Virgin Voyages Beach Club at Bimini: What to Expect
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Virgin Voyages’ private island resort, The Beach Club at Bimini, is where tranquility meets exhilaration. The Caribbean paradise features lavish offerings, including pools, hammocks, lounge chairs, bars, private cabanas, live DJs, and more.
Thrill seekers can zoom around a jet ski and swim with sharks, while luxury lovers can spend a day lounging in the pool and sipping cocktails.
When a Virgin Voyages cruise ship is in port, sailors have exclusive access to the private beach club.
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into Virgin Voyages’ private resort. From its location to the available activities, you’ll find everything you need to know about this gorgeous private resort below!
What Is the Beach Club at Bimini?
The Beach Club at Bimini is a private resort on North Bimini Island, about 50 miles east of Miami or 60 miles off Florida’s coast. It’s managed in partnership between Resort World Bimini, a Caribbean beachfront resort and casino, and Virgin Voyages, a luxury adult-only cruise line.
The resort covers approximately 4.5 acres of land and is exclusively open to select guests. The Beach Club features a range of amenities for maximum relaxation and enjoyment, including pools, bars, food pavilions, and water sports.
The Beach Club operates like your regular Caribbean private or European beach resort. There’s no fee, as your Resort World package or Virgin Voyages cruise fare includes entry to the private resort.
The resort isn’t connected or located on Resort World’s property, so hotel guests must take a shuttle to the club.
When a Virgin Voyages cruise ship is in port, sailors (as the cruise line calls its passengers) have exclusive access to visit the beach club.
On days when Virgin Voyages isn’t in port, other cruise lines, Resorts World guests, and private events have access to the club.
Where Is the Beach Club Located?
Virgin Voyages’ Beach Club at Bimini is located on North Bimini Island, one of three islands that make up Bimini in the Bahamas. It’s just a short distance from the island’s main settlement, Alice Town.
Upon disembarking the cruise, visitors can ride a complimentary open-air vehicle (think Disney World tram) to get to the Beach Club.
The club is quite a ways ahead, so while technically possible to walk there on foot, it’s best to take the tram to save yourself the hassle.
How Do You Get Around the Island?
A complimentary tram takes cruisers to several key stops on the island of Bimini, including a stop at Resorts World Hotel, Fisherman’s Village Marina, and The Beach Club.
It takes 15 to 20 minutes from the port to the Beach Club.
If you arrive on a cruise line that isn’t Virgin Voyages, the tram will take you to the public area of the beach, Beach360. The public beach offers a couple of food trucks, water sports, and some vendors who may set up shops.
Virgin Voyages’ The Beach Club isn’t a private island. So you can explore the rest of Bimini. To explore the island, you can rent golf carts at the Fisherman’s Village Marina.
Once you arrive at the club, you can choose which area to set up for the day.
There are two main pools and a large beachfront with umbrellas and sun loungers. Umbrellas and sun loungers are complimentary, but the cabanas cost around $350 to $500 per cabana.
What Cruises Visit Bimini and the Beach Club?
Virgin Voyages cruise ships, Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady, are the only cruise ships that offer complimentary access to the Beach Club.
However, you can book other cruise lines—Holland America, Celebrity, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean—to travel to Bimini. If you book with another cruise line, you can pay to visit the resort.
Things to Do at the Beach Club
Virgin Voyages guests (called sailors by the cruise line) can participate in many activities. You can spend the entire day lounging at the bar or pool or chill at the beach, where you’ll find rows upon rows of comfortable lounge chairs waiting for your arrival.
During the day, the resort is a tropical island getaway perfect for tranquility and relaxation. By night, the Beach Club transforms into a party with dancing, beach bonfires, and live DJs. The parties on Bimini are enough to rival those of Ibiza.
If your itinerary includes a stop in Bimini, you can enjoy the evening party, thanks to a late-night stay. Our sailing arrived at 8 am and stayed until 8 pm. Late enough to enjoy an evening pool party and sunset on the beach.
Others take the opportunity to partake in water sports or shore excursions. Here are some of the best things to do at the Beach Club:
Chill at the Lounges and Bars
For those looking to escape the sun’s glare but keep the ocean view, the club gives visitors access to a roofed, open-air lounge surrounded by palm trees and hammocks.
The lounge fills up quickly, so you’ll want to nab a spot as soon as you arrive.
The Beach Club has a total of six bars. The bars feature chic lounge areas with stylish, cushioned booths, shaded hammocks, and wicker swings that dangle over the pool, allowing you to enjoy your drinks in their full glory.
Take a Dip at the Pool
The pool is one of the club’s most popular spots. The side-by-side lagoon pools are the first thing you see when you enter the club. Lounge chairs, cabanas, shaded huts, and cocktail bars surround the pools.
The loungers around the pool are some of the most coveted spots at Bimini. So get there early if you want to get one.
We got to the club around 11 am, and by that time, the only available loungers were on the beach or near the food groves.
Upon entering the beach club, you’ll find two pools: one on the right and one on the left.
Choose the pool on the right for a better party, with a live DJ booth and dancers at the far end.
Choose the pool on the left if you want a quieter getaway.
When night falls, you get to enjoy a nighttime pool party. Resident DJs host the pool party, but if you’re lucky, you might catch a performance by a celebrity DJ. Songwriter and record producer DJ Mark Ronson who’s a semi-regular guest at the Beach Club.
Those who would rather float around the pool can grab a floatie or two at no extra charge.
Visit The Beach
The beachfront section of the club is a slice of paradise. You’ll find bright blue Caribbean waters and a white sand beach.
There’s no shortage of lounge chairs and umbrellas at the beach, all of which are complimentary.
You can also catch a nice view of the ship from the beach, making for an excellent photo backdrop.
Partake In Water Sports and Other Beach Activities
While at the beach, you get to enjoy several water sports and activities.
The Beach Club doesn’t offer any rentals. But you can rent equipment from Kayak Beach, located directly outside the port entrance.
Water sports have added costs, including scuba diving, kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, and jet skis.
If your cruise itinerary has a late-night stay, you can watch the sunset from an ocean water hammock or sit around a campfire.
Other non-water activities include painting by the sea (with the equipment provided to you), beach yoga and meditation, nightly bonfire parties, and summer-camp-style competitions.
Rent a Cabana
If you value privacy and exclusivity, you might be interested in renting a cabana.
The Beach Club offers four types of cabanas: Bimini Grove Cabanas, Bimini Beach Cabanas, Bimini Lagoon Cabanas, and RockStar Cabanas.
The Grove Cabanas overlook the hammock groves and the Caribbean Sea, whereas the Beach Cabanas overlook the Bahamian Sea. The Lagoon Cabanas are near the epicenter of the Lagoon pool.
As for RockStar Cabanas, they’re reserved only for those staying in RockStar Suites. These cabanas are in Richard’s Retreat, the club’s VIP area.
Richard’s Retreat offers special privileges to its guests, such as food delivery, a dedicated DJ, a private bar, and a secluded beach away from the crowd.
On the rare occasion that RockStar cabanas aren’t fully booked, special guests can snag a spot or two—so long as they’re willing to pay the premium price of $350 per cabana.
All cabanas come with an adjustable double day bed, a first round of drinks in the house (up to $100), drink coolers, and other extras provided by dedicated service teams.
Indulge in a Bite or Two
The Beach Club spoils its guests with drinks and food. Two food stations, which the cruise line calls “food groves,” are on opposite sides of the resort.
Like their ships, the restaurants are not buffet-style.
Virgin Voyagers’ passengers enjoy complimentary lunchtime food served well into the afternoon. The menu includes tropical fruit salad, grilled corn on the cob, Caribbean chicken, banana leaf steamed red snapper, crispy cassava, and rum cake.
I really enjoyed the conch and mango salad.
The drink pricing is the same as on the ship. Water, coffee, tea, and soda are complimentary, but alcoholic beverages cost extra.
Fortunately, you can use the Virgin Voyages Bar Tab to purchase alcoholic beverages at The Beach Club.
Relax by the Hideaway
Near the club entrance is a palm tree forest with hammocks known as the Hideaway. It’s a great spot to escape the crowds and the loud music and relax in the shade.
Book a Shore Excursion
You can spend the entire day at Bimini and not spend any money. But several shore excursions are available if you want to explore the island and the sea.
Shore excursions include:
- Bimini Heritage and Cultural Tour (tour of the island)
- Fishing charter
- Guided two-tank scuba dive
- Great Hammerhead Safari and Scuba Dive
- Sapona Shipwreck and Shark Snorkeling
- Sapona Shipwreck Swim and Snorkel
- Swim with stingrays
- Midafternoon pontoon boat cruise
- Wild dolphin safari
- Jet ski tour for two
- Kayak tour for two
- Paint by the Bay: Bimini Art Workshop
You can book excursions (called “Shore Things”) through the app.
FAQs
Is The Beach Club At Bimini Free?
Virgin Voyage passengers get free access to the Beach Club and its amenities.
Guests with a booked room at Resort World receive all-inclusive access to Beach Club comes with the package.
Otherwise, prices vary depending on the cruise line you’re sailing. For example, Carnival’s Beach Club pass costs $39.99 for a standard day pass and $99.99 for an open bar.
Is There Wi-Fi At The Beach Club?
Yes, there’s Wi-Fi throughout the property. The Virgin Voyages Wi-Fi is free for all sailors.
What’s Included In The Virgin Voyages Beach Club Pass?
Virgin Voyages passengers have free access to sun loungers and umbrellas, pool floats, Wi-Fi, beachside games, bonfire parties, and lunchtime food (plus unlimited water and soda). The tram ride to and from the resort is complimentary.
Do You Need Money At The Beach Club?
You don’t need to bring money to The Beach Club, just the same RFID bracelet you use on the ship. All purchases at the private resort are charged to your onboard account. Because purchases are charged through your spending account, you can use your drink package and Sailor Loot to make purchases.
Is The Beach Club Accessible?
Yes, the Beach Club is accessible!
The Beach Club is wheelchair accessible, with ramps throughout the resort. Pool lifts are also available upon request, as well as complimentary beach wheelchairs.
Mobimats extend from the board towards the ocean, allowing those with wheelchairs to access the beach.
