Booking last minute cruise

[Susanb10567]

Looking to try Virgin Voyages…we have recently primarily sailed Celebrity and before that Disney as my daughter grew up…we want to book a February 12th cruise. Will it be difficult to make dining reservations since it is so close to the sail date? Also debating if booking a suite is crucial…we are deciding between a seriously suite or XL sea terrace.

[angela12345]

Dining reservations open up 45 days in advance for Rockstars, 30 days for everyone else.  The app will open up and list restaurants about 8pm-ish (I think it was) the night before the bookings open up. Then around 11pm-ish you can start booking restaurants. So, if it says in the app that you can book restaurant reservations starting tomorrow, you would actually be able to book them tonight. Times quoted are EST (eastern standard time).

 

We're booked in a regular sea terrace.  There is not much difference in Regular vs XL.  Mainly its a bigger shower.  People have reported even the regular shower is larger than most other cruiselines they've been on.

Be sure to use a referral link when you make your booking so you get Sailor Loot !!

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2856341-xl-sea-terrace-no-hammock-steel-railings/

 

[Susanb10567]

Thanks for the quick reply…especially about the hammocks…I would like to make sure I get one…I didn’t realize it was 30 days to book dining besides rockstar and super rockstar guests..not sure I will be able to get my booking done by then…hopefully there will be availability…

 

I also need to apply to get my status match from Celebrity…I am elite there 

[cantgetin]

Booking a month before a cruise is no problem, although suites sell out quickly most of the time.  The above is right that the main difference between a Sea Terrace and XL Sea Terrace is the bathroom size.  If you have any problem making dinner reservations on the app, you can call VV or your travel agent and they can put them into the system for you.   How difficult it is to get exactly the restaurant you want at or near the time you want will depend on how full your cruise is.  We had no trouble, but our sailing only had 1400 sailors.  A little flexibility can go a long way.  For instance, you might want 7:30, but could you be OK with 7:15 or 7:45? 

 

The cabins are significantly smaller than DCL, but most are for 2 people while most on DCL hold 4.  You won't have the split bath that you have on DCL.  We joked that VV is Disney for grown ups.  Great food, crew, service, etc.  The food is comparable to Blu on Celebrity.....far above MDR quality on most lines!  Have fun!

If you book on line, the computer will assign a cabin.  If you use a TA or phone VV, you can choose from anything available.

[Lustate]

8 hours ago, Susanb10567 said:

Looking to try Virgin Voyages…we have recently primarily sailed Celebrity and before that Disney as my daughter grew up…we want to book a February 12th cruise. Will it be difficult to make dining reservations since it is so close to the sail date? Also debating if booking a suite is crucial…we are deciding between a seriously suite or XL sea terrace.

 

I would pass on a suite unless you just want to treat yourself "extra". Having done four voyages the XL suites are the best if you ask my opinion. They have a bit more storage space to hide your case, and the bathroom is much larger. 

Dining always has walk ups but it might be a wait of ten minutes or so unless your a group of 4 or above. 

[CruisingWalter]

10 hours ago, Susanb10567 said:

Looking to try Virgin Voyages…we have recently primarily sailed Celebrity and before that Disney as my daughter grew up…we want to book a February 12th cruise. Will it be difficult to make dining reservations since it is so close to the sail date? Also debating if booking a suite is crucial…we are deciding between a seriously suite or XL sea terrace.

 

Last minute cruises on VV are fine. Dining Reservations are always available onboard as well. Suites are near impossible to get close to sail date anyway as they regularly sell out first. But VV is the one cruise line you really don't need a suite to get that 'suite experience' since so much is included. And right now you're going to get that $300 or $600 bar tab for booking in January. 

 

Many travel agents have a referral link that allows you to get some additional Sailor Loot (OBC) as well. 

 

The status match is not an instant thing, you may be better off just booking and applying for the status match at the same time. 

 

Celebrity is totally the vibe of VV, at least it was for us. If you enjoy Celebrity you'll most likely enjoy VV. Except for the pools, Celebrity totally has the better pools, as does Princess.  I have a full playlist on my YT channel from our Scarlet sailing, here's my overall review and food tour links.

https://youtu.be/-R0imB73ajg - Review

https://youtu.be/pBolzKvXjMU - Food Tour

 

[Wildcatllamas]

5 hours ago, WheresWalter said:

 

 

Celebrity is totally the vibe of VV, at least it was for us. If you enjoy Celebrity you'll most likely enjoy VV. Except for the pools, Celebrity totally has the better pools, as does Princess.  I have a full playlist on my YT channel from our Scarlet sailing, here's my overall review and food tour links.

https://youtu.be/-R0imB73ajg - Review

https://youtu.be/pBolzKvXjMU - Food Tour

 

I love your video on the food. I hope you don't mind but I'm sharing it with some friends of mine who have been asking about my cruise and the food on Virgin. I shared photos but you make it all real about how good it is.

[CruisingWalter]

1 hour ago, Wildcatllamas said:

I love your video on the food. I hope you don't mind but I'm sharing it with some friends of mine who have been asking about my cruise and the food on Virgin. I shared photos but you make it all real about how good it is.

 

Why would I mind? 🙂 Feel free to share with anyone who needs to see it to really how GREAT that food really is!  I may have to book another VV cruise because waiting until November to eat onboard again may be too long..... 

[AtSeaWithChris]

1 hour ago, WheresWalter said:

 

Why would I mind? 🙂 Feel free to share with anyone who needs to see it to really how GREAT that food really is!  I may have to book another VV cruise because waiting until November to eat onboard again may be too long..... 

you could always join us on Valiant Lady Feb 19

[Wildcatllamas]

21 hours ago, WheresWalter said:

 

  I may have to book another VV cruise because waiting until November to eat onboard again may be too long..... 

I am going in December and I know what you mean about the wait. I am going with a friend on a Princess cruise in April - not my favorite, and then spending 10 days in the Hawaiian islands in May so kind of tapped out until December for vacation time until December.

 

[aviators99]

On 1/10/2023 at 7:38 PM, Susanb10567 said:

Looking to try Virgin Voyages…we have recently primarily sailed Celebrity and before that Disney as my daughter grew up…we want to book a February 12th cruise. Will it be difficult to make dining reservations since it is so close to the sail date? Also debating if booking a suite is crucial…we are deciding between a seriously suite or XL sea terrace.

I did see in some reviews that the XL Sea Terrace doesn't have a door to the bathroom.  That is why I've never tried to upgrade from the regular Sea Terrace.  Not sure if it's true for all of them.

[Lustate]

12 minutes ago, aviators99 said:

I did see in some reviews that the XL Sea Terrace doesn't have a door to the bathroom.  That is why I've never tried to upgrade from the regular Sea Terrace.  Not sure if it's true for all of them.

So there is no door on an XL between the room itself and the sink, but both the shower and WC have doors in them which are full height. Your bathroom is basically in three parts like Disney hotel rooms  etc. 

[CruisingWalter]

19 hours ago, Wildcatllamas said:

I am going in December and I know what you mean about the wait. I am going with a friend on a Princess cruise in April - not my favorite, and then spending 10 days in the Hawaiian islands in May so kind of tapped out until December for vacation time until December.

 

 

We love Princess, well actually we've sailed 8 cruise lines so far and we don't hate any of them. We're headed out on Sky Princess in February, our first time on the newest class of ship. Honestly can't wait to sail Princess again, it's been about 4 years since we last sailed on Crown Princess. 

[CruisingWalter]

On 1/11/2023 at 2:45 PM, AtSeaWithChris said:

you could always join us on Valiant Lady Feb 19

 

We're on Sky Princess February 25. First time on the new class of ship, honestly can't wait! 

[Susanb10567]

When do you get your boarding time? Is there an online check in that then gives you a time? We still haven’t finalized the booking and we are within a month…I know dining reservations have started for everyone…but now I am concerned about show reservations if we don’t get on the ship early enough….

[_tacocat_]

1 hour ago, Susanb10567 said:

When do you get your boarding time? Is there an online check in that then gives you a time? We still haven’t finalized the booking and we are within a month…I know dining reservations have started for everyone…but now I am concerned about show reservations if we don’t get on the ship early enough….

Yep, you check in on the app (I think you can usually do it before your dinner reservations- it’s on the home screen under before you sail). I think they might allocate checkin times by flight arrival times, so If you’re not flying in the day of you might have an earlier time?  I’ve never flown in day of and every time I’ve been in a non rockstar room I’ve gotten 1:45

[cantgetin]

On our first cruise, we were shown a selection of times and could choose what we wanted.  On our following cruises, we have just been assigned 1:30, which is fine with us.  Never been rockstar.