jon81uk

Sorry, that was a typo for wings as in hot dogs and chicken wings. Can get free sparkling wine at the sailaway 5.45-6.15pm on the first day though.

If you insist you can tip extra, https://www.virginvoyages.com/help-and-support/search?text=Can I tip extra for Crew on board? Personally I would discourage the sort of bribe to get better service tips though as that will create an expectation of tipping culture and I think the experience on VV is better because there is no expected tip. but VV rewards their staff by giving them additional time off and similar if you name them in the post-voyage survey so take down names of people who really impress you. I also think small gifts like chocolate or something unique from your home town can go a lot further than just cash.

Items with heating elements are prohibited (except for hair irons). https://www.virginvoyages.com/safety-security/prohibited-items

There is very little difference in the physical ship, the deep section of the pool is bigger on RL and the artwork differs. The main difference is the shows, Resilient has Persephone, Miss Behave, Mind Mangler and Lola’s Library as well as the Another Rose dinner show ($50 but includes 3-4 cocktails plus sparkling rose). Scarlet has Duel Reality, Untitled DanceShowPartyThing, Ships in the Night and Rockeoke plus the Lolz supper club dinner comedy show (free but pay for drinks). Generally I think the entertainment on Resilient is better with Persephone and Another Rose being stunning shows and Miss Behave very funny. Duel Reality is also great and Untitled is good but lacks the wow of the shows on Resilient. VV Insider has a good list https://vvinsider.com/on-board/events/ and the official website https://www.virginvoyages.com/cruise-entertainment The club nights are also different between the ships but all have PJ party and Scarlet Night.

Oh to be clear I meant it’s a change that the regular rockstars meet in Sip, that’s what we had as rockstar in April. I’ve not done mega so I defer to Eric&Pam.

Yes I think it’s a change to use Sip instead of the Manor.

Ignore the treat yourself options on menus, they are not needed as the regular options are more than good enough, unless you really need seafood. But overall what we like about VV is the fun entertainment and happy engaging cast and crew, having no kids onboard and a diverse range of guests (sailors), the range of interesting bars and spaces and the fact it is almost all inclusive, you can get soda for free from any bar, there is always food available and can get mezze, hot dogs & wines, scooped ice cream and pizza at no cost, with pizza available to 2am.

The well/house spirits are Absolut vodka, Bacardi rum, Beefeater gin, Buffalo Trace bourbon and Olmeca Altos tequila. For mixed drinks I always ask for Absolut vodka by name as it’s not worth paying the extra $2 for Tito’s as in my opinion it’s worse quality.

not sure if you can get in on a sold out one, but when you board rockstars will be directed to Sip lounge for a glass of sparkling wine and to meet agents. There will be staff from the Shore Things excursions team there so you can speak to them directly before you even see your agent.

Final payment doesn’t matter, check in on the app can be done with just a deposit down.

Arrival times are more based on when you opened the app and selected the time. Plus a little on if you are arriving day of the cruise. But mainly it’s just first come as to who selects the slot first, not cabin type.

You also get the drinks reception with sparking wine and sangria for an hour.

You can definitely male swaps of the bar, when you meet one of the agents in Sip shortly after embarking they will often ask if you will need to. 2-3 swaps is generally fine. We got the gin and tequila removed for more vodka. As someone else said, the availability of half bottles and the brands can vary, we initially had Grey Goose vodka but the extra two bottles supplied were Tito’s. On one cruise we had scotch (Johnnie Walker) but on the other only bourbon (Buffalo Trace).

Brilliant suites can be under the pool area or gym. If you win the bid and get one allocated you can’t change it.

do check with your rockstar agent once onboard though in case things have changed since my trip, also the doors open time might vary.

Regular Rockstar (not mega) is more like concierge, they can make bookings and fetch some stuff, but they won’t wait on you butler style. The bar as default is half bottles of vodka, gin, rum, bourbon, and tequila. Half bottles red, white, rose wine plus Moët champagne. Four beers, two red bull, two premium tonic and two premium ginger beer. You can ask the agent to swap some of the stuff you don’t like, so ask for vodka instead of tequila or similar. biggest perk now of rockstar is queue jumping. Most shows are now first come but they rope off the front of the line for rockstars. Arrive before doors open (15 minutes before at Manor and 30 minute for red room) and you go to the front of the line.

The transatlantics with VV used to be a bargain with prices for the 14 night similar other to seven night cruises of under $3000. But those days are over now and TA pricing is now about what you’ve paid, but the lowest price is often if you book more than a year out.

VV Insider have posted the price has gone up to $59 for the three hours on port days and $79 on sea days. https://vvinsider.com/june-2024-virgin-voyages-rumor-tidbit-roundup/

Others have reported a week pass is available but price depends on length of cruise and other factors. Normally three hour slots are $39-79 (prices have gone up and I’ve lost track but they are different on sea and port days). The pool is terrible quite cold water and no jets, it really should have been either a proper hot tub or a proper jacuzzi like on deck 15. There are also two one person cool tubs and a one person hot tub which is almost constantly occupied. The salt room is great and we liked the mud room too, sauna and steam room are as expected. I find the heated marble quite nice but others would prefer if it was contoured couches instead of flat slab.

having down two transatlantics it’s not that bad. Generally you’d eat at the main six restaurants twice and the menus are extensive enough that you can have a different starter main and dessert each time or in the case of Test Kitchen need to ensure you get the other menu. Then The Galley food court has lunch and dinner specials each day even if the core menu doesn’t change. Plus you’ve got pizza specials. Breakfast is the main one that feels repetitive!

I guess we will find out once Brilliant Lady starts sailing. But so far all the other VV ships in all homeports have been pretty similar, boarding 1.30-4pm and sailing off around 6-7pm.

They’ve said it will be updated by year-end (not sure if financial year or calendar). VV Insider seem confident it will be custom built for iOS and Android separately using native code so that should improve performance. https://vvinsider.com/virgin-voyages-to-launch-version-2-0-of-their-app-by-year-end/

Book it on the app is the best and quickest. Not certain where box office staff would be set up first day to assist but my guess is Chart Room (big red table on deck 7).

Boarding times are 1.30-4.30pm. Generally those in suites (rockstars) will board at 1.30pm, then those with loyalty status priority. Most people will then board 1.45 onwards. At some point you’ll need to select an arrival time in the app (Brilliant Lady isn’t set up yet). Rooms will be ready immediately after boarding and lunch will be available. Muster point check in is about 4.30-5.30 and normally sailaway party 5.30-6.30 (free sparkling wine 5.45-6.15), ship moves off around 5.30-7.30 depending on when it is ready etc. But this also means like a hotel you don’t need to leave until 10.30am on the last day if you don’t want to. Can even have brunch and then go back to your room to collect bags and brush teeth before going.

The Galley food court has touchscreen soda fountains with Coca Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Fanta orange and Seagrams ginger as well as sparkling water. There is also self-service juice from concentrate (orange, apple, fruit punch, still lemonade, unsweetened iced tea). There is also free drip coffee and tea bags All bars and restaurants will serve soda for free and the juice from concentrate. No charge, no tip just ask any bartender for them. They hold back over half the dining reservations to be booked onboard, you’ll be OK. Small group fitness classes (the bungee class only holds six people!) will book up but can try walk up for cancellations. Shows are first come now, just arrive half hour before showtime. Only the dinner show needs booking and paid for activities. In terms of the arrival time, you could probably arrive around 3pm and board earlier as they start running early in general. Then go to Razzle Dazzle or get on the app to make dinner reservations.