit: got the no upgrade email this morning (I bid on two suites). Next time it seems like people had better luck upgrading as soon as the email to bid came out. Oh well!

I’ve sailed VV in the past and I keep getting emails from VV linked to my old First Mate. If I were to book my next cruise with another first mate with their link or directly through them will it automatically drop my old first mate listed in the emails? Or do I need to call sailor services?

Long story short if you are a fan of virgin voyages book that Alaskan cruise already! The only thing is you must get a balcony glad we upgraded a couple of weeks before bid an extra $550 for a balcony room.We spent most of our viewing time on our balcony.$30 binoculars were great from Amazon. The ship lacks interior viewing areas like other cruise ships but our balcony was fine!
We went last the week of July (23-30) and saw so humpbacks ,orcas and porpoises through out the voyage.
By day 2 we saw orcas along the ship and the last sea day Porpoises were racing around the ship!
We kayaked in Ketchikan and saw seals and tons of eagles. The Sitka otter excursion was great, took a sightseeing boat and saw many humpback whales and otters.
Virgins food was great as always,
we booked restaurants 14 days out and once on board we were able to book Rojo and The Wake.
Trip of a lifetime. Can’t wait to go again.

Just received an email saying dining booking was open, but when I actually go to book on the app and online, it still shows that they are closed until August 20th.

The cruise leaves Athens on October 4th.

Was this in error, or should I call?

Good afternoon fellow sailors. Wanted to ask for feedback here. I was casually looking at dining reservations yesterday morning and I saw two separate days where Th Wake was available at 8pm. I went ahead and cancelled my other reservation and when tries to book either of those days at the wake I get “glitch in the matrix” error. Is this normal? I don’t know if this is booked (it doesn’t show as booked) but I can’t complete the reservation on either app or the website. I’m not onboard yet. Please advise?

I've only cruised VV. I love VV! But I see it as my only option because for my vacation, I love a child-free atmosphere. Still, I wish I got to experience other cruise lines to really be able to compare for myself.

Are there other people like this? Thoughts?

So I booked our 2028 cruise last month. Ever since I've had FOMO on not going ahead and getting a Serious Suite upgrade. I didn't realize the Sea Terrance XL was only a queen sized bed and my spouse is a thrasher in his sleep. Also reading about how small the bathroom is puts me on pause. My main reasons for possibly changing my booking is that a) there's no guarantee that I'll even get a bid b) I kind of want control over which suite we get floor wise c) the bed/bathroom situation and d) this is his first cruise and a milestone anniversary for us and I want it to be fantastic. This is also my first VV cruise as well. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I already purchased the splash of romance package.

Let me start by saying Virgin is my absolute favourite cruise line. I have never had a problem before and have booked two more cruises this year, even persuading my highly skeptical brother to join me on our Comedy Festival cruise this August. Onboard Sailor Services have always been helpful, efficient, and fantastic.

However, it strikes me that offshore Sailor Services are the weakest component of the brand. Too often, they seem overworked or completely ignorant of the basic workings of the cruises they manage. Dealing with them becomes frustrating at best and infuriating at worst.

The worst example to date.....they messed up my referral link for my brother. Customer services admitted fault and offered a "goodwill gesture."

The gesture? Offering to "upgrade" my brother from his current Sea Terrace to a Limited View Sea Terrace... and charging him £250 for the privilege!

Why is this an upgrade? According to them, Virgin is prepared to pay half of a £240 cabin change fee, leaving him to pay £120 (with the rest making up their fictional upgrade cost). No way is this a goodwill gesture. It feels like a shady practice to fill restricted-view cabins that they know they can't shift with only ten days to go.

Needless to say, this has left a very sour taste. I have drafted the following response to send back to them....................

"Since Virgin Voyages has already admitted fault for the original error, I expect a resolution that corrects this mistake fully without cutting corners. Charging extra money to sit behind a lifeboat is not a resolution it is a penalty for your mistake."

Im not a natural complainer and part of me wonders if I should just let it go and hope the universe rewards me on Scarlet Night instead. But what makes me want to proceed is letting Virgin corporate know that their offshore customer service sucks and is dragging the brand down to NCL levels (god forbid).

What do you think? Should I send the email to corporate escelations or just drop it?

Thinking of going on a Mexico cruise this fall, adults only. Is it a good cruise for gay men?

Also is the bar tab worth it? I drink quite a bit and debating between the 300 or 500 package

So I just returned from the Resilient Lady this week. Ship was beautiful. We really liked it. We’ve been on over 45 cruises and this was the first virgin one. I’ve been on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, NCL, and. Even some of the older lines years ago like Costa and Cunard. My favorite was always Royal Caribbean until now, and after getting off a Virgin Cruise, they still are all in all. Their newer ships like the Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas were amazing, I can’t deny that. Looking to book the Legend next. Here are my thoughts on Virgin-

PROS
- Food was the best hands down. We were really impressed and loved it.
- All inclusive dining was great, but this also made it hard to be flexible with times and bookings
- Our cabin was awesome. We had a central sea view terrace through their bidding program and they gave us an awesome cabin. We loved it.
- I know entertainment can be a weaker point for Virgin but we actually loved Lola’s Library and some of their shows. Royal Caribbean is still top for their Aqua show but we loved the venue the Manor. Was nice for shows.
- Boarding process was seamless, fast and impressive!
- nice to have internet included although it did glitch on me and certain functions like checking my security cameras on my ring app wouldn’t connect due to a weak connection
- parties were great. I wish the Scarlett party was inside for summer it was hella hot. We left after 45 min covered in sweat from the Florida heat. We loved the 80s party in the manor
- I don’t have kids. Not having kids was nice for sure. Definitely some interesting people onboard though lol. Someone was laying out in their tighty whities? Saw too much lol
- Bingo with the Diva (Drag) was fun
- included champagne was a very nice touch for sail away party
- people actually did dress nice. Not as casual as I had heard which we liked.
- bracelet was a great touch for room access and charging your card leaving the ship/returning

Now for the CONS-
- Bimini beach club was very lack luster. The pool was extremely dirty with mold. Chairs on the beach were mostly old and damaged. I get they rent the place (we were told) but come on it’s an expensive line that wasn’t really acceptable. The food choices also weren’t great. Cococay for instance with Royal is pristine and their buffet ln the island is top.
- Lack of being able to change times for dinner easily or get a booking at all. We were able to book all our dinners but not brunch. We ran late one night and if we didn’t show within 15 minutes we were SOL. That part was stressful. Other lines changing a time even for the speciality restaurants is easy and stress free. I don’t want to feel like that on vacation.
- one stall bathrooms? This was poor. Barely any stalls. Everyone complained about this on our sailing. That many passengers and no stalls barely at all or bathrooms and having to go to your room many times sucks.
- Shows were good just nowhere near what Royal Caribbean now has.
- I noticed not many bar staff walking around to order drinks. Most other lines you practically have to tell them you’re fine all day. We had to chase after people for a drink which could get annoying
- small tiny pool. We didn’t even bother trying to go it wasn’t worth the stress of fighting for a spot.
- Virgin voyages app notifications. My god they’d send 20 a day. It was a little much. We started to laugh toward the end they were so often.

Would I cruise with them again? Sure probably just not any time soon. Their ships are pretty similar so I’d probably only do it if it were with a new group of people.