Hot on the heels of launching its fourth ship, Virgin Voyages is shaking up its fare structure in an effort to provide more clarity and flexibility.
From October 7, the line will introduce VoyageFair Choices in response to travel agent and passenger feedback. Customers booking Sea Terrace cabins and below have three options:
- Base fare is non-refundable and introduces a new Basic WiFi tier for one device per passenger designed for social media, messaging and light browsing. Dining reservations open 15 days before sailing, and changes to names, cabins or dates aren’t permitted;
- Essential fare is closest to what happens today. It includes Classic WiFi for one device per passenger, with social media, messaging, browsing and audio calling. This option also includes a 45-day dining reservation window, along with added flexibility to adjust voyage dates using a Future Voyage Credit. Name changes are also allowed for passengers two, three and four but not the main booker.
- Premium fare offers more perks and freedom. For the first time, Sea Terrace categories and below will be able to book their dining reservations 60 days ahead of sailing – previously reserved only for suites. Premium also includes Premium WiFi for two devices per passenger with streaming and video capabilities, an included Bar Tab (drinks credit), and access to a priority support line for pre-voyage booking.
The difference in price between Essential and Premium would be around $45 per person per night, CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu told me in an online press conference. But with the Premium package you would also get a $15 person per night bar tab and Premium Wi-Fi worth $30.
“So you basically get the price of buying premium Wi-Fi and buying a bar tab, which is what $45 is. But in addition to that, you get your 60-day dining window, you get a fully flexible fare, and you get access to priority support,’ said Mr Saverimuttu.
“So we think that if anyone’s looking to buy premium Wi-Fi and wants to have some kind of a drinks credit, it’s really a win-win for you and for us, for you to basically be able to guarantee access to your dining and guarantee access to priority support for $45 per person per night. And it’s totally flexible. You can make any name change, any cabin change, any date change.”
The Base fare would be around five to 10 per cent below Essential.
For suites – known on Virgin as RockStar and Mega RockStar Quarters – dining reservations will now be open 120 days before sailing.
At the same time, Virgin Voyages is also breaking out tips as a separate item instead of being bundled into the fare. Passengers may pre-pay at a discounted rate of $20pp per night or settle on board for $22pp a night.
‘Travellers expect clarity and choice from airlines and hotels, and Virgin Voyages is the first to bring that same simplicity and pricing model to cruising,’ said Mr Saverimuttu. ‘This isn’t about gimmicks or fine print. We’re making it easier to book a voyage with confidence while knowing that once you’re on board, the experience is unmistakably Virgin – elevated and unforgettable.’
Board member John Lovell added: ‘People want more flexibility, more transparency and more control over how they vacation. Virgin Voyages has already changed what it means to cruise and now, with VoyageFair Choices, we’re changing how people book.’
The two men insisted crew would have no idea which level of fare passengers had paid. They also played down any concern that more customers would opt out of gratuities, perhaps instead choosing to reward individual staff members.
‘It’s not going to change how we pay our crew,’ insisted Mr Lovell. ‘They will be paid the same wage.’
They also confirmed that Virgin Voyages will not be basing a ship in the UK for the first time in 2027. The line launched its first ship, Scarlet Lady, in Portsmouth in 2021, followed the next year by Valiant Lady. Resilient Lady sailed from the port in 2023 and 2024. Scarlet Lady returned in 2025 and in August Portsmouth became the first port in the world to have welcomed all four of the line’s ships when the new Brilliant Lady visited. Valiant Lady is returning in 2026.
But for 2027, the aim is to tempt British travellers to fly to Athens, Barcelona or the US.
‘What we found is that a lot of our UK sailors actually really like being in the Med,’ said Mr Saverimuttu. ‘In 2027, it’s about taking them into some more exotic and more interesting destinations.’
Read my other posts about Virgin Voyages here