What makes Virgin Voyages stand out from other cruises?
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First, it’s adult-only. Second, its programming is heavily geared toward younger passengers—and I’m talking about how old you are at heart, not solely in years. Third, passengers don’t cover any gratuity—the cruise line takes care of its employees.
Those three elements are just the tip of the Virgin Voyages iceberg.
I’ve had Virgin Voyages on my radar since I started covering Caribbean and trans-Atlantic cruises. Recently, my brother and his partner embarked on Virgin Voyage’s Dominican Daze five-night Miami-Miami trip with stops in Bimini and Puerto Plata.
The pair are experienced, very active travelers who have been all over the world. They love to go all-in on their destinations, which is part of the reason they were attracted to the Virgin Voyages programs. They also know what they like and dislike, which is great when it comes to hearing honest feedback and opinions.
When the pair finished up their five-night trip, I had a few questions about the experience. I was a little nervous to ask, thanks to my high expectations and knowing that they wouldn’t pull any punches in their review, so to speak.
In the end, they shared a trove of photos and videos, then recounted their experiences. Based on their stories and pictures they shared, it was an experience for the books—and one that they’d go on again in a heartbeat.
So, what made the cruise stand out? And what types of onboard activities have sealed the deal when it comes to me booking my own Virgin Voyages adventure?
Based on the experience that my brother and his partner had, plus my own travel quirks and research, I’m covering the top ten coolest activities, programs, and offers from Virgin Voyages. (Special thanks to Adam and Jamie for their help!)
My focus is on the Dominican Daze cruise in the Caribbean, but know that you can find similar programming across most warm-weather Virgin Voyages routes. I’m going to start with the most basic experiences, then move into more unique territory.
8 of the coolest programs from Virgin Voyages
The more, the merrier, thanks to the Virgin Voyages group program
I noticed that some guests on the Dominican Daze cruise were there celebrating bachelor/ette parties. Recently, I actually recommended Virgin Voyages for any Jack and Jill parties. Part of the reason is the cruise’s fantastic onboard programming, which makes it easy to have fun pretty much all day.
But the company also has a solid group rate program that comes with a 10% discount (if booking 180 days in advance), a $300 bar tab per cabin, 1 VIP-style group dinner, and a 30-day price protection guarantee. Just contact their Groups Team to learn more.
You can book special romance packages with the Splash of Romance program
If you’re booking the cruise as part of a honeymoon or romantic getaway, you can also add a Splash of Romance—which is the name of the experience package. It comes with priority boarding and an exclusive Sail Away Hour.
During the cruise, you also get curated cold-pressed juices delivered daily, two three-hour thermal spa passes, a ‘Shake for Champagne’, and ‘sultry’ bites. I’m guessing those sultry bites involve chocolate, possibly strawberries.
Don’t have anything specific to celebrate? Virgin Voyages will still put on a party for you
The last package I want to mention is the ‘Add a Splash’ package, which is designed to turn any cruise trip into a next-level party. This package comes with a bottomless brunch experience at either The Wake or Razzle Dazzle. Don’t drink? No worries—they have many non-alcoholic picks for you.
In addition to that bottomless brunch pass, the Add a Splash program also comes with a dinner party with unique drinks and desserts, and complimentary Moet & Chandon bubbly.
There’s a pajama party
What did I tell you? Virgin Voyages might have perfected the adults-only but great-for-kids-at-heart programming. Nothing showcases that quite like the pajama party. The PJ Party is part of Virgin Voyages’ nightly entertainment schedule, which is repeated on all ships. From cozy pajamas to silk slip-ons, consider it your time to have fun slumber party-style.
There’s an onboard casino
This isn’t too shocking, as many cruise lines offer small onboard casinos. Once again, however, I have to point out that Virgin Voyages does things a little differently.
First, you can take gaming lessons to learn the ropes before you sit down to play blackjack or craps. Second, there’s a Sea Roller Rewards Program that gives you points every time you play a casino game. You can exchange these points for exclusive offers, from complimentary drinks to cash advance fees waived.
Dinner-shows have entered the chat
Virgin Voyages’ latest vessel, Brilliant Lady, has a brand new lineup of interesting nightly entertainment in the form of dinner shows and games. There’s a vintage-style music show over dinner called Up With a Twist, along with a murder-mystery themed escape-room-style event called Murder in the Manor.
There’s even a casual, immersive disco party called Disco Reimagined. Just a little casual entertainment innovation. (These shows are only offered on Brilliant Lady.)
A fitness center that’s not like other fitness centers
Group workout, anyone? While you won’t catch me lifting a damn finger on vacation, Virgin Voyages has a fantastic ‘health is wealth’ approach onboard—one that beautifully balances out its other boozier, noisier adventures.
You might already know about the famous Runway, a bright-red, 255-meter track that wraps around the ship.
Passengers can also join group workouts for a range of fitness levels. There are stand-up paddleboarding on the beach, enjoy specifically curated hikes during day trips, and even enjoy guided meditations between high-intensity workouts.
The idea is that both on the ship and at port, Virgin Voyages has well-thought-out programs that let you stay as active as you want.
There’s a tattoo parlor on board
Sailors were some of the first people in the Western world to get tattoos—so it’s not wildly out of the question that a cruise ship would offer a tattoo parlor. The Squid Ink tattoo parlor isn’t just any old studio, either. It hosts some of the world’s top tattooers from Soho Ink, Freshly Inked Magazine, and beyond.
