This post was inspired by a reddit post by u/innoventurestravel to the Virgin Voyages subreddit. Featured image credit: Virgin Voyages
Cruising the high seas with Virgin Voyages offers an array of unforgettable experiences, tailored to meet the desires of a diverse traveler demographic. Among the myriad of discussions surrounding the luxury and comfort aboard the fleet, a unique resource emerged that caught our attention. User u/innoventurestravel, known for their innovative approach to travel preparations, took to Reddit to share a meticulously designed graphic. This visual aid serves as a planner for travelers, capturing the essential milestones and deadlines needed as the sailing date approaches.
In their post, u/innoventurestravel presented a colorful and engaging graphic designed to ensure that every sailor is well-prepared and can manage their trip with ease. From booking confirmations to embarkation details, the graphic simplifies the journey’s preparatory stages, making it accessible and delightful. It highlights Virgin Voyages’ commitment to a seamless and enjoyable preparation process for every traveler.
Join us as we explore the specifics of this creative graphic, delving into how it aids in planning and preparing for a voyage with Virgin Voyages. We’ll break down the graphic into easy-to-follow points, providing you with practical advice and enhancing your journey, whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a first-time cruiser.
Navigating Key Deadlines: Your Virgin Voyages Checklist
Embarking on a Virgin Voyages cruise is an exciting endeavor, and thanks to u/innoventurestravel, planning your trip is now a breeze. The graphic they’ve created is a visually appealing timeline, designed to help sailors remember crucial milestones and deadlines leading up to their voyage. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to keep track of:
- Deposit Deadline: Secure your trip within 24 hours with a 20% deposit, to ensure your spot on this extraordinary adventure.
- Exclusive Early Access: For those in the RockStar and Mega RockStar categories, the early booking for ‘Shore Things‘ opens 135 days before departure.
- Final Countdown: With 120 days to go, the following are important things that you need to remember:
- Payment Due: The full balance must be paid 120 days prior to sailing. It’s the last step in confirming your much-awaited voyage.
- Upgrade and Unwind: During this 120 days prior to sailing, cabin upgrades become available, offering a chance to enhance your journey.
- Last Call for Assurance: Don’t forget, 60 days out is your final opportunity to lock in Voyage Protection, ensuring peace of mind as you prepare to embark.
- VIP Dining: For RockStars and Mega RockStars, make your culinary adventure as memorable as the voyage by booking your dining experiences 60 days prior.
- Everyone Onboard: As you near the 45-day mark, it’s time for all sailors to reserve their dining and embarkation times.
- Set Plans in Stone: Be aware that any bookings cancelled after the 45-day point will not receive a Future Voyage Credit (FVC).
- Last-Minute Tweaks: Finally, you have up to 48 hours before you set sail to make any name changes to your reservation, keeping options flexible until almost the last possible moment.
Community Insights: Sailor Feedback on Planning Perfection
The Virgin Voyages community on Reddit is active with sailors ready to support one another. Here’s what fellow Redditors have to say about the milestone planner shared by u/innoventurestravel:
- Graphic Praise: u/BeeRoutine4217 commends the graphic as both “helpful and adorable,” expressing a desire for similar guides for other cruise lines.
- Clarification on Embarkation: u/crisss1205 corrects a common misconception, stating that you can select your embarkation time immediately after completing step 6, without waiting for the 45-day mark.
- Compliments to Design: u/SoilVegetable7991 admires the font and color choices of the graphic, suggesting that the design adds to its utility.
- User-Friendly Tool: u/Mrs_dfav2 finds the guide super helpful for planning purposes.
- Practical Tip: u/jon81uk recommends checking in and booking an arrival time slot as soon as you book for a smoother experience.
- Additional Resource: u/innoventurestravel shares a link to a Google Sheet calculator tool, allowing sailors to input their sail date and further personalize their planning.
Did You Know?
- Pre-Voyage Prep: As soon as you book your cruise on Virgin Voyages (or as early as 120 days out), use the Virgin Voyages app to tackle the “Before You Sail” checklist. The checklist has 7 steps that takes about 10 minutes to complete which includes tasks like confirming your passport information, taking a security photo and linking a credit card to use onboard.
- Boarding Strategy: As clarified by u/crisss1205, you can select your embarkation time immediately after completing step 6 of the “Before You Sail” checklist. Aim for the earliest embarkation time available (typically around 2 PM). This grants you extra ship time, less crowded terminals, and the advantage in booking onboard activities ahead of the crowd.
- Loyalty Perks for New Sailors: Virgin Voyages can fast-track you into the Sailing Club if you’re in another cruise club. Join the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club with Sailing Club Status Match and you can snag Blue Extras on your first (or second) voyage and score offers exclusive for members-only before you sail. Registrations are now open until December 31, 2024. Ready to upgrade your cruising? Join the Sailing Club here.
- Savvy Bar Tab Management: It pays to pre-pay! Prepay your Bar Tab and score a bonus onboard credit for extra rounds throughout your voyage. Bar Tabs are available for purchase up until 24 hours before sailing. Here’s what you get:
- $100 Bar Tab: an extra $10 to spend and a total of $110 in drinks to share
- $200 Bar Tab: an extra $25 to spend and a total of $225 in drinks to share
- $300 Bar Tab: an extra $50 to spend and a total of $350 in drinks to share
- First to Connect, First to Enjoy: Connect to the ship’s WiFi as soon as you board to book workout classes and entertainment, which can’t be reserved ahead of time.
Set Sail on Your Dream Virgin Voyage
As we dock at the end of this journey through planning and preparation, remember that a Virgin Voyages cruise is more than just a getaway — it’s an invitation to adventure and luxury. Thanks to u/innoventurestravel’s cleverly designed timeline, you’re now equipped with the knowledge to navigate the pre-cruise milestones with the finesse of a seasoned sailor.
From securing the best embarkation times to strategically reserving those sought-after dining experiences, our community of voyagers has shared their wisdom to ensure your experience is nothing short of spectacular. With all meals included and a host of activities to enjoy, your voyage with Virgin promises to be as indulgent as it is memorable.
So, are you ready to chart a course to relaxation and excitement on the high seas? Don’t let the ship sail without you. Book your Virgin Voyage today and let the horizon call you to new experiences. Until the sea calls us again, bon voyage!
