We love Virgin Voyages and one of the reasons why is the way they handle drink packages. At the same time, we know this won’t be the best choice for other people who are big drinkers.
When you are cruising on one of the other large cruise lines, there are usually several drink packages with one for soft drinks and various types of alcohol drink packages.
Virgin Voyages does not have drink packages but instead deals with it completely differently.
Drink on Virgin Voyages
- Coffee, tea, water, and soft drinks are free.
- There are no drink packages, but alcohol is more affordable per drink, cheaper than most restaurants in any major US city.
- A bar tab can be purchased which gives you a discount on drinks.
- Regular promotions include free bar tabs.
- Gratuity is included in your cruise price.
Onboard Drink Offerings:
- Included Beverages:
- Virgin Voyages includes basic beverages in the fare, such as still and sparkling water, non-pressed juices, sodas, teas, and drip coffee.
- Bar Tab:
- Instead of traditional drink packages, Virgin Voyages introduced a pre-paid “Bar Tab” system.
- Guests can pre-purchase credit for their Bar Tab and use it to buy alcoholic beverages and specialty coffees onboard.
- Sometimes, they may offer additional bonus credit for those who pre-purchase a certain amount of Bar Tab credit before sailing.
- Alcoholic Beverages:
- Virgin Voyages offers a variety of drink options including cocktails, wines, beers, and spirits.
- The cruise line emphasizes its commitment to quality, and this extends to the selection of beverages available.
Virgin Voyages Drink Prices
Wine – Most are $7-$9 a glass
Beers – $5-$9
Simple Cocktails – $9
Speciality Mixed Cocktail – $11-15
Specialty Coffee – $3-$6
Can I use my Bar Tab to buy drinks for others?
Yes, in fact, it is not unusual for people to be trying to use their bar tab up the last night of the cruise by offering drinks to other people.
What’s Virgin’s policy for bringing alcohol on board?
You are allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine or champagne per stateroom.
How Does Virgin Voyages Drink Packages compare to other cruises?
For most people, drinks on Virgin Voyages will end up being more affordable than a drink package on the major cruise lines. For example, the Royal Caribbean drink package is usually around $80-$100 for their premium drink package. You would need to drink over 10 drinks a day to match that price.