cantgetin

You are smart to not risk it.  Normal is 7:30 as the earliest disembarkation (at least that's what it was for our sailing),but you never know what will happen.  There can be a delay caused by US Customs, the ship can arrive late, etc.  On other lines, we've had weather delays due to fog.  Have a nice breakfast and enjoy your leisurely disembarkation.

There are lots of You Tube videos that will show you what to expect, both in general and as a solo.  Why not join the roll call for your cruise date (scroll under the boards)

1 hour ago, mishelly76 said:

I can add the bar tab to my cart but when I go to check out it keeps giving me an error, both on the desktop and mobile version of their website...anyone else having this issue?

No, but the app has a history of being wonky.  I know we all hate to wait on the phone, but that is often the easiest way to make things happen.

On 8/14/2022 at 2:38 PM, gramfrog said:

I have guests on the 14 night transatlantic who have purchased three of the $300 bar tabs each and so have $900 PLUS $300 for the bonus.  So yes, VV doesn't care how many you purchase.  It just needs to be used on alcohol, not things around the ship or excursions.

 

Unless they have changed it, it can be used for things like alcohol pairings at Test Kitchen or bottomless mimosas at brunch as well as the Pub Crawl--basically things that are totally alcohol or involve alcohol, as well as items like specialty coffees, teas, smoothies that have a charge, cold press juices. Basically, it covered any beverage that had a charge in addition to alcohol in any form.

The app is often not complete.  You will be able to book fitness classes on the app at the terminal (use VVMiami wifi or similar name).  It is something to do while waiting to board.  I don't know if this happens in Barcelona as well.  On both ships there is a big red desk after you board.  If you need help with reservations for classes, dinners, etc. they can help you there.

There are a huge number of YouTube videos about the food as well as web sites and videos showing the menus.  Every food location on the ship is included in your cruise fare although a few of the main restaurants have an item with an "upcharge."  There are plenty of excellent choices without ever paying for an upcharge item. 

The rest is as above.  If you have difficulty making reservations on the app, there is a large red table you'll see after boarding where they will help you get the reservations you want.  Yes, walk ups are on a "space available" basis, so if you want a particular restaurant or time, you are better with a reservation.

yes

Yes, you can purchase more than one "deposit" or future cruise credit and they are transferrable.  You just purchase it in your friend's name. I know this for sure because we did it a few weeks ago.  There is a limit to how many you can purchase.  The "deal" varies, and has changed at least 5 times since Oct. 2021, meaning that you do not know what it will be when you cruise.  NOTE--some lines do not allow you to do this!  VV does, at least as of July 2022.

Something to consider...until Aug. 31, VV has a great deal going on cruises during 2022.  There is NO single supplement and there is a $100 bonus on bar tabs.  This, in English, means that you can book a 2 person sized cabin and only pay for one person.  If your future cruise is in 2022, this may be a better deal for you than getting a booking on board discount of $300, depending on how you feel about having a larger cabin.

You can drop luggage early at Miami.  Sorry, I don't know about Barcelona (yet).

The $100 bonus is for 2022 cruises, but I can't explain why you can't add a bar tab to your other cruises.  Perhaps call VV or have your travel agent do it.  

You can share your bar tab with anyone you like...it isn't like a beverage package.  Thus, it makes no difference whether the bar tab is in your name or your wife's name.  If you have money left on the last day of the cruise, you can treat some of your "new best friends."  There's no point in letting any money sit on the tab; it is not refundable. And each $300 gets the $100 bonus.

9:05 is early.  VV suggests that you not schedule a flight before noon.  That said, they usually dock before 7am, sometimes as early as 5am.   You can disembark as soon as the ship has been "cleared" by local Customs.  That' usually about 7:30 or before.

You can probably make the train IF everything goes smoothly, but things do happen on ships and they can run late just like planes can.  I've been on ships that have lost an engine, that have been delayed by giving assistance to other vessels at sea,  fog delay, etc.  In one instance, the DCL ship rescued an inebriated passenger who went "man overboard" off a Carnival ship.  There are some great YouTube videos of that; the best were taken from the Carnival ship but you can hear the staff captain giving orders on some taken from the Disney ship.  If the ship is late getting to the dock, you'll be late getting off.

There are lots of outdoor seating areas.  The room service team will deliver to you, wherever you are on the ship.  There is outdoor seating at The Dock, The Galley, The Pizza Place, the Poki place (I forgot the name), and maybe others.  You can get "grab and go" stuff in a box and take it anywhere you wish, and you can get a plate from anywhere else and take it.

Interesting, I did not get such an email.  I wonder if it is only on certain voyages, which makes it  a little more confusing.  I even went back thru my deleted emails looking for such a thing.  I only have one 2022 cruise scheduled.

7 hours ago, jon81uk said:

Most of the time it’s fountain, only a few bars (Sip is one I think) have cans. Room service also supplies cans. But at most bars if you order a coke it’s fountain.

Exactly

Could be a glitch in the app....try again in a day or so.  It worked fine for me.

The bars had cans, and there was no charge for them.  It isn't like DCL where fountain service is free but cans cost.

THey make a big deal out of the "mud room."  OK, I guess.

A 1/2 day pass (3-4 hours depending on the time slot you selected) was $39.  I've read elsewhere that it is increasing to $59 on sea days, staying $39 on port days.   I believe a full day was $78.  They do not have "length of cruise" passes, and only the mega rockstar suites have it included.

When the beds are in the L configuration, either your feet or your heads will be next to each other.  It is a workable sort of separation. But as noted above, there is no single supplement for 2022 cruises booked during August.

I won't argue with who the line was aimed at.  I looked at the early ads and didn't even consider VV.  It wasn't until friends came back with rave reviews that I booked it.  Bottom line was that VV didn't get the "Sailors" who were their original target; they attracted a somewhat older median age.  Yes, you'll see the 20 somethings, but you'll see a lot of gray hair as well.  Whatever the original target, they are happy to book adults of any age who want to go with the flow and have fun.

As noted, the times are "Check in" times, not boarding times.  You are asked to not show up more than 30 minutes before your time.  Yes, check in and embarkation is normally very smooth and on time.

Since you are a rockstar, you have the earliest time of 1:30.  You can check in then and go to the rockstar meet and greet (free champagne) after boarding while waiting for your friends to board, or you can hang out and check in/board with them.

On 8/2/2022 at 1:14 PM, atanac said:

 

 

Virgin is in the same lane as the other mainstream cruise lines, none of which have a no kids policy,

all offer drink packages, most if not all have a spacious pool area with one to two pools, oh and none have the drifty tattoo option.

 

 

In my opinion, Virgin is significantly above "mainstream" lines in several respects.  The most obvious is the food quality.  IMHO, Celebrity is the closest of the lines we've cruised, but VV is significantly better.  Note--this does not include the "ship within a ship" concept where people who have booked suites or special areas have dedicated restaurants.

I LIKE the bar tab concept better than any drink package as I have not seen people drinking for the sake of maxing out a drink package.  I addition, the bar tab can be shared with anyone you wish.  There is currently a special of $100 bonus with purchase of each $300 bar tab, so a 25% discount.  Most lines sell drink packages for $80-100 per day per passenger in the stateroom, while VV gives you a lot more control over how much you wish to spend on alcohol.  The posted prices on VV include gratuity.  On most other lines, that $10 drink would actually cost you $11.80 if you didn't have a package; on VV it costs you $10 off your bar tab.  And you can use your bar tab for things like the pub crawl or beverage pairings with dinner (at Test Kitchen).  If you don't spend your entire bar tab, treat your new best friends on the last night.  Drink prices on VV are typically cheaper than other lines, and definitely cheaper than hotel bars or clubs in Miami!

It depends totally on when you show up and whether the restaurant is full.  It can be anything from "right now," more typically a 10 minute wait.  It is possible to be told that they can't take you or that the wait is 45 minutes, but in that case they will get on their system and tell you which restaurants have space and hold a spot for you till you can get there.

If you didn't make reservations in advance either on the app or the phone, there is a table on deck 7 that will help you with reservations on embarkation day.

You only have to schedule your disembarkation if you are going to send your luggage down the night before.  If you are doing "self disembarkation," scheduling is not required.  And yes, assuming normal docking and Customs clearance of the ship, disembarkation is 7:30-10:00.