Is Virgin Voyages Worth It? Is Virgin Voyages Right for You?
Virgin Voyages, which set sail with its first cruise of paying guest in August of 2021, is still a relatively new cruise line. Right from the start, the cruise line has worked hard to set itself apart from other cruise lines. Over the years since 2021, operations and opinions of the cruise line have shifted and varied. Now that they have made some changes and modified some things, is Virgin Voyages still worth it and is it right for you?
As one of only a handful of adults-only cruise lines, Virgin allows for the ultimate getaway from the kiddos. This is ideal for parents of younger kiddos, educators and simply people who prefer an entirely adult-focused cruise. After our first cruise on Virgin, my husband said it was like “summer camp for adults”. You might find that many of the activities are the same as you would find on other ships but they don’t involve parents having to manage their kids (awesome!). So, everyone is just more relaxed due to this, which makes for a wonderful experience, in our opinion. As two people in the thick of parenthood, when we get away from the kiddos, then we really want to get away.
From the very beginning, Virgin Voyages wanted their vibe to be welcoming, with inclusivity of all types of people and lifestyles at their core. Because of this, the cruise line typically draws very diverse sailors as well as a diverse crew. It seems to me that perhaps in the beginning the cruise line worked so hard to set itself apart as an edgy and inclusive cruise line, that it was driving some potential sailors away with their overly edgy entertainment. In recent years, they have toned down their shows while still providing the fun vibe that they were striving for.
Every cruise line has their resident Diva, or drag queen, as a part of their Happenings Cast, which is similar to the cruise director staff or activities crew on other cruise lines. Growing up in the heart of the south, I haven’t had much opportunity to interact with drag queens. The divas on these ships are wonderfully understanding of this fact and that is what helps to make the whole experience worth it. The diva will have her own show, she will lead Bingo, she will be present during all of the big parties such as PJ night and Scarlet Night, and she will simply be seen wandering around the ship mingling with the sailors. On our last Virgin cruise, we had some really great interactions with the diva, Dixie Krystals, which definitely added to the enjoyment of our cruise. If being around drag queens, people from the trans community or perhaps people from other alternative lifestyles makes you super uncomfortable and would ruin your cruise, then Virgin Voyages may not be right for you.
In spite of the fact that Virgin worked hard in the beginning to set themselves apart from other cruise lines, they have made a shift in the last 6 months to make the pricing structure of their cruises more comparable to other cruise lines. Until recently, I was telling clients “It may look like more money up front, but you get so much more as opposed to being ‘nickel and dimed’ once on the ship.” The cruise fare would include everything from the food (every restaurant is included), internet, exercise classes, and even gratuities. And, most cruises would come with a significant amount of bar tab or sailor loot (essentially on board credit) that you could use while on your voyage. Whereas I would leave a Royal Caribbean cruise with a invoice totaling to at least $500 depending on if we purchased bourbon or other items while on board, I would leave a Virgin cruise with the amount being closer to $75 and that was only because Chris entered in the poker tournament.
Now, booking a Virgin cruise looks a lot more like the other cruise lines where you need to add in your gratuity and can choose different levels of internet. While this makes it so that it is easier for the sailor to compare cruise prices, in my opinion, it not only allows Virgin Voyages to raise rates in a sneaky way but it also makes things more confusing for the sailor (which I don’t like). You can still set it up so that you are not “nickel and dimed” once on board, or you can save some of the expenses for the end of the cruise as well. Your First Mate (travel agent- me!) can make sure that you have your cruise set up the way that you want.
Finally, what I think makes Virgin Voyages great for anybody aged 18 or over is that the cruise is designed to allow you to “choose your own adventure”. If you want to relax, there are plenty of chill vibes, calm spaces, and calm activities such as yoga, hanging on the pool deck, chilling at The Dock, or working a puzzle. If you are looking to party, there is a different party planned for every night with the ultimate party happening during Scarlet Night (my favorite night of every cruise). If you like good tunes, there are a variety of musicians that you will find throughout the ship. If you really enjoy making friends while on a cruise, there are singles meet-ups, trivia sessions where you will do best if you team up with others, and activities like the Grog Walk (bar crawl) or Lotería Gigante that encourage sailors to get to know one another. There is something for everyone on a Virgin Voyages cruise.
So, yes, to us, a Virgin Voyages cruise is worth it and worthwhile for everyone to give a try at least once. We have our next one booked for December of 2026 and even though we have two cruises in between now and then, we are really excited about being back on one of Virgin Voyages’ lady ships.
You are welcome to join us or I am happy to help you plan your next cruise on Virgin Voyages.
