What's Included on a Virgin Voyages Cruise (and Extras)
Quick Take
Virgin Voyages built its whole pricing pitch around one idea, which is that most of the annoying line-item extras on a mainstream cruise are already baked into your fare. As a travel advisor who books this line, I can tell you that pitch mostly holds up. Wifi, all your dining including the specialty restaurants, group fitness classes, and a long list of everyday drinks come with the ticket.
First, the Vibe: This Is an Adults-Only Ship
Virgin Voyages is 18 and over, full stop. No kids' clubs, no water slides, no cartoon characters wandering the pool deck. That single decision shapes the entire product, and it is a big part of why the inclusions feel different from a family megaship.
Because there are no children onboard, the spaces are calmer and the crowd skews toward couples, friend groups, and solo travelers who want a break from chaos. If you have sailed a mainstream line and found the atmosphere a little loud, this is a different rhythm. I mention it up front because the value question changes depending on whether an adults-only cruise fits your travel style at all.
What's Included in Your Virgin Voyages Fare
Wifi Comes With the Ticket
Wifi is included on every Virgin Voyages fare, which is still rare in the cruise world. Most mainstream lines treat internet as a paid package that can run $20 to $30 per device per day, so having it built in is a real dollar saver. The exact speed tier depends on which fare you book, with the entry-level fare covering messaging, browsing, and calling on one device.
Higher fare choices bump you up to faster wifi and coverage for more devices, and loyalty members can unlock premium wifi with streaming. For most travelers, the included tier handles group chats, photo uploads, and staying reachable without a second thought. If you plan to work remotely or stream video, that is the moment to look at a higher tier.
Every Restaurant, Including the Specialty Ones
This is the headline for me. On Virgin Voyages there are no specialty dining surcharges, so all of the restaurants are included in your fare. That means the Korean barbecue spot, the steakhouse, the Italian trattoria, the Mexican taqueria, and the rest are all part of the ticket.
On a mainstream cruise, sitting down at a specialty restaurant usually adds $30 to $60 per person per meal, and those charges pile up fast over a week. Virgin flips that model, so you can eat at a different sit-down restaurant every night without opening your wallet. You still make reservations, and I always encourage clients to book their preferred spots early, but the meals themselves cost nothing extra.
Group Fitness and the Everyday Drinks
Group fitness classes are included, which is another line item that mainstream ships often charge for. You can drop into yoga, cycling, or a HIIT session without a class fee, and the gym itself is open to all.
On the drink side, your fare covers drip coffee, tea, still and sparkling water, and non-pressed juices. That is a solid everyday lineup that keeps you hydrated and caffeinated without a tab. The catch to remember is that "included coffee" means the standard drip coffee, not the espresso-based specialty drinks, which I will cover in the extras section.
Gratuities: Read Your Fare Choice Carefully
Virgin Voyages used to bundle gratuities into every fare, and for years that was a signature selling point. The line has since moved to a fare model where gratuities can appear as a separate choice, so this is the one area where the "it's all included" story needs a footnote. Depending on the fare you book, tips may be built in or offered as a prepaid add-on.
When gratuities are unbundled, you are generally looking at a range of roughly $20 to $22 per guest per night, either prepaid at a slight discount or settled onboard. I flag this for every client because it is the detail people miss, and it can shift your total by well over a hundred dollars on a longer sailing. When you book with me, this is exactly the kind of fine print I sort out before you pay.
What Costs Extra on Virgin Voyages
Alcohol Is the Big One
Alcohol is not included in the base fare, and this is where most of the extra spending lands. Beer, wine, and cocktails are all charged as you go, with typical prices landing somewhere in the $8 to $18 range per drink depending on what you order. There is no traditional all-you-can-drink package in the mainstream sense, which surprises a lot of first-timers.
Instead of a drink package, Virgin uses the Bar Tab system, which is prepaid drink credit you load before or during your sailing. It is a straightforward pay-per-drink structure, and I will explain the loyalty twist on it in a moment. For budgeting, I tell clients to estimate their normal daily drink count and multiply out, because that gives a far more accurate number than guessing.
Premium Coffee, Sodas, and Pressed Juices
The espresso-based coffee drinks, meaning your lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites, are a paid extra at the onboard coffee shops. Expect prices similar to a nice cafe on land, generally in the $4 to $6 zone per drink. Bottled sodas and cold-pressed juices also sit outside the included list, so those get charged too.
None of this is a gotcha once you know it, and the fix is simple. Included drip coffee and tea are always there for your morning caffeine, and you only pay when you want the fancier version. I personally budget a small daily coffee allowance and leave it at that.
The Spa and Thermal Suite
Virgin's spa, called Redemption Spa, is beautiful, and it is a paid experience. Individual treatments like massages and facials run at spa prices you would recognize from a high-end resort, often in the $150 to $300 range depending on length and service. The thermal suite, with its mud room, sauna, and cold features, is also a paid area on most sailings.
If a spa day matters to you, I suggest pricing it out before you sail so it fits your budget on purpose rather than by accident. Some fares and promotions occasionally include a thermal suite pass, so it is worth asking about at booking. Shore excursions, of course, are their own separate cost, as they are on every cruise line.
The Bar Tab and Loyalty Credit
The Bar Tab deserves its own moment because it is the clever part of Virgin's drink pricing. When you prepay a Bar Tab, the line often adds bonus credit on top, so a larger prepaid amount can come with extra dollars attached. That effectively lowers your real cost per drink if you were going to buy them anyway.
Repeat sailors in the loyalty program can also receive Bar Tab credit as a perk, which stacks with any you buy yourself. I walk clients through the current bonus structure at the time they book, since the exact thresholds shift with promotions. The short version is that if you know you will be drinking, loading a Bar Tab strategically beats paying full price drink by drink.
✈️ WORK WITH ME
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How the Value Compares to a Mainstream Cruise
Here is how I frame it for clients who are cross-shopping. On a mainstream line, the sticker fare often looks lower, but you then pay separately for wifi, specialty dining, fitness classes, and sometimes water and juice. Add those up over a week and the gap narrows quickly.
Virgin front-loads those inclusions, so your fare covers more of the daily experience and your onboard bill tends to be smaller. Where it does not automatically win is alcohol, since a mainstream drink package can be a better deal for very heavy drinkers. The real answer depends on your habits, which is why I run an apples-to-apples comparison for anyone deciding between the two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is wifi included on every Virgin Voyages fare?
Yes, some level of wifi comes with every fare. The speed and device count scale up with higher fare choices and loyalty status, but basic connectivity is always part of the ticket.
Are the specialty restaurants actually free?
They are. There are no specialty dining surcharges on Virgin Voyages, so every sit-down restaurant is included. You still book reservations, but the meals carry no extra cover charge.
Do I have to pay gratuities separately?
It depends on your fare choice. Some fares include gratuities and others treat them as a prepaid or onboard add-on in the range of roughly $20 to $22 per guest per night. I confirm this on every booking so you know the true total.
What is a Bar Tab?
The Bar Tab is prepaid drink credit. Buying it in advance often earns bonus credit, and loyalty members can receive Bar Tab perks that stack on top, which lowers your effective cost per drink.
Is the spa included?
No. Spa treatments and the thermal suite are paid experiences, generally at high-end resort pricing. Some promotions include a thermal suite pass, so ask before you book.
Can kids sail on Virgin Voyages?
No. Virgin Voyages is an adults-only line for guests 18 and over, which is a core part of its identity and its calmer onboard feel.
Final Thoughts
Virgin Voyages does deliver on the promise that most of the day-to-day stuff is included, from wifi to every restaurant to your everyday coffee and water. The extras are limited and predictable, and once you know the drinks, premium coffee, and spa sit outside the fare, you can budget with confidence. That kind of clarity is a big reason I enjoy booking this line for the right clients.
If you want me to price out a sailing and compare it side by side with a mainstream option, that is exactly what I do. I will tell you plainly whether Virgin fits your style or whether another line serves you better. Reach out and let's map out a trip that matches how you actually like to travel.
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