What’s Included on Virgin Voyages: Essential Guide
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Virgin Voyages provides a largely inclusive cruise fare they call “Always Included Luxury.” It makes them one of the industry’s most inclusive-priced mainstream cruise lines.
Some cruisers complain about Virgin’s high prices, but you get what you pay for.
Your cruise fare includes all dining at 20+ eateries, gratuities, basic WiFi, non-alcoholic beverages, and unlimited group fitness classes. While more expensive than other mainstream cruise lines, Virgins’ more inclusive pricing eliminates hidden fees and creates a more enjoyable experience for sailors.
And considering what’s included, a Virgin Voyages cruise is similarly priced to other mainstream cruise lines. The most significant difference is that there are no hidden fees or unexpected expenses. All your essentials are included in your base cruise fare.
We’ve compiled this guide on what’s included on Virgin Voyages to help you prepare for your next cruise.
What’s Included on Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages cruise fare includes a variety of amenities and activities designed to provide guests with a luxurious, fun, and relaxing experience. The cruise line has one of the most inclusive cruise fares in the industry, eliminating hidden expenses.
Virgin Voyages cruise fare includes:
- Cabin accommodations
- All food and dining at 20+ onboard restaurants
- Non-alcoholic drinks
- All onboard activities
- All entertainment venues
- Basic WiFi
- Gratuities
- Group fitness classes
Accommodations
Your cruise fare includes the cost of your Virgin Voyages cabin accommodations.
Virgin Voyages offers a variety of accommodations, ranging from cozy cabins to luxurious suites. These staterooms have premium amenities like mood lighting, ample storage space, modern decor, several outlets, USB charging stations, and a custom bed that converts into a sofa during the day.
The cruise ships are designed to bring passengers closer to the sea. According to the cruise line, 93% of the cabins on Scarlet Lady provide an ocean view and 86% of feature balconies.
A unique feature is the signature red hammock hanging on every balcony.
Food and Dining
The cruise line provides a diverse selection of included dining options, covering various cuisines and dietary preferences. With over 20 restaurants and dining venues, Virgin Voyages offers travelers a wide range of culinary experiences.
Unlike traditional cruise lines, Virgin’s cruise ships don’t have a main dining room, buffet, formal dress codes, or set dining times.
The menus were designed in collaboration with Michelin-star chefs, so you know the food is good. And in our experience, Virgin Voyages dining provides some of the best food you’ll find at sea.
One of the most popular restaurants on Virgin Voyages is Extra Virgin, an Italian restaurant that serves classic Italian dishes and handmade pasta in a casual setting. Some of the standout dishes at Extra Virgin include fried calamari, seafood pasta, and bucatini carbonara.
Another popular restaurant on Virgin Voyages is Gunbae, a Korean BBQ restaurant that offers a unique dining experience. At Gunbae, your meal starts with a fun drinking game. The interactive meal includes watching your servers cook meats and vegetables on a grill built into the table.
The Wake is an excellent option for a more upscale dining experience. This American-style steakhouse offers a range of high-quality meats and seafood and an extensive wine list. Some of our favorite dishes at The Wake include the filet mignon and the lobster tail. The Wake’s location at the cruise ship’s aft treats you to unbeatable ocean views of, you guessed it, the ship’s wake.
Razzle Dazzle is an excellent option for a more casual dining experience. This vegan-forward restaurant offers a range of plant-based dishes and a “naughty” menu for non-vegans. It’s worth a visit, if only for the rainbow churros.
In addition to these restaurants, Virgin Voyages also offers a range of other dining options. The Test Kitchen is a unique dining experience that offers a tasting menu based on a list of main ingredients. The Dock House offers Mediterranean-style apps and grilled skewers. Pink Agave provides a sharing experience with Mexican cuisine. And The Galley offers a range of grab-and-go options in a food hall setting.
The Pizza Place is an excellent late-night stop after a night of partying. Here, you’ll find the best pizza at sea, in our option anyway.
One of the standout features of dining on Virgin Voyages is that all dining options are included with the voyage. This means that travelers can indulge at every restaurant without worrying about additional costs.
Drinks
One of the great features of Virgin Voyages is that all “essential drinks” are included in the cruise fare. You can enjoy a range of non-alcoholic drinks, including:
- Sodas
- Still and sparkling water
- Drip coffee
- Tea
- Non-pressed juices.
In addition to these basic beverages, Virgin Voyages offers a range of premium drinks for an additional cost.
Overall, including basic beverages in the cruise fare is an excellent feature of Virgin Voyages. It allows travelers to enjoy a range of non-alcoholic drinks without worrying about additional costs and provides excellent value for those who prefer to stick to basic beverages.
The complimentary drink menu is far more inclusive compared to other cruise lines. We loved having soda and juice included with the cost of the cruise. And the self-serve Coke machines were easy to use.
For those who want to indulge in alcohol or premium coffees, plenty of options are available for an additional cost.
Onboard Activities
Virgin Voyages offers a range of activities that are included in the fare. Specifically, the cruise line has greatly emphasized fitness and healthy living.
You’ll find two fitness rooms, a running track, and a sports court for passengers who want to stay active during their vacation. There are several unique outdoor workout spaces for guests, including a functional training center beside the pool. You can take part in several guest fitness classes during the week that are free to attend.
Sailors can also access traditional onboard activities, games, lounges, pools, hot tubs, trivia, and the casino.
But, one of our favorite activities was the giant chess board located on the starboard side near the aft of deck 16.
For those not afraid of heights, there’s a suspended cargo net at the Deck 16 Athletic Club that takes you over the ship’s wake. If you’re not daring enough to venture out on the net, you can still enjoy watching people nervously take turns walking across the net.
Entertainment
Live performances, DJs, parties, and immersive experiences are all part of the included entertainment offerings on Virgin Voyages.
The ship has two main entertainment venues, The Manor and The Red Room.
The Red Room is the main theater on the ship, offering Broadway-style productions and musically-led revue-type shows. The theater is the first of its kind transformational, multi-form theater at sea. Each night you return, the theater takes on a new shape.
In addition to the theater, passengers can enjoy other shows such as Never Sleep Alone, a fun and interactive show that encourages passengers to participate, and Scarlet Night Cabaret, a burlesque-style show featuring aerial acrobatics, dance, and music.
The Manor is a two-story bar, theater, and nightclub. The club is “named after Richard’s first recording studio, is inspired by a classic theatrical zeitgeist — layered with a moody and sexy ’70s, punk vibe.” (Source)
The night begins with a high-energy show before transitioning the dance floor into the hottest nightclub at sea.
The ship also has an arcade that pays homage to yesteryear’s epic childhood arcade games. Passengers can also enjoy private karaoke at The Groupie. One of the most popular events onboard is the Scarlet Night Pool Party, where passengers wear red and dance the night away with performers on the pool deck. The ship’s entertainment is designed to create a fun and social atmosphere onboard, empowering guests to interact with staff members and fellow guests alike.
WiFi
Basic WiFi is included in the cruise fare on all Virgin Voyages itineraries. The Virgin Voyages internet package allows passengers to access the internet from their devices on the ship and at Bimini Beach Club.
The basic internet plan provides internet speeds of 1-2 Mbps. The basic WiFi speeds are much slower than you’re probably used to. But you can browse the web, access email, check social media, and use messaging apps. Sailors can use the WiFi to connect to the s Sailor App.
You won’t be able to stream using the basic plan.
While we could get some videos to load, most streaming services are blocked. If you want to stream music, movies, and TV shows, you can upgrade to the Premium Voyage WiFi package, which provides faster internet speeds.
Gratuities
Unlike other cruise lines that charge a daily service fee, gratuities are included in your cruise fare. Cruise lines commonly charge service fees which are split among the hardworking staff that provides you with an incredible cruise vacation.
Including tips makes for less confusion when guests receive their final bill at the end of the cruise.
Tips are also included in the price of alcoholic drinks.
In other words, the price you see is the price you pay, except for any applicable taxes which may be charged without notice.
What’s Not Included
Despite the broadly inclusive cruise fare, Virgin Voyages is not an all-inclusive cruise line.
You’ll need to pay extra for the following:
- Shore Excursions
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Caviar
- Spa Treatments
- Tattoo Parlor
- Salon & Beauty Parlor
- Casino
- Onboard Shopping
Shore Excursions
The new cruise line offers many onboard activities and dining options included in the fare, but shore excursions are not part of the package.
Passengers can purchase shore excursions and tours to experience the ports of call. You can book shore excursions, or “Shore Things,” as the cruise line calls them, from the mobile app. You can also book and view Shore Things from their website.
Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic beverages are not included in your cruise fare. You can pay for individual alcoholic beverages or purchase Virgin Voyages drink package, known as the “Bar Tab,” to pre-pay for drinks.
We found Virgin’s drink prices slightly cheaper than other cruise lines. Additionally, the cruise line often runs a promotion where you receive $50 in the Bar Tab for every purchase of $300 before departure.
Spa Treatments
While Virgin Voyages includes standard amenities such as fitness centers and pools, the Thermal Suite and spa treatments are not included. Guests seeking relaxation and pampering must book and pay separately for spa treatments and thermal suite access.
The Redemption Spa on board offers a range of treatments, including massages, facials, and body treatments, as well as access to the thermal suite and salt room. Treatment prices vary depending on the service and duration, with most treatments ranging from $100 to $300.
You can make appointments through the Sailor App or by visiting the spa reception desk.
Tattoo Parlor
Virgin Voyages features the first tattoo parlor at sea, Squid Ink. But be prepared to pay extra for the experience.
Sailors interested in getting inked during their cruise should budget a minimum of $150 for this additional expense.
Casino
Gambling at the onboard casino is not included in the cruise fare. Guests who wish to try their luck at the casino should budget for their gaming expenses.
The casino is smaller than similar-sized cruise ships, but you’ll find a range of slot machines and table games. Virgin Voyages is also home to the first poker room at sea, with tournaments and cash games scheduled throughout every sailing.
The casinos are also smoke-free, except for a small smoking room at the back.
Onboard Shopping
Lastly, onboard shopping is not part of the cruise fare. Ensure you budget for souvenirs, clothing, or other items you wish to purchase during your cruise.
Is Virgin Voyages All Inclusive?
Virgin Voyages has a largely inclusive cruise fare, but it is not all-inclusive. The standard cruise fare includes accommodations, food, basic WiFi, onboard activities, entertainment, and gratuities. But premium drinks, spa treatments, and shore excursions cost extra.
