Do prices vary/availability for the same well drinks at various bars and restaurants

[tbmrt]

Want to possibly add additional bar tab for our cruise.

 

Do the prices vary for well drinks provided one sticks with the same brands?  We drink mostly vodka (Stoli, Titos) and gin (Tangueray) Are these considered well or premium?  If premium, what are the well  brands?

 

Also, are there the same inexpensive chardonnays and cabernets that we can get at most bars & restaurants?  We aren't wine people, but do enjoy a simple glass of wine here and there.

 

Do we see the charges when we purchase at bar (I take it no receipt) OR just check the tablet/TV from our cabin? I seem to remember reading that people had problems with prices charged for drinks and had to clear up w/Sailor Services.

[jon81uk]

The prices seemed the same in all bars for the same drink in our experience, $7 for Absolut, $9 for Tito’s. for most spirits there seemed to be $7/9/10/13 options

 

Although I’ve read reports of prices going up recently, for example someone said the pairings at Test Kitchen are now $40 instead of $35. 
 

but these menus should give an idea of the sort of prices, even if they do change slightly

https://profcruise.com/virgin-voyages-restaurant-menus-2022/

https://profcruise.com/virgin-voyages-bar-menus-and-drink-prices/

 

You can see the receipts in the app, go to wallet (once onboard) then click on the transaction to see the full receipt. Can also see the full folio as a PDF and that shows bar tab remaining (non-refundable credit). It will get emailed after you leave the ship too.

[sid_9169]

I can tell you 100% that prices for the exact same item at different bars is very inconsistent... I've ordered a drink with a particular tequila and it would be $10, and then order another drink somewhere else and it would be $17... Once I ended up finding my preferred bartender, I'd just go to whichever bar he happened to be working, just so I know I wouldn't be getting jerked around on pricing. I think that it boils down to some of the bartenders just not knowing what to charge for particular items...

[neverendingcruising]

You can see the charge in the mobile app basically instantly after the bartender or server closes the check so you can review before leaving the bar. We noticed pricing was all over the place on our first voyage but was much more consistent a few weeks ago. I do think a lot depends greatly on how your particular bartender/server places the order. 

[cantgetin]

If you order from the menu, it is easy to point it out and have it corrected.  If you do a special mix, they can do interesting charges.

 

[_tacocat_]

the only one i blatantly noticed was espresso martinis.  from sip they were like $10-11, but at grounds club and some other bars, they were like $14, but i believe the grounds club ones had some extra liquors in them that the sip ones didn't.

 

as others have said, if you're going off-menu, it's kind of like the wild west.  some bar tenders charge you for whatever base liquor and do whatever "cocktail" upcharge.  we've also had bar tenders that try to charge for a full pour of an upgraded liquor in addition to the menu cocktail price.  this ironically only actually mattered when we sailed as megas because our cocktails started hitting our account as over $25 (so not wiped).  a quick chat with one of the bar leaders and our roadie made those disappear and not happen again.

[TYCruise]

40 minutes ago, _tacocat_ said:

 

 

as others have said, if you're going off-menu, it's kind of like the wild west.  some bar tenders charge you for whatever base liquor and do whatever "cocktail" upcharge. 

Exactly, and this is true of bars on land too.  Sometimes you can get a really good deal when ordering a cocktail off-menu at a bar.

Edited April 21, 2023 by TYCruise

[tbmrt]

11 hours ago, cantgetin said:

If you order from the menu, it is easy to point it out and have it corrected.  If you do a special mix, they can do interesting charges.

 

If we see different charges for same routine drinks, i.e., vodka and tonic, gin mojito, can we call or write sailor services through table to correct or must we go to their desk?

[jon81uk]

I hardly had any issues, a standard vodka and Sprite was always $7 with Absolut vodka. Once the bartender used Tito’s instead and charged $9 but I accepted I just said vodka and technically that’s what I got, so I changed to asking specifically for Absolut. If I wanted rum I asked for Barcardi and pineapple juice and that was always $7.

 

When ordering cocktails we usually ordered from the menu, but did get Espresso martini from Sip and I think that was always $10 or $11. Didn’t go off-menu otherwise.

 

If you are worried about costs then I would ask first and then to keep it predictable always specify the brand of spirit you want served.

[cantgetin]

1 hour ago, tbmrt said:

If we see different charges for same routine drinks, i.e., vodka and tonic, gin mojito, can we call or write sailor services through table to correct or must we go to their desk?

You can contact SS thru the app or the tablet about any issue.

 

[fndecker]

The other issue is that only the master account if you have linked accounts gets the price detail on their phone. We had issues with that, especially since my phone died on the cruise and we had a time switching everything over to my wife's account.

[sollan]

On 4/20/2023 at 7:59 PM, sid_9169 said:

I can tell you 100% that prices for the exact same item at different bars is very inconsistent... I've ordered a drink with a particular tequila and it would be $10, and then order another drink somewhere else and it would be $17... Once I ended up finding my preferred bartender, I'd just go to whichever bar he happened to be working, just so I know I wouldn't be getting jerked around on pricing. I think that it boils down to some of the bartenders just not knowing what to charge for particular items...

What?! 

[_tacocat_]

6 hours ago, sollan said:

What?! 

if you go into your wallet, you can click into each of the transactions if you're curious.  sometimes, they just charge you for a totally wrong item, other times (as i noted in my other comment above), bartenders will charge you for a liquor PLUS the base cocktail vs. a liquor with a couple-buck cocktail upcharge or a cocktail with a couple-buck "premium spirit" upcharge.  if you see anything weird, go back to the bartender, find a bar manager or go to sailor services to resolve.

[sollan]

Thanks for varning!!

[lisabucsfan1]

On 4/24/2023 at 10:29 AM, _tacocat_ said:

if you go into your wallet, you can click into each of the transactions if you're curious.  sometimes, they just charge you for a totally wrong item, other times (as i noted in my other comment above), bartenders will charge you for a liquor PLUS the base cocktail vs. a liquor with a couple-buck cocktail upcharge or a cocktail with a couple-buck "premium spirit" upcharge.  if you see anything weird, go back to the bartender, find a bar manager or go to sailor services to resolve.

 

 

Yep - had an issue on our last cruise where my cabin mate wanted a Pinot Grigio and the bar was out, so he gave her Sauvignon Blanc instead. She didn't want it and told him so, yet it still showed up on the bar tab. I went to sailor services the next morning and it was all sorted out relatively painlessly. That being said, that was the FIRST time I ever looked at my running list of charges. My hubby and I have a tough time going through a $350/$400 bar tab on a 4- or 5-day sailing, and he's tried hard. 😂

[tbmrt]

1 hour ago, lisabucsfan1 said:

 

 

Yep - had an issue on our last cruise where my cabin mate wanted a Pinot Grigio and the bar was out, so he gave her Sauvignon Blanc instead. She didn't want it and told him so, yet it still showed up on the bar tab. I went to sailor services the next morning and it was all sorted out relatively painlessly. That being said, that was the FIRST time I ever looked at my running list of charges. My hubby and I have a tough time going through a $350/$400 bar tab on a 4- or 5-day sailing, and he's tried hard. 😂

Thanks...We have $600 for a 5 night sailing and I'm afraid we will need more!  

[cantgetin]

52 minutes ago, tbmrt said:

Thanks...We have $600 for a 5 night sailing and I'm afraid we will need more!  

If you qualify for DBE, you'll get $100 extra (as part of Deep Blue)

[jon81uk]

In a similar question on the VV subreddit someone has stated that drinks have recently increased in price with standard spirits and mixer now up to $9 (from $7) and Heineken beer at $6 (from $5).

 

So bar tab won’t stretch as far with prices going up.

But almost everything in the world has gone up in price over the last two years.

[scseas]

4 hours ago, jon81uk said:

In a similar question on the VV subreddit someone has stated that drinks have recently increased in price with standard spirits and mixer now up to $9 (from $7) and Heineken beer at $6 (from $5).

 

So bar tab won’t stretch as far with prices going up.

But almost everything in the world has gone up in price over the last two years.

Not surprising but can anyone verify the price increases? And how about for the cocktails on the menus—have these also increased? Does anyone have recent menus as the ones posted reflect what might be the previous pricing?