How Virgin Voyages Fixed Everything You Thought You Hated About Cruises

Included Gratuities and a Happy Crew

One of the most disappointing parts of shopping for a cruise is the number of taxes and fees that get tacked on by the time you check out, and that doesn’t even include gratuities, typically about $20/person/day. It often seems like the final price is a good 50% higher than the advertised fare. Not so with Virgin. They typically advertise their prices per cabin, and those prices include taxes, fees, port fees, and gratuities.

The crew on Virgin Voyages also seem to love their jobs, which makes you feel really good as a consumer. Virgin even provides crew with unlimited free Wi-Fi to stay in touch with family and friends, and allows them to hang out in guest areas and eat in guest restaurants during their off time – perks that are completely unheard of on other lines.

Wi-Fi

Speaking of Wi-Fi, it’s free on Virgin ships. Typical prices on other lines are $25-$45 per day or more if you have multiple devices. Disconnecting on vacation can be nice, but it’s crazy that on other lines, just checking in with family at home occasionally will cost you hundreds of extra dollars.

No Kids

You need to be at least 18 years old to sail on Virgin Voyages. I don’t mind kids on cruises personally, but this restriction means that Virgin ships sail with many fewer passengers than other lines. Ship's capacity assumes double occupancy. It’s not uncommon for other ships to sail at over 100% capacity and sometimes over 150% capacity due to the number of cabins with more than two people. Because kids are not allowed on Virgin Voyages, it is exceedingly rare for ships to sail over 100% capacity, and trust me, you’ll notice the extra space.

Dining options

Most cruise lines have three options for dining. The buffet, a main dining room, and specialty restaurants. Typically, the buffet and main dining room are included in your fare, and specialty restaurants are an extra charge of $45-$75/person/meal. The food in the main dining room is typically good, but it’s mass-produced banquet food. If you want a truly high-end experience, you’ll need to upgrade to specialty dining.

Virgin has completely rejected this model. The buffet has been replaced with The Galley, which is essentially a food hall. The food in here is still quick and there are still some grab-and-go items, but most of the food in here is made to order just for you. This means it’s fresh and hot, and this reduces the food waste cruises are infamous for.

Virgin also completely nixed the main dining room in favor of six smaller specialty restaurants–all included in your fare. The food is really excellent and the experiences are unique. Here are the full-service restaurants onboard:

• Pink Agave – If you love Mexican food, this one is for you. The food is upscale and interesting, while retaining an authentic feel. My recommendation is to tell your server the types of things you like and then just let them order for you.

• Razzle Dazzle – Fun, upscale, and Instagrammable takes on typical American fare with extra vegetarian options. Don’t forget to inquire about the secret menu options as well.

• Extra Virgin – Start your night with a giant charcuterie board, move on to freshly made pasta, and finish it with table-side gelato.

• Test Kitchen – An experimental six-course tasting menu with available drink pairings. This type of experience can easily cost hundreds of dollars on land and it’s so well-done on Virgin, you may want to come back multiple nights. Pro Tip: Ask for the vegetarian menu on your second visit for a whole new experience.

• The Wake – A very fancy-feeling steakhouse with gorgeous views of the ship’s wake. Virgin Voyages doesn’t have a dress code, but this place inspires you to dress to impress. If you’re celebrating a birthday or an anniversary, this is the place.

• Gunbae – The first Korean barbeque at sea. The fun starts as soon as you sit down, when your server guides you through a quick little drinking game to help you get acquainted with your table mates. I never even look at the menu and just let the server take me on a culinary journey, but I do always ask for the kimchi fried rice, because that stuff is delicious.

In addition to those primary options, there are plenty of other places to grab a bite or a drink. My favorite is the Dock House, a beautifully designed indoor/outdoor space with views of the wake, drinks, and small Mediterranean plates.

Drink packages

The typical business model for drinks on cruises goes like this: Make the menu prices so high that people feel like they must buy a drink package because no one wants to pay $20/drink.

Virgin Voyages doesn’t have drink packages in the traditional sense. Instead, their menu prices are reasonable bar prices you’d find on land, and if you purchase a bar tab ahead of time, Virgin will throw in a bonus for free. Unless you’re a crazy heavy drinker, you’re likely to come out ahead on Virgin compared to other lines. It varies a bit from line to line, but $89/person/day plus gratuity is a pretty standard cost for a classic drink package including beer, wine, and house liquor. That comes to nearly $1,500 for two people on a 7-night cruise! If those same people bought a $1,000 bar tab from Virgin, Virgin will kick in $250 for free for a total of $1,250 onboard credit. That’s 138 $9 glasses of wine, or 9-10 drinks per day per person. In reality, you probably won’t feel very relaxed by the end of the trip if you’re drinking that much and a much smaller bar tab would have sufficed. If you book with me, I can normally throw in some extra sailor loot for free as well.

To me, the biggest advantage of Virgin’s philosophy isn’t financial. I absolutely hate the pressure to get your money's worth when you have a drink package. It’s so freeing to be able to just savor a cocktail or a glass of wine. You can drink exactly what you want and no more without worrying about overpaying.

Just remember, bar tabs are non-refundable, so if you buy too much, you may end up buying rounds at the bar for some of your new friends.

No Nickel and Diming

It’s kind of a bit on other cruise lines that it is impossible to walk from one end of the ship to the other without someone trying to upsell you on drink packages, specialty dining, Wi-Fi, beverage tastings, shore excursions… not so on Virgin. There are some activities that carry an extra charge, such as a paint and sip for $35 (including your art supplies and an hour and a half of free wine), or a $50 grog walk (a bar crawl including 5 drinks and is a fun way to meet other sailors on your trip). Those are all bookable in the app once you get onboard, but I’ve never once been solicited by a crew member to make extra purchases. Virgin can be a little more expensive than other lines, but those lines include less, and their fares are a loss-leader. Vacations are much more relaxing when you aren’t constantly being badgered to spend more money.

Who it might not be for

Virgin takes advantage of the lack of kids onboard when it comes to entertainment, and most of the onboard entertainment will have a few PG-13 jokes. That said, it is incredibly easy to tailor your experience to the type of vacation you’re looking for. If you don’t want to go to drag bingo, go to a magic show or trivia instead. If you’re not feeling the famous Scarlet Night party, just skip it. You can head to yoga, an exercise class, the spa, or a guided meditation in the morning (all the group exercise classes are free, too).

What I Love the Most About Virgin Voyages

Perhaps it’s the lack of actual kids onboard, but Virgin Voyages gives you the chance to be a kid yourself. You’ll notice the ships are gray on the outside like a navy ship might be. You’ll be referred to as a sailor during your time onboard, but once you step inside you’ll find a take on sea life that’s full of whimsy and fun. You’ll quickly find that they don’t take themselves too seriously. The theming is really well done, and the crew is amazing about encouraging you to be yourself, be goofy, and not take yourself too seriously either. Virgin Voyages lets you leave adult responsibilities behind and embrace your inner kid in a way that few other vacations can match.

If you’re ready to sail with Virgin, you can book with me just by using this link (just make sure it says “Sold and Serviced by Scott Paulis” at the top of the page). Once you book, I’ll reach out to talk dining reservations (I’ll take care of them for you), shore excursions, and hotels in your embarkation city. If you’d rather chat first or talk through some different itineraries, you can go ahead and fill out the form below!

See you onboard!

This guide is part of our ongoing series on Cruises travel. Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out my guide, Experience the Rise of The Resistance at Disney's Hollywood Studios.