MNcruisingcouple

Thanks! I tried hard to be balanced with my review. We love cruising as well.

For some, I can totally see this being an issue. We were concerned too. We had $900 in bar tab/onboard credit for the 7 days and had to work to spend it. If craft cocktails, better variety in liquor & wine are important to you, VV is miles ahead of NCL.

Good to know! Glad we took advantage when we did.

I would check if they allow you to adjust your dates if you need to. They may not refund your deposit, but they may let you change your sailing.

The thing that you have to do, no matter what cruises you are comparing, is price everything out to the final cost. With Virgin, the price you see literally includes everything except alcohol, specialty coffee, shore excursions, and paid onboard activities. No additional DSC, no added 20% to everything, no specialty restaurant charges. So don't just dismiss it when you see the initial price. Plus, if you do the loyalty match & take advantage of their promos, you can get bar tab/onboard credit.

Did my response above answer your vibe question? I do think they are targeting younger people but if you are open and flexible, you should be fine. I feel like people who really want the traditional cruise experience may be frustrated. Honestly, we really liked it and didn't feel "too old".

Wow, that should have been included!! We were on Valiant Lady.

I'll address what I think you mean by vibe & clientele. If this isn't what you were looking for, just let me know. People are sometimes concerned about "adults only" or that you have to be party people to enjoy VV. Adults only literally just means no one under 18. The only things we noticed were smaller bathing suits and freer language, even with staff. If you want a party, it's definitely there, especially at night. But it wasn't like the whole ship was always a party. Honestly, during the day the pool deck felt quieter than NCL because there weren't all the pool games. As it got to late afternoon, the music got louder, and the party atmosphere started to ramp up. But it was easy to find quiet areas too, The Dock House, Athletic Club. Ages ranged from high 20's to mid 50's, generally. We saw some that were older than that, but they were in the minority.

We'd been thinking about trying another line for a long time and finally pulled the trigger!

No kids was definitely a plus for us!

As experienced cruisers, we wanted to share our first experience on Virgin Voyages and provide some comparisons. For reference, my husband (53) and I (48) have been on 15-ish Norwegian and 4 Royal Caribbean cruises, including Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, and the Caribbean. We’ve seen Norwegian’s quality and selection decrease over the years and so we’ve been wanting to try something different. Clearly this is just our experience on one VV ship, your experience may vary. Pre-cruise planning- The app is definitely glitchy for planning & scheduling. Also, I find it very annoying that there isn’t a clear schedule of where you are going to be on each date. Online check in was simple. If you have enough loyalty status with other cruise lines, be sure to take advantage of Virgin’s loyalty match while it’s still available. That will get you what they call the Deep Blue Extras (DBE) which includes an extra amount of bar tab, priority embarkation, $10 value each day at the coffee shop, one bag of laundry. Embarkation- Because we had the DBE, we had priority embarkation, so we arrived at the port at about 12pm. We entered the port building and waited in a holding area for a while. Then we were asked to check-in, we got our wrist bands, and we went back to the same holding area. At the time I was confused but when boarding actually opened we were able to walk right on whereas those that arrived later still had to do their check in. While we waited before boarding I went to the windows closest to the ship and was able to access the wifi, which allowed me to book or reschedule reservations. It worked really well for me, but I did have to be right up to the window. Once I was using the ship’s wifi, the app wasn’t glitchy at all and I didn’t lose signal. It did seem like they were enforcing the arrival time that you chose at check-in because we saw people waiting in the plaza. This seemed to make embarkation go more smoothly because people were more spread out. Norwegian asks you to choose an arrival time, but I’ve never seen it enforced. Food/Beverages- This is hands-down the biggest reason we tried VV and the biggest reason we’ll go back. Far and away better food and beverage quality and variety. Norwegian has consistently gone down hill in both areas. We are used to having a beverage package with Norwegian and were worried about missing that. However, we took advantage of the VV bar tab offer(s) and had to work to use up our tab. The last two days we splurged on some nice champagne and Scotch. The quality of cocktails and the variety of both liquor and wine was a huge step up from Norwegian. Also, the food quality was outstanding. The included food venues were better than most the specialty restaurants on Norwegian. People sometimes complain about not having a main dining room, but we didn’t see the issue at all. We made the reservations that we could ahead of time. We made additional or changed reservations as soon as we got the ship’s wifi. And we were able to walk into The Wake one evening right at opening time without having a reservation. We’ve also heard complaints that the food is too fussy or pretentious, but we didn’t find that the case at all. You do have to understand what you are getting into at Test Kitchen but we love tasting menus. If that’s not your thing, there are plenty of other options. Bar staff was fabulous! We primarily went to On The Rocks, with a few detours to Sip and the pool bars during the day. At On The Rocks, the bartenders were engaging and talented; able to customize drinks to our taste and make good recommendations. They also were very quick to remember your favorites. All this despite being completely swamped with guests. The servers in the seating area were also really good. Similar experiences with the staff at other bars, too. Stateroom- We booked an obstructed view sea terrace because of the fabulous price and we bid for an upgrade to a non-obstructed view for a very reasonable amount. Yes, the room is minimalist but it’s modern, instead of the outdated rooms on many Norwegian ships. We loved the hammock on the balcony. We appreciated always having water in the room, whereas on Norwegian you either have to get it yourself or pay for the water package. The bathroom is small but has adequate storage, and a larger shower. There is a good amount of storage, we didn’t use it all. The laundry bag is fabric and large, which contrasts with Norwegian’s shrinking paper bag. We used the laundry service but definitely didn’t fill the bag. On both lines we’ve been very happy with the stateroom attendants. Obviously, we’ve had more experience on Norwegian so we’ve had ones that are better and worse. But overall it’s been good service. We liked the ability on VV to make a request (for towels, water, ice, etc) through the stateroom iPad. Entertainment- The sail away party was high energy and they offered complimentary sparkling wine. The entertainment staff seemed to have much more energy and be more engaged than on Norwegian. Our entertainment preference is listening to live music in the evenings, and this is one area we found a little lacking. Obviously, it will vary as guest musicians change and it definitely varies on Norwegian as well. Sometimes we find musicians we love and sometimes it’s a struggle. Our genre of choice is classic rock, and we didn’t really find a group to fit that. Dustin & his band were much more blues and felt a little flat (like all the songs had a similar energy). Kennedi & the Groove had great energy, very engaging, and we enjoyed the song choices. Sophie(?) was a very sweet girl with great story telling. I feel like every group did their same set every time we watched them. They could benefit from variety in sets. We didn’t go to any shows in the Manor or the Red Room. Group participation isn’t really our thing. In the future we may do the PJ party and more of the Scarlet night events. Just how we were feeling this time, we didn’t. Overall, we’ve been happier with Norwegian’s entertainment, both musicians and shows, but again we have a much larger experience with them. And some of this can be attributed to our demographic, in comparison to VV’s target market. Onboard account- Absolutely loved having our account update real time in the app. It was so easy to see just how much credit/bar tab we had left; how much we used each day & where we used it. Norwegian’s way of calculating and updating the account can be confusing, not always accurate, and it not up to the minute. Internet- VV had unlimited premium wifi on multiple devices versus NCL having one device and a limited number of minutes per person. We also found VV’s wifi to be faster. Overall pricing- Factoring everything in (daily service charge, tips, specialty dining) and comparing similar itineraries, the pricing is not much different; plus, food and beverage quality is so much better on VV. We love the inclusive nature of VV’s pricing and that there are much fewer sales pitches. Also, no photographers taking pictures and trying to sell them on VV. Honestly, we would be happy to cruise either line in the future, as it meets our needs. We currently have both lines planned for the future. I know this got long! If you're still here, thanks for reading. Let us know if you have any questions or would like more information! We’re happy to help fellow cruise lovers.

As experienced cruisers, we wanted to share our first experience on Virgin Voyages and provide some comparisons. For reference, my husband (53) and I (48) have been on 15-ish Norwegian and 4 Royal Caribbean cruises, including Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, and the Caribbean. We’ve seen Norwegian’s quality and selection decrease over the years and so we’ve been wanting to try something different. Clearly this is just our experience on one VV ship, your experience may vary. Pre-cruise planning- The app is definitely glitchy for planning & scheduling. Also, I find it very annoying that there isn’t a clear schedule of where you are going to be on each date. Online check in was simple. If you have enough loyalty status with other cruise lines, be sure to take advantage of Virgin’s loyalty match while it’s still available. That will get you what they call the Deep Blue Extras (DBE) which includes an extra amount of bar tab, priority embarkation, $10 value each day at the coffee shop, one bag of laundry. Embarkation- Because we had the DBE, we had priority embarkation, so we arrived at the port at about 12pm. We entered the port building and waited in a holding area for a while. Then we were asked to check-in, we got our wrist bands, and we went back to the same holding area. At the time I was confused but when boarding actually opened we were able to walk right on whereas those that arrived later still had to do their check in. While we waited before boarding I went to the windows closest to the ship and was able to access the wifi, which allowed me to book or reschedule reservations. It worked really well for me, but I did have to be right up to the window. Once I was using the ship’s wifi, the app wasn’t glitchy at all and I didn’t lose signal. It did seem like they were enforcing the arrival time that you chose at check-in because we saw people waiting in the plaza. This seemed to make embarkation go more smoothly because people were more spread out. Norwegian asks you to choose an arrival time, but I’ve never seen it enforced. Food/Beverages- This is hands-down the biggest reason we tried VV and the biggest reason we’ll go back. Far and away better food and beverage quality and variety. Norwegian has consistently gone down hill in both areas. We are used to having a beverage package with Norwegian and were worried about missing that. However, we took advantage of the VV bar tab offer(s) and had to work to use up our tab. The last two days we splurged on some nice champagne and Scotch. The quality of cocktails and the variety of both liquor and wine was a huge step up from Norwegian. Also, the food quality was outstanding. The included food venues were better than most the specialty restaurants on Norwegian. People sometimes complain about not having a main dining room, but we didn’t see the issue at all. We made the reservations that we could ahead of time. We made additional or changed reservations as soon as we got the ship’s wifi. And we were able to walk into The Wake one evening right at opening time without having a reservation. We’ve also heard complaints that the food is too fussy or pretentious, but we didn’t find that the case at all. You do have to understand what you are getting into at Test Kitchen but we love tasting menus. If that’s not your thing, there are plenty of other options. Bar staff was fabulous! We primarily went to On The Rocks, with a few detours to Sip and the pool bars during the day. At On The Rocks, the bartenders were engaging and talented; able to customize drinks to our taste and make good recommendations. They also were very quick to remember your favorites. All this despite being completely swamped with guests. The servers in the seating area were also really good. Similar experiences with the staff at other bars, too. Stateroom- We booked an obstructed view sea terrace because of the fabulous price and we bid for an upgrade to a non-obstructed view for a very reasonable amount. Yes, the room is minimalist but it’s modern, instead of the outdated rooms on many Norwegian ships. We loved the hammock on the balcony. We appreciated always having water in the room, whereas on Norwegian you either have to get it yourself or pay for the water package. The bathroom is small but has adequate storage, and a larger shower. There is a good amount of storage, we didn’t use it all. The laundry bag is fabric and large, which contrasts with Norwegian’s shrinking paper bag. We used the laundry service but definitely didn’t fill the bag. On both lines we’ve been very happy with the stateroom attendants. Obviously, we’ve had more experience on Norwegian so we’ve had ones that are better and worse. But overall it’s been good service. We liked the ability on VV to make a request (for towels, water, ice, etc) through the stateroom iPad. Entertainment- The sail away party was high energy and they offered complimentary sparkling wine. The entertainment staff seemed to have much more energy and be more engaged than on Norwegian. Our entertainment preference is listening to live music in the evenings, and this is one area we found a little lacking. Obviously, it will vary as guest musicians change and it definitely varies on Norwegian as well. Sometimes we find musicians we love and sometimes it’s a struggle. Our genre of choice is classic rock, and we didn’t really find a group to fit that. Dustin & his band were much more blues and felt a little flat (like all the songs had a similar energy). Kennedi & the Groove had great energy, very engaging, and we enjoyed the song choices. Sophie(?) was a very sweet girl with great story telling. I feel like every group did their same set every time we watched them. They could benefit from variety in sets. We didn’t go to any shows in the Manor or the Red Room. Group participation isn’t really our thing. In the future we may do the PJ party and more of the Scarlet night events. Just how we were feeling this time, we didn’t. Overall, we’ve been happier with Norwegian’s entertainment, both musicians and shows, but again we have a much larger experience with them. And some of this can be attributed to our demographic, in comparison to VV’s target market. Onboard account- Absolutely loved having our account update real time in the app. It was so easy to see just how much credit/bar tab we had left; how much we used each day & where we used it. Norwegian’s way of calculating and updating the account can be confusing, not always accurate, and it not up to the minute. Internet- VV had unlimited premium wifi on multiple devices versus NCL having one device and a limited number of minutes per person. We also found VV’s wifi to be faster. Overall pricing- Factoring everything in (daily service charge, tips, specialty dining) and comparing similar itineraries, the pricing is not much different; plus, food and beverage quality is so much better on VV. We love the inclusive nature of VV’s pricing and that there are much fewer sales pitches. Also, no photographers taking pictures and trying to sell them on VV. Honestly, we would be happy to cruise either line in the future, as it meets our needs. We currently have both lines planned for the future. I know this got long! If you're still here, thanks for reading. Let us know if you have any questions or would like more information! We’re happy to help fellow cruise lovers.

We were on the Jan 27 sailing and ate in the Wake for 3 dinners and 3 breakfasts. We had fabulous service 4 of those times. The other two times, which was the same server, were less than great. The server was friendly but very slow. Slow to bring beverages, especially a second glass of wine, and slow with the entrees. But our other servers were fantastic, some of the best on the ship. Definitely hit and miss with the service in the Wake but it was also the place we ate the most....

Recently off Valiant Lady and the playoff games were broadcast in the Social Club and the bar on deck 15 aft.

We were just in a suite on the Dec 9 sailing and had a fantastic butler. She wanted to bring us coffee, snacks, post-excursion sandwiches. She always had us stocked with candy, cookies, fruit. There were maybe 3 times during the cruise that we felt that the American staff were less attentive than our usual experience.

Brand new to Virgin, trying to learn everything! My husband and I both did the status match for our Jan 27th sailing. Are the DBE per person or per stateroom? Or, in other words, do each of us get the $10 coffee credit/wifi/laundry/$100 bar tab credit?

Thanks for sharing! I'll definitely check into it through Hertz. Edit: According to the Hertz website, there's only one location in Kona and that's at the airport.

Did you use this rental location recently? We used it in 2019 and it worked perfectly but it appears like it's closed now.

Thanks for the details about car rental! That's very helpful. We're also considering using Turo, which often will drop the vehicle for you right at the port.

We have a group of 6 taking this cruise in December and I'd love to know your experience with rental cars. We did the cruise in 2019 and I feel like there were a lot more options for picking up cars close to the ports. Now it seems like they are all at the airports.

Some ships have a location set up in a larger location, think Headliners, with several people set up to assist. I ask the first person I see when boarding where to go to make restaurant reservations.

All it takes is going to one of the main dining rooms for lunch on embarkation day and asking to speak with first the maître' d and then the dietary manager. My celiac SIL love cruising because they are so accommodating. They've even made special dishes just for the GF people in our group. By ordering the evening before it ensures that your meal is made in a dedicated kitchen and that it isn't holding up the processes of the rest of the diners at your table.

We had an issue recently when trying to make final payment. The credit limit on our card was too low, so we made an extra payment, so we'd have a credit balance to cover the whole amount. But the Costco card wouldn't let us use that credit balance as part of the payment. They could only charge up to our credit limit. We ended up getting a credit limit increase, which we've tried to do several other times.

@ebay33 specifically references that location in the update they provided on May 5th. That's why I asked what day of the week they rented from that location.

The location at this address 170 West Kaahumanu Avenue Maui (Kahului) which is within walking distance of the port seems to be closed on Sunday.