A few more questions before we sail

[HesterMofet]

Hello and thank you for answering my previous questions!

 

Here are a few more -- we're on Valiant Lady:

 

Embarcation Time: I know I go by my 4pm time but someone wrote "I saw an earlier time on the app and grabbed it." Will that show up on the front page of the app or where is that located? We're just going to do late hotel checkout if we can and if not the hotel lobby as we have no desire to stand outside for hours in 90 degree heat.

 

Cups: I also read someone saying there are no single use plastics and you need to bring a water bottle. Is that really true? Can't I just take a glass with me? Or does it just end up easier that way?

 

Cabana: Yeah, we did the stupid thing but it's our 25th so we splurged. Are they good at keeping the Cabana Bar Tab separate from your other Bar Tab? Or will I be visiting guest services to get it straightened out?

 

Port Of Miami: We just plan on doing a ride share from the hotel. Any reason not to?

 

Drinks: Do any/all of the bars make frozen drinks? Does the bar on Bimini?

 

The Pool: Are there any places to lay in the shade? 

 

Parties: PJ Party, Scarlet Party or both. 

 

WiFi: Is the upgrade package worth it? 

 

Port in Cozumel: Which pier do we land at?

 

 

 

I really appreciated your bidding advice. The suites we were trying for -- all but one is sold out so I think we have a full ship! 

 

Again, thanks so much in advance!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 14 by HesterMofet
forgot a q

[jon81uk]

22 minutes ago, HesterMofet said:

Embarcation Time: I know I go by my 4pm time but someone wrote "I saw an earlier time on the app and grabbed it." Will that show up on the front page of the app or where is that located?

Go back into the check in steps and do step six again, it will ask if you are sure but if there are no better times available just press back and you keep what you already have. 
 

53 minutes ago, HesterMofet said:

Cups: I also read someone saying there are no single use plastics and you need to bring a water bottle. Is that really true? Can't I just take a glass with me? Or does it just end up easier that way?

In your room will be two carafes of water, you can request sparking from the cabin attendant if you like and are free to keep them in the mini fridge. There are two glasses. The Galley food court has plastic cups for water/juice/soda and bars generally have water on the counter to help yourself to (and can ask the bar staff for free soda or sparkling water). So you don’t need a bottle unless you want to take water off the ship or maybe for the gym. Some people also like having a bottle at their sun lounger instead of going to the bar for a cup.

 

56 minutes ago, HesterMofet said:

Port Of Miami: We just plan on doing a ride share from the hotel. Any reason not to?

We’ve always used Lyft to the port with no major issues.

 

56 minutes ago, HesterMofet said:

Drinks: Do any/all of the bars make frozen drinks? Does the bar on Bimini?

All the pool and sundeck bars do frozen drinks on the ship and at the Bimini beach club. No indoor bar does frozen drinks.

 

58 minutes ago, HesterMofet said:

The Pool: Are there any places to lay in the shade? 

Not many, but there are some sort of sofa things to the side of the pool under the deck 16 overhang. Also depending on the time of day some loungers near the round jacuzzi pool may be in shade. On deck 7 promenade it is likely one side of the ship will be in shade.

 

59 minutes ago, HesterMofet said:

Parties: PJ Party, Scarlet Party or both. 

Both, they are on separate nights. PJ party is first night around 10.30pm.

Scarlet night will be the night before a sea day, kicks off at 9pm with bits and pieces across deck 7. Then pool party at 10.45pm and the after party at midnight. 
 

Both are fun with different playlists of music and surprises.

 

1 hour ago, HesterMofet said:

WiFi: Is the upgrade package worth it? 

Depends if you want to stream YouTube/Netflix and make Zoom calls. Otherwise standard is fine for messaging and internet.

[cantgetin]

You got good answers above.  I carry my large mug so I can take my ice tea wherever I go.  You can do the same with water or you can get a glass from any bar.  Some people just find it easier to fill a water bottle or covered cup and carry it around.  There are lots of water refill places around the ship, but again  any bar can give you water.

 

We got the premium wifi free and it made a big difference.  If all you want to do is email type stuff, standard is fine.  We have had quite a bit of variation from cruise to cruise with the standard, so having the premium was nice.  I heard there was quite a price increase for it....sorry, don't know the current cost.

Scarlet Night basically starts at 9pm and runs as late as you want....the preliminaries start earlier.  PJ, differen tnight, different atmosphere, starts about 11pm....over by 1 but feel free to leave earlier.  Lots of people are tired on the first night.

If I had a 4pm terminal arrival time, I'd show up about 3.  You will board as soon as everyone with an earlier time than you have is on board.  The later times are usually moved up significantly.  Lyft works great for us.   Our last cruise out of Miami, the hotel offered a shuttle; I'd take a Lyft instead.  The shuttle driver was a jerk.  We usually ask for a late check out at the hotel, which gets us 1pm in most cases.   My suggestion would be to get something to eat after that  and then head to the port MIA airport area to terminal is about 20 minutes, FLL area is about 45 minutes depending on traffic.  There is one small coffee shop in the terminal area, so not much to do there.

Sold out suites does not equal a full ship. However, most of the ships are going out a lot more full than they used to be.

[Essiesmom]

Pier in Cozumel is usually Punta Langosta, the downtown pier.  Usually.  But it depends on who else is in port the same day.  Cozumelinsider.com publishes the schedule weekly.  VV does not have a ship there this week.  EM

Edited August 14 by Essiesmom

[kaysha2004]

9 hours ago, HesterMofet said:

Hello and thank you for answering my previous questions!

 

Here are a few more -- we're on Valiant Lady:

 

Embarcation Time: I know I go by my 4pm time but someone wrote "I saw an earlier time on the app and grabbed it." Will that show up on the front page of the app or where is that located? We're just going to do late hotel checkout if we can and if not the hotel lobby as we have no desire to stand outside for hours in 90 degree heat.

A late checkout at your hotel or waiting in the lobby is the best you can do, so you don't have to be outside.

9 hours ago, HesterMofet said:

 

Cups: I also read someone saying there are no single use plastics and you need to bring a water bottle. Is that really true? Can't I just take a glass with me? Or does it just end up easier that way?

Since Virgin is an eco-friendly cruise line, bringing your own refillable water takes the place of other cruises lines handing out plastic disposable water bottles.  It's your choice.  There are lots of refill stations around the ship, but don't hand your water bottle to a bartender for refills, as that's not sanitary.  You are not allowed to bring glass onboard, however, in lieu of a water bottle, you can bring a plastic cup.  

9 hours ago, HesterMofet said:

 

Cabana: Yeah, we did the stupid thing but it's our 25th so we splurged. Are they good at keeping the Cabana Bar Tab separate from your other Bar Tab? Or will I be visiting guest services to get it straightened out?

I don't know how this is separated, but my recommendation is to check your "wallet" in the app daily to make sure your onboard spending is correct.  I have been double charged a few times, then have to go to sailor services to get it corrected.  

9 hours ago, HesterMofet said:

 

Port Of Miami: We just plan on doing a ride share from the hotel. Any reason not to?

Uber or Lyft is better than a hotel shuttle, if it's even offered at your hotel.  Those shuttles make multiple stops at different cruise piers along the way, and it's always crammed with people and luggage.  I've had to sit in the passenger seat in the past with my carryon bag on the floorboard with my feet on the dashboard.

9 hours ago, HesterMofet said:

 

Drinks: Do any/all of the bars make frozen drinks? Does the bar on Bimini?

 

The Pool: Are there any places to lay in the shade? 

Lots of places to find shade at the pool, as others have mentioned.  We usually get loungers in the smaller pool area.  It's a bit quieter.  There's two rows of loungers before the covered sofa lounger area.  We usually get loungers in the second row and pull them back under the covered area but still not block the walkway.  It all depends on the angle of the sun, so sometimes we switch to the other side.

9 hours ago, HesterMofet said:

 

Parties: PJ Party, Scarlet Party or both. 

 

WiFi: Is the upgrade package worth it? 

 

Port in Cozumel: Which pier do we land at?

Best to call Virgin for the pier location in Cozumel.  I don't know when your cruise is, but sometimes they change the pier schedule.

9 hours ago, HesterMofet said:

 

 

 

I really appreciated your bidding advice. The suites we were trying for -- all but one is sold out so I think we have a full ship! 

 

Again, thanks so much in advance!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[neverendingcruising]

There is no separation of the bar tabs between cabana and something you bought pre-voyage, nor would it matter since it is just dollars towards drinks. 
 

On our latest voyage the premium WiFi was $25/day if you bought for the whole voyage or $30 for 24 hours.

[HesterMofet]

The reason I was asking about the bar tab and the cabana is because you get $100 bar tab with the cabana and I also have purchased a bar tab and I wondered if they were going to be stupid and take it off my regular paid for bar tab rather than the one I get for the cabana. 

Other cruiselines have done that to be before and I had to go to customer service to get it straightened out. 

[neverendingcruising]

The cabana bar tab and the purchased bar tab will be applied to your account when you get on the ship. If you burn through it before you get to your cabana then it's gone. In other words, the $100 isn't going to be held back until you get to your cabana. Same thing goes doe the $300. If you haven't used all of the purchased bar tab it will still apply in the cabana.